[LB-XO-LiveCD] RFC about the next XO-LiveCD release

[Sameer Verma]

Dr.-Ing. Rohrmoser wrote:
> On Tuesday 13 May 2008 18:44, you wrote:
>
>   
>> [snipped]
>>
>> Here's a suggestion, but this is not necessarily for the live CD. Maybe
>> this can be a variant. The idea is to package a pre-configured LTSP
>> server (http://www.ltsp.org/) with the CD such as what EduKnoppix does.
>> http://media.lug-marl.de/doc/fsub-edu-knoppix/
>>
>> The utility of such a live CD will be provide a live LTSP environment in
>> a classroom/lab setting and allow people to PXE boot into Sugar from the
>> thin client/desktop side. We currently have a dedicated LTSP setup for
>> Ubuntu, which allows us to run 32 desktop thin clients without any
>> installation. This proposed live CD would allow people to do the same,
>> but using a live CD on the server side. This way, schools that already
>> have labs can try Sugar in lab environments.
>>
>> Sameer
>>     
>
> Good point ! 
>
> The PXE boot feature for clients in a classroom is already available. The
> LiveBackup-Framework which is used to build the XO-LiveCD supports
> such a configuration. You can use any Linux Server to distribute the Live-CD
> in a network. The basic steps are:
>
>  * mount the CD and make the content available by NFS.
>  * configure the DHCP server for PXE
>  * create a suitable tftp configuration
>  * rebuild the initrd (using LiveBackup scripts) to include all 
>    required  NIC drivers
>
> Anyway, if there is a request for such a configuration the procedure 
> for classroom administrators can be simplified by providing a 
> separate LTSP Live-CD. 
>
>
> Wolfgang
>   

Hi Wolfgang,

First, I really appreciate your effort into the current Live CD
development. Live DCs are quite helpful.

I think a server config Live CD would be quite useful. Typically, a demo
using a live CD + projector is interesting in that you can show children
what Sugar looks like, but then they can only watch. They can't
participate.

If children had a lab full of Sugar machines, they can participate and
learn. Perhaps as an additional incentive, teachers can give them a live
CD to take home and try out.

Many schools in the US have networked computer labs already running some
form of PXE image management. I know that I can borrow labs on my campus
over the weekend for such purposes.

Another option would be to piggyback on Edubuntu's LTSP 5 effort and
create a sugar-desktop meta-package that will install Sugar on an
up-and-running LTSP 5 infrastructure.

cheers,
Sameer

-- 
Dr. Sameer Verma, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Information Systems
San Francisco State University
San Francisco CA 94132 USA
http://verma.sfsu.edu/
http://opensource.sfsu.edu/