[Server-devel] Can XSCE benefit a tablet deployment?

[Anish Mangal]

Since a lot is being read and written about I'd also like to throw this
in...

https://sugardextrose.org/projects/xsce/wiki/primary_considerations

On Tue, Dec 3, 2013 at 10:46 AM, James Cameron <quozl at laptop.org> wrote:

> On Mon, Dec 02, 2013 at 09:42:46AM -0500, George Hunt wrote:
> > This is a branch off of the thread "Does XSCE need a new home?", and
> > stimulated by James Cameron's comments quoted where  in part:
> >
> > > I also disagree with the implication that the tablet is any more
> > > proprietary than the laptop.  The mix of intellectual property is
> > > certainly different, but the opportunity for use is also
> > > different.  Therefore the products shouldn't be compared at an
> > > intellectual property licensing level.
> > >
> > > What is very different is that the laptop was ground-breaking
> > > original technology, and the tablet is buy-in technology.  This
> > > cascades into completely different community involvement models.
> > >
> > > (I don't yet see how XSCE can benefit a tablet deployment, nobody
> > > appears to have enumerated that.)
>
> I note this has become the subject of this thread ... but then you
> went on to say:
>
> > At the SF summit, last month, Rodrigo demonstrated sugar running on
> > a google Nexus tablet. This was achieved by running the python/sugar
> > mega-package on top of the Ubuntu touch distribution.
> >
> > Is the Nexus the right hardware platform long term? Well, it's
> > bootloader is unlocked! And here, in my opinion, is where the
> > licensing becomes an issue.
>
> You lost me at this point, although I did go back and read the rest
> later.  The digression did not address the question.
>
> > [...]
> >
> > I believe a tablet should be thought of as part of a learning
> > technology system, which also includes a laptop, and a school
> > server. The tablet is more appropriate for younger grades, and I
> > believe will always a more cost effective solution. Touch
> > keyboarding, an essential skill for upward mobility, can come with
> > the addition of a bluetooth keyboard, or in upper grades, a
> > laptop.
>
> True, but not really relevant to the subject of the thread; how can
> XSCE benefit a tablet deployment?
>
> > The school server is essential for both of these client interfaces
> > to manage media storage, limit pornography, collect usage
> > statistics, etc.
>
> Well, I don't see it as essential.  I see it as helpful, and
> potentially useful.  XSCE is a niche product; the niche being schools
> with no support from a large scalable ICT team provided by central
> governance.
>
> (Schools with such support will find it difficult to adopt XSCE,
> because centralised ICT tends to resist shadow ICT).
>
> So I tried to answer the question myself.
>
> For the research, I used the summary feature list here:
> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Community_Edition#Our_Product
>
> And the planned feature list for XSCE 0.5 here:
> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Community_Edition/0.5/Project_Specifications
>
> And the planned feature list for XSCE 0.6 here:
> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Community_Edition/Features
>
> How can XSCE benefit a tablet deployment?
>
> 1.  it can be an advanced home router; probably you mean the core
> services, like DHCP, BIND, and Jabber.
>
> 2.  it can be an internet gateway; probably you mean the core service
> iptables, the extended services proxy server, web cache, and content
> filtering,
>
> 3.  it can hold content, (a cache); probably you mean extended
> services such as web server, course manaement system, backup, book
> server, offline content,
>
> 4.  it can hold software updates, (a cache); probably you mean
> activity update, olpc-update, and customisation stick.
>
> Now, a tablet learner can benefit from these things to varying
> degrees;
>
> - DHCP, helpful, if the wireless routers don't do it,
>
> - BIND, helpful for finding local resources, but not essential,
>
> - Jabber, not useful,
>
> - iptables, helpful, if only because the server is to be positioned in
>   the exit path to the internet,
>
> - proxy server and web cache, potentially helpful, if a tablet can be
>   properly configured to use it,
>
> - content filtering, as above,
>
> - content caching, useful,
>
> - software updates, not useful, unless tablet specific updates are
>   made available.
>
> Where is the documentation for how to use an XO laptop with XSCE?  A
> teacher must have this.  Such documentation may be a basis for writing
> documentation on how to use a tablet with XSCE.
>
>
I don't think any of the above points answer "how is it useful to a
*tablet* deployment". Were you trying to answer how is it useful to a
"generic computing machine" deployment?

What, in your mind, are the characteristics of a *tablet* deployment? A
list of assumptions you make might be useful. Perhaps even a real world
example or two to take this further.


> p.s. note how the future features in 0.5 included MediaWiki and a
> Restore service, which are not listed in 0.6.  Why is that?
>
>
P.S.  FWIW, looking at something's usefulness from purely technical
viewpoints like the ones above might not be the best way to answer "how can
it benefit a student's learning potential or a teacher's teaching
potential". (though I agree it digresses from the point of this thread)

-Anish


> --
> James Cameron
> http://quozl.linux.org.au/
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>
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