[schooltool-dev] Configuration issues for schools

Tim Holy tim.holy at gmail.com
Sat Feb 7 19:02:04 UTC 2009


Hi Tom

On Sat, Feb 7, 2009 at 9:49 AM, Tom Hoffman <tom.hoffman at gmail.com> wrote:

> Regarding SchoolTool & different platforms, SchoolTool is Python, it
> is fairly easily ported to other platforms that run Python.  The only
> problem is that we (the core development team) don't have the
> expertise to support multiple OS versions, particularly as we have to
> focus on finishing our 1.0 release.
>

I understand the need to focus on your own agenda. I appreciate your input,
though, as we think about designing systems---even if this work gets started
before you're ready, it's more likely that it will be something you can
support

I'm a little confused about what you're proposing for configuration.
> The standard way to address your use case is via web services or
> perhaps LDAP.  There are a few directly relevant existing standards
> (SIF...) but none that are widely used, particularly by free software.
> or generally appealing.
>
> Actually, at this point, I'd say storing the data you want in LDAP is
> probably the approach most likely to work.  The coolest way to do it
> would be passing around the relevant data via XMPP.
>

My impression is that the advantages of LDAP are manifest mostly if you're
interested in security. My point is that, in every _elementary_ school I've
seen (I'm sure high schools are different), there isn't any security and
they don't want it. Kindergartners (and even 2nd graders) are bad at
remembering and even typing passwords, and the teachers don't want to spend
their time running around asking people to whisper their passwords and then
typing it for them.

I think it would be great to use LDAP when it's installed, but I think we
really need to have a lightweight substitute in the large majority of cases.
I'm thinking mostly about the Tux4Kids market, which is elementary schools.
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