[ubuntu-za] Education

[Andy Rabagliati]

Folks,

  My focus in education is connectivity - specifically through my
  packages that add Wizzy Digital Courier connectivity to an edubuntu
  install.

  I got involved with the tuXlab project, under the leadership of Hilton
  Theunissen, some years back. Fun times - the road trip to P.E.
  to do 10 schools in a day particularly sticks with me :)

  I am not very picky over Windows in the lab vs. Linux in the lab - I
  consider it a 'tarbaby' situation that I am not particularly keen to
  get stuck to.

  No school lab installation can survive with direct support from paid
  school personnel - if they are capable and have a preference for
  Windows that is fine by me. If they need suggestions, I point then to
  Edubuntu-based Thin client or Thick client solutions.

  The software is available as an addon CD to Ubuntu Gutsy at the
  moment, but I am really waiting for Hardy so it is an LTS release.
  I am still just finalising this software.

  If they have an Ubuntu installation, I add packages to it.
  If they have no suitable server, I start with Edubuntu and install on
  top of that.

  The added software provides a number of services :-

  * An LDAP server, providing a central authentication point for the
    lab, both for thin client login and email services. This is
    integrated in to an existing edubuntu setup.

  * An IMAP server, to host email for the school.
  * An SMTP server, to handle inbound and outbound mail.
    Both mail services utilise the LDAP server for authentication and to
    deliver to the correct Maildir box.

  * A webmail server - squirrelmail - that is the quickest and easiest
    way of providing them with email. Of course, the IMAP server can
    also use dedicated email clients as well.

  * Dialup services - allowing scheduled access. This is most often over
    the main school phone line, and is used only at night, preferably
    via Telkom's InfinitCall service. This allows one allnight phone
    call for R11. This dialup is used to send outbound email, receive
    inbound, and scoop selected websites.

  * a wwwoffle web cache, optimised for offline use. websites, like
    iol.co.za or bbc or anything else are specified via an
    administrator-only admin interface. They specify the site URL, the
    'depth' (corresponding exactly to the wget --level option) and
    'offsite' ( corresponding exactly to the wget --span-hosts option).
    These sites are scooped overnight to the cache. The next day you can
    read yesterdays news, if you follow me.

  * If the school has no telephone access, we have another delivery
    mechanism - hand-carried USB memory stick. Carrying that stick back
    and forth from a better-connected 'Sponsor' school (or business)
    provides all the services listed above to a school.

  We also have a script that will add the dump from
  http://schools-wikipedia.org/ - "2007 Wikipedia Selection for schools"
  to a school install.
  
  This, BTW, is a killer app. It provdes that instant feedback at a new
  install, without waiting for the inevitable delays around telephone
  connections.

  Websites at http://wizzy.org.za/ and http://wizzydigital.org/

  Latest install blogged about here :-
  
  	http://ainteasyproductions.com/southafrica1.html

  Three more installations in Nepal - connectivity via cell.

  	http://ainteasyproductions.com/nepal.html

  Honorable mention to David Peall at schoolnet, for domains under
  school.za, and Amobia, for providing wireless connectivity to existing
  tuXlabs in the Western Cape.

Cheers,    Andy!