On Sun, Sep 11, 2005 at 03:05:58PM -0700, Matt Zimmerman wrote: > On Thu, Sep 08, 2005 at 11:59:50PM -0400, Matt Price wrote: > > Hi there, > > > > I've just discovered edubuntu and am starting to think it might be > > helpful for a project I'm workingo n, but want to get some advice. > > > > I've just received a fairly large number of computers, many more than I > > can hand over to students this year. I'll end up with about 30 extra > > Pentium-II's and a handful of Pentium-III's. I've been thinking it > > would be nice to set up a proper computer lab with this equipment, but > > I'm not sure of the best way to go about it and am hoping for some > > advice. here are some features I'd like to have: > > > > - centralized user profiles, so a user can log in on any machine and > > have everything work just the way she set it up last time > > - relative simplicity in the setup process -- I'm doing this mostly on > > my own and I'm really not a networking expert. > > - some kind of software -- maybe instant messaging? -- that demonstrates > > to students how the computers are all connected. > > A thin client configuration would be your best option for this hardware. It > requires few resources on the client machines, is easy to set up, and > centrally administered (all user accounts and data are maintained on the > server). > > > - optimal use of scarce CPU and memory resources -- not all the > > computers are likely to be in use at any given time, so it would be nice > > to be able grab idle cycles from other machines if at all possible > > This is called clustering, and isn't very suitable for low-powered machines > or slow networks. A thin client configuration allows you to use these > low-powered machines by sharing the resources of a centralized server, which > is a simpler and more efficient method. > ah well.
thanks to everyone who answered. I would really love to set up a thin client lab, but we unfortunately don't have a powerful server to run the thing. In a pinch I could bring in my own workstation, but even that's just an AMD XP 1800+ with 768 megs of RAM -- well under the minimum power suggested at various places on the website. All this makes me think I should apply for a budget for my program - -right now everything (time, equipment, power,space) is running on pure goodwill. Is it possible to use e.g. SchoolTOol &c on a straight network of computers? Maybe I will settle for that. It would be really great to have centralized configuration and control somehow, but I don't see an easy way with our current resources. thanks much! matt -- edubuntu-devel mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/edubuntu-devel
