I have been using, supporting, or advocating for thin client computer labs for 5 years. I've always tracked the K12LTSP project. Beginning about 3 or 4 years ago, I began tracking the Skolelinux, now debian-edu, project. By tracking I mean that I subscribe to their user's mailing lists and watch the action. I have given a substantial portion of my time, energy, and income to promote FOSS in education.
I am very disillusioned with Edubuntu, the leadership (or lack thereof) and the false claims of functionality. I'll start with the last issue - false claims of functionality. Please read the release notes for 7.10, http://www.edubuntu.org/news/7.10-release "The Edubuntu classroom server install builds on the functionality from the previous release simplifying common Linux classroom server deployment processes. It includes the very latest thin client software, LTSP-5. Thin client deployments offers clients a lower TCO (total cost of ownership), simpler installation and easier maintenance than typical IT deployments. With all data stored on the server, administrators have substantially eliminated the cost of updating individual workstations to ensure their security." We can't say that 7.10 built on the functionality of 7.04 - it actually regressed. Now, if you are upgrading from 7.04, I guess that you can get away with that claim since new installations don't work for most, but upgrades from 7.04 seem to mask the bugs. We *definitely* cannot be making the claim that "Thin client deployments offers clients a lower TCO (total cost of ownership), simpler installation and easier maintenance than typical IT deployments". The K12LTSP can, Debian-edu can, but Edubuntu has absolutely no right. We can't even support the same older clients used by 7.04 (without hacking an lts.conf file). Now, for the lack of leadership, please take a look at the recent release note for Debian-edu http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/ReleaseNotes and the centralized, updated, and consistent documentation for it http://maintainer.skolelinux.no/debian-edu-doc/en/release-manual.html Is there *anyone* in the Edubuntu community either a. working on a r1 release for all the bugs in 7.10 or b. working on consistent documentation for the varying incompatible releases? If so, then where, so I can help. If not, then why not, and should we change this? I have tried to find ways to help by starting here > If you would like to help shape Ubuntu, take a look at the list of ways you > can participate at: http://www.edubuntu.org/Community which took me to here > Getting involved > > We use Launchpad to track the Edubuntu teams. Even if you can't program, > there are many ways to get involved with the Edubuntu project, whether it's > documentation, testing, packaging, artwork, or reviewing of material. > > If you'd like to get involved, please send an e-mail to the edubuntu-devel > mailing list, explaining where you would like to get involved, and how you > would like to contribute. So I went to Launchpad to search for edubuntu, and, well, there is no way to help. I've been looking at the edubuntu-devel list, but there is no discussion amongst developers addressing the issues that arise on the users mailing list. In fact, I see people asking for help, and getting none, on the developers list. Last week I asked this question > > It seems in so many ways that 7.10 is a debacle. There, I said it. Were > there *any* production labs using a mixture of older clients that > successfully tested the upgrade procedure from 7.04 to 7.10 *before* the > release? If not, are there *any* production labs actively participating in > the bug squashing for the next release so that these problems never happen > again? I am personally offering myself to help, but I am not sure if any of > the developers are actually on this list. I am no troll. I am the person that the FOSS community needs if we are going to grow past an insular morass of slightly advanced and eager computer enthusiasts. We cannot be Edubuntu and claim to be Linux for Human Beings while going AWOL when the Human Beings struggle with our Linux. Edubuntu is doing a tremendous disservice to the FOSS community by riding on the coattails of the K12LTSP and Debian-edu while pretending to be just as capable. People are being fooled, drawn in, and then disappointed. This is not honorable. Is there anyone around capable, willing, and prepared to keep this from happening in future releases? --scott -- R. Scott Belford Founder/Executive Director The Hawaii Open Source Education Foundation P.O. Box 2644 Ewa Beach, HI 96706 808.689.6518 phone/fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- edubuntu-users mailing list [email protected] Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/edubuntu-users
