Not to put too fine a point on it, but your requirement of "a desktop that just works- especially things like the multimedia web surfing experience" is a contradiction in terms. It is the mulitmedia web stuff that is hard, cutting-edge (perhaps bleeding-edge) and constantly changing and makes for potentially unstable systems. And this is true whether one is talking about LTSP or Windows machines or Macs. With that said, K12LTSP-EL5's use of LTSP 4.2 on top of CentOS 5 is vary stable and handles multimedia web stuff like flash quite well. I've deployed it successfully in several office environments; people have no trouble ignoring the educational stuff or I take it out. But the way multimedia works on the web is in a constant state of flux, and LTSP 4.2 is no longer being developed. LTSP 5 has a better, more sustainable method for dealing with the constant changes in multimedia, and the Ubuntu folks have done a lot to integrate those changes. Other distros are getting there, too. But by definition, some of the changes from 4.2 to 5 are still works in progress. Nevertheless, lots of people have deployed LTSP 5 implementations with great success.
If you really want stable, simple office deployment, take 'multimedia web' off your list of needs. Better to ask "How does multimedia web contribute to the company's bottom line?" which usually leads to the answer that it doesn't and is instead just a medium of entertainment (read, a way to waste time) for the employees. Peter Patrick Rady wrote: > I've been working with LTSP for about a year and a half now. Specifically, > LTSP on Ubuntu. > > We put LTSP-based thin client networks into nonprofits, I think that the open > source world is a good fit for the nonprofit world and doing this we can free > them from a lot of the expense of closed source. > > But- without making too many value judgments here, I'm starting to wonder if > we might be better off with another distro. > > I don't want to start a Holy War here or anything, but I am interested in > opinions... > > Specifically, which distros support LTSP and are suited to a desktop/office > environment. I want stability and environment for non-computer oriented > people to have a desktop that just works- especially things like the > multimedia web surfing experience and basic to intermediate office tasks- > mail merge, etc. For the most part I am not as interested in the educational > side of things- but more in creating an environment that will cater to those > migrating from Microsoft Windows in an small office setting. > > > - > Patrick Rady > Administrator, npServ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge > Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes > Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world > http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ > _____________________________________________________________________ > Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto: > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss > For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ _____________________________________________________________________ Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto: https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
