Re: [Server-devel] Booting from a big USB stick

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, Adam

As you know this is an area where we agree to disagree. Currently the 
schoolserver's valid, useful content exceeds 500GB. I really do not want 
to get into the game of deciding what is worthwhile and what is not. It 
is clear that the planned expansion of OSM will require increased 
capacity. If local content is seriously supported, the amount will 
increase even further. At one time OLPC estimated storage of the Journal 
would take 2GB per XO. A typical Rwanda school has 200 XOs potentially 
requiring 400GB of additional space.


My dream is an RPi3 based schoolserver with a 1TB (or 2TB) external 
hard-drive at under $150 (about 1/3 of NUC-based server).


Tony

On 3/20/19 9:26 AM, Adam Holt wrote:
On Tue, Mar 19, 2019 at 9:22 PM Adam Holt > wrote:


Thanks Tony.

Another option is to buy a $19.99 128MB 100 MByte/sec microSD @
https://amazon.com/dp/B06XWZWYVP

I meant $19.99 128*GB*

Or a $39.99 256GB 100 MByte/sec microSD @
https://amazon.com/dp/B072HRDM55

The 400GB, 512GB and 1GB cards are completely excessive &
irrelevant for impoverished nations especially — unless you
happen to be a rich photographer/videographer of course, and want
to donate your time to an important cause in which case do let us
know...we will happily put your skills (and dollars) to work for a
more purposeful cause.


I meant 1*/TB/*



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Re: [Server-devel] Booting from a big USB stick

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, Gerhard

The trick is to separate the server software from the content. Install 
the basic IIAB on a smaller SD card (e.g. 16GB). Then mount the 128GB 
usb drive (mount /dev/sdb1 /media/usb0 for example). IIAB expects the 
content to be in /library. This should be possible by a symbolic link 
such as /media/usb0/XC /library. XC is a folder containing the content 
whereas usb0 is a partition. The original installed content in /library 
on the sd card needs to be copied to the XC folder on the USB stick 
before the symbolic link is made. In principle, Ansible should recognize 
the /library (XC folder) and operate as expected.


Tim Moody has an img of the basic installation which should be perfect 
to set up the SD card (simple dd). I am looking forward to trying that. 
I am hoping that the img sets the 'box' (hotspot). This should mean 
everything can be done headless via ssh.


As always, it will be an adventure.

Tony

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Today's Topics:

1. Raspberry Pi Model B3+ - booting from big USB Stick - failure
   (Internet Box)
2. Re: Raspberry Pi Model B3+ - booting from big USB Stick -
   failure (Adam Holt)
3. Re: Raspberry Pi Model B3+ - booting from big USB Stick -
   failure (Adam Holt)
4. Re: Raspberry Pi Model B3+ - booting from big USB Stick -
   failure (Adam Holt)


--

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2019 21:54:29 +0100
From: Internet Box 
To: server-devel@lists.laptop.org
Subject: [Server-devel] Raspberry Pi Model B3+ - booting from big USB
Stick - failure
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Hello all,

i am gerhard from berlin and i am experimenting with iiab

i succeded in booting my raspberry pi model b3+ from a 128 GB USB Stick
(costs are only 18€)
ok
then i wanted to let work this magic sentence

curl d.iiab.io/install.txt | sudo bash

but i got an error message in the beginning:

tune2fs: Datei oder Verzeichnis nicht gefunden beim Versuch, /dev/mmcblk0p2
zu öffnen
Es kann kein gültiger Dateisystem-Superblock gefunden werden.
root@raspberrypi:/home/pi#

so i stick in this.

any solution for this problem


regards

gerhard. MD

Berlin
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2019 17:09:35 -0400
From: Adam Holt 
To: Internet Box 
Cc: server-devel 
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] Raspberry Pi Model B3+ - booting from big
USB Stick - failure
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

On Tue, Mar 19, 2019 at 4:54 PM Internet Box 
wrote:


Hello all,

i am gerhard from berlin and i am experimenting with iiab

i succeded in booting my raspberry pi model b3+ from a 128 GB USB Stick
(costs are only 18€)
ok
then i wanted to let work this magic sentence

curl d.iiab.io/install.txt | sudo bash

but i got an error message in the beginning:

tune2fs: Datei oder Verzeichnis nicht gefunden beim Versuch,
/dev/mmcblk0p2 zu öffnen
Es kann kein gültiger Dateisystem-Superblock gefunden werden.


That seems to be German for:

File or directory not found when trying to open /dev/mmcblk0p2
Can not find a valid file system superblock.


What exact OS are you running?

Internet-in-a-Box strongly recommends Raspbian -- any one of the 3 from
this page:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/


PS click "installation guide" near the very top of that page if you're not
used to burning/flashing images using Etcher, Win32 Disk Images or "dd".
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2019 17:15:48 -0400
From: Adam Holt 
To: Internet Box 
Cc: server-devel 
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] Raspberry Pi Model B3+ - booting from big
USB Stick - failure
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

HI Gerhard,

Can you please use a microSD card, instead of a USB stick?

Internet-in-a-Box is not normally installed onto a USB stick!

In fact I don't know if this has ever been attempted before, so you're
making your life difficult :-)

Then again if that is your choice, it is possible ma

Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 129, Issue 9

[Tony Anderson]

What is the impact of this approach on internet dependence? The main 
problem I have is to create an offline
service with content. This has led to the creation of 'bernie', a copy 
of the schoolserver on an external 1TB drive.
There are, of course, many problems with dependencies. I view resolving 
these as the task in making bernie. I am
not sure what is meant about cross contamination. There are many 
duploicates in the current bernie - for example, Rachel
includes a sizable number of items from the Gutenberg project as does 
OLE Nepal's Pustakalaya. There is enough hard drive

space so this duplication is no problem.

Tony


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Today's Topics:

1. Provisioning services (Sameer Verma)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2018 10:29:08 -0700
From: Sameer Verma 
To: xsce-devel , XS Devel
,  Andreas Gros ,
Aaron Borden 
Subject: [Server-devel] Provisioning services
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Greetings!
I haven't written to this list in a while.

I am working with some other OLPC-SF members to package and make
available Pathagar using the snaps (http://snapcraft.io platform). We
are currently doing this as part of a two-day hackathon
(http://hackathon.sfsu.edu/challenges/snap-ify-pathagar).

Of course, the work continues past this hackathon, but let's see how
far we can get today. Right now, we are using the NextCloud snap
(https://github.com/nextcloud/nextcloud-snap) as a base example and
adding/removing to it to see if we can put together a snap.

If you haven't used snaps before, try it out the NextCloud snap. On
Ubuntu/Debian, try "sudo snap install nextcloud" Give it a few
minutes, and when installed go to http:// and it should
be there.

Our proposal and approach is to first do this with Pathagar, and then
see if we can do this with all the other services on the school
server. This will give deploymentw a menu approach to adding services
without worrying about dependencies and cross-contamination and such.
It's a little bit more work to architect services that do talk to each
other, but we think that in the end it's a much cleaner solution.

Ideas? Comments?

Please let us know. Andi Gros, Aaron Borden and myself are working on
this currently.

cheers,
Sameer



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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 114, Issue 9

[Tony Anderson]

Inside the box, the hardware (chip-level) is the same. Buy the cheapest one.

Tony

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: [XSCE] Intel NUC v/s Gigabyte BRIX (Anish Mangal)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 10:40:37 +0530
From: Anish Mangal 
To: xsce-devel ,  server-devel

Subject: Re: [Server-devel] [XSCE] Intel NUC v/s Gigabyte BRIX
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Adam, Tony,

Thanks. The reason for asking this question was pure economics. The BRIX is
$20 cheaper than the NUC from where we can buy it. So if there are no
problems short or long term with the BRIX, would like to purchase that.

The NUC is a nice device, but if we can get similar performance at lower
price, I am all for that.

In terms of battery, if anyone is interested in experimenting dead laptop
battery packs to make battery packs for NUC, please ping me. I have been
experimenting with the same :)

On Sun, Jan 22, 2017 at 10:37 AM, Tony Anderson 
wrote:


Hi, Anish

I have deployed both (several versions of each). I also deploy Zotac. The
internal hardware is identical so it really doesn't matter. There are
variations in hdmi connector, number of usb 3.0 ports, whether or not there
is vga and so on. Most recent configurations include a built-in wifi which
is helpful. The important parameters are the size of the hard drive
(minimum 1TB) and memory (4GB minimum and as much as possible).

Currently XSCE is configured to use the built in wifi as an access point.
In deployments which have access to the internet, it would be convenient to
have this set up to accept dhcp and to select a hotspot. Using the RJ45
port to access the internet makes it awkward to use to set up the LAN. We
generally assume the RJ45 port provides the best support for the LAN and
that the internet should be accessed via a usb-ethernet adapter or access
by a wifi hotspot.

Current laptops are equipped with a 1TB drive which makes them an
interesting alternative. They need to be configured to continue operation
with the lid closed. However, the laptop provides a convenient built in UPS
and enables installation using the builtin monitor and keyboard.

Tony


On 01/20/2017 12:24 PM, Anish Mangal wrote:


Dear folks,

If anyone here has experience of having used both these devices in the
field, which one would you recommend .. if the performance specs
(processor, RAM, etc.) were the same.

Best,
Anish







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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 110, Issue 5

[Tony Anderson]

Sugar Labs develops and supports Sugar. The goal of Sugar is to improve 
the educational experience of its school age users. For the vast 
majority of Sugar users who have limited or no access to the internet, 
the school server is a vital and integral element of the improved 
experience.


I understand your immediate concern is to register voters for 2017 
election cycle, but the real question is how can Sugar work better with 
a school server. XSCE has taken the responsibility for development of 
the school server from OLPC. It is sad but true that XSCE deployments 
are increasingly divorced from Sugar - largely because Sugar is viewed 
as limited to the XO and because XO's are de facto unavailable for 
deployment (except as recylcled).


What we should be asking is why our early users are now apparently 
moving away from Sugar. Could it be because we take no interest in their 
needs? Is Plan Ceibal still based on Sugar? What aspects of Sugar has it 
found valuable and what limitations has it found? What about Rwanda? 
What about Peru? What about Paraguay?


Tony

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: Is XSCE a Sugar Labs project? (Anish Mangal)
2. Re: Is XSCE a Sugar Labs project? (Dave Crossland)


--

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2016 17:25:26 +0530
From: Anish Mangal 
To: Dave Crossland 
Cc: server-devel 
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] Is XSCE a Sugar Labs project?
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

I cannot say about SL membership but the XSCE does certainly cater to
non-sugar audiences. Most of the XSCE deployments in India I know of are
non sugar based. That said, a lot of XSCE deployments also use sugar and
olpc laptops. Recent builds of XSCE also contain sugarizer, and the
software certainly has components which support sugar/olpc laptops like
jabber, moodle integration, journal backup, sugar stats (xovis)

Hope this helps.

On Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 5:13 PM, Dave Crossland  wrote:


Hi

In http://www.mail-archive.com/iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org/msg17326.html
Caryl Bigenho  asked me to ask you all if you consider
XSCE a Sugar Labs project.

I'm assuming the answer is "no" but I was asked to confirm :)

As a follow up question, is anyone contributing to XSCE _not_ a members of
Sugar Labs?

I see Adam Holt, George Hunt, Tim Moody, and Anish Mangal are already
members; Jerry is not.

Jerry, would you like to be a SL member?

Would anyone else?

--
Cheers
Dave

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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 106, Issue 14

[Tony Anderson]

On 04/15/2016 12:00 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: [Sugar-devel] Sugar-Server enhancement (Adam Holt)


--

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2016 20:30:26 -0400
From: Adam Holt 
To: Sugar-dev Devel ,  xsce-devel
, server-devel

Subject: Re: [Server-devel] [Sugar-devel] Sugar-Server enhancement
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

On Wed, Apr 13, 2016 at 8:17 PM, Tony Anderson 
wrote:


James

I can't think of a use case for an XO to access multiple school servers.


Apologies am not following all the details of this conversation, but just
to point out some of our newer work in Haiti will experiment with XO
laptops moving between different school servers, in off-campus computer
club(s), librar(ies), and at school, etc.
I don't know why we don't first look at what we have before throwing the 
baby away.
In this scenario, it is only necessary to turn off the known_hosts 
check. We are hit with it
because we give each schoolserver the name schoolserver; hence the 
security concern.

Another obvious approach is to give different schoolservers different names.


Likewise there are definitely teachers who work in multiple schools, and
need to bring their main XO to each school, impressive!
I am not sure what you mean by impressive. I assume a consulting teacher 
would
be able to perform 'rm -rf ~/.ssh/known_hosts as needed. This is 
necessary only to
register the laptop or to use ejabberd (ejabberd acts like a chat room 
with all registered users

in the room). Using the XO to browse is not affected.



Also some schools campuses are just too large to tie in all the IT infra
together, with buildings just too far apart.  So there will be several
inexpensive school servers likely in these schools, who do not want to
network their buildings together at this point.


I have never seen this, although we have one school in Rwanda that has a 
big separation
between the primary school building and the secondary school building. 
However, this implies
that the school is large enough to justify a CentOs school server with a 
large hard drive and the purchase of
additional ethernet cable to connect the buildings. Essentially you are 
identifying a possible scenario, not a real one.




Finally George Hunt is advising us on how to construct even more mobile
servers too, based on a large USB battery packs supporting Raspberry Pi 3
(or XO-4 or whatever) permitting increasingly ruggedized knowledge hotspots.

*Not sure how we will deal with naming all these different school servers
coming down the pike, but definitely something to start thinking about now,
a great question :}*


I don't know how you can make a server more portable than it is now. You 
simply pick it
up and carry it to another site. The use of the built-in wifi as an 
access point makes it possible for

me to demo the NUC with just the box and a power supply.

The biggest needed component is the UPS. If George can arrange to power 
the NUC with a usb charger, there is a huge

array of usb battery devices available on the market.

Naming schoolservers is trivial. Schoolserver was the standard set by 
OLE Nepal (as well as schoolnet for the access point). Typically, there 
is one
schoolserver per network so the user connects to the network and is 
automatically connected to the schoolserver. The schoolserver name is 
part of
the url. Since the user is connected to one device, it can always be 
named schoolserver.


I was toying with the idea of Raspberry Pi servers each with a specific 
content. Using 128GB SD cards, it would take 8 to provide the same 
content as
a 1TB drive. A single CentOS server with 1TB is < $500. If an adequate 
supply of $5 Raspberry Pis were available with 128GB SD cards at $10 and a
wifi dongle for $10, eight of these would cost $200. A given deployment 
may want to add new content by adding a new server. However, then it 
seems that one network would have multiple servers so each would need to 
be named by its content (e.g. OSM, Zim, etc.).


Tony

If a school is so large (> 200 XOs), the easy solution is two school
servers. However, the XOs access the schoolserver based on SSID and so
users can be divided to their own schoolserver by the connection - defining
the LAN.

The OLE Nepal solution clearly satisfie

Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 104, Issue 6

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, Adam

Indeed, the devil is in the details. The Pine64 appears focused on 
implementing Ubuntu on the board. With James Cameron's Sugar on Ubuntu, 
this could
give the board an ability to run Sugar. The problem, of course, is how 
to upgrade the board to a usable laptop with keyboard and monitor (and 
WiFi, camera,

microphone, USB ports, and SD card.

This has been the observation for many years, devices like this and 
Raspberry Pi are very inexpensive until you try to add the features of 
an XO: battery,
monitor, keyboard, wifi, camera, microphone, port for usb drives, port 
for sd card, and so on. So far I have not seen a laptop comparable to 
the XO for any significantly lower price (most devices like classmate 
are almost double). The only choices I see suitable for deployment are 
tablets (e.g. Fire) or refurbished standard laptops (available for about 
$50 each in quantity). Chrome books could be another alternative.


Sadly, the refurbished option is impacted by James Cameron's insistence 
on 64-bit only. Perhaps there is someone in the Sugar community who 
could provide a 32-bit option for older laptops. The Android and Chrome 
book options are impacted by the proprietary nature of the software plus 
their design for an internet-connected environment. However, again 
perhaps there is someone in the Sugar community who could provide a 
Sugar image for the Fire or similar device.


Tony

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: Raspberry Pi/clone(s) most ruggedizable for OLPC
   fieldwork? (Adam Holt)
2. School Server Weekly Call: Thur 10AM NYC Time (Adam Holt)


--

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 12:31:26 -0500
From: Adam Holt 
To: "Devel's in the Details" , "Unleash Kids!"
,  server-devel
,  "Community Support Volunteers -- who
help respond to help AT laptop. org" ,
xsce-devel ,  "Stefan / Dogi Unterhauser"

Subject: Re: [Server-devel] Raspberry Pi/clone(s) most ruggedizable
for OLPCfieldwork?
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Thanks Peter Robinson, Paul Fox and Dogi Unterhauser for your illuminating
2016's evolving and very promising options-

Preliminary conclusion is that we are buying a few $29 http://pine64.com
(includes 2GB RAM) to experiment with.

What is the best mailing list to discuss Fedora (or non-Fedora) firmware,
u-boot, kernel issues for Pine64 and similar, do you know?

(http://wiki.pine64.org is coming to life, which is a great start!)

On Sun, Feb 7, 2016 at 10:55 AM, Adam Holt  wrote:


On Feb 7, 2016 9:59 AM, "Peter Robinson"  wrote:

On Sun, Feb 7, 2016 at 2:07 PM, Adam Holt  wrote:

On Feb 7, 2016 3:22 AM, "Peter Robinson"  wrote:

things like
the PINE64 above it has a SoC attached network but not storage.

Both SATA (real TB+ disks) and Ethernet (external Wi-Fi AP antennae)

are

icing-on-the-cake we will both strongly consider.


As is stands at the moment some of the best cheap devices for server
style devices is AllWinner A20 devices (CubieTruck, BananaPi and
friends) and i.MX6 devices (Wandboard, CuBox-i and friends)

Hugely helpful.

Key criterion for offline/remote deployments: does this accept 128GB

MicroSD

cards, so 2016's developing world $50-100 "knowledge hotspots"

increasingly

now become very real?  (Aside: 256GB MicroSD cards will be part of

this well

before 2020, apparently beyond the capability of most of these SoC's.)

Peter, does Fedora 24 have a shot to one day run on the "$19" Pine64

Plus?!

Even if it's ambiguous whether it can truly contain 2GB RAM as

advertised,

Pine64 claims to run up to 70C which is very promising if true.  ($15

Pine64

contains 512MB, and $19 "Pine64 Plus" contains 1GB RAM.  Their 2GB RAM

story

is very attractive, but may be marketing vaporware for now?)

Yes, I've got one awaiting for me on my return to London. Kernel isn't
upstream, nor is u-boot, I'm not sure how big the patches are, I'm
hoping it'll all be landable in F-24.

Profound thanks Peter.  More strategic than Nov 8th's election: we'll
notify the Nobel committee ;)


I'm not sure why you'd want to use a
128Gb SD card over an actual SSD or HDD, the later are a lot more
robust.

In a perfect world: HDD/SSD robustnesses IS mandatory on the high-end.  We
need offer both.  On the low-end dirt-poor clinics, libraries, school
living in crushi

Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 100, Issue 10

[Tony Anderson]

In XS, usbmount executed scripts included in /etc/usbmount/mount.d when 
a removable device was inserted.


There may be an upstream problem with this feature in CentOS 7 so the 
first step may be to see if usbmount

executes a script (echo hello world).

If usbmount works, the script should determine if the mounted drive 
meets the condition (is relevant) and, if
not, exit. Daniel Drake used this in XS to install the content (XC) when 
a removable device was inserted which

met the requirements of the script.

Tony


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Today's Topics:

1. usbmount (Tim Moody)


--

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2015 10:42:37 -0400
From: Tim Moody 
To: "xsce-devel" , "server-devel"

Subject: [Server-devel] usbmount
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

I'm working on adding LibraryBox/PirateBox type functionality whereby if a
usb in plugged into the server it is automounted by usbmount and if it has
/share, /Share, or /PirateShare in its root directory a symlink will be
created in /library/content/USBx depending on where it was mounted.

  


I think this should be enabled by default.

  


Any comments?

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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 98, Issue 2

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, All

In an ideal world, the server name would be schoolserver and there would 
be no domain name (totally unnecessary in a lan). If a school needs more 
than
one schoolserver, they are all still named schoolserver. Which one an xo 
connects with is determined by which ssid it connects with (e.g. 
schoolnet1 for first grade,

schoolnet6 for sixth grade).

Tony

On 08/08/2015 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

To:, "'server-devel'"

Cc: 'arvind thanvi'
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] [XSCE] Changing the XSCE's hostname (or
the address one enters in the browser)
Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

xsce distinguishes between hostname (schoolserver) and domain name (defaults to 
.lan).  You can change the second of these no problem in the console.  You can 
override the first in local_vars, but if you do XOs won't automatically find 
the schoolserver.  (I have a machine that I named xsce.lan, which works fine.) 
The expectation is that if you need multiple schoolservers or need to add to an 
existing network that you will do it by changing the domain name, so only that 
is exposed in the console.


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[Server-devel] 13.2.5 simple tests

[Tony Anderson]

I have started some testing with 13.2.5 release. These results are 
probably of more interest to users than developers.


1. All of the images installed without problem. This includes XO-1, 
XO-1.5, XO-1.75, XO-4, and XO-1 SD Card.

2. The image on XO-1.75 shows 1.6G when intially installed.
3. Etoys is not installed. No Web activities are installed.
4. Etoys from ASLO installs and runs without problem. 
(sugar-install-bundle from USB and Journal)
5. Welcome Web, a web activity, from ASLO installs and runs without 
problem (sugar-install-bundle from USB and Journal)
6. Slides, a web activity, from ASLO installs from Journal without 
problem but not by sugar-install-bundle. The error is:
'No bundle in '/home/olpc/Activities/Slides.activity' exception at 
line 481 of bundleregistry.py: 'sugar3.bundle.ZipExtractionException'


Tony
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[Server-devel] Installing pathagar in xsce master

[Tony Anderson]

I had a similar symptom setting up Moodle on xsce. The problem in my 
case was that postgresql (service name) was not running.


Try: systemctl status postgresql. to see if the service is running.

On 06/15/2015 09:52 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

TASK: [postgresql | Disable stock postgresql service]
*
skipping: [127.0.0.1]

TASK: [postgresql | Enable postgresql service]

skipping: [127.0.0.1]


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Re: [Server-devel] [IAEP] [XSCE] RE: [UKids] Re: [support-gang] Taking, OpenStreetMap Offline - DESIGN Call - Thur June 11, 10AM EDT / 2PM UTC

[Tony Anderson]

There seem to be two independent problems.


First, make an updated version of the IIAB OSM. The goal is to 
understand what are the computer requirements to do this and how long it 
takes and then be able to make a new version whenever needed.


Second, make available more detail than IIAB OSM provides for a region 
selected by a deployment while allowing the user (learner) to display, 
edit, and save it as a new map from this data.


On the first problem, I am confused. I would guess the job is cpu 
intensive. However, many comments about SSD suggest it is i/o limited. 
In a former life, I
worked on parallel programming in which the technical problem was to 
overlap disk i/o with computing. One thread bringing the data for the 
next case into memory while the processor worked on the current case. 
The trick was to determine the size of data needed to keep the processor 
busy and not waiting on i/o. The goal was to overlap i/o with processing 
to minimize processor idle time.


I assume the processing of the world can be broken down into independent 
pieces (e.g. one tile at the global zoom level). The experiment with 
Nepal should show the processing time required as well as the disk i/o 
time.


Based on that information, the work plan would be to load the global 
data on hard drive and then set up double buffered pipelines from hard 
disk to SSD to memory which can keep the processor busy.


On the second, it is not clear that the greater detail needs to be OSM 
tiles. Something like Nick's map.activity/mappack with the map data on 
the school server (separate from OSM) and a client application (Sugar or 
Sugar-web or html) accessing the data, displaying it, and enabling the 
learner to add to it (à la GIS). After discovering that umapper is not 
umap, umap is clearly open source and could be a good base for the 
client application.


This application should be able to get data from the school server and, 
as always, it should be possible for the learner to do meaningful work 
when not connected to the schoolserver or internet. Thia means knowing 
what data the learner needs to display and edit a map locally (even 
though the local store may be as low as 1GB) and how to specify that 
data to be downloaded to the Journal when connected.


Tony

On 06/15/2015 08:24 AM, iaep-requ...@lists.sugarlabs.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: [XSCE] RE: [UKids] Re: [support-gang] Taking
   OpenStreetMap Offline - DESIGN Call - Thur June 11, 10AM EDT /
   2PM UTC (Nick Doiron)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 14 Jun 2015 23:24:11 -0700
From: Nick Doiron 
To: xsce-de...@googlegroups.com
Cc: Internet In a Box Working Group ,Unleash Kids!
, J?r?me Gagnon-Voyer
, Jaakko Helleranta ,
server-devel , iaep
,   "Community Support Volunteers -- who 
help
respond to help AT  laptop.org" 
Subject: Re: [IAEP] [XSCE] RE: [UKids] Re: [support-gang] Taking
OpenStreetMap Offline - DESIGN Call - Thur June 11, 10AM EDT / 2PM UTC
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

I don't think there's any technical issues with rendering the world at 10
and specific countries at 16, other than the human knowing where they can
and cannot zoom

-- Nick

On Sun, Jun 14, 2015 at 11:58 AM, Tim Moody  wrote:


couple of observations:



As expected, the new tiles have a lot more detail.



There are more levels of zoom in the new ones.



Some names have changed - the old map had Lalitpur and the new one has
Patan (both are used)



I don't see any boxes for unprintable characters, but there is a lot less
Devanagari. (Google maps has more)



Is it possible to merge individually generated regional tiles?  for
example if you rendered India and Nepal separately would you get both?



What happens if you render the world at level 10 and then specific
countries at 16?



*From:* xsce-de...@googlegroups.com [mailto:xsce-de...@googlegroups.com] *On
Behalf Of *Anish Mangal
*Sent:* Saturday, June 13, 2015 10:06 PM
*To:* J?r?me Gagnon-Voyer
*Cc:* xsce-devel; Community Support Volunteers -- who help respond to
help AT laptop.org; Unleash Kids!; server-devel; iaep; Internet In a Box
Working Group; Jaakko Helleranta
*Subject:* Re: [XSCE] RE: [UKids] Re: [support-gang] Taking OpenStreetMap
Offline - DESIGN Call - Thur June 11, 10AM EDT / 2PM UTC



Hi,

Following from the skype call this week, I uploaded Nepal's OSM data in
postgres 

Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 96, Issue 2

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, Adam

Thanks, this is much more what I expected. This will need some time to 
read carefully.


Tony

On 06/06/2015 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 12:43:24 -0400
From: Adam Holt
To: server-devel
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 96, Issue 1
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

On Fri, Jun 5, 2015 at 12:20 PM, Tony Anderson
wrote:


>Hi, Adam
>
>I took a look at these sites but didn't find much information on what is
>planned for 5.5.
>

It's true.  I'm hoping this key link becomes more structured showing
priorities in coming weeks:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Community_Edition/Features


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 96, Issue 1

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, Adam

I took a look at these sites but didn't find much information on what is 
planned for 5.5.


Tony

On 06/05/2015 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

*"5.5 saves lives" but how did they know in the 1970s??  Thanks all for
your patience:*
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Community_Edition/5.5
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Community_Edition/5.5/Road_Map


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Re: [Server-devel] laptops as servers

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

The hard drive will certainly be replaced by a new 1TB drive. I am more
concerned about the battery, but at a deployment the server would run from
AC power with the battery used only for a UPS. Naturally 4GB would be more
comfortable than 2GB - although the processor is certainly more powerful 
than the

Atom systems we have been using.

Probably at the end of the day, the main concern may be the power draw.

I am in total agreement on the UEFI issue. I believe that OLE Nepal has 
this solved and
I hope to be able to take advantage of that when I get back to Kathmandu 
at the end of the month.


Tony


On 03/02/2015 04:10 PM, James Cameron wrote:

Yes, it is a possibility, but hard drives in refurbished laptops seem
to have a very limited future life.

It depends on where you want to put the costs; up front or later.

If there are issues with UEFI, perhaps it is best to develop a fix,
because UEFI will be around for longer than a refurbished supply
chain.



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[Server-devel] laptops as servers

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I am using a laptop as my development server system (Gateway LT0004U). I 
replaced the 320GB drive with a 1TB drive.


Given the issue with UEFI, I am warming to the idea of deploying a 
laptop as the server. So I googled (duckduckandwent?) and found:


Lot 5 Dell Latitude D620 Core Duo 1.83GHz 2GB 80GB XP Pro for $550 at 
http://www.computerrefurb.com/. On Amazon, the tried-and-true


WD Blue 1 TB Mobile Hard Drive: 2.5 Inch, 5400 RPM, SATA II, 8 MB Cache 
- WD10JPV at $60. This means five school servers at $170 each!


While I am concerned that someone will try to use the server as a client 
system - this shouldn't be a problem. First, the installed software does 
only supports a command line interface. Second, after the system is 
booted up (detected by the ability to connect), the lid can be closed 
and it continues to work. A laptop provides its own monitor and keyboard 
for the sofware installation and includes a built-in UPS.


Interesting.

Tony

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[Server-devel] Project Bernie

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, All

I have finally got most of the project bernie site 
(www.projectbernie.org) showing what is available on the school server. 
The major missing piece is the 'homeview' button on the Class page. This 
piece is being uploaded at the moment and with luck will be added later 
today.


I think the site is pretty representative of the actual content 
available on an XO supported by a server with content from BERNIE. 
Naturally, the web site links to the online source of the data on the 
server.


The library software is used for 'learn' and 'explore' on the Class page 
and 'Sugar Activities' and 'Audio' on the Library page. These buttons 
are suggestive since the actual content is too large to put on the web 
site.


For example, there are about 200 Sugar activities available to be 
installed from the school server, but all I did was point to ASLO. 
Similarly for the Audio button, I linked to the source site of the radio 
clips, but you need the real server to see exactly which clips are 
available.


The 'learn' button on the Class page features the 'digital textbooks' 
from Siyavula. Here the link shows what an XO would see from the same 
link on the school server; however, on the school server the content is 
downloaded to the Journal and viewed locally in the Browser. In general 
content is downloaded to the XO so that it can be used when the XO is 
offline. I also think this makes the network load more manageable 
compared to streaming to a 30+ XOs. The 'explore' button features 
courses on Python, Web technology, and the Command Line Interpreter 
(Terminal activity). This also shows what would be seen on the XO.


Tony


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Re: [Server-devel] [IAEP] Intel's attempt at an offline server

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I am currently using a laptop as my development server. It is certainly 
has a cheap ups. I managed to
break the screen by dropping a book on it (not a test I recommend). 
However, it happily serves with the lid down (I think I set the system 
not to sleep at some point).


Naturally, the question is whether the 400gb of educational content 
supplied by Intel is open and what overlap there is with the open 
content already available on the school server (IIAB, KA Lite, Rachel, 
EPaath, E-Pustakalaya, and so on).


Tony
On 01/28/2015 01:00 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: [IAEP] Intel's attempt at an offline server
   (Christoph Derndorfer)
2. Re: [IAEP] Intel's attempt at an offline server (Sameer Verma)
3. Re: [IAEP] Intel's attempt at an offline server
   (Christoph Derndorfer)


--

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:14:44 +0100
From: Christoph Derndorfer 
To: Sameer Verma 
Cc: XS Devel , iaep
, xsce-devel 
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] [IAEP] Intel's attempt at an offline
server
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Unfortunately there's a lack of pricing information as well as information
about the available content (and accompanying management systems) but
overall this looks like an interesting effort. Oh, and I really do like the
inclusion of a (supposedly) 5 hour battery as this will come in really
handy in places such as Nepal, rural Peru, etc.

Just my 2 eurocents,
Christoph

On Fri, Jan 23, 2015 at 3:47 PM, Sameer Verma  wrote:


http://linuxgizmos.com/intel-spins-ubuntu-based-education-access-point/

cheers,
Sameer
--
Sameer Verma, Ph.D.
Professor, Information Systems
San Francisco State University
http://verma.sfsu.edu/
http://commons.sfsu.edu/
http://olpcsf.org/
http://olpcjamaica.org.jm/
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Re: [Server-devel] [IIAB] Internet-in-a-Box speed profiling, tips on different CPUs?

[Tony Anderson]

I think the focus needs to be on the loads placed on the server by the 
workloads, not which hardware performs better. In general, server 
performance is a very interesting and challenging topic. The important 
point is that performance is limited to the speed of the slowest element 
in the process. This could be network speed, cpu speed, cache misses 
(cpu or memory), disk accesses and so on.


Google performs fast searches primarily be pre-indexing the content. 
Most Google searches do not

result in any links outside the Google system.

It could turn out that, once we understand how the server is handling a 
workload, is to change the way it is handled to something that gives 
servers better capacity. For example, suppose we provide a Pustakalaya 
style guide to books in Gutenberg so that most children pick a book from 
a set of 25 shown on a pre-built webpage.


Perhaps we discover that many WIkipedia searches are repetitive since a 
class is working on a common project. We might also discover that the 
squid algorithm is not caching the search results so
that they have to be repeated. Perhaps we then could come up with an 
algorithm that creates an dynamic index to be looked at first before a 
full search.


In the case of Open Street Maps, I suspect the work load will focus on 
network bandwidth in supplying tiles as the child moves their map on the 
screen or changes the zoom level. The reality is that we
can't speed this up by a compression scheme, for example, because that 
would increase the computational load on the XO. Maybe we come up with a 
strategy of a classroom level Raspberry Pi that can cache map tiles in 
some way assuming that most children are looking at the same region of 
the map.


Tony

On 06/09/2014 04:45 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:
Message: 7 Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2014 15:46:40 -0700 From: Braddock 
 To: Internet In a Box Working Group 
, server-devel , 
"Unleash Kids!"  Subject: Re: 
[Server-devel] [IIAB] Internet-in-a-Box speed profiling tips on 
different CPUs? Message-ID: <5394e7d0.2080...@braddock.com> 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 -BEGIN PGP SIGNED 
MESSAGE- Hash: SHA1 On 06/06/2014 11:18 PM, Adam Holt wrote:

>As RichardS & GeorgeH valiantly get up to speed clocking
>Internet-in-a-Box bottlenecks on side-by-side school servers like
>Nepal's MSI DC111 (Celeron 1.8GHz, 2GB RAM) and faster, with many
>developing world deployments worldwide itching to follow -- who
>has intuition what they should test/compare first?

The most intense Internet-in-a-Box features are Gutenberg search and
wikipedia search.  Those are probably the performance pain points in
scalability.

- -braddock


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 81, Issue 23

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I am taking a simplistic approach to this problem. KA-Lite has a simple 
coach

report which basically shows a table with a row for each registered student
and a column for each activity. The cell is blank for no attempts, a 
light green

for attempts which did not reach 'proficiency', and a dark green to show
proficiency in that task.

I think this is adequate for teachers, particularly if they can click on 
a cell to
get more detail (e.g number of items completed, number of questions 
answered correctly, and so forth).


Many of the sites I am supporting do not follow the one laptop per child 
model. In one case, the teachers pass out laptops without regard to who 
used it previously. In other cases, a set of laptops are used in more 
than one class.

This means recording data against the laptop serial number is insufficient.

The implementation strategy is to have the site provide a list of 
students (currently first and last name with the username as a 
concatenation of the
two). The student logs in (By using the Journal activity, login is 
assured at boot
time. After that, students must login as laptops are passed from class 
to class).


A modification to activity.py adds id, start, stop, and outcome to the 
metadata.
The id is the db id of the student (not the username). The outcome is a 
string - empty by default. A procedure 'write_outcome' added to 
activity.py, analogous to read_file and write_file enables a Sugar 
activity to add specific outcome

information (either a string or a json with one of the keys: 'comment':'').

The ds_backup.py is modified to save objects in the datastore to the school
server (item by item, not rsync).

A data collection script on the school server can go through the saved 
Journals
adding this information to a database so that reports (such as the coach 
report) can be created on demand.


Similar to KA Lite, the goal is to make information available to 
teachers on the
progress of their students so that teachers can provide extra help and 
encouragement as appropriate. Currently, KA Lite does not provide feedback
directly to the students but the main Khan Academy site has many 
examples of

this (badges, points, etc.).

Tony

On 01/12/2014 04:31 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: [Sugar-devel] The quest for data (Sameer Verma)
2. Re: [Sugar-devel] The quest for data (Walter Bender)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2014 20:27:21 -0800
From: Sameer Verma 
To: Martin Dluhos 
Cc: Devel's in the Details ,  XS Devel
,  Sugar-dev Devel
,Nina Stawski 
,
Leotis Buchanan 
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] [Sugar-devel] The quest for data
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

We had our January meeting at OLPCSF (and our 6th birthday). We talked
about contributions to this project. Introducing Nina Stawski to the
thread. She works with HTML and Javascript and is familiar with
visualization. She suggested d3js.org as one of the options.

Has anyone created the wiki page as yet?

cheers,
Sameer

On Fri, Jan 10, 2014 at 12:37 PM, Sameer Verma  wrote:

On Fri, Jan 10, 2014 at 3:26 AM, Martin Dluhos  wrote:

On 7.1.2014 01:49, Sameer Verma wrote:

On Mon, Jan 6, 2014 at 12:28 AM, Martin Dluhos  wrote:

For visualization, I have explored using LibreOffice and SOFA, but neither of
those were flexible to allow for customization of the output beyond some a few
rudimentary options, so I started looking at various Javascript libraries, which
are much more powerful. Currently, I am experimenting with Google Charts, which
I found the easiest to get started with. If I run into limitations with Google
Charts in the future, others on my list are InfoVIS Toolkit
(http://philogb.github.io/jit) and HighCharts (http://highcharts.com). Then,
there is also D3.js, but that's a bigger animal.

Keep in mind that if you want to visualize at the school's local
XS[CE] you may have to rely on a local js method instead of an online
library.

Yes, that's a very good point.  Originally, I was only thinking about collecting
and visualizing the information centrally, but there is no reason why it
couldn't be viewed by teachers and school administrators on the schoolserver
itself. Thanks for the warning.



In fact, my guess would be that what the teachers and principal want
to see at the school will be different from what OLE N

Re: [Server-devel] specs for the MSI unit Nepal is installing as schoolserver

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, George

OLE Nepal is using MSI pre-configured purchased through a local 
distributor. I have not seen the box they are using
at Amazon or Newegg. It is essentially the same as the other MSI 
Nettops, except in a smaller form factor and taking

only 2.5" notebook drives.

The one you linked to is the one I am using. So far the two I have 
purchased have worked well; however, the second
one has trouble with the two usb 3 ports (at 1TB, usb 2 takes 12+ hours 
to copy!).


The Corsair memory has a better price, but Crucial may be your 
preference. Make sure you get DDR3 notebook memory (not desktop - they 
are not interchangeable).


I have had good luck with the Western Digital Blue 2.5in 1TB drive 
($75.25 at Amazon).


So the budget would be:

Zotac ZBox192.99
Crucial 2x2GB  46.99
WD 1TB75.25
 Total  315.23

Tony




On 12/19/2013 04:45 AM, Adam Holt wrote:

Martin Dluhos and Tony Anderson,

Can you answer below?


On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 9:43 PM, George Hunt <mailto:georgejh...@gmail.com>> wrote:


Hi James,

Can you send me a link to the hardware that is being used in
Nepal?  What I'm currently looking at is

http://www.amazon.com/ZOTAC-Intel-Barebone-Mini-PC-ZBOX-ID41-U/dp/B004WO8O9Y/ref=zg_bs_3015426011_3.

I thought 4 GB memory and a 1 TB drive might be needed.  But we
have about $400 budgeted and someone measured the power draw as
about 25 watt.

Not as efficient as ARM, but ARM isn't really ready for prime time
yet, unless the cubox materializes quickly enough.

George



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Re: [Server-devel] Favorite School Server hardware?

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, George, Adam

Decisions about performance require measurement under the actual (or 
simulated) workload.


Use of the schoolserver is rapidly evolving and problems with 
performance are to be expected.


These problems are not related directly to the model and serial number 
of the school server. They
often relate to the amount of memory, the implementation of caching in 
the server, the performance

of the network including routers.

The search functions in IIAB require processing by the school server. 
The Atom and Arm processors are
not in a performance class with I5 (but I5 systems require much more 
power and cooling and $). Collaborating
requires performance from ejabberd and places a substantial load on the 
network. Video and audio streaming
places little burden on the school server but heavy burdens on the 
network. Having 100+ XOs surfing the
internet via the school server is supported by squid caching but, as 
most of us have experienced, can be excruciatingly

slow due to the limited bandwidth of the internet connection.

What we really need is not finger pointing but some serious performance 
measurements in a deployment under different

workloads.

Tony


Message: 2
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2013 15:18:37 -0500
From: George Hunt
To: XS Devel
Subject: [Server-devel] Favorite School Server hardware?
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Adam Holt is planning for an XSCE schoolserver deployment in Haiti in
January, and in this instance there's plenty of power, and my favorite
trimslice ARM may be under powered for the number of clients he is
contemplating.

The on-the-ground experience is not good with the trimslice that we
installed earlier this year in a Haiti deployment.  Reports are that no
more than 11 XO1 clients can simultaneously access the Internet In A Box.
We're not sure whether the bottleneck is at the wifi level, (XO's not
registered), the disk drive access, or the raw computing power of the dual
core ARM processor.

What other hardware have people been using recently?  What performance
measures does anyone have?

George


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 79, Issue 20

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

In my experience the overwhelming majority of mobile phones are basic
Nokia models, not Android devices.

Tony


On 11/25/2013 10:45 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. [crazy idea] Supporting basic mobile phones |Searching for
   possible standards (Anish Mangal)


--

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 09:21:47 +0530
From: Anish Mangal 
To: server-devel , T Gillett

Subject: [Server-devel] [crazy idea] Supporting basic mobile phones |
Searching for possible standards
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Hi,

Disclaimer: Please do not construe this as a direction that XSCE should be
taking, but more of a crazy idea I am exploring on the side.

In developing nations, the most common communication device is the mobile
phone. It is atleast a magnitude more common any other electronic
communication device. If one were to look at building technology solutions
for education in less developed nations of this world, a cellphone would
seem like the perfect thing to piggyback upon.

On the other hand, this would seem like saying lets shut down sugar and
move to android, because it's everywhere, something I'm not sure is the
best thing to do. (So I am conflicted about it).

Cutting to the chase:
1. Is there any overlap between the xsce vision *as you see it* and
supporting mobile phones.
2a. If the answer to that is a yes, are there standards or software that
might help make XSCE content and services available on basic mobile phones.
We will probably forego 80% of the value XSCE provides, but that 20% might
be valuable.
2b. What kind of service standards would be most suitable to build upon?
WAP, SMS, Voice (navigation)? Most basic mobile phones today have a WAP
browser.

The more I think, the more it "feels" that this may not be the right thing
for the XSCE project, but still would like to have an understanding of the
challenges involved.

Thoughts?

--
Anish

P.S. this email is a result of talking to a few people over the past few
weeks and hearing from them again and again the sheer availability of
mobile phones. At the same time, I'm sure many people would have already
tried to figure out this space (maybe I'm trying to do just that).
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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 79, Issue 10

[Tony Anderson]

George,

Excellent!

Tony


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Today's Topics:

1. Moving toward headless install on trimslice for XSCE (George Hunt)
2. Ansible facts listing (George Hunt)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 12:12:33 -0500
From: George Hunt 
To: XS Devel 
Subject: [Server-devel] Moving toward headless install on trimslice
for XSCE
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I'm wanting to do the following:

- Get rid of the autologon to root at console tty.
- Add a non privileged user (not a sudoer, not wheel), as we had
pre-ansible, (user:admin,pw:12admin), so that the sshd config of
"permitrootlogon no" can remain in place.
- enable password authentication
- Configure avahi to announce, so that in a trimslice situation, we can
easily determine the remote sshd target ip.

What do people think?
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 12:17:09 -0500
From: George Hunt 
To: XS Devel 
Subject: [Server-devel] Ansible facts listing
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I've been perplexed as to why the documentation about listing ansible facts
seemed to fail.

ie "ansible localhost -m setup --connection=local" returns "no hosts found"

What I discovered is that /etc/ansible/hosts file needs to be initialized
with:

[localhost]
127.0.0.1

Then the facts listing returns the desired information.
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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 78, Issue 39

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, TK

You are right, it will be a good opportunity. If you consider a 
one-classroom
deployment of 30-40 XOs, it would be worthwhile to test collaboration 
performance with a single router and ejabberd.


The mesh potato seems to offer benefits to deployments with more than
one classroom and more than one mesh. In this case, mesh potato routing
could enable collaboration by classroom replacing ejabberd service from the
school server.

It would be great if two routers could be set up and a school server run 
with

ejabberd and dhcpd not started. Then we could split the XOs between the two
routers and check their ability to interact with the school server and 
their

ability to collaborate within their subnets.

Tony


On 10/30/2013 12:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Message: 2
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 05:37:23 +
From:tkk...@nurturingasia.com
To: "Tony Anderson", "XS Devel"

Subject: Re: [Server-devel] mesh potato
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I was thinking that real testing of the XSCE, mesh-potatoe AP (if available), 
or openWRT TP-Link  could be done in the wild during the Basecamp@Malacca on 
Nov 16-18. Can get direct feedback of users with the 20+ XO and other devices 
from this direct/indirect stress test.

Cheers.. for BYOD


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[Server-devel] mesh potato

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

There was discussion of this at the SF sprint.

As I understand it, openWRT (from the Shuttleworth project) can be 
installed on
a TP-Link router. It can be configured to serve connected XOs (such as 
in a classroom)

on a mesh. It could also serve as a gateway to the school server's LAN.

If this could work, then the schoolserver would not provide DHCP (since 
the mesh potato routers would
have fixed addresses on the schoolserver LAN) and would not provide 
ejabberd (since that function is

served by the classroom-level mesh).

Presumably each classroom mesh would be a subnet of the LAN so that 
openWRT would act as a gateway

for messages directed at the schoolserver.

Is my understanding in the ballpark?

Is there someone in the community who is working on this capability or 
is an appropriate reference for further

information?

Tony
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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 78, Issue 28

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I looked at the Compulab website and the Trim-slice H is no longer 
offered. All
links to Trim-slice now go to Utilite. I was only able to find one 
vendor in the UK

which offered the Trim-slice for 208 pounds.

I suspect that the Trim-slice has gone out of production.

Perhaps, David Farning can check this out. Maybe we could work a deal to 
buy remaining inventory.


Tony

On 10/24/2013 09:00 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Message: 7
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 22:42:23 -0700
From: Anish Mangal
To: Alex Kleider
Cc: server-devel
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] Supported Hardware Architectures
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Does the $100 model have an enclosure for the hard drive? (even if the hard
drive itself is not present)


On Wed, Oct 23, 2013 at 9:47 PM, Alex Kleider  wrote:


>On 2013-10-23 13:04, Martin Dluhos wrote:
>

>>For the upcoming 0.5 release, we will be targeting the following hardware
>>architectures:
>>
>>* Trim-Slice
>>* XO-1.5, XO-1.75, X0-4
>>* i386
>>* x86_64
>>
>>Feel free to provide XSCE support for other architectures, but these are
>>the
>>ones we believe are most useful to the user community.
>>
>>Martin
>>__**_
>>Server-devel mailing list
>>Server-devel@lists.laptop.org
>>http://lists.laptop.org/**listinfo/server-devel
>>

>
>FYI and FWIW:
>The price of the Trim-Slice is now down to US$100 (plus shipping.)
>(Without a hard drive which most would probably want to replace with a
>larger one anyway.)
>


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 78, Issue 24

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

The 'Sugar' approach is using ejabberd (ClassRoomBroadcast, ShowNTell).
My concern is the ability of ejabberd to support use in a 30+ student 
classroom.

Does this approach appear to scale up more effectively than ejabberd?

Tony



On 10/22/2013 09:00 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 01:04:02 +0200
From: Santiago Rodr?guez
To: Anish Mangal
Cc: server-devel
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] Xsce 0.5 ideas being discussed
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi

For the screen sharing feature, Anna and me just did a brief test using
icecast2 + gst-launcher as streaming service, and a XO1 as client with very
good results.

She also said that there was an idea floating arround, about doing the same
using vnc, so if our approach is not the correct one, please tell us.

Else, I hope we can add the playbook with the icecast2 server tomorrow.

/santi




On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 10:35 PM, Anish Mangalwrote:


>Chip in on irc or here:)


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[Server-devel] Fwd: Khan Academy now available in Spanish

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

This from Caryl.

Tony


 Original Message 
Subject:FW: [somos-azucar] Fwd: Khan Academy now available in Spanish
Date:   Mon, 21 Oct 2013 00:39:06 -0700
From:   Caryl Bigenho 
Reply-To:   olpc-soc...@googlegroups.com
To: 	support-g...@laptop.org , 
socal-os...@googlegroups.com , IAEP 
SugarLabs , olpc Social 





Hi...
From Laura Vargus in Peru...
The Khan Academy, the educational website, is now available in Spanish. 
On the  site thousands of problems and videos have been translated so 
that spanish speaking students, their parents, and teachers can learn in 
their native language.


http://es.khanacademy.org

Enjoy!

Caryl



From: la...@somosazucar.org
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 22:41:20 -0500
To: to...@somosazucar.org
Subject: [somos-azucar] Fwd: Khan Academy now available in Spanish

Khan Academy, el sitio web educativo, está ahora disponible en Español. 
El sitio, miles de problemas y videos han sido traducidos para que los 
estudiantes hispanohablantes, padres de familia y los maestros puedan 
aprender en su lengua nativa.



http://es.khanacademy.org



--
Laura V.
I&D SomosAZUCAR.Org

Identi.ca/Skype acaire
IRC kaametza

Happy Learning!


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 78, Issue 15

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, George

The following from Sridhar's page appears to be relevant:


 Project vs Distribution vs Product

It is important to define the concepts of project, distribution and product.


A projectis an ongoing effort to develop a technical solution. It is 
under constant flux and hence is not generally intended for end-users. A 
distributionis a packaging of a version/snapshot of the project's files, 
often configured for a particular purpose.



A productis more comprehensive, providing properties such as ease of 
use, QA and accompanying documentation. What makes a product really 
stand out is integration with other parts of the deployment 
organisation's business. This can include factors such as supply chain, 
technical support and the educational programme.



The community XS is a project, open to participation/use by anyone. 
Deployments are encouraged to create their own distribution/product to 
better suit their needs. For OLPC Australia, this will take the form of 
our One Network 
product.




This section outlines the architecture of the community XS.


   Scenarios

Here are some scenarios that the community XS should be compatible with. 
Non-conflicting combinations of these should also be possible.


1.

   it hosts the network, acting as an access point itself

2.

   it hosts the network, and bridges to an external wireless access point

3.

   it acts as a gateway to another network, such as the Internet

4.

   it participates on an existing network, without hosting core services

5.

   one XS server serves the whole school

6.

   many XS servers participate on the same network

7. the XS optionally provides services such as collaboration,
   registration, roster groups (presence segregation), backups and
   content on a modular basis


I do not see the distinction you make between XS and XSCE. XS-0.7 was
developed by Daniel Drake as an ongoing effort started by Martin Langhoff.
The major difference is that this project was a part of OLPC and not the
community.

The real question is whether the community is adopting and continuing 
the XS project or starting a new one.


As a continuation of the XS project, the first step could have been to
build XS-0.7 with a Fedora base. This essentially requires performing 
the build

process with a Fedora repository instead of CentOS. This would have made
XS-0.7 available for ARM-based platforms.

Sridhar did not mention 'remix' in his description. Generally for 
servers, the distinction is distribution + desktop vs distribution + 
server.


In the discussion of scenarios, Sridhar does not mention the most 
important point of the school server architecture, the distinction 
between LAN and WAN.
Here is a revised description. Note: all of Sridhar's scenarios are 
currently fully supported by XS-0.7.




1.

   it hosts the LAN network

2.

   it may be connected to one or more wireless routers

3.

   it acts as a gateway to another network (WAN), such as the Internet

4.

   it participates on an existing network (WAN) , without hosting core
   services for that network

5.

   one or more XS servers serve the whole school, dependingi on the
   number of XOs deployed.

6.

   many XS servers may participate on the same (WAN) network

7. the XS provides services such as collaboration, registration, roster
   groups (presence segregation), backups and content. These services
   may be used or not at the discretion of the deployment.



See below for specific comments.




On 10/12/2013 12:57 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Message: 2
Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2013 12:58:28 -0400
From: George Hunt
To: xsce-devel,  XS Devel

Subject: Re: [Server-devel] [XSCE]
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi Tony,

I'd add to Tim's comments:

Sridhar, early in the XSCE design,  made a distinction between project, and
product, which I find useful -See-
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dnhU2F6EntepVXTgN8QpkME8fZVUuPjcCoMUfAVKbcc/edit--
follow the "Product vs Distribution vs Product" link.

XS0.7 was a product, whereas XSCE is attempting to be a project. By
reconceptualizing, and restructuring the install process, now with the
higher level server description language, called "ansible", we are
attempting to position the code base to be flexible, and applicable, to new
distributions, hardware, processors, needs and requirements.
I still do not understand who is the user of Ansible. It would seem to a 
be a tool for use of the XSCE project, not its clients.


As such, XSCE is not meant to be directly usable until it is married with
specific hardware, and a set of requirements. Two examples come to mind:

1. In September, I installed an XO4  and a trimslice at two schools in
Haiti. One with gateway function via 3G modem and Internet In A Box on an
XO4, the other with IIAB function on a 

Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 78, Issue 8

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

It is important to download content to the XO so that children can 
access them offline. This is not a technical problem. In the Karma 
Learning System, this is done using cgi-scripts which access the school 
server using sftp.


Tony


On 10/07/2013 12:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. The concept of "pushing" content to clients (Anna)
2. Re: [XSCE] The concept of "pushing" content to clients
   (James Cameron)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2013 21:31:09 -0500
From: Anna 
To: xsce-devel , Server Devel

Subject: [Server-devel] The concept of "pushing" content to clients
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I got my Mom a refurb Kindle for $50 for her birthday.  This past Thursday,
she visited me for a few hours and we did a bit of training over takeout
from Dreamland BBQ.

What in the world does that have to do with the XO/DXS/XSCE ecosystem, you
might be asking?

For one, there's "registration."  Mom entered her Amazon user/pass into the
Kindle.  Then it was "registered" and she could see the Kindle when she
looked at her Amazon account from her laptop.

After registration, I asked her to go into her Amazon account to put my
email address and the Tinderizer (I'll explain later) email address into
the "approved" email list.  That's so you can send things to
mom@kindle.comfrom an approved email address and it'll just
"magically" show up on her
Kindle.

I installed Calibre on her Windows laptop, which luckily went well.  She
understood it was like "iTunes for books."  (Mom has an iPhone and an iPad,
she knows iTunes.)  Then I showed her some free ebook sites where she could
get content, how to import the downloaded books into Calibre, and how to
put that content onto the Kindle.

Where Mom was really fascinated was how you can "push" content onto the
Kindle.  If you don't have a Kindle, here's how it works (remember Mom put
my email address into the "approved" list):

1.  I find something interesting that Mom might like to read
2.  I email m...@kindle.com that content in a .txt file attachment and
simply put the word "convert" in the subject
3.  Mom connects her Kindle to wifi and it automagically downloads the
content

Now, Mom is a huge fan of the NYT, she actually pays money to subscribe.  I
set her up with http://tinderizer.com like I use.  Sometimes the NYT has
very long articles that I'd like to read later on the e-ink Kindle.
  Tinderizer is a bookmarklet that, once you set it up (and setup is very
simple), it's "one click" to push it to the Kindle.  Once the Kindle is
connected to wifi, that content just "magically" shows up on the device.
  If I know I'm going to be offline for a while, or just want to sit out on
the porch in the sunlight, I'll browse for articles to push to the Kindle
to read later.  Instapaper is another option I've heard good things about,
but it doesn't sound as simple.

In my case, reading thoughtful, longform articles on my computer screen is
sometimes difficult, so I quite prefer them on the Kindle's eink screen.
  And reading offline minimizes distractions.

I know you're still wondering, what does this have to do with the
XO/DXS/XSCE ecosystem!  The concept of "pushing" content to client devices,
which then automagically shows up with no effort from the end user.  And
it's not a link, it's the full content, so the user only needs to have a
connection for a few minutes while the queued up content is pushed.

Many folks might think Amazon is evil or whatever, but their content
delivery system is notable and somewhat revolutionary as far as end users
are concerned.

Also, take note of this Kindle based project:  http://www.worldreader.org/

As we're going into XSCE 0.5 and thinking about value added stuff, lemme
just throw this concept in.

Anna Schoolfield
Birmingham
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 7 Oct 2013 14:03:53 +1100
From: James Cameron 
To: xsce-de...@googlegroups.com
Cc: Server Devel 
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] [XSCE] The concept of "pushing" content to
clients
Message-ID: <20131007030353.gd19...@us.netrek.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

There seems to be two main ideas

Re: [Server-devel] Problems with the School Server and IIAB

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, all

I have been offline for several days. I am just now reading a backlog of 
200 emails.

Please bear with me on this.

I have recommended that IIAB be given a fixed IP from the beginning; 
however, I have not had a chance to look at this problem to determine if 
that is relevant here.


Tony


On 09/05/2013 03:49 PM, Braddock wrote:

-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-
Hash: SHA1

School Server Experts,

We are trying to deploy an Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) network appliance
to an OLPC and XS school in Pakistan. (http://internet-in-a-box.org)

I need help getting them instructions so they can access the device
using their School Server XS 0.7

The IIAB appliance gets an DHCP lease on startup from their XS 0.7 server.

The IIAB appliance registers its name with the DHCP server as "know".

In THEORY, on the XS, dhcpd should register the name know with the
named DNS server (ddns-update-style is set in /etc/dhcpd-xs.conf on my
own XS installation).  Then students can access the IIAB appliance at
http://know

- From their reports, this appears to work initially, but after some
time (DHCP lease expires?) it stops working.

I'm looking for a simple solution to communicate to them to assign the
IIAB appliance a fixed IP address.  It is currently not (safely)
possible to configure the IIAB appliance for a static IP.  Then they
can just refer to it by IP.

I assume it should look something like:
host know {
  hardware ethernet 00:03:6D:00:83:CF;
  fixed-address 172.18.97.10;
}
added to /etc/dhcpd.conf

But with my very limited School Server experience I don't want to lead
them astray.

Any help appreciated.

- -braddock



On 08/31/2013 04:03 AM, Kishwer.Aziz wrote:

Tony,

Since my return from Pakistan in early August, the local support
team has been struggling with getting the school server and IIAB to
work on the network they have created using 8 routers (one for
every class of 20 students)



I have asked them to explain to me what the problem is and not
being technical I cannot understand what they are telling me. Given
below is their technical explanation for what is happening.
Verbally I have been told that sometimes some children can connect
while others cannot. When they turn the whole system on and off,
look for the IP allocated to the IIAB by the Server, give it to the
children they can connect to it but next day this changes.



Can you find us a solution for us? Tell us what we are doing
wrong?



Regards



Kishwer



*From:*Younus Zafar [mailto:younusza...@gmail.com] *Sent:* Friday,
August 30, 2013 11:45 AM *To:* Kishwer.Aziz *Subject:*



salam madam

(1)School server is assigning IP of two pools for clients( i-e
172.18.96.X & 172.18.97.X

(2) it creates problem for Xo's to connect with IIAB server & they
cannot  use DNS resolver for domain name “know”

-- */

/*

*Muhammad Younus Zafar* *_S_*_enior *S*ystem *S*upport *E*ngineer_
BR News Room &  Aaj News




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Re: [Server-devel] [XSCE] Reflashing over a network

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

This is a very valuable discussion which I hope gets summarized on a 
wiki page. It probably also belongs in server-devel as well.


I believe the 'boot net' would require only moments more per laptop than 
the 4-key approach.


The real advantage of wireless 'flashing' could be that a roomful of 
laptops could be flashed concurrently as in NandBlast. I assume that 
NandBlast is using the broadcast capability of the network. This is 
getting beyond my understanding of networking, but wouldn't it be 
possible to implement the 'sender' side of NandBlast on the server and

have it start broadcasting the image.

Tony



On 08/29/2013 10:19 AM, James Cameron wrote:

No.  It addresses the boot server identified by the DHCP server, or if
no boot server is identified it attempts TFTP against the DHCP server.

(Reminder: this is the manual "boot net" scenario, not the automatic
four game key boot scenario).

Could we please move technical discussions on OLPC XO firmware back to
devel@?


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Re: [Server-devel] village server - oops

[Tony Anderson]

On 08/17/2013 04:19 PM, Anish Mangal wrote:

At the second school, the laptops are charged from individual panels
so that the school server needs a dedicated solar panel and set of
batteries.

Even in the community server situation, I would expect it would be
on say from 0700-1100 and shut down overnight.


Do you mean 7am-11pm or 11am? I definitely see the server being powered
for more than 4 hrs in many cases.


Sorry, 0700-2300.

Tony
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Re: [Server-devel] village server

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I assume this situation is also solar-powered. What is the range over 
which the school server has to be accessible? Do you wire the APs back 
to the central location or provide solar power directly to each?


I fully agree that the school server needs its own power in a solar 
environment. At the first school in Lesotho, the solar installation 
provides more than enough power so that the server did not require 
additional panels. However, additional panels were installed to enable 
the server to be located nearer to the 'computer room' when it was 
expected all computer classes would be conducted in that room.


At the second school, the laptops are charged from individual panels so 
that the school server needs a dedicated solar panel and set of batteries.


Even in the community server situation, I would expect it would be on 
say from 0700-1100 and shut down overnight.


Tony


On 08/17/2013 02:35 PM, Anish Mangal wrote:

I think this may be the case in a few other places as well. For example
in Bhagmalpur, the school server isnt deployed at a school but a
somewhat central location in the village and the children can access the
server anytime, not just during school hours.

Also one might think that the XS consumes negligible power when compared
with 50 xo laptops but keep in mind that the server needs to come across
as an 'always on' appliance, including all the wireless APs. Thus while
the laptops might be used for, say 2-3 hours a day. An XS must be kept
on always, along with the hard disks, and along with all the wireless
APs. In such a scenario I would say the the XS preferably have its own
power supply and backup system.



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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 76, Issue 22

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, Adam

The model I have been pursuing is that the library contents are checked 
out by the child - i.e. copied to the Journal on the XO. There is no 
need to be connected to the school server to read a book. The same 
approach applies to media (audio, image, video).


Naturally, the child will have to erase some library items from the 
Journal from time to time, particularly with XO-1.


The schools I am working with have no access to the internet so keeping 
the server on to share internet access is not needed.


There are technical issues to provide this capability for Wikipedia 
articles and some work will probably be needed to enable download of 
Khan Academy videos (beyond the Arithmetic and Pre-algebra group which 
is supported by the Learn Activity). I suspect some work will be needed 
for the maps. Currently Nick Doiron's Map Activity expects to be online 
to Google Maps or Open Street Maps and to build map-packs on the XO. In 
addition, Braddock has had pre-render the tiles. I don't yet know what 
impact this has on the Map Activity.


Tony


On 08/17/2013 02:34 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Kids need to read in the evenings (and unforeseen times) on their XOs, from
http://internet-in-a-box.org  and most importantly much younger material,
rare colorful ebooks we've been granted in Creole.


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 76, Issue 21

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

My point about the UPS is that an off-grid setup doesn't need one which
somewhat offsets the additional cost of supporting a hard drive.

Currently the two schools in Lesotho are using MSI Nettop as school 
servers. In the context of charging 30-100 XOs, the additional power 
consumed by the school server is negligible.


However, at the second school which charges the laptops using individual 
solar panels, the school server takes a dedicated solar panel charging a 
pair of car batteries.


The big surprise was that the MSI does not boot on 12vdc. This required
adding an inverter (designed to charge laptops from a car battery).

I was hoping the Trim-Slice H would be suitable. I am concerned with its 
fixed 1GB memory. The Utilite looked like a promising alternative, but 
supports only SSD. We may have to wait for nettops based on the new
Atom technology for a one-box solution. In the meantime, the current 
Atom based systems are doable in an off-grid deployment.


By the way, the need for the school server is closer to 50 hours per 
week than 24/7. Normally it needs to be booted only during the hours 
when children are in school.


Tony

On 08/17/2013 06:21 AM, Jerry Vonau wrote:

On Sat, 2013-08-17 at 05:49 +0200, Tony Anderson wrote:

>Hi,
>
>What is the disk capacity required by internet-in-a-box?
>

600-700 gigs


>The purpose of the server is to deliver the information not available
>from the internet.
>

Yup, or when your offline.


>The cost of a UPS which is required for a system on the grid is $80-100.
>

Think the issue is mainly about off-grid systems, those are usually 12v.
What would be neat is if there was a power supply that you could replace
in your standard PC that used 12v as the supply voltage. Anybody know of
a manufacture that supplies one? I'd hate to see what the size of the
battery pack and the recharging requirements needed of the
solar/wind/ recharging system that would be needed to run
such a beast.


>In my experience, there is need for one school server at a school
>supporting 30-200 XOs.

Know of any low power devices that you might recommend for off-grid use?

Jerry



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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 76, Issue 21

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

What is the disk capacity required by internet-in-a-box?

The purpose of the server is to deliver the information not available 
from the internet.


The cost of a UPS which is required for a system on the grid is $80-100.

In my experience, there is need for one school server at a school 
supporting 30-200 XOs.


Tony

On 08/17/2013 03:02 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

The average difference between power consumption of an SSD and a HDD is
about 4W. [1][2]

Now considering the environments we're gonna head into we're looking at
typically 1-3 days of power backup for the server (lets average out at 2).

That means, the battery backup needed is:
4 * 24 * 2 = 192 W-hr

*That comes out to roughly $25-35 in battery costs*  (again based on quick
google searches for battery costs). *If you want a longer life from
you're battery, you're looking at about $50-60 in battery costs.*

Now if we're also giving solar backup, based on the calculator here
[3] we're going to need about a 25-30W solar panel (for just those 4 extra
watts). Again, google tells me that *such panels retail for about $65-80.*
*
*
*So, on average we'll save $100-$130 on TCO (total cost of ownership), if
we intend to provide an SSD as opposed to an HDD, considering the server
runs 24x7 and 2 days of backup is needed.*
*
*
On top of that, you're looking at less failures, a better operating
temperature range, and more durability.


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Re: [Server-devel] Questions for today

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, Sebastian

My concern was email access in deployments which only have access to the
Internet by taking a usb drive to an internet cafe. I thought that Peru was
developing such a capability at least for software distribution. The 
deployments
I am working with do not have access to the internet and so are unable 
to use

cloud-based resources.

Tony


On 08/08/2013 11:39 AM, Sebastian Silva wrote:

El 06/08/13 08:33, Tony Anderson escribió:
As mentioned, there are server developments at many deployments. What 
would be great is a co-operative team that would work to provide 
capabilities in a way that can be distributed widely. I am sure that 
Peru is working on a method to deliver email via usb drive (and 
internet cafes). I just don't have any visibility in the method 
taken, the technology employed, or whether the development can be 
applicable outside of Peru.


We've made a significant effort to have all of our development visible 
upstream:

http://git.sugarlabs.org/network
http://git.sugarlabs.org/platform

Also most of our technical and non-technical documentation is in English:
http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_Network
http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Platform_Team/Sugar_Network

We are server-solution-agnostic and merely provide a set of 
specialized services packaged for major distributions at this time. To 
take advantage of all Sugar Network capabilities, a patched Sugar 
shell is necessary (SN-plugin). It adds a special view to participate 
in the Sugar Network.


It is interesting that we are specifically trying to tackle the 
downstreams/upstream cooperation/distribution issue. Still, we're not 
planning to add an email gateway to the Sugar Network at this time, 
but expect most communication to happen over the Sugar Network support 
forums / knowledge base, which is also accessible using a regular browser:

http://network.sugarlabs.org/

Regards,
Sebastian


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Re: [Server-devel] Questions for today

[Tony Anderson]

On 08/06/2013 04:22 PM, Jerry Vonau wrote:

I agree a fully offline install method is needed.

I think we are in substantial agreement.

My model is that the deployment has someone with technical skills 
available who
prepares the server for installation. However, at the deployment, the 
server should

be stable enough to operate through a school year without hands-on system
administration (except when the server hardware fails).

The community can provide the, probably volunteer, system administrator 
with
a base system and a pantry of appropriate ingredients to tailor for a 
specific

deployment without requiring the admin to give up his day job.

It is perfectly feasible to install the school server from a usb drive. 
It is the build that
currently requires internet access. The install at the moment requires a 
monitor,

usb wired keyboard, and a usb wired mouse. These are not required after the
install. By the way, the repositories need for an XS-0.7 build don't 
come close to

fitting on a DVD.

Tony


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Re: [Server-devel] Questions for today

[Tony Anderson]

On 08/06/2013 03:06 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

On Mon, Aug 5, 2013 at 12:13 AM, Sameer Verma  wrote:

>Just noticed that on
>http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Installing_Software_0.7  it says that
>stable version is XS 0.7 and unstable is XSCE 0.3
>
>Is this correct?
>
>Is XSCE to become XS 0.8? I am all in favor of the two projects
>merging, but as I understand it, XS and XSCE are two very*different*
>projects as of now. Some clarification would be great!

This question has many interesting implications! While I don't know
the answer to your question I do have some more specific follow on
questions.

Questions about today:

If I am a deployment, large or small, looking to deploy a school
server, which should I choose? and Why?
If a deployment has the power for an Atom-based server, then XS-0.7 is 
the choice today. According the 0.3 release notes, XSCE is only 
supported on an XO.


If I am a deployment, large or small, looking to make customizations
to my school server, which 'base' should I choose? Should I upstream
my customizations or should hold on to them?
Customization has to used carefully. There is not a system administrator 
alive who has built a custom server configuration. None of that has any 
impact on server software development.
For example, adding CUPS to support an attached printer is something 
that a deployment can do if desired.


If I a contributor looking to help ICT4E move forward, which school
server should I work on and why?

I am not sure what ICT4E means (ICT seems to be used in education to 
mean studying computers as a subject, not using computers to learn).


There are a number of important items still on the wish list. Adding
the IIAB content is probably at the top of the list. Providing a way for 
a deployment to be 'librarian', e.g. with Calibre is another. Finding a 
way for teachers to make assignments, receive student submissions, mark 
them, and return annotated copies (digital copybook) is high on the 
list. Providing an email capability with client software on the XO and 
an XS facility (e.g. pop3 and smtp) which is capable of
interface to Internet via removable device. Implementing Wikipedia in a 
child-safe form with fast full-text search. Providing an effective 
'badge' mechanism to honor children who have demonstrated learning.

There is no lack of things to do.

Questions about the future:

Is the XS feature complete? Does it do everything it can to add value
to deployments? If there are ways to add more value, is there a plan
or funding model to support that development?

XS-0.7 is a baseline install. The question should be what can 
deployments usefully install on XS-0.7. If we view every change as
requiring a new build, deployments are looking at huge expense. In 
Nepal, Abhishek and I had to download over 10GB of repositories to build 
XO-0.7 offline. That would take a decade at most of the schools I 
service (average download speed is 5kb/sec - with tens of restarts per

gigabyte -not to mention loss of sleep restarting).

Is the XSCE feature complete? Does it do everything it can to add
value to deployments? If there are ways to add more value, is there a
plan or funding model to support that development?

Questions for OLCP:

Are there steps OLPC can do to encourage deployments to fund further
development of XS by OLPC developers? Are there steps OLPC can do to
encourage direct development of XS by deployments?

As mentioned, there are server developments at many deployments. What 
would be great is a co-operative team that would work to provide 
capabilities in a way that can be distributed widely. I am sure that 
Peru is working on a method to deliver email via usb drive (and internet 
cafes). I just don't have any visibility in the method taken, the 
technology employed, or whether the development can be applicable 
outside of Peru.

Would it be effective for OLPC to support and fund future development
of XSCE or a product based on XSCE?

Would OLPC officially endorse XSCE as supported project?

Questions for XSCE:

What can XSCE do to ensure that it continues to improve by adding
values to deployments with each quarterly release?

What can XSCE do to ensure future development viability via community
support, deployment support, OLPC support, or support through Activity
Central?

What steps can XSCE do to ensure that is solid base project for future
product offerings by: OLPC-A, XS; OLPC-AU, One Network; Plan Ceibal,
?; OLE-Nepal, ?; Activity Central, Dextrose Server.

Immediate questions:

Is XSCE overstepping by have its wiki at laptop.org? Should XSCE
remain in a user space at laptop.org?

Should XCE have its own mailing list at laptop.org? Should it continue
the current blend ofxsce-de...@googlegroups.com  +
server-devel@lists.laptop.org  ?

So I don't know the answer to your original question. These are
the questions that come to my mind when I think about the relationship
between XS and XSCE and their future:)
I think it i

[Server-devel] config.php

[Tony Anderson]

On 08/06/2013 08:46 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

>Naturally, Moodle itself is installed as part of XS-0.7. This installs a
>PostgreSQL backup of Moodle content (courses). It also moved the Moodle
>data to /library.
>This was a mistake in the XS implementation. Data directories which can
>grow
>with use should be in /library not in the root partition. This is the
>change in
>config.php.
>

yup, good catch. Got a copy of that also?


As far as I can remember, the only change is:

$CFG->dataroot  = '/library/moodle';

Tony


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 75, Issue 25

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

My purpose is to illustrate the technique. Frankly, since each script is 
intended

to install one package or content module, they change to meet the specific
requirement.

For example, xc-moodle in a repository should probably install a simple 
example
of a Moodle course since the one I use at the deployment contains some 
content

which is not free to be distributed.

Tony

On 08/06/2013 08:36 AM, Jerry Vonau wrote:

Yes it would then I could stop asking for source code for an open source
project.


>Currently, I am using this technique to install the courseware for the
>Learn
>activity, Django, the library, wiki4schools, mediawiki, wiktionary, the
>beginnings of a learning management system, and the beginnings of an
>itembank of questions. I hope to have an install script for IIAB
>(probably one for the front end and one or more for the content).
>

XSCE is working towards the same goals.


>Tony
>
>

Jerry






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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 76, Issue 3

[Tony Anderson]

On 08/06/2013 03:56 AM, Samuel Greenfeld wrote:
There is a need for some continued maintenance of the XS: there are 
known bugs, and security patches could be required from time to time.


Just because something is not "unstable" does not mean that 
development has to completely cease.


It is not clear to me though who will continue to do this work.


Where is the list of known bugs kept? It is likely that most bugs and 
security patches
will originate upstream. Daniel Drake as well documented the build 
process so that
fixes could be made. Currently, Moodle is 1.9 while continued 
development is on

Moodle 2.

I don't think resources are available presently to maintain XS-0.7, let 
alone upgrade

Moodle. This is probably going to be a requirement on the deployments.

Tony
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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 75, Issue 25

[Tony Anderson]

On 08/06/2013 05:40 AM, Jerry Vonau wrote:

I'd be interested in the contents of the xs-moodle files or is that an
example? Sounds like 20-xc-generic looks for xc-* directories and files
in those directories to execute, need to see the code to be sure on what
you require.

The install file for Moodle is

 cd "$UM_MOUNTPOINT"/XC
if [ -f xc-moodle/xc-moodle-install ]; then
log notice "Installing moodle"
cd xc-moodle
if bash xc-moodle-install; then
log notice "moodle installed successfully"
else
log notice "moodle install failed with code $?"
error_beep
fi
else
log notice 'moodle not found'
error_beep

fi

The xc-moodle-install file is:

#!/bin/bash

#take backup from existing moodle
#su - postgres
#pg_dump moodle-xs > moodle-xs.sql

#stop httpd
/etc/init.d/httpd stop

#copy the moodle folder to /library
rm -rf /library/moodle
cp -r moodle /library/moodle
chown -R apache:apache /library/moodle

#restore the moodle-xs.sql backup of the database
psql -d moodle-xs -f moodle-xs.sql
#replace config.php file in /var/www/moodle/web and update 
/etc/httpd/conf.d/moodle.conf (if necessary)

cp config.php /var/www/moodle/web
cp moodle.conf /etc/httpd/conf.d

#start httpd
/etc/init.d/httpd start

Naturally, Moodle itself is installed as part of XS-0.7. This installs a 
PostgreSQL backup of Moodle content (courses). It also moved the Moodle 
data to /library.
This was a mistake in the XS implementation. Data directories which can 
grow
with use should be in /library not in the root partition. This is the 
change in

config.php.

The essence of this technique is that 20-xc-generic needs to be 
installed by xo-custom, xs-setup, or in the build. Once that is 
installed, a deployment can

perform any additional installations of content or packages via xc-install.

It would probably be useful to have a library of these optional 
installations.


Currently, I am using this technique to install the courseware for the 
Learn
activity, Django, the library, wiki4schools, mediawiki, wiktionary, the 
beginnings of a learning management system, and the beginnings of an 
itembank of questions. I hope to have an install script for IIAB 
(probably one for the front end and one or more for the content).


Tony


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[Server-devel] 20-xc-generic

[Tony Anderson]

On 08/06/2013 05:40 AM, Jerry Vonau wrote:

Think the attachment got scrubbed in digest mode. Can you reply to this
tread with the contents of 20-xc-generic script please?

#!/bin/bash
# Author: Daniel Drake 
# XS auto-usbmount import script for code parts of the e-library
#modified for Rwanda configuration 
# execute XC-install if found
set -e

VERBOSE=no

# Log a string via the syslog facility.
log()
{
if test $1 != debug || expr "$VERBOSE" : "[yY]" > /dev/null; then
logger -p user.$1 -t "rwxc-code[$$]" -- "$2"
echo "$(date "+%F %T") rwxc-code: $2"
fi
}

error_beep()
{
echo -en '\033[10;1000]\033[11;100]\007' > /dev/console
sleep 0.2
echo -en '\033[10;1000]\033[11;100]\007' > /dev/console
sleep 0.2
echo -en '\033[10]\033[11]' > /dev/console
return 0
}

if [ -f "$UM_MOUNTPOINT"/XC/xc-install ]; then
exec >> $UM_MOUNTPOINT/xc-usbmount.txt 2>&1
fi

if [ -f "$UM_MOUNTPOINT"/xc.*.tar.bz2 ]; then
exec >> $UM_MOUNTPOINT/xc-usbmount.txt 2>&1
fi

if [ -f "$UM_MOUNTPOINT"/xc.*.tar.bz2 ]; then
log notice "Updating School Server"
rm -rf /library/update
mkdir /library/update
cp "$UM_MOUNTPOINT"/xc.*tar.bz2 /library/update
cd /library/update
tar -xvf xc.*.tar.bz2
if bash xc-update; then
log notice "School server updated successfully"
else
log notice "School server update failed with code $?"
error_beep
fi
fi

if [ -f "$UM_MOUNTPOINT"/XC/xc-install ]; then
log notice "Installing XC"
cd $UM_MOUNTPOINT/XC
if bash xc-install; then
log notice "XC installed successfully"
else
log notice "XC install failed with code $?"
error_beep
fi
fi
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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 76, Issue 4

[Tony Anderson]

On 08/06/2013 05:39 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Tony, you have quoted me and misunderstand my use of the word
"unstable".  It means something that continues to change, that
develops, in response to user input in the form of enhancements and
bug fixes.  I would like to see continued change and development of
both XS and XSCE.  I don't see it happening at the moment; both
development streams appear stalled (there are no published plans to
release), but I would not be unhappy to see the streams restarted.

"stable" software means it isn't going to change, isn't going to
develop in response to changing needs, and isn't going to be fixed.



Sorry. I thought stable meant a production release - the one that 
deployments should use.


In the sense you describe, there never has been a ongoing server 
development. It was put together by Martin Langhoff and updated to

XS-0.7 by Daniel Drake. As far as I am aware, there is no Trac for
problems with XS-0.7. There is also no feature request process.

On the other hand, XSCE does have a development team and a planned 
release process (currently 0.3 with plans for 0.4 and 0.5).


As Sameer has written, the primary concern is a perception that XSCE is 
a successor to XS-0.7. It is an alternative designed to meet certain 
specific hardware and deployment needs. XSCE is also not a fork of XS in 
the normal use of that term in software development. XS is an open 
source project (primarily consisting of packaging and configuring 
CentOS, Moodle, and so on) so ownership by OLPC is not an issue.


Tony
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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 76, Issue 3

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I think there is a real misunderstanding of the school server software.

Daniel Drake updated XS-0.6 to a CentOS 6.2 base because the Fedora base 
was obsolete. There is no need for continued development of XS at this 
time, it is functional and stable.


XSCE appears to be a substantially different development aimed, at 
several objectives:

enable XO hardware to act as the school server
support the ARM platform
provide gui support for basic system administration
modularize server functions so that deployments can pick and choose 
which capabilities to include.


I don't think we need or want an unstable XS. The existence of CentOS 
points to the difference between server and client software development 
models.


Tony




On 08/05/2013 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

I don't see any unstable version of xs-, and I don't see any stable
version of XSCE.  I'd like to see both.  The former would indicate
ongoing development of xs- and the latter would indicate finalisation
of XSCE.


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 75, Issue 25

[Tony Anderson]

On 08/01/2013 06:33 PM, Sameer Verma wrote:

On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 11:33 PM, Tony Anderson  wrote:

>Hi,
>
>As I have unsuccessfully tried to explain many times. OLE Nepal, with help
>from Daniel Drake, an effective and proven means to add selected
>capabilities
>to the base server. Since this capability takes advantage of the running
>base
>server, all of its normal system administration capabilities are available
>(ssh,
>yum, etc.).
>

This is true, but not documented well and not known. For instance, we
use munin and openvpn on the XS 0.7 in Jamaica, and those are
"add-ons". It would be good to document this and discuss approaches
for installing complementary services.


The process is straightforward.

At install time, the script xs-custom is executed.

#!/bin/bash
cp 20-xc-generic /etc/usbmount/mount.d
cp path.py /usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages
python fixssh.py
adduser -padmin admin
xs-setup domain
poweroff

It installs a modified version of Daniel Drake's script 20-xc-generic 
which will be executed when a removable drive is mounted.

It puts path.py (a utility I use in many python cgi-scripts).
It executes a script fixssh.py which enables password authentication.
Finally, it adds user admin with password admin.
The xs-setup script is executed to complete the process.
The poweroff is a clear signal when the script is finished and forces a 
reboot.


The 20-xc-generic script is attached. It checks the removable device for 
a root folder
XC. If this exists, it checks for a script in that folder 'xc-install'. 
If so, it is executed. This allows a usb drive or hard drive to be used 
for this install or for other purposes by renaming the XC folder (e.g. 
xc) so that it is ignored.


The fixsh.py scripts enables password authentication:

#!/usr/bin/python

test = 'PasswordAuthentication'

fin=open('/etc/ssh/sshd_config.in','r')
txt = fin.read()
fin.close()
lines = txt.split('\n')
txtout = ''
fout = open('/etc/ssh/sshd_config.in','w')
for line in lines:
if test in line and not '#' in line:
print >> fout, test + ' yes'
else:
print >> fout, line
fout.close()


This is another reason for poweroff and reboot so that 
/etc/ssh/sshd_config is also

updated.

This enables login from an XO or other PC via ssh admin@schoolserver for
system administration.

The xc-install script in XC looks like this:

#!/bin/bash
# Author: Daniel Drake 
# XS auto-usbmount import script for code parts of the e-library
#modified for Rwanda configuration 

set -e

VERBOSE=No

# Log a string via the syslog facility.
log()
{
if test $1 != debug || expr "$VERBOSE" : "[yY]" > /dev/null; then
logger -p user.$1 -t "xc-code[$$]" -- "$2"
echo "$(date "+%F %T") xc-code: $2"
fi
}

error_beep()
{
echo -en '\033[10;1000]\033[11;100]\007' > /dev/console
sleep 0.2
echo -en '\033[10;1000]\033[11;100]\007' > /dev/console
sleep 0.2
echo -en '\033[10]\033[11]' > /dev/console
return 0
}

UM_MOUNTPOINT="/media/usb0"

cd "$UM_MOUNTPOINT"/XC
if [ -f xc-wiki/xc-wiki4schools-install ]; then
log notice "Installing Wiki4Schools"
cd xc-wiki
if bash xc-wiki4schools-install; then
log notice "wiki4schools installed successfully"
else
log notice "wiki4schools install failed with code $?"
error beep
fi
else
log notice 'xc-wiki not found'

It normally has several of these install sections. The install section 
looks for a
folder: xc-wiki and in that folder for an install script: 
xc-wiki4schools-install.

The contents of the folder are:

wiki.conf
xc-wiki4schools-install
xc-wiki4schools.tar.gz
xc-wiki4schools.tar.gz.sha1

The xc-wiki4schools-install is:

#!/bin/bash

wktar=xc-wiki4schools.tar.gz

log() {
logger -p user.notice -t nexc-wiktionary-inst -s -- "$1"
}

cp wiki.conf /etc/httpd/conf.d

rm -rf /library/wiki
mkdir -p /library/wiki

cp $wktar /library/wiki
cd /library/wiki

if ! tar -xzf $wktar; then
log "could not extract $wktar"
exit 1
fi

rm -rf /library/wiki/$wktar

chown -R apache:apache /library/wiki
chmod -R 755 /library/wiki

This script installs wiki.conf in /etc/httpd/conf.d, makes a folder 
/library/wiki,
copies the tarball to this folder and extracts it there. The tarball is 
removed and
permissions set. Note that the script removes previous content so that 
it can

be rerun.

The wiki.conf file is:

Alias /wiki4schools/ /library/wiki/

Order deny,allow
Allow from all


This makes the wiki accessible via: http://schoolserver/wiki4schools/.


For simplicity, each folder in XC has this 

Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 75, Issue 25

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

As I have unsuccessfully tried to explain many times. OLE Nepal, with help
from Daniel Drake, an effective and proven means to add selected 
capabilities
to the base server. Since this capability takes advantage of the running 
base
server, all of its normal system administration capabilities are 
available (ssh,

yum, etc.).

The other difference with the school server is that disk capacity should 
not be

a constraint. This means leaving Moodle installed but unused has negligible
cost.

Making http://schoolserver go directly to Moodle is probably not 
justified. We
should probably create a home page or, at least provide an example that 
deployments could modify to their needs.


Tony


On 07/29/2013 07:56 PM, Sameer Verma wrote:

On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 11:56 AM, Tony Anderson  wrote:

Hi,

The XS-0.7 release of the school server software is built with CentOS 6.2.
The main problem is that CentOS does not support the ARM isa.
XSCE, as I understand it, arose to fill an urgent need to implement the
school server on ARM to reduce the power requirements of the school server.

Also in my understanding, XSCE was ported to run on the Fedora base used on
the XO for Sugar. This was needed to enable XO hardware to be
used for the school server.

Another reason for the XSCE push was to make the server less
monolithic and allow deployments to select components. For instance,
Moodle is integral to XS 0.7. Most projects (to my understanding) use
the admin pages in Moodle (added to stock Moodle by OLPC) and not
Moodle itself. Most people on this list do not have a good exposure to
the continued use of Moodle in an institution (I use it at work every
day), so Moodle has failed to take root. In my opinion, for Moodle to
take root, it needs to come populated with sample courses and a set of
simple directions to add more. From what I gather, there are NO
instructions/documentation on the use of Moodle in the OLPC context.
This is most likely because we all hit the 24 hour limit per day :-)
Is it salvageable? Yes! We need a good set of courses and a repo to
host at and download from. A Youtube search for "moodle backup
restore" will show you how easy it is.

Moving along, XSCE hopes to provide a menu approach to select the
services you need (Pathagar, Drupal, ). That
requirement, along with AU's need to have a server per classroom (XO
based server)  got mixed up in the granularity requirement.


In short, there is no reason to do anything to run the school server on the
Intel isa, just use XS-0.7.

As of now, this is true. XS 0.7 is rock solid, and it's stability
comes from the CentOS/RHEL underpinnings. Once XSCE is able to provide
a menu to "remove Moodle, add Pathagar" AND provide a CentOS base, the
reasons for XSCE may get stronger.

In case you were wondering, I am NOT a fan of using Fedora for a
server. Stability and upgrade paths are my primary concerns.

cheers,
Sameer

In my understanding, the Sugar Desktop runs on Fedora on both Intel and ARM
architectures. The fact that Sugar is extensively tested and supported in
the Fedora environment probably outweighs any stability advantage of CentOS.

Tony

On 07/29/2013 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

We are mixing our channels abit here.


A Sugar based desktop on CentOS is pretty unlikely. As Peter noticed,
there are many dependencies necessary for a recent Sugar which are not
present in CentOS. CentOS intentionally lagges fedora by several
releases for stability. If someone wanted to do it badly enough, it
would be possible to backport the fedora 18 GTK stack to CentSO

A school server based on CentOS or Ubuntu LTS is more likely. The
challenge is remaining compatible with XOs. For hardware
compatibility, a XO requires recent OLPC-OS versions which are based
on recent fedora version.

The step necessary to make XSCE on CentOS run on _Commodity_X86_
hardware are not that great. The problem is that it would require
maintain a non-XO branch in parallel with the XO compatible branch..
Anyone have the time, energy, and flame retardant skin to tackle that?


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 75, Issue 25

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

The XS-0.7 release of the school server software is built with CentOS 
6.2. The main problem is that CentOS does not support the ARM isa.
XSCE, as I understand it, arose to fill an urgent need to implement the 
school server on ARM to reduce the power requirements of the school server.


Also in my understanding, XSCE was ported to run on the Fedora base used 
on the XO for Sugar. This was needed to enable XO hardware to be

used for the school server.

In short, there is no reason to do anything to run the school server on 
the Intel isa, just use XS-0.7.


In my understanding, the Sugar Desktop runs on Fedora on both Intel and 
ARM architectures. The fact that Sugar is extensively tested and 
supported in the Fedora environment probably outweighs any stability 
advantage of CentOS.


Tony

On 07/29/2013 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

We are mixing our channels abit here.


A Sugar based desktop on CentOS is pretty unlikely. As Peter noticed,
there are many dependencies necessary for a recent Sugar which are not
present in CentOS. CentOS intentionally lagges fedora by several
releases for stability. If someone wanted to do it badly enough, it
would be possible to backport the fedora 18 GTK stack to CentSO

A school server based on CentOS or Ubuntu LTS is more likely. The
challenge is remaining compatible with XOs. For hardware
compatibility, a XO requires recent OLPC-OS versions which are based
on recent fedora version.

The step necessary to make XSCE on CentOS run on _Commodity_X86_
hardware are not that great. The problem is that it would require
maintain a non-XO branch in parallel with the XO compatible branch..
Anyone have the time, energy, and flame retardant skin to tackle that?


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Re: [Server-devel] Firmware install

[Tony Anderson]

HI,

Actually, what we did is plug in the AC adapter (running from an 
inverter powered
by a 12v car battery). The point is that the reflash was ok and the 
firmware update
is automatic the next time the AC adapter is plugged in. Interestingly, 
at the other
school this also worked when the laptop was getting power from an 
individual solar panel via a lead with a standard OLPC power plug.


Tony

On 07/20/2013 05:08 PM, Jerry Vonau wrote:

On Sat, 2013-07-20 at 07:33 +0200, Tony Anderson wrote:

Hi,

We had this experience in Lesotho where we were rarely working directly
from the mains. However, if the firmware is not installed, the message
will appear on each subsequent boot. I am not sure that the battery
charge is an issue. The firmware installs when the laptop detects that
it is running from an AC adapter.

Tony


I have a olpc.fth file that defeats the mains AC check provided the
battery has 50% charge or more and installs the newer firmware when
present on the usbkey. Only works on unlocked XOs, hit me up if your
interested.

Jerry



On 07/20/2013 05:13 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

When reflashing to one of the newer builds; i.e., 12.1.0 or newer, be sure to
use a fully charged battery and a plugged in power adapter when reflashing. The
new builds will upgrade the firmware automatically if the battery is fully
charged. If it is not, during the end of the reflash process it will say
something like "cannot get new firmware" continuing to update with old
firmware. If you are not watching the screen you might not see this.

And, I always check the system date and reset it (from the root terminal per
instructions on the Fix ClockWiki page) before reflashing. That has solved the
"stuck on the grey dots" problem.

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[Server-devel] Firmware install

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

We had this experience in Lesotho where we were rarely working directly 
from the mains. However, if the firmware is not installed, the message 
will appear on each subsequent boot. I am not sure that the battery 
charge is an issue. The firmware installs when the laptop detects that 
it is running from an AC adapter.


Tony


On 07/20/2013 05:13 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

When reflashing to one of the newer builds; i.e., 12.1.0 or newer, be sure to
use a fully charged battery and a plugged in power adapter when reflashing. The
new builds will upgrade the firmware automatically if the battery is fully
charged. If it is not, during the end of the reflash process it will say
something like "cannot get new firmware" continuing to update with old
firmware. If you are not watching the screen you might not see this.

And, I always check the system date and reset it (from the root terminal per
instructions on the Fix ClockWiki page) before reflashing. That has solved the
"stuck on the grey dots" problem.


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Re: [Server-devel] XSCE Sprint

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I think this should be done in the overall context of XSCE as proposed 
by David Farning. I think of what I am doing as a system and not as 
isolated pieces. The ds-backup is independent because it only addresses 
backup and restore of the Journal. However, this is going to become more 
a system element as deployments turn to the shared model. It may become 
moot, if the community abandons dependence on Sugar.


Tony

On 07/12/2013 03:39 AM, George Hunt wrote:

Hi Tony,

When you sent me your ds-backup script to migrate student datastore to 
the server based upon the "favorite" star in the journal, I downloaded 
the olpc repo, and added your version as a branch, and uploaded it to 
https://github.com/georgejhunt/ds-backup/blob/ds_on_xs/client/ds-backup.py. 
This is a branch which I called "ds_on_xs", but which could just as 
easily be called "tony's ds-backup".


If you are interested, I'd like to create a repo at github for any of 
the following: (can't do everything at once):


  * epath library system,
  * english language content,
  * schools, a django application to keep track of students and teachers

And then we can all have access to it and make changes to separate 
branches, and contribute to one another's code.  If you'd like, you 
can have your own github account (they're free), or I can give you shared
access to the repo that we create together at the 
github.com/georgejhunt <http://github.com/georgejhunt> account.


George


On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 8:32 AM, Tony Anderson <mailto:t...@olenepal.org>> wrote:


Hi,


On 07/10/2013 02:07 PM, David Farning wrote:

Pathagar is based on Django. The digital library on the
school servers in
>Rwanda and Lesotho is based on the same technology but
supports any item
>with a recognized mime-type. The issue is how to organize
the contents so
>that it can be easily accessed.

Are these open source projects? Can you send links to project
code so
we can learn from the approach or include it directly
in XS? The plugin structure enables us to run multiple libraries.

Django is open source. I have sent you copies of the scripts with
install Django. Django is organized by applications - it provides
a framework to build an application.
The basic application is called schoolsite (this is sort of a
master application that handles the interface to Apache and to the
other applications). The library is handled by the 'library'
application.

Essentially the library content is organized into collections. A
collection is a set of media files (library items), a folder of
thumbnails (e.g. the first page of a pdf), and a json file
(books.json). The json file provides title, author, path to the
item, and mime-type, and path to the thumbnail. A script in the
library application loads the collection (i.e. puts the books.json
information in the database). The library is accessed by urls
(e.g. http://schoolserver/library/ for the home page). Clicking on
a category in the home pages goes to a topic page. A button on the
topic page goes to a list of items (show 9 per screen). A click on
the item, downloads it to the XO and installs it (activity) or
puts it in the Journal (pdf, etc.).

Logically, the library includes the Wikipedia (Wiki4Schools)
although that is not a Django application. It also includes
Wiktionary which is based on Mediawiki (and currently not working
because of the switch to PostgreSQL from MySQL). The Django
content consists of the Sugar Activities from ASLO, the English
pdfs from E-Pustakalaya, and a large collection of Old-time Radio
and Classical music (Musopen) audio files.

I am not sure about the comment about plugins. The current model
is to install XS-0.7 to obtain a running server (with the two
configuration scripts which should be eliminated), a
deployment-specific xs-custom script (which installs the usbmount
script, for example). The content is installed from a hard drive
using the usbmount script from the booted server.

My sense is that the deployment really needs to determine what
content it wants on the server particularly since the available
content is approaching a terabyte. We need software (api,
application) to enable this to be done, but the process will need
content specialists more than software engineers.

I can supply you with scripts and some rudimentary documentation
at the Django level and a sketchy index of what is in the content,
if that helps. It is very similar to Pathagar except that Pathagar
seems to intermediate between the internet and the server where
this application mediates between the servers and the XO clients.

Tony




_

Re: [Server-devel] XSCE Sprint

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

Thanks again. The laptops are good to go for this school year (12.1.0). 
I will be able to work the collection stick problem when I return to the 
schools (probably in December).

I'll double check the flash time to check for variability between units.

At these schools all the laptops are XO-1 or XO1.5. However, I think a 
Nandblast facility working across all the models would be very useful 
for the start-of-year update.


Yours,

Tony

On 07/11/2013 09:32 AM, James Cameron wrote:

On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 11:07:04AM +0200, Tony Anderson wrote:

Hi,

Thanks again for this!

What I gather is that we should use Nandblast from an XO for
reflash. For a time it was not supported for XO-1.5, but my current
understanding is that it supported for all versions of XO.

Up to 13.1.0 it is supported on XO-1, XO-1.5 and XO-1.75.

It is fast for XO-1, and quite slow for XO-1.5 and XO-1.75.  The
breakeven point, where I would switch from USB drive to NANDblaster,
is about five XO-1, and about twenty for XO-1.5 and XO-1.75.

In 13.2.0 it is broken, and I am working on that in ticket #12726,
hoping to get fixes in before release.  Fixes are available for XO-1
(Q2F19) and XO-1.5 (Q3C16).  XO-1.75 is still a problem.

It was not intended to be supported on XO-4 with the new 802.11n
wireless card, but so far it looks possible.


In Lesotho, the flash was taking 15min from boot to reboot for
registration. These laptops (XO-1) date from the first G1G1 and so
there is no telling about endurance.

That time of 15 minutes is far too long, and should be investigated
... if the internal storage is three times slower than when the
laptops were produced, you will have performance problems.  I have
some old XO-1 units here that have been used by children, and they are
not showing that symptom.


Naturally, reload of the Journal occurs via the file system after
the flash. Sadly, this is not a current issue because none of the
deployments actually use the Journal (e.g. in Lesotho the laptops
are shared among several students).

The laptops (XO-1.5s) at Saint Jacobs were sponsored by a group in
Stuttgart and are not part of the Rwanda purchase. In any case, I
believe the information needed for the collection stick is available
(serial number and uuid).

If it is already available, get it to me.


Yours,

Tony


On 07/10/2013 10:55 AM, James Cameron wrote:

On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 10:11:14AM +0200, Tony Anderson wrote:

The 'locked' XO problem derives from XOs distributed in the minimum
100 XO purchase - many of these are locked. Also, in Rwanda the
policy is to keep the laptops locked even though they have
indefinite leases.

Rwanda probably has a deployment key and should be able to sign builds
with it.  My guess is that the laptops would also have the deployment
keys injected already.  You will need to work with the people who have
the keys.


My current plans are to visit these schools in December and so I may
be able to get them unlocked then.

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Collection_stick is perfect for this,
provided the deployment did not remove the OLPC keys.

(I don't have records of what deployments have done).


What I would really love is a 'Nandblast' capability in the firmware
that gets it's image from the schoolserver. That probably would work
(how does an XO know an image is coming over wifi from an XO or a
school server?).

There is no implementation of NANDblaster for the school server,
because it requires special support in the wireless device.  A typical
access point will not work.  It requires an XO as the sender.

(NANDblaster is implemented in the firmware, not the operating system.
An alternate design could be engineered, but that doesn't seem likely
to be attempted.)


The normal flash problem is that several XOs need to be reflashed at
one time, so the usb key approach is time-consuming. My experience
is that a reflash from usb key takes 15min. Naturally, one key to
this process is the ability to reload the backed up (hopefully)
Journal.

Reloading the backed up journal is costing you 10min?  Reflashing an
XO-1 from USB drive 13.2.0-12 costs only 5min.  If the reflash is
taking much longer than that, there may be an endurance or end of life
problem with the internal storage of the XO.



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Re: [Server-devel] XSCE Sprint

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

On 07/10/2013 02:07 PM, David Farning wrote:

Pathagar is based on Django. The digital library on the school servers in
>Rwanda and Lesotho is based on the same technology but supports any item
>with a recognized mime-type. The issue is how to organize the contents so
>that it can be easily accessed.

Are these open source projects? Can you send links to project code so
we can learn from the approach or include it directly
in XS? The plugin structure enables us to run multiple libraries.

Django is open source. I have sent you copies of the scripts with 
install Django. Django is organized by applications - it provides a 
framework to build an application.
The basic application is called schoolsite (this is sort of a master 
application that handles the interface to Apache and to the other 
applications). The library is handled by the 'library' application.


Essentially the library content is organized into collections. A 
collection is a set of media files (library items), a folder of 
thumbnails (e.g. the first page of a pdf), and a json file (books.json). 
The json file provides title, author, path to the item, and mime-type, 
and path to the thumbnail. A script in the library application loads the 
collection (i.e. puts the books.json information in the database). The 
library is accessed by urls (e.g. http://schoolserver/library/ for the 
home page). Clicking on a category in the home pages goes to a topic 
page. A button on the topic page goes to a list of items (show 9 per 
screen). A click on the item, downloads it to the XO and installs it 
(activity) or puts it in the Journal (pdf, etc.).


Logically, the library includes the Wikipedia (Wiki4Schools) although 
that is not a Django application. It also includes Wiktionary which is 
based on Mediawiki (and currently not working because of the switch to 
PostgreSQL from MySQL). The Django content consists of the Sugar 
Activities from ASLO, the English pdfs from E-Pustakalaya, and a large 
collection of Old-time Radio and Classical music (Musopen) audio files.


I am not sure about the comment about plugins. The current model is to 
install XS-0.7 to obtain a running server (with the two configuration 
scripts which should be eliminated), a deployment-specific xs-custom 
script (which installs the usbmount script, for example). The content is 
installed from a hard drive using the usbmount script from the booted 
server.


My sense is that the deployment really needs to determine what content 
it wants on the server particularly since the available content is 
approaching a terabyte. We need software (api, application) to enable 
this to be done, but the process will need content specialists more than 
software engineers.


I can supply you with scripts and some rudimentary documentation at the 
Django level and a sketchy index of what is in the content, if that 
helps. It is very similar to Pathagar except that Pathagar seems to 
intermediate between the internet and the server where this application 
mediates between the servers and the XO clients.


Tony

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Re: [Server-devel] XSCE Sprint

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

Thanks again for this!

What I gather is that we should use Nandblast from an XO for reflash. 
For a time it was not supported for XO-1.5, but my current understanding 
is that it supported for all versions of XO.


In Lesotho, the flash was taking 15min from boot to reboot for 
registration. These laptops (XO-1) date from the first G1G1 and so there 
is no telling about endurance.


Naturally, reload of the Journal occurs via the file system after the 
flash. Sadly, this is not a current issue because none of the 
deployments actually use the Journal (e.g. in Lesotho the laptops are 
shared among several students).


The laptops (XO-1.5s) at Saint Jacobs were sponsored by a group in 
Stuttgart and are not part of the Rwanda purchase. In any case, I 
believe the information needed for the collection stick is available 
(serial number and uuid).


Yours,

Tony


On 07/10/2013 10:55 AM, James Cameron wrote:

On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 10:11:14AM +0200, Tony Anderson wrote:

The 'locked' XO problem derives from XOs distributed in the minimum
100 XO purchase - many of these are locked. Also, in Rwanda the
policy is to keep the laptops locked even though they have
indefinite leases.

Rwanda probably has a deployment key and should be able to sign builds
with it.  My guess is that the laptops would also have the deployment
keys injected already.  You will need to work with the people who have
the keys.


My current plans are to visit these schools in December and so I may
be able to get them unlocked then.

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Collection_stick is perfect for this,
provided the deployment did not remove the OLPC keys.

(I don't have records of what deployments have done).


What I would really love is a 'Nandblast' capability in the firmware
that gets it's image from the schoolserver. That probably would work
(how does an XO know an image is coming over wifi from an XO or a
school server?).

There is no implementation of NANDblaster for the school server,
because it requires special support in the wireless device.  A typical
access point will not work.  It requires an XO as the sender.

(NANDblaster is implemented in the firmware, not the operating system.
An alternate design could be engineered, but that doesn't seem likely
to be attempted.)


The normal flash problem is that several XOs need to be reflashed at
one time, so the usb key approach is time-consuming. My experience
is that a reflash from usb key takes 15min. Naturally, one key to
this process is the ability to reload the backed up (hopefully)
Journal.

Reloading the backed up journal is costing you 10min?  Reflashing an
XO-1 from USB drive 13.2.0-12 costs only 5min.  If the reflash is
taking much longer than that, there may be an endurance or end of life
problem with the internal storage of the XO.



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Re: [Server-devel] XSCE Sprint

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

Thanks for the update.

The 'locked' XO problem derives from XOs distributed in the minimum 100 XO
purchase - many of these are locked. Also, in Rwanda the policy is to 
keep the laptops locked even though they have indefinite leases.


My current plans are to visit these schools in December and so I may be 
able to get them unlocked then.


What I would really love is a 'Nandblast' capability in the firmware 
that gets it's image from the schoolserver. That probably would work 
(how does an XO know an image is coming over wifi from an XO or a school 
server?).


The normal flash problem is that several XOs need to be reflashed at one 
time, so the usb key approach is time-consuming. My experience is that a 
reflash from usb key takes 15min. Naturally, one key to this process is 
the ability to reload the backed up (hopefully) Journal.


Tony


On 07/10/2013 10:02 AM, James Cameron wrote:

On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 09:33:29AM +0200, Tony Anderson wrote:

The flash level needs to be handled by the firmware. I believe the
firmware is capable of obtaining the image from a network. This is
where the 'lock' is invoked so the trick will be to find out how to
do this for locked XOs.

Yes, the firmware is capable of obtaining an image from wireless or
USB ethernet, but this is not a very efficient use of time.  A USB
drive easily outperforms network reflash.

To do it for locked XOs requires signing the build with your
deployment keys, and honestly we haven't tested secure network reflash
feature for a long time, so the community should test it before
recommending it.  If I recall correctly, it was not in scope for
XO-1.75 and XO-4 engineering.

(p.s. I salute the bravery of any deployment that uses locked XOs
without a deployment key injected on the laptops ... but I recommend
that this be avoided because of the numerous pitfalls ... ensure a
deployment key is injected, or unlock the laptops).



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Re: [Server-devel] XSCE Sprint

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

This is in response to your comments.

There have been recent conversations with the Trimslice manufacturer, to
get a version which has 2-4GB memory, quad core processor, and 2 ethernet
connections.

Great! It appears comparable products based on the new Intel Atom chips 
may not be available until mid-2014. Naturally Intel's focus is on the 
mobile market. David Leeming has been using a server for the car market; 
however, I have not been able to find a vendor in the US (or Europe). 
The MSI is designed for home theater applications; hence, it has 
graphics hardware to support HDMI at 1080p. This is irrelevant to the 
server application - but provides enough demand to make relatively 
inexpensive hardware available.


Technically, I think the SOC chips are the best bet going forward (ARM 
or 386 ISA).



>My urgent concerns are:
>
>1 - An effective way to organize the digital library so that kids are
>attracted to find items they would like to download.
>

We hope that we can evolve, and incorporate Pathagar for this in the short
term.  I've asked if there are other  open source alternatives, and not
gotten any viable suggestions. Seth insists that Pathagar is only going to
work for books. I'd like a multimedia warehouse.


Pathagar is based on Django. The digital library on the school servers 
in Rwanda and Lesotho is based on the same technology but supports any 
item with a recognized mime-type. The issue is how to organize the 
contents so that it can be easily accessed. I think the index needs to 
be based on tags (e.g. English, short story, suitable for ESL learners 
ages 8-10, and so). The International Children's Digital Library is the 
best example I've seen - especially the 'simple search' screen. The IIAB 
only makes the problem more urgent.



>2 - Provide for a shared printer attached to the server which serv- es all
>of the XOs but gives the teachers and administrators control over the use
>of expean andible resources.
>

Just looking at low hanging fruit --  What do you think of a PHP file on
the XSCE web server to initiate a file upload, and using Browse Activity to
extract Journal entries? We could have these uploaded files dropped into a
directory where the teacher could trigger a print job.  There may be  a
client/server interface in CUPS which lets the teacher administer, and
trigger print jobs, from her own laptop.

This is the approach I am looking for. One concern is to enable the XO 
to access the printer without having to install print driver software.



>3 - an implementation of Puppet or similar technology to allow update of
>the XOs - supporting mix of XO-1 to XO-4, providing for reflash as well as
>updates (something like Nandblaster). This should work equally well for
>locked and unlocked XOs.
>

I'm not sure how to achieve these objectives. We have been exploring
another package very similar to puppet, ansible, might be able to achieve
the same outcomes, and be simpler to administer.  Reflashing seems very
different from in-place upgrading.

Both puppet, and ansible, require root access permissions, and a
functioning operating system.  If the target machine has broken software, I
don't see an easy alternative than to reflash with a signed image, just to
verify the hardware.



The flash level needs to be handled by the firmware. I believe the 
firmware is capable of obtaining the image from a network. This is where 
the 'lock' is invoked so the trick will be to find out how to do this 
for locked XOs.


Currently major releases are signed. My current strategy is to install 
the major release and then customize it afterwards.


The major difference is that at firmware time you are dealing with a 
byte for byte copy to the local store. After boot, you can use file 
system techniques to customize/update.


My impression of your ansible strategy is that it is to update the 
server from a mothership, not an XO from the school server.



>6 - support for GSM modems and wifi dongles on the school server. This is
>minor, but network configuration for this has to be done at the command
>line (no gui network manager). More important is a model for 'ET call home'
>for the school server. I believe in our deployments, the internet model is
>going to be more 'batch' jobs than online surfing. We all have experienced
>what happens when 100 users try to share a single DSL line. The school
>server will most often be using a DHCP lease from the ISP.
>

The "ET call home" need is pretty well covered by openvpn, which has been
used in India, and Haiti, for remote monitoring and support.  The
configuration of GSM modems seems problematic, because each country, and
often each provider within a country, requires different "wvdial" (the
command line auto-dialer) settings. But we can provide better
documentation, and simple scripts to run every hour to keep the 3g
connection open, and restart the vpn (virtual Private Network) tunnel when
it goes down.


The ET call home is needed to get the IP

Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 75, Issue 3

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

Naturally, the primary problem is servers which have no access to the 
internet. In some cases, these servers can access the internet by 
expensive gsm modems. In such cases, the server has a leased ip address 
via DHCP and so must initiate the communication with the 'mothership'.


Once the school server opens communication with the mothership, it can 
act as any other client.




I am not sure administration, monitoring, or updating the server 
remotely is either needed or desirable. The key to a server is stability 
- which means don't mess with it!


The real need is updates to content not software. A very desirable 
capability would be email. Another might be access to selected rss 
feeds. Adding items to the local digital library would be another 
possibility. Providing an ability for students to upload their Scratch 
projects or the Sugar activities developed with Pippy would be exciting.

One could even imagine XO users at deployments on Support-Gang!

It would be very desirable if these capabilities could also be 
accomplished by 'sneaker-net' with a usb flash drive to the (hopefully) 
local internet cafe.


Unfortunately we often assume that the deployment lives in the same 
environment we are used to. We have several Sugar Activities that are 
meaningful only when the XO accesses the internet directly (the prime 
example is the portal on the Browse Activity).


Imagine the performance available to 100 XOs surfing the internet 
through your home DSL or cable modem. Imagine the cost with a contract 
that has a surcharge for transfers exceeding 5MB per month.


This model of a 'mothership' is far more significant than the model of 
every XO surfing online.


Tony

On 07/03/2013 10:35 AM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2013 01:25:17 -0500
From: David Farning
To: server-devel,  "Community Support
Volunteers -- who help respond to help AT   laptop.org"

Subject: [Server-devel] Value of remote access to School Servers.
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

One of the features that we have been experimenting with for XSCE is
OpenVPN access. Several pilots are using it to remotely monitor and
maintain their School Servers.

The functionality is pretty straight forward. It opens several doors for
future services like automatic updates and statistics collections.

The hard part is setting up and maintaining the OpenVPN server. Large
deployments will want to setup their own server. Smaller deployments might
want someone else to host their OpenVPN server.

To kick this off, AC would be willing to host OpenVPN for small deployments
for free to deployments willing to test XSCE.

Does this free service sound like something anyone is interested in testing?

-- David Farning Activity Central: http://www.activitycentral.com


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Re: [Server-devel] Specific server hardware needs.

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

The Nohana school is using a setup as you describe. However, the 
configuration includes an inverter. The first thing the teachers do in 
the morning is plug in their cell phones (the inverter is connected to 
an array of powerstrips some of which are used to charge laptops),


An interesting point is that usb cables with the mini plug are becoming 
more readily available. With these, an XO charged from a solar system 
can charge a cell phone via a usb port.


Tony

On 06/10/2013 06:59 PM, David Farning wrote:

On Mon, Jun 10, 2013 at 9:38 AM, Tony Anderson mailto:tony_ander...@usa.net>> wrote:

Hi,

The Trim-slice model H (with room for a 2.5" hard drive) looks like
a good candidate for a low power school server (e.g. for running
from a 12v battery). The Trim-slice AC adapter delivers 12v@1.5 - a
good sign.


Agreed. The ability to power these things from a 'car battery' is
critical. I used the term car battery loosely to mean any locally
sourced 12v power source. In my limited experience, the cell phone has
been a game changer in developing nations. Because of the need/desire to
recharge cell phones. Local entrepreneurs have sprung up everywhere to
provide the ability to recharge those phones.

Most of those solutions involve some sort of 12V battery or bank or
batteries plus charging system.

Things like UPSs give me pause because they are not as widely available
or widely under.

The Trim-slice also has a SD card slot. This could be valuable because
it would let the device be booted from the SD card and install the XS
via a USB port (USB drive or hard drive) from a tar ball, for example.

Currently I do the install in two steps: XS and XC.

The XS install loads XS (or XSCE).

The XC install (using the usbmount script) installs the
content (e.g. Moodle courses, Learn courses, library, internet in a
box).
This is also a way to install packages not included in XS such as
Django and Mediawiki.

The first is typically done with a USB drive and the second with an
external USB hard drive (content currently exceeds 64GB and should
grow significantly this summer).

Tony

Using the SD card could give several benefits:

SD card supports SSH allowing (finally) for headless (in the field)
install

Install XS to hard drive as image eliminating issues with making
bootable USB drive

Install update without repartitioning system and destroying content

It might also be possible to use the SD card as a 'rescue disk'.
Most common case is DHCP does
not init and so no network connection to school server is
possible.This would at least allow look at logs to see what went wrong.


Thanks for the use scenarios.
Dave

Checking this out is one of my summer projects.

Tony




--
David Farning
Activity Central: http://www.activitycentral.com


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Re: [Server-devel] Pathagar

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

When I looked at Pathagar originally, it only worked when connected to 
the internet. Has this changed?


What can Pathagar store? Is it limited to pdfs? As I remember, it 
created database entries with extensive (library standard) cataloging 
information. Is that still required? In many cases, that information is 
not easily available (e.g. multimedia items).


Tony


On 06/04/2013 11:48 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Message: 4 Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2013 14:11:33 -0700 From: Braddock
 To: David Farning 
Cc: server-devel , xsce-devel
, pathagar  Subject:
Re: [Server-devel] A Path to Pathagar. Message-ID:
<51ae5805.1070...@braddock.com> Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"; Format="flowed" I'm curious how Pathagar may be
applicable to our Internet-in-a-Box (http://internet-in-a-box.org). Can
it scale to the 40,000 epub books in Project Gutenberg? thanks, Braddock
Gaskill On 06/04/2013 01:46 PM, David Farning wrote:

>One of the additions to XSCE 0.3 is the ability to add services to
>XSCE without having an intimate knowledge of the entire server. Our
>first real test of this is the inclusion of Pathagar as a bookserver.
>
>For the last three releases the XSCE project has focused on the basics:
>1. Network connectivity within the classroom.
>2. Internet access were available.
>3. Modular structure.
>
>This has been the boring framework stuff which will enable the fun
>user facing stuff like Pathagar to work.
>
>Pathagar is a simple bookserver. In this case, simple means rugged and
>maintainable. Pathagar has three purposes; browse, search and download
>digital books from a server.
>
>In the basic use case a librarian or curator places digital books in a
>directory on the server. Students can then browse, search and download
>from their web browser or bookreader software.
>
>Technically, most of the pieces are in place:
>1. I believe the XSCE needs a bit more work handle external storage.
>(Not barfing if the USB connection is bumped.)
>2. Pathagar is fully functional.
>
>The remaining steps will be to:
>1. Validate Fedora packaging.
>2. Create the glue code to add Pathagar to XSCE is a plugin.
>3. Validate loosely coordinated release.
>4. Test, test, test.
>
>Technically this seems pretty straight forward.  The more open ended
>issues is curating content. A book server with no books is as useful
>as school server which doesn't serve.
>
>--
>David Farning
>Activity Central:http://www.activitycentral.com
>
>
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Re: [Server-devel] 12 Volt power system for School Servers.

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,


The setup at the Kokobe Primary school in Lesotho has a small solar 
panel (too small) which attempts to charge two car batteries (deep cycle 
would be better but not available).


The router (Belkin) runs directly from the battery (we cut the cable). 
Linksys and other routers I have used all run on 12vdc at 1A.


The MSI server does not run on 12vdc because of the design of it's power 
supply which requires a higher voltage (15vdc works). I purchased a 
Zotac which also uses an Atom processor but houses a 2.5in drive. It 
requires 19vdc.


Most standard laptops require 19vdc at 3.2A (maximum) to charge the 
batteries. I suspect the MSI and Zotac simply use laptop hardware for 
the power supply even though no battery is involved.


The router problem is that most home routers ($30 variety) can handle a 
limited number of connections (less than a classroom of XOs). OLE Nepal 
has found that a TP-Link router with DDWRT handles 25 connections (15 
with the delivered firmware). In any case, a school really should have a 
router per classroom to provide enough connections (not to increase 
signal strength). OLE Nepal powers all of the routers in a school from 
the same UPS that powers the server so that the network will continue to 
operate in a power failure. Since the routers are also connected by an 
ethernet cable, PoE would be quite useful.


This discussion is relevant because 12vdc does not travel well over long 
distances. It may be necessary in a school with multiple classrooms to 
use an inverter to provide 110 or 220vac to the routers via PoE.


So far in Lesotho, the laptops have been used in a single classroom next 
to the server and router so I don't have live experience in distributing 
routers. We will face that problem next year at the Nohana school which 
has two classroom buildings about 50m apart and where the teachers want 
to use the laptops in their own classroom.


Tony

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Re: [Server-devel] XSCE 0.3

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

This is going to take some time to provide a useful reply.

Perhaps, the easiest way is to comment on the XSCE specification:

Summary

>The school server is very similar in concept to a standard home 
wireless router.


The school server is a server. The router provides network access to the 
server.






>In everyday usage it provides various services which extend 
capabilities of the connected laptops while being totally transparent to 
the user.


The school server provides the storage capacity not available on the XO. 
In the deployments I serve, there is no internet access. The school 
server is 'an internet in a box'.



>These services can include:

>Network connection – various services similar to what you would 
find in a home router.


This service is provided by a router.

>Presence server – Augments sugar's native collaboration functionality.

Yes - this has always been a part of XS.

>NEW IN 0.4 - Web filtering – Enables schools to comply with 
local/legal restrictions on internet access for children.


This has been deployed by OLE Nepal since XS-0.4 in the form of Dan's 
Guardian - no need to re-invent this wheel. This is, of course, 
irrelevant in deployments not connected to the internet.


>NEW IN 0.4 - XS-Stats - Enables deployments to collect anonymous 
student usage.


School staff need the ability to keep a 'gradebook' with information on 
student accomplishments that is not anonymous. The above feature is a 
need for the deployers, not the school.


>NEW IN 0.4 - Backup and Restore.

This has been provided since XS-0.4. The primary problem here is that 
the backup is considered as a backup (for use in emergency restore 
situations). The real need is to maintain the Journal on the school 
server for active recall as needed. Over time, the Journal grows to fill 
the available capacity on the XO. Currently, the fix is to delete 
Journal items. The current backup also deletes these items from the backup.


Currently, I am using a modified ds_backup.py script which treats the 
Journal as a store for documents. These are uploaded to the school 
server. Metadata only entries are uploaded to a log and deleted from the 
datastore. The user has the option to delete documents from the data 
store and then to reload them from the school server.


>[edit] Reference User

>The XS-CE has two different types of reference user:

Skilled sysadmins running micro-deployments
Mid-sized deployment with limited onsite sysadmins

The user of a server are the client computers. In general, a school 
server should need no admin attention beyond morning start up and 
evening shut down during a school year. The development arm of the 
deployment should prepare updates for installation between school years.


>[edit] Hardware

School servers can be either an XO or standard x86 based hardware.
[edit] XO

XSCE v0.4 will run on all 4 XO laptops:

XO 1 - Likely experimental
XO 1.5
XO 1.75
XO 4

In common usage, the XO may be augmented by SD cards and two off the 
shelf USB devices:


Network connector – Allow the server to offer internet access to 
connected XO's.

2 USB ethernet dongles.
NEW IN 0.4 -- External USB hard drive – Allows the server to 
provide additional storage capabilities.


The school server platform should meet the following requirements:

1. Large memory capacity (2GB+)
2. Large persistent store (500GB+)
3. Operates directly from 12vdc battery (e.g. car or marine 
deep cycle)
4. Low power consumption (e.g. <2x XO 4.0). Power consumption 
dictates the size of the solar panel required to charge the batteries.
5. Headless operation. Schools with a monitor, keyboard, and 
mouse attached the school server will be tempted to use them as a client 
system - with negative impact on stability.

6. Low cost (e.g. < 2x an XO or < $400)

Most other requirements are satisfied automatically be the system chip 
set (e.g usb ports, ethernet port, etc.)


>[edit] Standard Hardware

>For greater flexibility some schools will want to use standard hardware.

Trim-Slice.
Raspberry Pi

The Trim-Slice indeed appears to meet the requirements for a school 
server. I plan to try one in the next few weeks. One interesting 
possibility is to boot from an SD card for installation and 
trouble-shooting (via SSH).


The Raspberry Pi is attractive (esp. for low cost); however, I am 
concerned about it's physical packaging in a school environment.


>Diligent volunteers can help make x86, x86-64bit, and ARM support 
increasingly widespread.

[edit] Deliverable
[edit] RPM

XS-0.7 is deliverable now, albeit without ARM support.

A RPM combined with tested installation instructions necessary to 
convert a standard XO or Fedora-compatible computer into a School Server.

[edit] IMAGE

XS-0.7 has tested installation instructions - although the mkusbinstall 
could be made a little more robust. As mentioned above

Re: [Server-devel] Journal backup on school server

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I have attached the ds_backup.py code. Tack on all disclaimers - it has 
not been tested in the XS-0.7 and 12.1.0 environment. It will need some 
revision to deal with the 'shared' XO environment in Lesotho so I will 
work on it while I am there.


However, it really is not changed from XS-0.7 in areas that matter to 
you. The changes are in the way the Journal objects are handled. Martin 
Langhoff used rsync so that the backup is a snapshot of the local 
datastore. I am trying to establish the server-side as the real Journal 
with the local datastore containing only the currently relevant content. 
It seems sad that kids must delete their Journal because of the limited 
size of the local store. The message: Journal is full is not helpful, 
because the fact is that the store is full, often because of the 
excessive number of installed activities. With a school server, this is 
totally unnecessary since the Sugar Activities are available on the 
school server so that unused ones can be deleted on the XO.


I had to move to mod_wsgi for Django (library). As far as I know, there 
is no change needed client-side. Apache needs to have wsgi installed (in 
XS-0.7 it is). Then all that is needed is a file in httpd/conf.d.

I have also attached the one I am using.


On 04/07/2013 06:04 AM, George Hunt wrote:


Hi Tony,

I'm playing with ds-backup now, because one of the dependencies for
ds-backup is mod_python which was dropped from fedora 18, in favor of
mod_wsgi. It seems like a great time to rethink the issue.

I cannot find the working code you mention in this email in my google
stack.  Can you send it to me again?

I'm also talking with Tim Moody, about using puppet client as a way of
pushing and modifying the configuration of XO's in the classroom.  Do
you have any experience, or ideas, about such a proposal? I'm not sure
whether ds-backup might be used to introduce puppet client back into XOs.

George

On Sun, Dec 9, 2012 at 12:25 PM, Tony Anderson mailto:tony_ander...@usa.net>> wrote:

Hi,

I will send you the scripts as soon as I have a chance to try them
on 12.0.1 and XS-0.7. Last year they were running on xs-0.6 and
build 852 at Saint Jacob. There shouldn't be too much difference,
although so far on most of the code I have been wrong by about 3 days!

The identity problem really isn't that hard. A lot of the mailing
list discussion seems related to running Sugar on something besides
an XO.

The user is identified on the server by the serial-number. For the
backup, this is not a problem. The problem comes from mailto:tony_ander...@usa.net>
<mailto:tony_ander...@usa.net <mailto:tony_ander...@usa.net>>__>
wrote:

 Hi, Sameer

 I got an email from Nick Doiron re his visit to the Marshall
 Islands. He mentioned that you gave him a script to create
a csv
 from the Journal backup.

 As I have mentioned several times on the list, I believe
Martin's
 backup scheme while elegantly implemented is not adequate.
His model
 is the traditional backup/restore.

 The problem, as always, is storage space. When an XO-1 is
out of
 space, the user gets a message 'Journal is full'. The only
practical
 solution often is to reflash the XO losing all of the Journal
 objects. If a user deletes an object from the Journal on
the XO, the
 rsynch also removes it from the backup.

 I modified the scripts ds-backup.sh and ds-backup.py on the
XO to
 use a different paradigm. The registration process creates two
 scripts in the /library/users/serial-number folder on the
school
 server: journal and log. The backup script uploads the
object to
 journal if there is an associated data file; otherwise, it is
 uploaded to the log folder and deleted from the local
store. The
 remaining objects are marked as favorites in the Journal
Activity to
 show that the data file is available on the XO. If the user
clears
 the star, the data file is deleted from the datastore but
remains on
 the school server. If the user fills a clear star, the
backup script
 downloads the data file from the school server.

 At Saint Jacob, all of the laptops are 4gb XO-1.5 so I have
not had
 to implement storage management. The plan would be to set
limits on
 the size of the datastore and the /home/olpc/Activities
folders. If
 a datastore outgrows the limit, data files can be deleted LRU.
 Similarly, activities can be deleted LRU. This way the user

Re: [Server-devel] Puppet

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

Daniel Drake gave a talk on this at the OLPC SF summit. My recollection 
is foggy, but I believe he has posted what he used for XS-0.7 and showed 
the configuration in his talk.


It would be much more profitable to get him in the dialog.

Tony

On 03/19/2013 06:13 PM, Jerry Vonau wrote:

On Tue, 2013-03-19 at 12:20 -0400, Tony Anderson wrote:

Hi,

Daniel Drake implemented Puppet for XS-0.7 (it is included in the
services.).

Tony



I believe the rpm is installed but the service is left disabled as there
would need to be some configuration needed to be preformed before
rolling out.

Jerry





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Today's Topics:

 1. puppet (Tim Moody)


--

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2013 21:17:49 -0400
From: Tim Moody 
To: 
Subject: [Server-devel] puppet
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original

Over the years there have been a number of expressions of interest in
puppet.  Are there any modules out there for actual XS services?

I know about http://dev.laptop.org/git/users/martin/puppet-example/tree/,
which has some manifests.



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Re: [Server-devel] Puppet

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

Daniel Drake implemented Puppet for XS-0.7 (it is included in the 
services.).


Tony


On 03/19/2013 12:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. puppet (Tim Moody)


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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2013 21:17:49 -0400
From: Tim Moody 
To: 
Subject: [Server-devel] puppet
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original

Over the years there have been a number of expressions of interest in
puppet.  Are there any modules out there for actual XS services?

I know about http://dev.laptop.org/git/users/martin/puppet-example/tree/,
which has some manifests.



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Re: [Server-devel] Backup of XO 1.75 on XS 0.7

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

As I understand the question, he is asking about backing up the Journal 
(ds-backup.sh). In order for this to work, the XO must be registered 
with the server. Registration adds a user = serial-number and creates 
teh backup folder /library/user/serial-number.


Tony


On 03/10/2013 12:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

On Sat, Mar 9, 2013 at 8:40 AM,  wrote:

>Has anyone have a successfully done a /usr/bin/ds-backup.sh to backup the XO 
1.75 on a 0.7 XS? After hours of waiting nothing seems to have happen. My XO are 
successfully registered. My ds-backup.log and datastore.log has 0 byte.
>
>I do not have ejabberdctl errors now -I install from USB bypassing the 
olpcxs.ks file and using my full domain name (e.g. schoolsever.abc.org) to replace 
the default localhost.localdomain. Works for me this way.
>
>Am I missing anything ?


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Re: [Server-devel] XSCE wants to become a framework for the next 10 years

[Tony Anderson]

George, Tim, et al

I can not speak for the server situation in Latin America but OLE Nepal 
upgraded from XS-0.4 to XS-0.6 and added services to it such as Dan's 
Guardian. (Actually during most of that time I was doing it).


I don't think we need to re-open the XO as server issue. Installing the 
school server on an XO does not need to use and should not use the 
Fedora/Sugar build (designed for a client computer).


So far I have not seen a single capability mentioned that cannot be 
readily implemented on XS-0.7 (except running on an ARM since CentOS 
does not yet support it). The importance of XS-0.7 is that it eliminated 
a dependency on Fedora 9. With the build system Daniel Drake put in 
place, it should be easy to upgrade to later releases of CentOS (or 
Fedora).


Again to be brief, I think the need is to add capabilities to XS-0.7 and 
not to redo the XS architecture. I see nothing in the XS-0.7 
architecture that will not be viable for at least the next 10 years.


Tony

On 02/28/2013 07:22 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:16:19 -0500
From: Sameer Verma
To: George Hunt
Cc: XS Devel
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] XSCE wants to become a framework for the
next 10 years
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 4:10 PM, George Hunt  wrote:

>Tony, et al,
>
>The group of developers, working on the XSCE, are indeed attempting to build
>upon the good work that Daniel Drake did on the XS-0.7. But we are trying to
>extract the essential information from the history of the school server up
>to this point.
>
>The XS-0.6, based upon FC4, was released in the 2008 time frame.
>Nepal, Australia, Uruguay, perhaps for their own and different reasons,
>deviated from this released version 2008-2012.
>XS-0.7 was released for use in Nicaragua based upon Centos in early 2012.
>
>Our analysis of this history has been that the monolithic nature of the
>punji, anoconda build process is not helpful.  If the functionality of the
>school server could be dropped on top of a current fedora build, all of the
>hardware specific configuration would be handled by the general Fedora
>community -- our school server software doesn't need to change to accomodate
>arm, or x64.
>
>But as with any basic restructuring, starting from the ground up, we need to
>walk before we can run.  Whether it is reinventing the wheel or not --
>networking needs to work flawlessly. We have determined that one the the
>hardware platforms we need to support is the XO itself. The XO uses
>NetworkManager as it's networking frontend, so to be compatible, we have
>needed to learn how to configure NM.  Squid, ejabberd, and iptables need to
>play in all configurations of network adapters.

Get rid of NM and replace with scripts?

Sameer

>
>In addition, if we are thinking for the next 10 years, we wanted a more
>modular plugin-like structure for adding additional services.
>
>So I believe Tony, you are correct, we seem to be "reinventing the wheel".
>But it's my hope we are getting this wheel ready to carry a much heavier
>weight.  We are hoping that by the third quarter of this year, the XSCE
>might be to the point where it is a drop in replacement for XS-0.7. At that
>point your good suggestions might be extremely useful.
>
>We are trying to provide a software framework that is attractive and
>flexible enough, so that in the future, the next Nepal, Australia, Uruguay
>will not feel the need to go their own way.
>
>George
>


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[Server-devel] XS Community edition

[Tony Anderson]

Hi, All

I am disappointed that this team appears to be proceeding to re-invent 
the wheel.


If you are interested in "What will schools worldwide really want from a 
server in the coming 10 years?", it would appear appropriate to start 
from what is available now and what new capabilities may be needed.


The XS Community edition has performed a vital service in enabling an 
Arm-based server. However, in the process I have lost track of the 
download and installation procedure in the discussions of some kind of 
cherry-picking procedure for 'services'.


It would be helpful to have a web page which provides a download and 
install procedure for the Arm-based server equivalent to XS-0.7.


If and when the services selection procedure is in place, it would be 
helpful to have a page which shows the services which can be provided 
and how this is done.


Currently (and for many years) OLE Nepal has deployed a school server 
with an extensive library (pustakalaya). This library is also available 
online (http://www.pustakalaya.org). A comparable library capability is 
deployed in Rwanda and Lesotho on XS-0.7 based on Django. However, 
unlike Pathagar, the library content (pdfs and so forth) is on the 
schoolo server so that the library is fully available at schools which 
have no internet connection. In addition, the school server at these 
schools has a complete set of Sugar Activities from ASLO (as of 5/2012) 
so that XO users can download and install any of these activities (with 
WebKit version of Browse). The Learn activity also enables teachers to 
develop their own lessons and provides for students to download these 
lessons (so they can be completed at home).


I think it would be a great use of the very limited available technical 
resources to look at what is already available, determine limitations in 
these capabilities, and devise plans to add new capabilities or to 
enhance those already available.


For example, in Uruguay, the urgent request was for a capability for a 
teacher to present a lesson on her laptop simultaneously to the laptops 
of all of the students in her class. Currently Ejabberd includes all 
registered (and connected) laptops in a single group. I suspect this 
will result in confusion when the students in a single class (e.g. 40 of 
120 laptops) try to connect to their teacher's lesson. Another option is 
to provide a single url for the lesson; however, someone would need to 
set up a synchronization (web2.0) method so the teacher can move all 
laptops to the next slide in the lesson. The ShowNTell activity attempts 
to provide this capability via Ejabberd but has not been tested in a 
classroom setting.


Even in schools not connected to the internet, it might be useful to 
have an email capability and a mailing list capability. This would 
require a very lightweight email client as a Sugar activity (not 
dependent on gmail) and a mail server (pop3, smtp) on the school server. 
It would be helpful if this capability supported a sneakernet access to 
the rest of the world (someone takes mail to be sent on a usb key to the 
internet cafe and sends it and then collects email for the school on the 
usbkey for upload to the schoolserve).


In many deployments such as Rwanda and Lesotho, the only internet access 
is via the mobile network. This network charges by time or by megabytes 
transferred. Aside from bandwidth issues, it is unlikely that schools 
will be able to afford the cost of 120 students surfing independently. 
If the school server could connect to a 'mothership' via a chron task 
uploading new content created at the school (email, local wiki, forums, 
blogs, ) and downloading new content for the school server (lessons, 
additions to the library, ...), there might be an affordable way to use 
the internet.


The most important service provided by the school server is storage 
capacity. The school server can reasonably be expected to have 2GB+ main 
memory and 500GB+ secondary storage. In this context, it is unimportant 
to minimize storage to exactly those services needed at a specific 
deployment (unlike the XO-1, for example). If a deployment does not use 
Moodle, nothing is gained by removing it (just don't start the daemon). 
However, the current use of http://schoolserver to access Moodle by 
default is probably not reasonable given the low number of deployments 
which use it. It might be better for this address to display a portal 
page as do most websites.


Currently OLE Nepal and the schoolservers I supply support access to 
Wiki4Schools. However, it might be better to implement Kiwix and access 
the .zim version of Wiki4Schools. This would provide a more effective 
search capability. Since the internet offers many capable search 
engines, Wikipedia does not need a search capability. However, when 
rehosted to a school server, this becomes a problem.


While Wiktionary is supported, the school server really needs 
interactive bilingual dictionaries as 

Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 68, Issue 4

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

OLE Nepal provides access to Wiki4Schools. This is a slice which is 
equivalent to a 34 volume encyclopedia. It is trivial to set up with 
XS-0.7. I can provide the install script if you would like it.


The main problem is that Wikipedia online is accessed through a search 
(e.g Google). This implementation provides access only by article.


You can get an idea of the interface via www.pustakalaya.org.

Tony

On 12/13/2012 07:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

To: XS Devel
Subject: [Server-devel] Running complete Wikipedia offline
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I've been debating the possibility of running a*complete*  copy of
Wikipedia (txt and images) offline on the XS. At this point, the
targets are English (https://en.wikipedia.org) and Hindi
(https://hi.wikipedia.org).

The demand on the local server wouldn't be huge, given the relatively
small footprint at the school. Storage is cheap. This would be an
offline copy for one-way consumption, so I'm not looking for ways to
do local edits, and push these back upstream. I'd imagine the
Wikipedia dumps can be rsync'd once every x months over sneakernet.
Dump data is here:https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Data_dumps

Has anyone thought of this or tackled it in any way? Would love some discussion.

cheers,
Sameer


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 67, Issue 12

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

Since the children are accustomed to looking for items to download in 
the library, it seemed better not to introduce a new mechanism for 
activities.


I tried targeting the activity-server to look at the school server and 
not the internet, but the requirements for storing the activities on the 
school server were not obvious and I haven't really had time to pursue it.


Django is a simple way to proceed (see Pathagar, for example).

Tony


On 11/27/2012 09:04 AM, Jerry Vonau wrote:

On Tue, 2012-11-27 at 08:46 +0200, Tony Anderson wrote:

Hi,

I placed the activities in the library on the school server -Django app.
Browse downloads a selected activity. Users can erase unneeded
activities to manage storage (they can always be installed again).
The updater is not really needed since the model is that the deployment
updates the server annually before school starts. This seems reasonable
since most activity updates relate to changes in the Sugar environment
which also would be updated annually.



Any reason your not using the XS's built-in activity server?[1] Seems
like a better way of using the built-in[2] software on the XO which
looks for the schoolserver for activities to be updated by default
without adding anything new to the XS except for the newer activities.



It was reported at one time that the underlying model (Firefox add-ons)
was moving to Django and that ASLO would do so also. If that happens, it
would be easy to remount on a SS.

Tony



Not knocking your implementation just wondering why use Django as you
could still browse to the activities at: http://schoolserver/activities/

Jerry

1. http://dev.laptop.org/git/users/martin/xs-activity-server/
2. http://git.sugarlabs.org/sugar-update-control




On 11/26/2012 07:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Message: 3
Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:39:52 -0600
From: Jerry Vonau
To: Sameer Verma
Cc: XS Devel,  Sugar-dev Devel

Subject: Re: [Server-devel] offline a.sl.o
Message-ID:<1353904792.1818.2.ca...@f14jerry.home.vonau.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

On Sun, 2012-11-25 at 20:04 -0800, Sameer Verma wrote:

Has anyone looked into running an offline copy of
activities.sugarlabs.org on a server that isn't on the Internet (a la
XS)?


What would be do-able except sugar's activity updater on the XO would
select every activity for installation by default[1].

Jerry

1.http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2011-December/034022.html



cheers,
Sameer
--
Sameer Verma, Ph.D.
Professor, Information Systems
San Francisco State University
http://verma.sfsu.edu/
http://commons.sfsu.edu/
http://olpcsf.org/
http://olpcjamaica.org.jm/
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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 67, Issue 12

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I placed the activities in the library on the school server -Django app.
Browse downloads a selected activity. Users can erase unneeded 
activities to manage storage (they can always be installed again).
The updater is not really needed since the model is that the deployment 
updates the server annually before school starts. This seems reasonable 
since most activity updates relate to changes in the Sugar environment 
which also would be updated annually.


It was reported at one time that the underlying model (Firefox add-ons) 
was moving to Django and that ASLO would do so also. If that happens, it 
would be easy to remount on a SS.


Tony


On 11/26/2012 07:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

Message: 3
Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:39:52 -0600
From: Jerry Vonau
To: Sameer Verma
Cc: XS Devel,  Sugar-dev Devel

Subject: Re: [Server-devel] offline a.sl.o
Message-ID:<1353904792.1818.2.ca...@f14jerry.home.vonau.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

On Sun, 2012-11-25 at 20:04 -0800, Sameer Verma wrote:

>Has anyone looked into running an offline copy of
>activities.sugarlabs.org on a server that isn't on the Internet (a la
>XS)?
>

What would be do-able except sugar's activity updater on the XO would
select every activity for installation by default[1].

Jerry

1.http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/devel/2011-December/034022.html



>cheers,
>Sameer
>--
>Sameer Verma, Ph.D.
>Professor, Information Systems
>San Francisco State University
>http://verma.sfsu.edu/
>http://commons.sfsu.edu/
>http://olpcsf.org/
>http://olpcjamaica.org.jm/
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Re: [Server-devel] usbmount alternatives

[Tony Anderson]

On 11/22/2012 05:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: usbmount alternatives (Holt)
2. Re: usbmount alternatives (Daniel Drake)


--

Hi,

The Community XS is being mounted on Fedora. Adam reports the Fedora 
does not support usbmount. They are looking for an alternative way to 
accomplish the scripting capability you implemented in Nepal.


Tony

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2012 08:23:59 -0600
From: Daniel Drake 
To: Holt 
Cc: XS Devel 
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] usbmount alternatives
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Wed, Nov 21, 2012 at 8:35 PM, Holt  wrote:

George/Daniel/Tony/Jerry,

Was there a conclusion here, if any?


I'm still waiting for someone to write here explaining what exactly
the problem is with usbmount.

Thanks
Daniel


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[Server-devel] usbmount alternatives

[Tony Anderson]

On 11/12/2012 07:47 PM, Anna wrote:

Just throwing this out, but incron might be something to look into.  For
example, I've set up root's incrontab so that if a specific file is
modified, a script automatically runs with root permissions.

You could set root's incrontab up to watch /run/media/olpc/ and when a
directory is created there (i.e. any USB drive is automounted), incron
would call your script and run it as root.

Again, just brainstorming here.  I won't be offended if someone says
that's a terrible idea.

Anna Schoolfield
Birmingham

On Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 6:09 PM, Adam Holt mailto:h...@laptop.org>> wrote:

Thanks Tony..adding a couple others involved too :)

    On 11/12/2012 6:59 PM, Tony Anderson wrote:

Hi,

First, usbmount is the software that mounts a removable drive.
So I would think Fedora is replacing it with an alternative
(some software has to perform that function). CentOS is still
using usbmount.

Usbmount provided for a script to be installed by the
administrator that would be run whenever a removable drive was
mounted. Daniel Drake uses this to execute a series of XS
specific scripts (these scripts were developed for OLE Nepal and
are not in XS-0.7). The scripts he developed for OLE Nepal look
at the mounted drive and checks for the presence of specific
folders. If these folders are present then a corresponding
script is executed.

So there are two approaches going forward:

1. Implement the capability on the usbmount replacement.

2. Execute a script via ssh from an XO, a url, or even direct
access for a school server on the teacher's XO.

I am planning to use a 'generic script' on the server:

if [ -f "$UM_MOUNTPOINT"/XC/xc-install ]; then
 log notice "Installing XC"
 cd $UM_MOUNTPOINT/XC
 if bash xc-install; then
 log notice "XC installed successfully"
 else
 log notice "XC install failed with code $?"
 error_beep
 fi
fi

Essentially it tests whether the drive has a folder XC with a
file xc-install., if so it is executed. If not, nothing happens.

The xc-install script is on the mounted drive and does whatever
is needed.

XC is the counterpart to XO and XS and refers to the content for
the school server (XS being the software). This isn't hard and
fast. The XC script can (and does) add packages (e.g. mediawiki
or django) not in XS-0.7. Of course, it can also change the
server configuration.

The script needs to be run with root privileges. In Sridhar's
scenario this could be a bit tricky. I set up the school server
for login by admin by password and su to root (requiring another
password). This works well when you have itinerant technical
support who may need to administer school servers at many
different sites. If a teacher is to accomplish this, it would
probably be easiest to arrange for the teacher to login via a
public/private key pair and be given root privileges.

It would be relatively easy to give the teacher's laptop a
special menu line in the XO icon or in the console so that no
command line interface would be needed. Essentially I am doing
this sort of change with a script which works after the XO
install (it could, of course, also be baked into the build). In
the latter case, all of the laptops would have the extra menu
line so the school server could be configured only to accept the
teacher's click (e.g. identify teacher by serial-number so that
only the teacher's public key would match).

Tony




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Re: [Server-devel] XS Community Skype Calls: Nov 12/14/16 (5PM NYC Time)

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

tony_anderson37

Tony

On 11/12/2012 04:43 PM, Holt wrote:

XS Community Hacking Week has begun...see you in 15 min on Skype (voice
call!)  Reply with yr Skype name if you want to contribute to the
conversation, thanks much.

Progress report/agenda:

* work has begun here outside Toronto since our late Saturday arrival
* Squid & Moodle are now working
* usbmount is blocking: we need a new program that listens to udisk2 on
the system dbus
 (for now, enable these manually: activity server, XS rsync, XS
tools, XS activation)
* address Tony Anderson's use cases @
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/User:Holt/XS_Community_Edition#Use_Cases
* documentation won't be easy but I'd love feedback as I begin to help here
* appreciate more suggestions on what all we can practically achieve in
the week

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.



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Re: [Server-devel] Moodle connection

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

This message means that Apache was not able to complete a connection to 
the Moodle database.


Some relevant items are:

/etc/httpd/conf.d/moodle.conf - this file tells Apache how to route urls 
to Moodle


/etc/init.d/moodle - start up script for Moodle executed on boot

/var/www/moodle/web/config.php - home of Moodle, script initializes Moodle

Note Moodle at www.schools.sugarlabs.org

Tony

> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2012 12:08:29 -0600
> From: Jerry Vonau 
> To: vanessa ramos da cruz 
> Cc: server-devel@lists.laptop.org
> Subject: Re: [Server-devel] Moodle conection
> Message-ID: <1352311709.19054.3.ca...@f14jerry.home.vonau.ca>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> On Wed, 2012-11-07 at 14:17 +0100, vanessa ramos da cruz wrote:
>> Halo all!
>>
>>
>> I am trying to connect Moodle and i get the following message:
>>
>>
>> Error: Database connection failed.
>>
>>
>> It is possible that the database is overloaded or otherwise not
>> running properly.
>>
>>
>> The site administrator should also check that the database details
>> have been correctly specified in config.php
>>
>> I am using XS 0.7.
>>
>>
>> Can some one help me?
>>
>
> You might of missed a configuration detail, can you tell me the steps
> you did to install the XS?
>
> Jerry
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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 65, Issue 3

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

Just for perspective. The approach which I have taken is to install the 
activities from ASLO in the library. Any XO connected to the library can 
select an activity to be downloaded and installed. If storage becomes a 
problem, an unused activity can be deleted locally.


Tony

On 09/06/2012 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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than "Re: Contents of Server-devel digest..."


Today's Topics:

1. Re: pushing activities to XOs (Daniel Drake)
2. Re: pushing activities to XOs (Sameer Verma)
3. Re: pushing activities to XOs (Martin Langhoff)
4. Re: pushing activities to XOs (Jerry Vonau)
5. Re: pushing activities to XOs (Jerry Vonau)
6. Re: pushing activities to XOs (Daniel Drake)


--

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2012 10:28:31 -0600
From: Daniel Drake
To: Sameer Verma
Cc: XS Devel
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] pushing activities to XOs
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 9:46 AM, Sameer Verma  wrote:

Jerry,

I had to manually add "http://schoolserver/activities"; to the "Group"
under "Software Update" in the Control Panel. Then, when I run the
update, it pings the XS and grabs new activities. Is this expected
behavior?


Yes. For a deployment you would use olpc-os-builder to preset that address.

And yes, there is a missing link in that this currently must be
user-invoked; theres no fully automated way of pushing activities yet.
I hope to be a part of solving that in a future release cycle.

Daniel


--

Message: 2
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2012 15:46:40 -0700
From: Sameer Verma
To: Daniel Drake
Cc: XS Devel
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] pushing activities to XOs
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 9:28 AM, Daniel Drake  wrote:

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 9:46 AM, Sameer Verma  wrote:

Jerry,

I had to manually add "http://schoolserver/activities"; to the "Group"
under "Software Update" in the Control Panel. Then, when I run the
update, it pings the XS and grabs new activities. Is this expected
behavior?


Yes. For a deployment you would use olpc-os-builder to preset that address.

And yes, there is a missing link in that this currently must be
user-invoked; theres no fully automated way of pushing activities yet.
I hope to be a part of solving that in a future release cycle.



OK. It seems the xs-rsync would be a way to do this, but from the docs
it looks like its set up only to push the OS image.

cheers,
Sameer


--

Message: 3
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2012 20:04:02 -0400
From: Martin Langhoff
To: Daniel Drake, Gonzalo Odiard
Cc: XS Devel
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] pushing activities to XOs
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 12:28 PM, Daniel Drake  wrote:

And yes, there is a missing link in that this currently must be
user-invoked; theres no fully automated way of pushing activities yet.
I hope to be a part of solving that in a future release cycle.


Gonzalo recently drafted some notes on that, as we'd like to make it
happen. The 13.1.0 cycle is insanely busy ATM so unclear/unlikely...


m


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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 64, Issue 8

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

Peru has the advantage that it and OLPC know the origins of the 
computers. The 100 XO-1.5s at Saint Jacobs are of unknown (to us) 
origin. I have tried to find someone who might have the original 
manufacturer's spreadsheets, but no one seems to know anything about them.


What I am hearing is that the best solution may be to convince the 
school to allow the laptops to be unlocked and taken home. This approach 
has worked in Nepal and has avoided a lot of these difficulties. Nepal 
also gets the community involved and has a 'contract' approach with the 
parents.


However, I think there is some merit in the antitheft system provided 
that it is well publicized (and locally manageable!). A serious thief 
expects to resell the XO. If the potential buyers know that the XO will 
be a brick, there is going to be no market.


Tony

On 08/27/2012 04:47 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. antitheft:: avoiding the need (jbalc...@laptopstolesotho.org)
2. antitheft:: avoiding the need - cont.
   (jbalc...@laptopstolesotho.org)
3. Re: antitheft (Tony Anderson)
4. Re: antitheft (Yannick Warnier)
5. Re: antitheft:: avoiding the need - cont. 2
   (jbalc...@laptopstolesotho.org)
6. Re: antitheft:: avoiding the need - cont. (Sameer Verma)
7. registering an xo for second time (vanessa ramos da cruz)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2012 10:53:28 -0600
From: jbalc...@laptopstolesotho.org
To: server-devel@lists.laptop.org
Subject: [Server-devel] antitheft:: avoiding the need
Message-ID:
<225ff2cdf074f8052572a4edc8f5e7c5.squir...@server504.webhostingpad.com>

Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1

We got around the need for antitheft measures with a community-based
approach.  This may not work in all communities, but it has worked very
well for us.

BEFORE distributing any computers for student use, we held meetings with
all participants, including teachers, students, parents, and the
community.  After getting their input, we guided the teachers and school
administrators in developing a written set of rules and regulations for
the project, with four sets of contracts that the students, parents,
teachers, and school administration had to sign in order to participate in
the project.  We did this by posing a series of "what if" scenarios, and
then requiring the local educators to come up with answers that best
suited their school and community's culture, needs, and economic
situation.

Included in the contracts that resulted from this were "fine schedules"
and clearly defined consequences for any damage, loss, or theft of a
laptop.  Because we work in very poor communities, "work in lieu of fines"
for parents was included, with a very detailed schedule of hours and type
of work required.

One critical stipulation that we required to be included in the governing
documents was that, if a laptop goes missing (lost or stolen), the project
comes to a complete halt until there is a satisfactory resolution.  What
constitutes a satisfactory resolution is clearly defined in the documents.

Since deployment, within the school and immediate community, laptops can
be left unattended in classrooms and the school yard without worry.  This
is because they aren't ever really "unattended."  The entire community is
hyper-vigilant about keeping an eye on them.  When students or teachers
who live in other communities take laptops home, they are hyper-vigilant
about taking care of the laptops and protecting them, to the point that
one teacher who lives in an unsafe area will not even take his flash drive
home with him, let alone a laptop.  Their protectiveness is so strong that
one school paid to put burglar bars on the classrooms and storage room,
and another school hired a security guard for off-hours.

The result has been that 2? years after deployment, we have not had a
single laptop damaged, lost, or stolen. This is especially impressive
considering that I was told repeatedly before we started about cases of
computer theft and vandalism at other computer projects in the country.
We were told this would be a major impediment, but we proved them wrong.

Our approach was a long, grueling process, but by bringing the
participants into the process, allowing them to customize the governi

Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 64, Issue 9

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

If you connect an XO to a different school server, you will get an known 
host error. The solution is to use the Terminal activity and enter:


cd (cd with no parameters goes to the user's home folder).
rm -rf .ssh/known_hosts
ssh admin@schoolserver

You should get a question whether to continue or not. Respond yes.

After this, you should connect to the new schoolserver normally. I have 
to do this several times a day because I have a production server for 
content development and a test server for working with the server software.


Note: OLE Nepal's solution to the re-registration problem is to register 
the XO every time it connects. Redundant connections cause no problems. 
In fact, if you reflash a laptop, it automatically registers the new 
public key!


Tony

On 08/28/2012 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: [OLPC-AU] Registering an XO for the second time
   (Sridhar Dhanapalan)
2. Re: registering an xo for second time (Jerry Vonau)
3. Re: registering an xo for second time (Samuel Greenfeld)


--

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:43:08 +1000
From: Sridhar Dhanapalan
To: vanessa ramos da cruz
Cc: XS Devel, olpc...@lists.laptop.org
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] [OLPC-AU] Registering an XO for the second
time
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

On 27 August 2012 20:14, vanessa ramos da cruz  wrote:

Halo Martin,



I am Vanessa; I am working in Angola with this project. I am new on the
project so I have a little concern.



I had a server with XS 0.6, I registered on it some XO?s just for tests. Now
I have a new machine on witch I installed

the XS 0.7. I would like to register the XO?s on this new Machine. How ca I
register the few XO?s I already registered before?

I don?t have the old Machine with the XS 0.6 installation any more?



Can you please help me?



Hi Vanessa,

You're better off asking these questions on the server-devel list:

http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/server-devel

Regards,
Sridhar


Sridhar Dhanapalan
Engineering Manager
One Laptop per Child Australia


--

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2012 21:50:51 -0500
From: Jerry Vonau
To: vanessa ramos da cruz
Cc: server-devel@lists.laptop.org
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] registering an xo for second time
Message-ID:<1346122251.9047.20.ca...@f14jerry.home.vonau.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

On Mon, 2012-08-27 at 15:48 +0100, vanessa ramos da cruz wrote:

  Halo!


I am Vanessa; I am working in Angola with this project. I am new on
the project so I have a little concern:

I had a server with XS 0.6, I registered on it some XO?s just for
tests. Now I have a new machine on witch I installed

the XS 0.7. I would like to register the XO?s on this new Machine. How
ca I registered the few XO?s I already registered before?



Try entering this from sugar's terminal activity:

gconftool-2 --get /desktop/sugar/show_register

If false is returned, you could try toggling that setting with:

gconftool-2 --toggle /desktop/sugar/show_register

Hope that restores the right-click register option to the home view for
you.

Jerry





--

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:19:17 -0400
From: Samuel Greenfeld
To: Jerry Vonau
Cc: server-devel@lists.laptop.org
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] registering an xo for second time
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"

If the OS/Sugar build is new enough, the "Register" option never disappears
from the Right click menu of the XO character in the home view, and
re-registration is possible with no editing required.

The "Register" option only appears on the screen which has the application
Circle/Spiral present, and not in the Network view or Friends view.  Given
shutdown&  restart appear on all three screens, this is potentially a bug.

I believe 11.3.0 supports re-registration; 11.3.1&  12.1.0 definitely do.
The exact ticket which enabled this behavior currently is eluding me.


On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 10:50 PM, Jerry Vonau  wrote:


On Mon, 2012-08-27 at 15:48 +0100, vanessa ramos da cruz wrote:

  Halo!


I am Vanessa; I am working in Angola with this project. I am new on
the project so I have a little concern:

I had a server with XS 0.6, I registered on it some XO?s just for
tests. Now I have a new machine on witch I installed

the XS 0.

Re: [Server-devel] antitheft

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

The Saint Jabob school in Kigali where I am providing deployment support 
is not currently allowing the students to take laptops home

because the antitheft capability is not implemented.

The laptops were donated by WCE in Stuttgart. The laptops are locked. 
The software version installed (852) does not allow the screen to be 
rotated (a real problem for pdf reading). Recently, OLPC Germany has 
helped provide the school with some additional laptops, also locked, but 
with a 860 build.


So essentially, there are two problems. One, being able to install a 
custom XO and second, to enable the XS-0.7 server to provide 
activation-leases.


The os-build documentation (http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OS_Builder) 
suggests that it is possible for a deployment to 'sign' a custom build.
If I knew how to do this, it would be possible to install an identical 
build on all of the schools laptops.


The description of the 'antitheft howto'
(http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Antitheft_HowTo)
implies that this can be done by a deployment based
on the serial-number and uuid.

Somehow I need to get this resolved by Jan. 7 when the new school year
begins so that the students can take the laptops home.

Naturally, all of this must be done without internet access.

Tony




On 08/26/2012 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Server-devel digest..."


Today's Topics:

1. antitheft (Sameer Verma)
2. Re: antitheft (Yannick Warnier)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2012 12:41:43 -0500
From: Sameer Verma
To: XS Devel,  "Devel's in the
Details"
Subject: [Server-devel] antitheft
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hello!

I'm looking to get a sense of how widely antitheft is being used and
to what level of success. There was a post recently where Bruce Baikie
came across 500 XO-1s in Ethiopia, that were locked, but the server
was dead/gone/missing/ so these were unusable. On the other hand, when
XOs are not set up for antitheft, there is attrition (we have some in
one of our Jamaica projects, although its fairly low).

1) Does antitheft work as advertised?
2) What are comfortable parameters for it to work? How many hours
should the lease be?

Not looking for very specific answers...more like a conversation around it.

cheers,
Sameer


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Re: [Server-devel] Server rec for Kasiisi (Brian Ghidinelli)

[Tony Anderson]

Hi Brian,

The MSI Wind has provided satisfactory service for many years in Nepal 
and Rwanda. It is designed as a home theater server.


On Amazon,

MSI 6676-001BUS 379.98
4GB Ram 100.99
2TB Hard Drive  129.98
 _
610.96

This is up from $350 on my last purchase of this configuration a year 
ago! There is no advantage in buying the three items from the same 
source other than convenience. With 400 XOs to connect, try to get the 
most memory you can, 4GB. The hard drive provides storage for software 
(20GB), content (currently less than 50GB), and storage for the Journals 
on the XOS (e.g. 400X250MB). The MSI operates on 12vdc (like a laptop 
from an AC adapter - which works at 110 and 220 vac).


The MSI has one ethernet port so that connection to the internet (WAN) 
will require a usb-ethernet adapter. Also, it is not possible to make a 
headless install on the MSI so that a monitor (vgb) and a keyboard (usb) 
will be needed to install XS.


The school should have a router per classroom not so much for signal 
strength as keeping the number of connections per router at 40 or less.


George Hunt (georgejh...@gmail.com) has been working with the FitPC 
which looks like a viable alternative - particularly with the inflation 
in pricing for the MSI.


Tony



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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 62, Issue 1

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

What build are you running? Registration updates config in early builds 
and updates gconf in recent builds. In gconf, registration creates an 
entry in /home/olpc/.gconf/desktop/sugar/%gconf.xml. This is used by the 
backup procedure to recognize that the laptop is registered. In earlier 
builds this was in /home/olpc/.sugar/default/config. You might want to 
check to see if that entry was created. In earlier builds, successful 
registration removes the register option from the home view menu. In 
more recent builds, it changes the option to register again. When you 
register you should see a 'registration successful' alert.


Tony

On 06/03/2012 06:00 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. failed to register (Sameer Verma)
2. Re: failed to register (Sameer Verma)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2012 10:10:37 -0700
From: Sameer Verma
To: XS Devel
Subject: [Server-devel] failed to register
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

XS 0.7
OLPC build 874
Sugar 0.92.2

The XO fails to register, but a folder is created for the XO on the XS
under /library/users/

The XO shows no collaboration server under Control Panel | Network

Any ideas? Pointers?

cheers,
Sameer


--

Message: 2
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2012 13:15:50 -0700
From: Sameer Verma
To: XS Devel
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] failed to register
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

On Sat, Jun 2, 2012 at 10:10 AM, Sameer Verma  wrote:

XS 0.7
OLPC build 874
Sugar 0.92.2

The XO fails to register, but a folder is created for the XO on the XS
under /library/users/

The XO shows no collaboration server under Control Panel | Network

Any ideas? Pointers?

cheers,
Sameer


On the XS I see the machine as registered via /var/log/messages
(schoolserver olpc_idmgr: Registered user abcdefgh with serial
SHC03345845)

So, looks like the server end is doing what it should, but the XO end is not?

--
Sameer


--

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End of Server-devel Digest, Vol 62, Issue 1
***



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Re: [Server-devel] Server-devel Digest, Vol 58, Issue 28

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I am sorry that in Rwanda I do not have internet access; otherwise I 
might have seen this earlier. Actually, I disabled iptables on that 
system because I couldn't access through it and did not have time then 
to figure out the issue.


Squid is indeed installed and with the proper iptables, it should be 
possible to do what you need.


In Nepal, practice is to leave the LAN network open when the SS is not 
connected to the internet (almost universal) and to use a wpa2 password 
when it is. XO handles wpa2 reasonably well although someone must be 
available to explain the occasional request for password.


Tony

On 02/29/2012 05:05 PM, server-devel-requ...@lists.laptop.org wrote:

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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
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Today's Topics:

1. A quick networking question (George Hunt)
2. Re: A quick networking question (Holt)
3. Re: A quick networking question (Holt)
4. Re: A quick networking question (Anna)
5. Re: A quick networking question (John Watlington)
6. Re: A quick networking question (Holt)
7. Re: A quick networking question (rolf)
8. Re: A quick networking question (Samuel Greenfeld)


--

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:29:37 -0500
From: George Hunt
To: XS Devel
Subject: [Server-devel] A quick networking question
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi,

In Haiti, Adam and I have been trying to get a school server online.  We're
finding that volunteers are going through the school server to the internet
with their laptops, and he wants to turn that off, at least for now.

I've turned off /proc/net...ip_forward and verified that there is no
masquerade enabled in the iptables.

But that's not enough!!  I wasn't sure that the vpn wasn't setting up a
gateway, so I had him turn off the vpn.  But still the school server was
routing to the 3G usb modem dongle even with the vpn pipe closed down.

How does the school server act like a router?  It may be related to the ppp
connection and wdial configuration.  But I'm stumped.

But I'm trying to bring myself up to speed quickly because he really wants
to get it turned off.

Any ideas on what to try next?  I'm afraid the solution is going to be to
pull out the 3g dongle.

George
-- next part --
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--

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:49:34 -0500
From: Holt
To: server-de...@laptop.org
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] A quick networking question
Message-ID:<4f4d13ae.10...@laptop.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

On 2/28/2012 12:29 PM, George Hunt wrote:

In Haiti, Adam and I have been trying to get a school server online.
We're finding that volunteers are going through the school server to
the internet with their laptops, and he wants to turn that off, at
least for now.

I've turned off /proc/net...ip_forward and verified that there is no
masquerade enabled in the iptables.

But that's not enough!!  I wasn't sure that the vpn wasn't setting up
a gateway, so I had him turn off the vpn.  But still the school server
was routing to the 3G usb modem dongle even with the vpn pipe closed
down.

How does the school server act like a router?  It may be related to
the ppp connection and wdial configuration.  But I'm stumped.

But I'm trying to bring myself up to speed quickly because he really
wants to get it turned off.

Any ideas on what to try next?  I'm afraid the solution is going to be
to pull out the 3g dongle.


Interestingly the XS(*) creates an open path for any random non-XO
laptop to access the web, but seems to block non-web traffic like ssh
and IMAP.

In any case, even if it's just forwarding port 80 and 443 (?) we just
cannot afford to become a free ISP here in semi-rural Haiti, given so
many visitors to our school especially.

  (*) XS as set up by Tony Anderson early autumn 2011, and currently
maintained by George Hunt&  I.

--
Help kids everywhere map their world, at http://olpcMAP.net !



--

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:05:13 -0500
From: Holt
To: server-devel@lists.laptop.org
Subject: Re: [Server-devel] A quick networking question
Message-ID:<4f4d

[Server-devel] e: Regarding my OLPC XS Wishlist (Abhishek Singh)

[TONY ANDERSON]

Hi,

Good catches. I meant that there is no good technical reason why Moodle and/or
Dan's Guardian could not be installed as part of XC - not that that is
currently the case.

Meanwhile I have posted my version of the wish list as a wiki page:

http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/School_Server_Wish_List

This is my own quick version. I am hoping we can come up with a common page
which can be annotated as we develop a consensus on what should be in the next
XS and XC builds.

As you can tell, I see the XS build as fairly similar across deployments but
that XC is more like a set of building blocks from which deployments can pick
or choose.

Abhishek, I have re-interpreted some of your wish list (and probably left some
out altogether). Please hack it so it is more representative of what you see
as needed. 

Yours, 

Tony


Hi Tony, and all,
   Greetings from Nepal. I would like to correct a few things in
Tony's descriptions and elaborate upon what he discussed.

NEXS (the Nepalese version built upon OLPC XS) has separated the content
part from the base server. We call the content part NEXC ("C" for
content). This separation has helped us a lot in managing content
bundles and content updates. The NEXC generally contains:

   1. Content of the digital library (see http://www.pustakalaya.org),
  which is spanned across:
  * Database dumps for Fedora Commons and Fez
  * Fedora Commons datastream files
  * Fez's customized interface (that is being used at
pustakalaya.org)
   2. Wiki for schools
   3. English Wiktionary
   4. Nepali Dictionary
   5. External Content: All the other static content (e.g. video files,
  maps etc) are packaged as external content
   6. Learn English Kids from British Council (recently added)

We have a 3-month NEXC release schedule. At every release, we'll bundle
the most recent content and put it on a USB HDD, test it internally on
our test school server, and then finally release it. After every
release, the deployment team will go to the schools with the USB HDDs
and plug it to the school server at the site schools. Daniel Drake's
usbmount script takes care of installing/updating the content from the
USB HDDs - you just nee to listen to the starting and the ending beep
during which all the content update is done. We have tried updating it
over Internet, but the connection here in Nepal is so flaky and slow
(most schools do not even have Internet connection yet), and the content
being huge (approx 12GB now), makes it almost impossible.

Corrections to Tony's discussion: Moodle and Dansguardian is not
installed as a part of NEXC, rather they are built with NEXS and get
installed as a part of NEXS. The NEXS is also not released as an img
file (Tony might be confused with NEXO being released as an IMG file),
rather as an iso file. The mkusbinstall (using the OLPC forth script) is
then used to copy the install image to a usb flash drive (using syslinux).

We would really try to test the Au-script for Anaconda USB race conditions.

All our customizations and scripts are available at a few mercurial
repositories hosted at hg.olenepal.org. For NEXS and NEXC, please check:

* NEXS Scripts, http://hg.olenepal.org/NEXS_scripts/
* NEXS Image Builder, http://hg.olenepal.org/NEXS-image-builder/
* NEXC Maint, http://hg.olenepal.org/NEXC-maint/
* NEXC Scripts, http://hg.olenepal.org/NEXC_scripts/


Thank You.

-- Abhishek Singh System Engineer Open Learning Exchange (OLE) Nepal 
?? ?- http://www.olenepal.org Tel: +977-1-551 ext. 301 

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Re: [Server-devel] Regarding my OLPC XS Wishlist

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I hope we can keep Abhisek in the loop as he has detailed information on 
the XS version deployed in Nepal. The procedure there is to build XS and 
release it as an img. The image is loaded to a usb drive 
(mkusbinstall.sh). This key is used to install all of the deployed 
school servers.  I have attached the instructions for installing NEXS 
from the olenepal redmine (slightly edited).


I am very internet-challenged (at this campground I arrived on Thursday 
and used the internet for about two hours and then it died - now on 
Sunday evening it is working intermittently!), so I think some of my 
previous comments have not been received. So please be patient if you 
have read this before:


I think the separation of the server into two components XS and XC is 
very valuable. The XC build should provide a working schoolserver which 
can be accessed via the LAN from an XO using ssh. With the XS-Au fix for 
the 'race' condition in kickstart, it should be possible to do this 
install 'headless' on a server which supports booting from the usb drive 
when present (and bootable).


XC provides the content for the /library partition. However, with Daniel 
Drake's usbmount scripts XC could be used to install any optional 
packages such as Dan's Guardian, Moodle (forgive me, Martin), Fedora 
Commons, Fez, mediawiki, and so on.


The netsetup.sh script should be used to configure the WAN network and 
should not be needed when the school server is not connected to an 
external network (the LAN network is configured the same in every school 
as 172.18.0.1). The LAN should be configured for the baseboard (RJ45) 
port and the WAN for a secondary port (e.g. usb-ethernet).


Essentially this is the procedure used in Nepal with considerable 
success over the past two years (success measured by the schoolserver 
very rarely being a problem requiring service (UPS failures seem far 
more frequent).


Tony

P.S. 
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLE_Nepal:Procedure_to_build_NEXS_from_OLPC_XS 
gives a description of the build procedure used for XS-0.4. It provides 
details on the installation of the extra packages as of that time. 
Abhishek Singh can provide more recent details.


On 06/03/2011 04:21 PM, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote:

On 4 June 2011 00:00, Aleksey Lim  wrote:

On Fri, Jun 03, 2011 at 09:40:48AM -0400, Martin Langhoff wrote:

On Fri, Jun 3, 2011 at 7:49 AM, Sridhar Dhanapalan
  wrote:

On 3 June 2011 21:31, Aleksey Lim  wrote:

btw, did someone try to use cloning paradigm for setting up new school
servers instead of using regular install way? Just clonning the system
will lest avoid many issues by design.

Do you mean creating an image of a server installation and applying it
to other machines?

We've done that with the XS-AU (using clonezilla), and I'm pretty sure
it works with an OLPC XS.

Note that without a script that cleans up config&  state, you're bound
to have some fun problems with the resulting systems.

Do you mean particular script, which one?

You'll need to clean up:

 /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules (delete the lines that
refer to all the eth devices)
 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth* (remove the HWADDR line)
 ssh keys (/etc/ssh/ssh_host_*)
 postgresql server.crt

Info: http://dev.laptop.org.au/issues/422

Sridhar



NEXS installation¶

>From USB¶

   1. Take a USB disk, create a single partition with type 0x83 (Linux) (e.g. 
using fdisk) and format it as VFAT (e.g. using mkfs.vfat)
  * This conflict of partition type vs filesystem is intentional; the 
Anaconda installer seems a bit sensitive to other configurations and may get 
confused at the bootloader install stage if you don't use this configuration
   2. Download the NEXS .iso corresponding to the NEXS version that you want to 
install to your hard disk
   3. Download 
http://hg.olenepal.org/NEXS-image-builder/raw-file/tip/mkusbinstall to your 
hard disk
   4. Run:

  # sudo bash ./mkusbinstall /path/to/nexs.iso /dev/sdb1

  * where /dev/sdb1 is the partition of your USB disk
   5. Plug the USB disk into the Wind computer
   6. Turn on and press F11 until menu appears
   7. Choose USB device from the boot device menu
   8. Choose the default "Install with kickstart" option from the boot menu
   9. After a few seconds, you will see an error that says that the kickstart 
file cannot be found. Wait 5 seconds, then press enter twice to retry.
  * This is an Anaconda bug where it tries to access the USB disk 
before it is ready
  10. You may see another error message saying that the installation media 
cannot be found. If so, try selecting /dev/sdc1 as the installation device (the 
default is sdb1)
  * This is because on some Wind systems, the onboard SD card reader 
takes the sdb position

Once installation completes, the system will reboot. Remove the USB disk at 
this time, and continue with the configuration steps below.
NEXS configuration¶

During first boot, you will be sh

Re: [Server-devel] Regarding my OLPC XS Wishlist

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

My most important wish on the list has been fulfilled, the developers 
are talking to each other on the same list!

My own two cents. OLE Nepal has been very successful in dividing the 
server into two components:

XS - the base server (Sugar server) and
XC - the content install.

The XC install uses Daniel Drake's usbmount and is made from an external 
hard drive (the size of the content is too large for a usb stick to be 
economical).

The concept is that XS provides the basic LAMP stack plus the Sugar 
specific needs (ejabberd, lease-activation, XO registration, and so on). 
Once XS is installed, there is enough functionality to install the 
packages and associated content (e.g. mediawiki, Java, and so on).

XC is an appropriate time and place to provide the optional packages. 
For example, Dan's Guardian and Moodle are currently in the OLE Nepal XS 
but could be installed as part of XS. An important factor in XC is to 
ensure that all content be in the /library partition (directly or be 
symbolic link).

Earlier versions of NEXS included the netsetup.sh script on the XS 
drive. This had the advantage of being easier to edit (if necessary) 
since placing it in the XS build means a new build just to change the 
script. The NEXS build configured the baseboard (RJ45) port for the LAN 
(router with network 172.18.0.) and the second port (usb-ethernet) to 
connect to an XO by cross-over patch for SSH admin. The netsetup.sh 
script was needed only when the schoolserver was to be connected to a 
WAN (internet) and re-configured the second port accordingly.

So my next wish on the wishlist is that it be separated into an XS and 
XC component.

Some minor additions on my wishlist:

1. Try to make the XS install 'headless'. This should be possible if the 
server firmware supports configuring a boot from the usb drive ahead of 
the hard drive. It requires the XS-Au fix to the 'race' condition in 
Kickstart. Currently, a support technician (in principle) needs to carry 
an lcd monitor and usb keyboard to a school to be able to deal with 
server problems. If the XS install could be done without a reformat to 
/library (and all of the content were there), it would be possible to 
re-install XS and, if ssh were then working, deal with the problem.

2. Try to fix the mkusbinstall script so that it works with a 
'store-bought' usb drive - setting up the partition, label, boot flag.

3. Provide a generic install script from usbmount so that the XC install 
scripts can be on the XC drive. Again, this makes it possible for a 
deployment to reconfigure XC without rebuilding or updating XS. For 
example, the XC drive could have a root folder IXC (install XC). If 
usbmount finds this folder, it invokes a script 
/media/usb0/IXC/xcInstall.sh (for example). This way, an XC drive could 
have other files (e.g. development folders with install scripts) and be 
mounted without reinstalling XC itself (Just mv IXC to XC, for example, 
would cause usbmount to not see it as an XC disk).

Tony

On 06/02/2011 10:29 AM, Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote:
> On 28 May 2011 08:31, Aleksey Lim  wrote:
>> On Fri, May 27, 2011 at 11:39:54AM -0400, Bernie Innocenti wrote:
>>> On Fri, 2011-05-27 at 21:14 +0545, Abhishek Singh wrote:
 Dear All,
 I've put down my OLPC XS wishlist at
 http://asingh.com.np/blog/olpc-xs-my-wishlist/ . Please comment upon it.

 Thank You.
>>> Thank you! Forwarding this to the Dextrose list as well.
>> I've also CCed guys who do XS work in .au
>>
>> Abhishek: thanks for sharing your wishlist.
>>
>>  From my side, I see the whole picture in case of school server like having:
>>
>> * sugar-server[1], the base of any school server. it doesn't provide
>>   stuff like moodle (too complicated to be basic) or puppet (useless on
>>   this level, since configuring sugar-server should be just install
>>   packages/iso and do some automatic work, the higher levels might user
>>   puppet or so)
>> * any additional services that might be useful in some deployments but
>>   are not basic, eg, moodle or wiki.
>>   sugar-server should provide needed info via reliable API for these
>>   services.
>>   in my mind, such services might be formed as separate projects (like
>>   sugar-server-moodle) to make it possible to attach it on purpose
>>   (there might be useful configuration tool that is being used in
>>   sugar-server, mace[2]).
>> * final products that include components on purpose (but sugar-server is
>>   a required one). It is entirely depends on local needs.
> We are looking to make our XS-AU[0] more modular to suit different use
> cases. Our initial goal (completed over a year ago) was to make it
> work on a single interface to integrate well into existing networks.
> Installation is via USB and fully scriptable via kickstart files.
>
> The current XS is very monolithic and bureaucratic. It requires
> moderate sysadmin skills to install and maintain. Maintaining the
> presence service is cumbersome and impract

Re: [Server-devel] deregister laptops

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I have had the same problem. An ugly but effective solution is to rm 
/home/olpc/.gconf/desktop/sugar/user/%gconf.xml

This forces the intial login screen so that the nick and color scheme 
are re-entered. A byproduct is that the register option is restored to 
the menu.

Incidentally, Roshan Karki (ros...@olenepal.org) or Abhishek Singh 
(abhishek.si...@olenepal.org) could explain how Nepal has modified Sugar 
to register the laptop on every connection (to eliminate confusing 
children with one more option). It turns out that registration when a 
laptop is already registered doesn't change anything.

Yours,

Tony
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[Server-devel] school server Moodle enrollment

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

We have a curriculum workshop going on in Rwanda. I would like the 
participants to be able to edit their courses on the school server
using Moodle. Most of them have XOs. I have entered their laptop serial 
numbers in /etc/coursecreator but they are still assigned student roles 
somewhere in the enrollment logic.

Is there any way I can give them course creator capabilities. Right now, 
we must use non-XO laptops which can login to edit the content.

Thanks,

Tony
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Re: [Server-devel] Schoolserver development in Uruguay

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I must confess that I am not current on this list. However, I'll toss in 
two cents.

First, I would like to see a build process that starts with a generic 
(Fedora) LAMP system. There should then be a build script that creates a 
schoolserver on this system. The current process (as used in Nepal) 
starts with the 0.6 image which locks it to Fedora 9. A deployment could 
then build their own script to add (or remove) services.

Second, The idea of the DataManager activity is to replace the current 
backup scheme by one controlled by the students. DataManager shows a 
Journal-like listing of all the journal items on the server and on his 
or her XO. If the item is on both, it is shown in Blue. If it is only on 
the server, it is shown in Cyan. The student can delete a Blue item 
(leaving it only on the server) or can click on a Cyan item causing it 
to be downloaded to the XO. A 'fuel guage' shows how much of the Nand is 
free as a guide on whether to delete some local items. All newly created 
items are copied to the schoolserver - provided they have an associated 
data file; otherwise they are deleted. This policy is based on my 
reading of the code that journal items which do not have a file are not 
'resumed' (in 0.82). The 0.82 scheme gives the student no way to avoid 
filling his Nand or controlling what gets saved or discarded (e.g if 
he/she deletes a Journal item on the XO, it will be deleted on the 
backup as well). One additional advantage is that the DataManager 
supports a 'commons' folder on the schoolserver which acts as a Journal 
store but whose items are available to all XOs. Currently, the commons 
folder contains a copy of the Sugar activities. This way students have 
access to all of them and can decide which they want to have local. If 
one is removed, it can be downloaded again. If the local store is lost 
(e.g. by the student changing XOs resulting from a hardware failure), 
all of the journal items are still accessible via the DataManager (given 
suitable update of the schoolserver to reflect the new serial-number).

Tony
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[Server-devel] multiple users of an xo

[Tony Anderson]

I expect to be working with a school which runs two sessions. As a 
result each XO is shared by two students, one from each session.

1 - (probably a Sugar issue) - each of the two students should have 
their own independent Journal (and backup-restore).

2 - each student should have an independent registration on the 
schoolserver (esp. including Moodle).

3 - the school supports grades 1-8 so that students need to be 
registered in Moodle by grade (not in all courses).

4 - teachers can be registered in that role by normal Moodle procedures.

The current registration scheme is based on the xo's serial number. Does 
anyone have a suggestion as to how this should be managed? There has 
been talk re SoaS on how to register user's on the schoolserver 
independent of a serial-number. Has this reached a concensus?

On a slightly different topic. I have a schoolserver installed with XS 6 
but OLE Nepal's version of XO (0.82 variant). OLE Nepal has made 
registration automatic (the menu now shows only shutdown and control 
panel as options). Does anyone know where that code is in Sugar so I can 
  execute it from the command line?

Tony

Tony
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[Server-devel] Problem in DS-Restore

[Tony Anderson]

Martin,

In ds-restore.php on line 182, we changed

htmlentities($md->title)

to

$md->title

This eliminated a problem with double conversion of nepali text in the 
title.

Tony
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[Server-devel] xs on cd

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

At OLENepal, we are using a USB stick to install XS on the servers. We 
have created a 'boot cd' which installs XS from the USB stick when the
server is unable to boot from CD. This saves have to reburn CD's.

We are using XS-0.4 as the base for the server configuration (NEXS). 
This is documented at http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLE_Nepal:Schoolserver. 
Unfortunately, the details on building the CD are not yet in the Wiki.
Prithak Sharma at OLENepal (prit...@olenepal.org) should be able to 
supply them.

Tony


But going forward, and since I'm looking at possibly installing XS 0.5 on
 > quite a few machines here, before I burn the CD again, can I edit
 > /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth1 on the iso like so:

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Re: [Server-devel] Offline moodle notes in moodle.org

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

First, gears is a browser plugin. It provides a capability to 
'go_offline' by copying web pages and resources (jpg, pdf, ...) to a 
local SQLite database based on a manifest. While offline, gears provides 
a local proxy server which responds to http requests by supplying the 
page (with links to resources) from the local database. It is limited in 
that it can only handle urls which exactly match those in the manifest. 
For offline moodle, we need to intercept urls which call php modules 
server side and respond to them from local javascript. This can be done 
by ajax requests. Greasemonkey is a temporary prop to convert the normal 
form 'actions' to invoke local javascript. Later, it should be possible 
to have the pages generated with the 'onclick' javascript calls and 
eliminate the need for greasemonkey.

A way to think about this is that in offline moodle, the server side php 
scripts are replaced by client side javascript.

Tony

Ludo (Marc Alier) wrote:
> "This discussion should move to [EMAIL PROTECTED], as it refers to software
> running on the laptop, not the server."
> 
> I disagree. The Gears plugin may run on the laptop, but all the code of 
> the application ( javscript and the php that generates it) is executed 
> and maintained on the server: Moodle in this case.
> 
> 
> On Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 10:08 PM, John Watlington <[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> > wrote:
> 
> 
> This discussion should move to [EMAIL PROTECTED], as it refers to software
> running on the laptop, not the server.
> 
> Some context for my comment:  I had told them that we were
> working with schools that were completely offline (although
> with servers).   The problem might have been a mismatch with
> their business model more than a mismatch of technologies.
> 
> I'm looking for the name/address of the software architect I was
> speaking to.   But, SJ already brought up this question on devel
> back in February, and cc'ed a gears developer (attached).
> 
> cheers,
> wad
> 
> From: "Samuel Klein" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >
> Date: February 16, 2008 1:21:36 PM EST
> To: "edward baafi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >, "OLPC Devel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> Cc: Ben Lisbakken <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >, Luke Closs
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >,
> Marco Pesenti Gritti <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >,
> Dan Bricklin <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >
> Subject: Re: using the browser as an activity platform : pyxpcom
> / hulahop / Gears
> 
> The core use here is being able to use the browser as activity
> platform -- letting web developers good at JS code and test on most
> any platform, and develop something that can be a first-class
> activity
> within Sugar.  One example is Dan's javascript spreadsheet,
> anothe ris
> a dynamic library (see for instance
> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Dynamic_library), another is an
> existing web
> service online that one might want to run locally.
> 
> In addition to pyxpcom, let me add Google Gears as a useful piece of
> this platform, especially when offering local use of popular online
> tools.  Off the top of my head, MediaWiki, MindMeister, I copy Ben
> Lisbakken, a gears maintainer, who reports that there is a Gears
> patch
> to make it work without extension support...  Ben, I'll also
> introduce
> you to marcopg separately.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> ---
> Ludo ( Marc Alier)
> UPC - [EMAIL PROTECTED]  - Tel. +34-934137885
> http://orangoodling.blogspot.com - http://www.dfwikilabs.org -
> http://ososdeviaje.dfwikilabs.org - http://mossegalapoma.cat

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Re: [Server-devel] XS testing

[Tony Anderson]

Thanks for your point about the 'headless' server. The install usb must 
ensure that ssh access from an XO is sufficient to complete the install 
process. As far as I know all of our installed servers will be headless.

This means the first two 'tests' should be changed:

 >> 1. Reboot the server and log in as root.
 >> 2. From an XO verify that it can connect with the server network.

1. Reboot the server and log in as root from an XO using SSH.

I don't think it makes any difference in the implementation if the usb 
drive is used to install XS at the 'depot' or at the school. At the 
'depot', it may be desirable to have the servers boot from the network. 
As I understand it, this can be done using the same files used to create 
the usb drive.

Incidentally, one point in favor of a laptop as server is that it's 
battery may come in handy in schools with unstable power.

Tony

Martin Langhoff wrote:
> On Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 7:04 AM, Tony Anderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> What I think we need urgently is a simple procedure someone in the field can
>> use to verify an XS installation. It has to be simple and effective, because
>> this person is also bringing up a school-set of XOs.
> 
> This is great. I had not thought of this, but the moment Bryan
> mentioned I clicked with it. Excellent idea.
> 
>> Our model is that the installer has a usb drive with XS to install at the
>> school. We hope that the embedded install script will provide a complete
>> configuration including network, firewall, and Moodle.
> 
> This is one of the possible scenarios, and likely to be common in
> pilots. In large deployments it makes sense to preinstall the XS image
> at HQ because
> 
>  - it can be done in parallel
>  - OS install can be network-based
>  - Additional content can be installed via the network
>  - checks that the machine works while there's a good chance you have
> spare parts too! :-)
> 
> Which is a long-winded way of saying: we need to take multiple
> scenarios into account. In some of the scenarios the user may not have
> root access or shell access. In some scenarios, the machine will be
> completely headless...
> 
>> The installer should
>> then do things like:
>>
>> 1. Reboot the server and log in as root.
>> 2. From an XO verify that it can connect with the server network.
>> 3. From an XO verify that the 'schoolserver' link on the browser displays
>> the Moodle site page.
>> 4. From an XO verify that the browser can access the OLPC Wiki.
>> 5. Verify that the XO sees ejabberd (telepathy-gabble)
>> 6. Verify that two XOs connected via ejabberd can see and 'chat' with each
>> other.
>> 7. Verify that an XO receives access denied attempting to download an exe
>> file
>> 8. Verify that the XO can log in to a Moodle course with the correct student
>> identification.
> 
> Good list. Here's my challenge: I think we can do everything in the
> list without logging in / using the shell console at all on the XS.
> 
>> Naturally, I am hoping for suggestions of additional essential server
>> capabilities that need to be tested (e.g. verifying backup/restore of the
>> journal/datastore, access the library, install an activity).
>> However, we need to be careful to keep it simple and avoid testing features.
> 
> Agreed. If the tests are simple enough, they can even be performed by
> a teacher, which means that the local team has a goodtool to use
> before they send a technician to the field.
> 
> So we'd have 2 sets:
>  - tests you can run from an XO
>  - addittional tests you can run if you have shell / root access
> 
> what do you think?
> 
> 
> 
> m

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[Server-devel] XS testing

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I think there are several levels of testing, e.g. regression, 
functional, and stress. I am not planning on anything special for any
of these.

What I think we need urgently is a simple procedure someone in the field 
can use to verify an XS installation. It has to be simple and effective, 
because this person is also bringing up a school-set of XOs.

Our model is that the installer has a usb drive with XS to install at 
the school. We hope that the embedded install script will provide a 
complete configuration including network, firewall, and Moodle. The 
installer should then do things like:

1. Reboot the server and log in as root.
2. From an XO verify that it can connect with the server network.
3. From an XO verify that the 'schoolserver' link on the browser 
displays the Moodle site page.
4. From an XO verify that the browser can access the OLPC Wiki.
5. Verify that the XO sees ejabberd (telepathy-gabble)
6. Verify that two XOs connected via ejabberd can see and 'chat' with 
each other.
7. Verify that an XO receives access denied attempting to download an 
exe file
8. Verify that the XO can log in to a Moodle course with the correct 
student identification.

Naturally, I am hoping for suggestions of additional essential server 
capabilities that need to be tested (e.g. verifying backup/restore of 
the journal/datastore, access the library, install an activity).
However, we need to be careful to keep it simple and avoid testing 
features. (For example, verifying that Moodle pops up a pdf correctly is 
not a test to determine if it is running. That test is needed back in 
the development lab.)

Tony


 > Regarding the testing methods, I believe that Tony is hoping to hear
 > > that his work creating testing scripts won't be totally orphaned.

Oh, is he working on some? Fantastic! Tony, can you post your notes /
plans / intentions!  :-)


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[Server-devel] Nepal XS deployment

[Tony Anderson]

Hi,

I am currently working to build a local version of XS 0.4. The goal is 
to be able to install XS from a USB drive requiring the installer only 
to provide the name of the school and the ip address of the server.

Yesterday I was able to install XS 0.4 from a USB drive with help from 
Jeremy Katz.

Most USB drives are not bootable. This requires:

parted /dev/sdb
toggle 1 boot
quit

after which livecd-iso-to-disk should accept it.

The rabbit-hole is to attempt the obvious:

parted /dev/sdb1
toggle 1 boot

which does not work.

The three remaining (big) steps are:

1. Add Dansguardian
2. Add Moodle
3. Develop custom install script which accepts the school name and the 
server ip address and completes the configuration of the server 
automatically.

Naturally, I would like to work in collaboration with the XS development 
team so as not to duplicate too much of this effort. For example, it 
would be easy to add the Dansguardian and Moodle files to the USB drive.
If the XS release install script executed a file (script) with a 
well-known name on the USB drive, it would be possible for local 
deployments to use this file for a configuration script. This would also 
make it easy for us to develop our script and then make it available to 
you to see what should be included in the standard release and what 
should be left local.

Another area that deserves some attention is how to test a server 
installation in the field. For example, use two XOs to verify ejabberd 
functionality. Use browse to verify that the schoolserver link delivers 
the Moodle (site) home page. Use browse to verify internet connectivity.
Try to access a 'forbidden' site to verify Dansguardian is working. In 
short, a checklist of simple tests to verify server functions.

Tony


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Re: [Server-devel] XS_0_4 install]

[Tony Anderson]

Unfortunately, we started ejabberd after running domain_config. We also 
made changes to /etc/hosts, ifcfg-eth0, ifcfg-eth1, and network after 
running domain_config to match our situation before running ejabberd; 
hence the problem with getting the service to run.

Tony


Martin Langhoff wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 5:18 PM, Bryan Berry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> What's more concerning to me is that ejabberd has never once worked for
>> me "out-of-box." I have always had to reinstall it before getting it to
>> work. Has anyone out there gotten ejabberd to work consistently on new
>> XS installs w/ reinstalling it?
> 
> That sounds like you might be trying to start it before running domain_config.
> 
> It's a tiny change to the installation workflow outlined in the doco,
> but can trip people up. We could change the init script to check for
> that case and refuse to start.
> 
> cheers,
> 
> 
> 
> m

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Re: [Server-devel] XS_0_4 install]

[Tony Anderson]

The problem with ejabberd turned out to be documented earlier by Bryan. 
A slightly simpler solution works:

Ejabberd fails when the hostname has been changed. The symptom is that:

service ejabberd status

returns ejabberd not running.

Try the following to fix ejabberd:
service ejabberd stop
killall epmd
rm -rf /var/lib/ejabberd/*
service ejabberd start

Tony

 Original Message 
Subject: Re: XS_0_4 install
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:35:06 +0545
From: Tony Anderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Martin Langhoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,  Bryan Berry 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, server-devel@lists.laptop.org
References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

Today the behavior has changed a little.

First, the network problem.

The 'other host' problem turns out to be a newbie error on my part. The
router was configured as 172.18.0.1 but labeled as 172.18.0.3. We have
reconfigured the router to be 172.18.0.3 and the XO has access to the
internet via the schoolserver!

The ejabberd problem persists; however, I think it may also be a newbie
problem. I'll try to keep you posted.

Yours,

Tony

Martin Langhoff wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 24, 2008 at 11:04 PM, Tony Anderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> started ejabberd:
>>
>>  chkconfig --level 345 ejabberd on
>>  service ejabberd start
>>
>> and attempted to register admin:
>>
>>  ejabberdctl ejabberd register admin schoolserver.schoolnet.gov.np admin
>>
>> This failed with a message:
>>
>> RPC failed on the node [EMAIL PROTECTED]: nodedown
> 
> That's strange. The procedure is right, perhaps something went wrong
> with the domain_config step? Does the /etc/ejabberd/ejabberd.cfg file
> show the correct domain?
> 
>> The command service ejabberd status gets the same error (on timeout);
>> however, ps -aux shows an ejabberd daemon.
>>
>> I then tried to set up the networks manually:
>>
>> ifcfg-eth0 was modified to use a static address (192.168.5.44). This seems
>> to work ok.
> 
> Good.
> 
>> ifcfg-eth1 was modified by adding BOOTPROTO=static. This gives an error:
>> "Error, some other host already uses 172.18.0.1."
> 
> Is that interface connected to anything? Any other host that would be
> answering for that ip address? The error you mention is from doing an
> 'arping'  to the address -
> 
> cheers,
> 
> 
> 
> m


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[Server-devel] XS_0_4 install

[Tony Anderson]

I am trying to install XS_0_4 here. I am following the install procedure 
  as closely as possible.

I added:  chown -R xs-sync:xs-sync /library/xs-sync,
then set the domain:

  /etc/sysconfig/olpc-scripts/domain_config schoolnet.gov.np.

started ejabberd:

  chkconfig --level 345 ejabberd on
  service ejabberd start

and attempted to register admin:

  ejabberdctl ejabberd register admin schoolserver.schoolnet.gov.np admin

This failed with a message:

RPC failed on the node [EMAIL PROTECTED]: nodedown

The command service ejabberd status gets the same error (on timeout);
however, ps -aux shows an ejabberd daemon.

I then tried to set up the networks manually:

ifcfg-eth0 was modified to use a static address (192.168.5.44). This 
seems to work ok.

ifcfg-eth1 was modified by adding BOOTPROTO=static. This gives an error:
"Error, some other host already uses 172.18.0.1."

So far we have not been able to find a way around either the eth1 
problem or the ejabberd problem. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Yours,

Tony
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