Here's a class I'd like to see someone teach: Installing Linux From Scratch, http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/
If I had a class of fifteen students, they would work in teams of three. Each team would be given an existing standalone machine. It could be a Windows machine or a Linux machine. First task, confirm the hardware conforms to LFS Target Architectures, http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/view/stable/prologue/architecture.html Second task, replace the existing operating system with a Linux distribution from a LiveCD. This should include the ability to restore the existing operating system from backup should the install fail and as the last task of the course. A complete replacement using a LiveCD should be an easy task. If not, proceed to the community interaction steps. The backup requirement teaches good practice. Each team would be assigned a different Linux distribution. I would suggest Debian, RedHat, Fedora, CentOS, and Ubuntu, These are all Debian derived and Fedora and CentOS are derived from RedHat. Thus we concentrate on interactions with one extended community (Debian), but are exposed to several different community preferences. Everyone needs to understand what religious beliefs mean in FLOSS. For additional possible distributions see http://distrowatch.com/ Third task, document that the installed system conforms to the Host System Requirements, http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/view/stable/prologue/hostreqs.html If not, proceed to the community interaction steps to find how to install the required packages. >From that point, Read The Fine Manual, http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/view/stable/ The Linux From Scratch community has a Mailing List and an IRC channel for support. For a good idea of what the student will acquire from this course, read Mr. Gerard Beekmans' "Forward" < http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/view/stable/prologue/foreword.html >, the "Audience" description < http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/view/stable/prologue/audience.html >, and the "Rationale for Packages in the Book", < http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/view/stable/prologue/package-choices.html >. I retired as a programmer and system administrator in 2005. I now have a dedicated cpu and a good desk in my home lab. I have not yet begun the process I described above. Other interests and my desire to know enough before I start have consumed the available time. I think building an LFS system is possible in a semester, but just barely. That's why I am constantly surprised by what the professional teachers propose for their students. _______________________________________________ tos mailing list tos@teachingopensource.org http://lists.teachingopensource.org/mailman/listinfo/tos
