The OpenEducationDisc is currently undergoing development for its next version. We have a strong line up of software focused on the national curriculum and beyond. We are looking to add a few programs mentioned previously on opensourceschools such as Numpty Physics and Scratch. if you would like to suggest any other software that you think teachers and students in Key Stage 1-5 would find useful please drop a reply to this thread.
You can find the list software currently included here.
Thanks
Pete
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Hello Pete,
Just carrying on our previous conversation from the meeting and email: I think some method of getting the OpenEducationDisc applications easily installed on a Windows network would be handy and get more people to actually use them. I don't think having another whole edition of the OpenDisc is neccesary, just a bit of documentation and maybe the inclusion of something like WPKG on the disc.
WPKG lets you use an application's standard installer to install / update over a network - it's very like the script-based system that I, and probably other sysadmins, have cobbled together, just neatly put together and documented properly.
WPKG would be most suitible for many networks, although there would be some which require MSI / MST files (did ask around over on EduGeek, and some networks only use MSI packages, mostly due to policies set by County IT services and the like. People were a little vauge about how, exactly, software is installed on an RM-managed system, although it seemed that MSI files should do the trick). Producing MSI files of open source projects would seem to imply that we set up our own build server that checks out a project's source code nightly and builds the installer using a system like WiX.
Certainly the "corporate rollout" aspect of software is one battle the proprietary software people would seem to be still winning. At present schools, and expecially small schools or large schools with non-OSS literate technicians, would see network installation of OSS as burdensome compared with proprietary alternative. It is not that there is not anyone to ask how to do it. We all know that OSS people are amongst the most helpful in all of creation. It is just that before technology leaders (?) make the change they do ask why bother when there is nothing obvious to compare to the likes of proprietary support systems. Hey RM even make available packaged up proprietary programs just to make their network operating system an apparently more feasible proposition.
There are lots of details installing OS programs on different network operating systems that to my knowledge are not well documented nor particularly straighforward to get right first time. Don't shoot the messenger. I am just a programmer/geek/drupal_moodle_fiend/ict teacher who listens to his network technician. We do quite a bit with OS programs but I know we are a bit rough around the edges with some of our network OSS installations.
It seems to me that the education sector is perhaps as best placed as any to help standardise corporate rollouts of OSS. I don't really do network installations myself. But if I could help in anway I would, for example I do setup websites mostly Moodle and Drupal....
[quote=htjoshua]Certainly the "corporate rollout" aspect of software is one battle the proprietary software people would seem to be still winning.[/quote]
No, commercial software installers suck too. More so, in many cases - most open source projects do at least create EXE installers with silent-install options which work pretty well, several commecial applications make you jump through all kinds of hoops to ensure you have a valid copy (they have their own XML-based installer format, they come with a hardware dongle, they require a dedicated license server, etc). This is why I think WPKG or similar is the best option - it's simply a small wrapper around existing installers that makes sure installs/updates happen on client machines. The next option along would seem to be for us to build our own MSI installers from open source projects, which is probably a couple of orders of magnitude more work.
Thanks for this David. We will have to chat further about getting this done for the next release.
Not sure what is already lined up but here are some titles.
OpenOffice.org
Firefox
Inkscape
Audacity
GIMP
Alice 2D programing
Is there a case for including a file with links to web based applications? That would not take up much spaceand there are increasing numbers of these eg we have free puzzles at www.theingots.org/Ottos_club
Thanks Ian, We have most of those bases covered bar the Alice 2D programming. I'll have to check it out!
I gave my nephew a copy of the Open Education Disc to use on his new (Windows powered
) netbook. He'd have liked more games!
We have about 5-6 edugames - morguware that students use extra curricular.
Also things like Audacity, Alice, Scracth, Pivot Stickman, Reading software, animation tools, stop frame tool, Pencil as well as free webware tools such a Blist.
Woudl webware be a new arena? eg Bubbl.us
Can't vouch for its education benefit, but if you like old schools blasters then Chromium is great fun. http://chromium.klik.atekon.de/