[OPLINTECH] Student access issues with Linux...

[millerst@oplin.org]

All,

We have run into similar issues.  We use DiscoverStations (Linux).  Some
sites, particularly Kent State's student portal, get cranky with Linux. 
Kent's helpdesk has been, well, less than helpful.

In order to meet the needs of all our patrons, all of the time, before
they realize they have a need, as well as to minimize staff stress by
planning for the unexpected, we maintain a bay of Windows computers for
just such contingencies. [Yes, those are our job priorities.]

We have a policy similar to Richard's library, but policy vs reality are
two different things up here by the Lake.

Ron - thanks for the tips... I'll ask our vendor for
every-codec-under-the-sun and see if that helps us at all. :)

Steve
-- 
Steve Miller, Technology Coordinator
Ashtabula County District Library
335 West 44th Street - Ashtabula, Ohio 44004
(440) 997-9341 x239
** Personal opinions are my own.  If this email is read by the uninteded
recipient, feel free to LOLZ at me and move on with your day. Spammers
have their own level of Hell.  It is better to kiss and tell, than never
to have kissed at all. Every day is Caturday.

> Hi Richard
>
> So far as I know, there Is no current Shockwave plug-in for Linux. As a
> matter of fact, Adobe is phasing out Shockwave in favor of Flash and Adobe
> Air. I do know you can run Microsoft Silverlight on Linux by installing
> the
> Novell Moonlight Extension for Firefox(Moonlight includes full blown
> support
> for Microsoft Silverlight which is becoming popular)
>
> Also, sometimes sites on Linux will say they require Shockwave, but that
> isn't always the case.
>
> If your using Ubuntu you could take one system and run the following
> commands from the terminal
>
> Sudo apt-get install kubuntu-restricted-extras
>
> You can also search synaptic for gstreamer-good and gstreamer-ugly which
> will install a full set of codecs and plugins that will support tons of
> propriety playback formats that just may solve your problem. Also if you
> can
> install mplayer and the Mozilla-mplayer plugins as mplayer supports a good
> many formats on its own.
>
> If the above fails, then the only option is to run Firefox via Wine or a
> copy of Windows in virtual box...
>
> I have seen sites with Linux and Firefox ask for shockwave, but sometimes
> its not the case...just figure its worth a shot
>
> Worst case scenario, the above will allow you to be able to play every
> proprietary multimedia format known on your Linux box....:)
>
> Good luck
>
> Sincerely
>
> Ron
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: oplintech-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplintech-bounces at oplin.org] On
> Behalf Of shivelri at oplin.org
> Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 10:42 AM
> To: oplintech at oplin.org
> Subject: [OPLINTECH] Student access issues with Linux...
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> This is a question for all of you who have switched patron systems over to
> Linux...
>
> I have switched all of our patron access computers over to Kubuntu 8.10
> (instead of 9.x because we use AdminKioskTool). But we are having an issue
> with to college sites when it comes to tests; Sinclair and Edison.
> Firefox is asking for missing plug-ins but can not identify them. I
> checked
> both colleges websites for what the requirements to access their online
> courses were, two things pop out at me; First, they claim to require
> Shockwave; Secondly, they state the need of a Mac or Windows environment.
> Shockwave is unavailable for Linux (Without running Firefox in WINE with
> Shockwave, causes big issues). The Mac/Win environment, to me, indicates
> the
> need, possibly for activeX which also is not supported for Linux. So
> having
> said this, am I correct in this assumtion as to why these sites do not
> work?
> Has anyone else had this issue? and if so what did you do about it?
>
> Currently I am sticking with the statement of our Internet policy which
> states no guarantee of anything beyond Internet access.
>
> Any input would be appreciated. Thank you.
>
> --
> Richard Shively
> IT/Webmaster
> Greenville Public Library
> 520 Sycamore, Greenville Oh. 45331
> 937-548-3915
>
>
>
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