[OPLINTECH] Ubuntu in libraries

[Bob Neeper]

That is a nice article. And Jim Mann at GCPL has good points.

We set up a VMWare Edubuntu server with one workstation connected this year
to test.
Now we plan to switch over additional Children and PAC workstations.

We currently are building / testing  openSUSE 10.3 on the VMWare server.
Connecting by http or TightVNC from Windows.
I selected it to see what it offers and as our file server is Novell to see
if they play well together.
Otherwise it would have been Ubuntu for consistency with Edubuntu.

Large libraries might easily go to Linux, small ones might have a problem
unless a very static system.
They might not have anyone on staff to maintain, enhance, troubleshoot, etc.
Our staff has Windows user experience but only Chauncey (Director) and I can
do much with Linux.

There can be a large learning curve with Linux on the support side.
It has taken many hours to get the Novell Linux Client to 'see' and logon to
the Novell Server.
But it still won't run the server login script.
After a lot of Google'ing for information and calling on Chad at Level 9
Networks it looks as if the problem is SLP.
SLP V1 is on the server but SLP V2 is on openSUSE.

I'd venture most library's could not get this far (or even heard of SLP,
Service Location Protocol).


As Jim mentions, before switching staff PC's to Linux we must address our
TLC (The Library Corporation) CIRC client issue.


*** N.B. A statewide switch to Koha or PINES would solve it very nicely. ***


R. W. (Bob) Neeper     Cell: (740)-407-3572
Community Library
44 Burrer Dr.
Sunbury, Oh 43074
Tel:  (740)-965-3901

-----Original Message-----
From: oplintech-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplintech-bounces at oplin.org]On
Behalf Of Stephen Hedges
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 2:55 PM
To: oplintech at oplin.org
Subject: [OPLINTECH] Ubuntu in libraries


Folks,

I've recently seen an interesting article about a public library using
Ubuntu as the operating system on their computers:
http://fullcirclemagazine.org/issue-7/ (see page 18). That has me
wondering if any Ohio public libraries would be interested in trying
Ubuntu.

Jim Mann's done a nice set of videos on Edubuntu in libraries
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdvJIGQCVi0), which is pretty cool.
There's also an Ohio Ubuntu users group that would like to do whatever
they can to help libraries use Ubuntu
(https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-us-oh).  Actually, they
would really like to see Ohio libraries offering Ubuntu CD's for checkout,
as you can see from their wiki,
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/OhioTeam/CDdistribution.

Free Ubuntu CD's are available from "ShipIt." This project is designed for
getting free, professionally made Ubuntu CD's out to users. Users groups
("LoCo's") like the one in Ohio are able to get larger quantities than the
average user, if needed. The only concern is that the info provided with
the CD's is pretty much just saying "Welcome To Ubuntu," so the Ohio group
has been working on designing a Quick Starter Guide, which should be ready
for distribution by now. Let me know if you'd like a copy.

Anyway, all of this information is intended to help you get started if
you're interested in trying Ubuntu. There are also quite a few library
techs who use Ubuntu, so posting questions to this OPLINTECH list should
get you some good answers.

Stephen

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