Freeduc-cd, a live-cd for education
Until now — and probably for a while in most heads — the GNU/Linux system at school has been perceived as a good replacement of other proprietary servers. However the server is probably the least important things in term of freedom in a school network. It doesn't allow a teacher to share a workstation software with students. Supporting GNU/Linux in the workstation side can grant higher freedom and liberty between users in a school.. Therefore, OFSET has setup Freeduc, a tool to help to list, to evaluate and to package only free — non GPL exclusive - edu soft.
Informations
- The Freeduc database to submit software and evaluation is there : http://www.ofset.org/freeduc.
- The Freeduc CVS and FTP site to work on the packages, http://sourceforge.net/projects/ofset.
- The Freeduc FAQ
- The Freeduc mailing list. You can subscribe to it from lists.ofset.org. You may need to open an account in the mailing list manager, it is very easy.
- The Book of FREEDUC available in various languages: [EN | ES | FR | IT ]
Other documents as cover and booklets can be downloaded at ftp://developer.ofset.org/pub/freeduc/doc.
The Freeduc CD
What is it?
We have build a live Freeduc system on CD-ROM which doesn't need any installation to be used. From the user point of view the system use XFCE and the applications are available from various drawers.
The idea of the live Freeduc system on CD-ROM is to let the end user — mainly teacher — to easily access the free education application.
From a technical point of view, it is based on KNOPPIX/Debian, this gives us the possibility to easily add and to package additional software.
The list of installed packages.
Latest update
Last version is 1.4. This version is very special because it was realized with the help of UNESCO. It comes with a set of documentation in English, French and Spanish. This documentation can be found at the root of the cd-rom in the doc folder (PDF document) or directly when booting the cd-rom (html form for on-line reading).
Among the changes we can cite a better desktop integration and usability with examples files and documentations, a general update of the various applications and an improved graphic consistency among the applications.
Of course FREEDUC 1.4 works nice in English, French, Spanish plus a lot of other languages as Portuguese, German, Dutch, etc.
We are sure you want to try it :-)
How to get Freeduc-cd?
You have two options to get the Freeduc-cd. You can download it or you can get it in the form of a cute packaging with written instructions (only French for now but the CD is international) by becoming an OFSET member.
Download
We provide on the net the ISO images of the auto executable and source CD-ROM. The auto executable CD-ROM is hosted at Source Forge, the source CD-ROM are hosted by ourselves.
- The Freeduc-cd: download here;
- A version with default boot in Italian is hosted by the Italian GNU/Linux Society, it was done by Michele Dalla Silvestra of LUG Vicenza http://ftp.linux.it/pub/People/dalla/freeduc/;
- The sources of Freeduc-cd ftp://developer.ofset.org/pub/freeduc/iso;
- Documentation in development at OFSET CVS.
Packaged freeduc-cd
We want to encourage people to join the OFSET to support the development of free software in education. Therefore we annually offer a packaged version of the freeduc-cd to the OFSET members. To know how to become an OFSET member look at our members page.
Additionally, the CD-ROM of the source codes can be provided in exchange of a fee covering the charge. We keep copy of those CD and we are be able to provide them as long as it is necessary.
If you distribute the Freeduc executable CD, you must also distribute the Freeduc source CD or you must make an offer to get the physical CD, in order to comply with section 3 of the GNU GPL . Screen shots
The following are screen shots taken from a live Freeduc session:
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How to participate?
- You can pick up a software you know in the actual Freeduc database -- or add it if not in -- then submit an evaluation.
- Join the Freeduc mailing list above to participate more deeply to the overall project.
They talk of Freeduc-cd in various languages
- http://linux.html.it/articoli/freeduc_1.htm;
- http://www.gleducar.org.ar/freeduc.php;
- http://pingvin.carnet.hr/web_dokumentacija/skole/freeduc.html;
- http://www.rhizomes.org/SPIP/article.php3?id_article=15;
- http://www.edusud.org/actu/zoom/2002/12/zoom.html;
- http://clx.anet.fr/spip/article.php3?id_article=199;
- They use FREEDUC to teach Grass (PDF document);
- http://www.midenews.com/fr/presse/article/lire/?id=133.
Other ressources and source code
- Debian www.debian.org;
- KNOPPIX www.knoppix.net;
- CNDP working group on free software.
