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| 1. A general press release announcing availability of Skolelinux 5.0. with media contacts from five countries and general information. | * A general press release announcing availability of Skolelinux 5.0. * Links to screenshots * What's new * Quotes from users * About Skolelinux * General and local contacts |
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| 1. Quotes from users, beta-testers, developers and media contacts 1. Please include pictures of users and screenshots of desktop and applications? <fixme: please suggest pictures> The press package is available in English, Spanish, Norwegian, and other native languages |
The press package is available in English and other languages: |
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| This freely available 'press package' from Debian Edu is made available as a part of the 5.0 ("Lenny") release of our Debian Pure Blend and Skolelinux. |
This is the freely available 'press package' about Debian Edu ("5.0.4+edu0"), which is a Debian Pure Blends Linux distribution based on Debian 5.0.4 ("Lenny"). |
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| == Press release == '''Debian-Edu: Skolelinux 5.0 available for free download!''' * Oslo, Hamburg, Badajoz, Tokio, Taipeh, Karachi - February 8, 2010<<BR>> <<BR>> The Debian Edu Team is proud to make the next step in making free software suitable for educational purposes by releasing Skolelinux 5.0. Skolelinux is an adaptation of Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 "Lenny" coming with customized services to make an entire network of computers in schools and similar environments easy to setup and to maintain. Supported by regional and national projects in Norway, Germany, Spain, Denmark and even Taiwan and Japan, it is available in more than 50 languages. Skolelinux 5.0 is available free of charge at http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/Download. {{attachment:skolelinux_people.png|Skolelinux Developers|width=500}} As usual Skolelinux comes with predefined installation profiles making it easy to set up the network, ranging from the main server to workstations and even thinclients. Skolelinux is based on Debian 5.0 "Lenny" and therefore compatible with LSB 3.2, using kernel 2.6.26, KDE 3.5.10 and - for the first time supported in Skolelinux - GNOME 2.22.2. The setup of terminal servers has been improved and now even supports diskless workstations out of the box making maintenance easier as software is installed and maintained centrally. Other improvements are web browser plugin support with free software products as Gnash, Java and other plug-ins. System administrators and teachers working in that function will be glad to see the machine and network monitoring setup, which reports the status of all machines added to the network automatically. Screen shots are found here: http://www.slx.no/en/take-a-tour Article about Skolelinux enterprise capabilities: http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/PressReleases/PressPackage_5.0/Enterprise === What's new in Skolelinux 5.0 === * Skolelinux is based on Debian 5.0 "Lenny" and therefore compatible with LSB 3.2, using kernel 2.6.26, KDE 3.5.10 and GNOME 2.22.2. The LinEx GNU/Linux based educational project of Extremadura in Spain has now merged with Debian Edu. * The GNOME desktop is now supported in addition to KDE. * Improved student desktop with educational software shortcuts to GCompris, Kalzium, KGeography, KMplot, KStars, Stopmotion and the OpenOffice suite. * The documentation has been further improved and translated from English to German, Italian and Norwegian. Incomplete translations are available for Spanish, French and Chinese. Please consider helping translating to your native language or reviewing the english original! * Improved browser plug-in support with free software products as Gnash, Java and other plug-ins. * Added PulseAudio in addition to ALSA and OSS sound system for better audio and multimedia performance on workstations and diskless workstations machines. * New PXE startup menu allowing users to choose between diskless workstation, thin client or workstation as well as PXE-install Skolelinux. * Diskless workstations retrieve the OS and application software from the server, and then run them on the local machine. All software comes from the server instead of the local hard drive. That means software can be installed and maintained once for many clients. * Improved and simplified user and machine administration tool known as LWAT (LDAP Web-based Administration Tool). * Improved machine and network surveillance now reporting status on all machines added to the network. === Quotes === "It is easy to maintain. We have had a few startup problems, but surprisingly few", Monica Larssen, IT co-ordinator/ advisor in Harstad municipality says. "After a few startup problems Skolelinux is now stable. It is very easy for me to maintain as a IT co-ordinator", says Astri Sletteng, IT co-ordinator at Ankenes and Håkvik school in Narvik municpality. "We will most likely be able to reach the goals of The Knowledge Promotion Reform because of Skolelinux.", says principal Heidi Olsen Sværd at Håvik school in Narvik municipality. === Going forward === * The next milestone is a pointrelease, 5.0.4+edu1, around mid-March 2010, with updates to the documentation and its translations as well as some important bugfixes. * The next further milestone of Skolelinux development includes the introduction of major new features and aims at release simultaneously with Debian Squeeze, which is currently scheduled for the second half of 2010. The Squeeze-based release (6.0.0+edu0) will include the Sugar desktop, an upgrade to KDE 4 and shall provide alternatives desktop environments for netbooks. * Full support for social desktop features. Both Sugar Desktop and KDE 4 have built-in social desktop features. Sugar Desktop enables a journal where students can track their activities. Both Sugar and KDE 4 include online friend to friend and group communication for sharing content, tasks and activities. With exiting applications such as Turtle Art for simulations and Tam Tam for making music, students can explore, learn and grow. === About Skolelinux === Skolelinux is a complete software solution tailored to the needs of schools and other educational institutions. It provides a complete system, from the central server running all the services the school needs, to the desktop software students use in class. Skolelinux works out of the box, with no tricky setting up to perform. Skolelinux provides: |
|
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| === 1: Press release === | * Full support for networked thin clients, diskless workstations, workstations and laptops. With diskless workstations users get full PC functionality combined with the maintenance level of thin clients. Sound, video, USB memory sticks and DVDs are supported. A new start up screen also allows local installation over PXE. |
| Line 29: | Line 98: |
| Debian-Edu: Skolelinux 5.0 Terra available for free download! | * Skolelinux has over 80 applications selected for educational use, available in over 50 languages. Many new applications have been introduced in addition to popular classics such as GCompris, KDE Edu, Firefox (branded as Iceweasel due to Trademark restrictions) and OpenOffice.org. |
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| * Oslo <fixme: and other cities/places> - February 8, 2010 | * Installation is a breeze. You can install Skolelinux from a network install CD or from a single DVD supporting several processor architectures (i386, PowerPC and AMD64/Intel EM64T). Skolelinux still has low hardware requirements. A diskless workstation runs nicely with 256 MB of RAM, local swap and a 800 MHz processor, though we recommend slightly more powerful specifications for multimedia use. * Skolelinux is free software. The primary goal is to provide schools and students with every building block of a computer system. By providing an easy to use system, which also includes source code, students can study the software, learn and create with it. We emphasise learning by doing. Students can grow and excel by participation and sharing knowledge. The software has no restrictions on use, copying or learning. |
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| Skolelinux 5.0 is ready. This is an community release with comprehensive support from regional and national projects in Germany, Spain, France, Greece and Norway <fixme: please add places>. The Skolelinux is Debian under the name Debian Edu. Several other projects have made additional functionality to Skolelinux tailored for both local and international needs. Skolelinux now supports 50 countries. |
Skolelinux is the result of the work of the Debian Edu project. Debian Edu is an official part of Debian, and Skolelinux is a "Debian Pure Blend". It is installed at many or all of the schools in municipalities, regions and cities throughout Europe, Asia and South America. Several regions and states run and maintain Skolelinux centrally by commercial service providers or public employees. Smaller installations at single schools can be maintained part-time by a teacher with no particular training. Reports from commercial and public installations suggest that diskless workstations require half the maintenance costs compared to any ordinary desktop alternative. |
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Whats new in Skolelinux 5.0: * based on Debian 5.0 "Lenny" and therefore compatible to LSB 3.2, using kernel 2.6.26, KDE 3.5.10 and GNOME 2.22.2. The LinEx project in Extremadura in Spain has been merged with Debian Edu. The LinEx GNU/Linux solution is used by 250.000 students and teachers at 200 schools in Extremadura. * Full support for networked Thin clients, Diskless Workstations, Workstations and Laptops. With Diskless Workstations users get full PC functionality with less maintenance than thin clients. Sound, video, USB memory stick's and DVDs are supported. A new start up screen allows local installation. * Skolelinux got more than 80 selected applications for pedagogic uses, supporting more than 50 languages. Many new applications are introduced in addition to popular classic as !GCompris, KDE Edu, Firefox (which is branded as Iceweasel) and !OpenOffice.org. * Installation is a breeze. You can install Skolelinux from a network install CD or a single DVD supporting several processor architectures (i386, PowerPC and AMD64). Skolelinux still got low hardware requirements. A Diskless Workstation run nicely with 256 MB RAM, local swap and a 800 MHz processor. Regarding multimedia usage, we suggest a bit higher system requirements. * Skolelinux is free software. The primary goal is to provide students every building block of a computer system. By providing an easy to use system also including source code, the students can study the software, learn and create with it. We emphasise on learning by doing. Students can grow and excel by participation and sharing knowledge. The software got no restrictions known from proprietary software which restricts use, copying and learning. ==== About Skolelinux ==== Skolelinux is a complete tailored software solution for the needs of any educational institution or school. It is a ready computer system were the municipality or a school don't need to use weeks or months to configure network, services and software to an running system. Skolelinux is the result of the work of the Debian Edu project. Debian Edu is an official part of Debian known as Debian Pure Blend. It is installed at many or all schools in municipalities, regions and cities in Europe, Asia and South America. The most active developers are in Spain, Germany, Norway and France <fixme: please add more contries>. Skolelinux installations are maintained centrally by commercial service providers or employees in public sector. Both commercial and employees in providers report that Diskless Workstations require half the maintenance cost compared with any other desktop alternative. The next milestone of Skolelinux development will be to merge add the Sugar Desktop, upgrade to KDE 4 and provide netbook alternatives. ==== In depth ==== Diskless Workstations are retriving the software from the server, running the applications on locally on a PC. All software comes from the server instead of locally from the client hard drive. Recommended minimum requirement for client machines is > 256 MB RAM and 800 MHz CPU. Skolelinux now got improved tools for system surveillance and maintenance. Suggestions for next Debian Edu should be provided at this wiki-page: <fixme: add the wiki page> Please note that the documentation for the 5.0 Lenny is now translated to <fixme: Add the list of translations>. If there is no translation of the documentation to your native language, please help out with the translation effort. Your translations will be available instantly online. It will also be included in next Debian Edu revision. ==== Contact information ==== |
== Contact information == |
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| * France Xavier Oswald <xoswald AT debian.org> * Germany Alexander Reichle-Schmehl <tolimar AT debian.org> Kurt Gramlich <kurt AT skolelinux.de> |
|
| Line 85: | Line 135: |
| Anders Kringstad Hanssen <akai AT skolelinux.no> +47 932 82 137 (cellphone) |
Knut Yrvin <knuty AT skolelinux.no> +47 934 79 561 (cellphone) |
| Line 89: | Line 138: |
| Knut Yrvin <knuty AT skolelinux.no> +47 908 95 765 (cellphone) * Germany Kurt Gramlich <kurt AT skolelinux.de> |
Ole-Anders Andreassen <olea AT skolelinux.no> |
| Line 100: | Line 141: |
| José L. Redrejo Rodríguez <jredrejo AT edu.juntaextremadura.net> |
José L. Redrejo Rodríguez <jredrejo AT edu.juntaextremadura.net> |
| Line 103: | Line 143: |
| * France Thierry Stauder <thierry AT skolelinux.fr> |
* Taiwan Andrew Lee (李健秋) <ajqlee AT debian.org> +886 988 978760 (cellphone) |
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| Tariq Farooqi <tariq AT linuxpakistan.net> +92-21-6622134 (cellphone) |
Tariq Farooqi <tariq AT linuxpakistan.org> +92-21-36622134 (officephone) |
| Line 120: | Line 157: |
| Manual, most current version: http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/Documentation/Lenny/ Manual, Translations: http://maintainer.skolelinux.org/debian-edu-doc/ Release notes: http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/ReleaseNotes Screenshot: http://www.slx.no/en/image-gallery |
|
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=== 2: Quotes === <fixme: please add user quotes> |
A complete featurue list http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/Documentation/Lenny/Features |
Press Package to be released to the media upon release of 5.0.
The press package contains the following pieces:
- A general press release announcing availability of Skolelinux 5.0.
- Links to screenshots
- What's new
- Quotes from users
- About Skolelinux
- General and local contacts
The press package is available in English and other languages: online at http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/PressReleases/
Media information
This is the freely available 'press package' about Debian Edu ("5.0.4+edu0"), which is a Debian Pure Blends Linux distribution based on Debian 5.0.4 ("Lenny").
For questions regarding the 'press package' or any content found within, please contact the Debian-Edu media contacts found here: http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/PressReleases/PressPackage_5.0/English
Press release
Debian-Edu: Skolelinux 5.0 available for free download!
Oslo, Hamburg, Badajoz, Tokio, Taipeh, Karachi - February 8, 2010
The Debian Edu Team is proud to make the next step in making free software suitable for educational purposes by releasing Skolelinux 5.0. Skolelinux is an adaptation of Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 "Lenny" coming with customized services to make an entire network of computers in schools and similar environments easy to setup and to maintain. Supported by regional and national projects in Norway, Germany, Spain, Denmark and even Taiwan and Japan, it is available in more than 50 languages. Skolelinux 5.0 is available free of charge at http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/Download.
As usual Skolelinux comes with predefined installation profiles making it easy to set up the network, ranging from the main server to workstations and even thinclients. Skolelinux is based on Debian 5.0 "Lenny" and therefore compatible with LSB 3.2, using kernel 2.6.26, KDE 3.5.10 and - for the first time supported in Skolelinux - GNOME 2.22.2.
The setup of terminal servers has been improved and now even supports diskless workstations out of the box making maintenance easier as software is installed and maintained centrally. Other improvements are web browser plugin support with free software products as Gnash, Java and other plug-ins. System administrators and teachers working in that function will be glad to see the machine and network monitoring setup, which reports the status of all machines added to the network automatically.
Screen shots are found here: http://www.slx.no/en/take-a-tour
Article about Skolelinux enterprise capabilities: http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/PressReleases/PressPackage_5.0/Enterprise
What's new in Skolelinux 5.0
Skolelinux is based on Debian 5.0 "Lenny" and therefore compatible with LSB 3.2, using kernel 2.6.26, KDE 3.5.10 and GNOME 2.22.2. The ?LinEx GNU/Linux based educational project of Extremadura in Spain has now merged with Debian Edu.
- The GNOME desktop is now supported in addition to KDE.
Improved student desktop with educational software shortcuts to GCompris, Kalzium, KGeography, KMplot, KStars, Stopmotion and the OpenOffice suite.
- The documentation has been further improved and translated from English to German, Italian and Norwegian. Incomplete translations are available for Spanish, French and Chinese. Please consider helping translating to your native language or reviewing the english original!
- Improved browser plug-in support with free software products as Gnash, Java and other plug-ins.
Added PulseAudio in addition to ALSA and OSS sound system for better audio and multimedia performance on workstations and diskless workstations machines.
- New PXE startup menu allowing users to choose between diskless workstation, thin client or workstation as well as PXE-install Skolelinux.
- Diskless workstations retrieve the OS and application software from the server, and then run them on the local machine. All software comes from the server instead of the local hard drive. That means software can be installed and maintained once for many clients.
- Improved and simplified user and machine administration tool known as LWAT (LDAP Web-based Administration Tool).
- Improved machine and network surveillance now reporting status on all machines added to the network.
Quotes
"It is easy to maintain. We have had a few startup problems, but surprisingly few", Monica Larssen, IT co-ordinator/ advisor in Harstad municipality says.
"After a few startup problems Skolelinux is now stable. It is very easy for me to maintain as a IT co-ordinator", says Astri Sletteng, IT co-ordinator at Ankenes and Håkvik school in Narvik municpality.
"We will most likely be able to reach the goals of The Knowledge Promotion Reform because of Skolelinux.", says principal Heidi Olsen Sværd at Håvik school in Narvik municipality.
Going forward
- The next milestone is a pointrelease, 5.0.4+edu1, around mid-March 2010, with updates to the documentation and its translations as well as some important bugfixes.
- The next further milestone of Skolelinux development includes the introduction of major new features and aims at release simultaneously with Debian Squeeze, which is currently scheduled for the second half of 2010. The Squeeze-based release (6.0.0+edu0) will include the Sugar desktop, an upgrade to KDE 4 and shall provide alternatives desktop environments for netbooks.
- Full support for social desktop features. Both Sugar Desktop and KDE 4 have built-in social desktop features. Sugar Desktop enables a journal where students can track their activities. Both Sugar and KDE 4 include online friend to friend and group communication for sharing content, tasks and activities. With exiting applications such as Turtle Art for simulations and Tam Tam for making music, students can explore, learn and grow.
About Skolelinux
Skolelinux is a complete software solution tailored to the needs of schools and other educational institutions. It provides a complete system, from the central server running all the services the school needs, to the desktop software students use in class. Skolelinux works out of the box, with no tricky setting up to perform. Skolelinux provides:
- Full support for networked thin clients, diskless workstations, workstations and laptops. With diskless workstations users get full PC functionality combined with the maintenance level of thin clients. Sound, video, USB memory sticks and DVDs are supported. A new start up screen also allows local installation over PXE.
Skolelinux has over 80 applications selected for educational use, available in over 50 languages. Many new applications have been introduced in addition to popular classics such as GCompris, KDE Edu, Firefox (branded as Iceweasel due to Trademark restrictions) and OpenOffice.org.
- Installation is a breeze. You can install Skolelinux from a network install CD or from a single DVD supporting several processor architectures (i386, PowerPC and AMD64/Intel EM64T). Skolelinux still has low hardware requirements. A diskless workstation runs nicely with 256 MB of RAM, local swap and a 800 MHz processor, though we recommend slightly more powerful specifications for multimedia use.
- Skolelinux is free software. The primary goal is to provide schools and students with every building block of a computer system. By providing an easy to use system, which also includes source code, students can study the software, learn and create with it. We emphasise learning by doing. Students can grow and excel by participation and sharing knowledge. The software has no restrictions on use, copying or learning.
Skolelinux is the result of the work of the Debian Edu project. Debian Edu is an official part of Debian, and Skolelinux is a "Debian Pure Blend". It is installed at many or all of the schools in municipalities, regions and cities throughout Europe, Asia and South America. Several regions and states run and maintain Skolelinux centrally by commercial service providers or public employees. Smaller installations at single schools can be maintained part-time by a teacher with no particular training. Reports from commercial and public installations suggest that diskless workstations require half the maintenance costs compared to any ordinary desktop alternative.
Contact information
<please: confirm this list>
- General information about Debian-Edu or Skolelinux:
- E-mail: debian-edu AT lists.debian.org
- Media contacts
- France
Xavier Oswald <xoswald AT debian.org>
- Germany
Alexander Reichle-Schmehl <tolimar AT debian.org>
Kurt Gramlich <kurt AT skolelinux.de>
- Norway
Knut Yrvin <knuty AT skolelinux.no> +47 934 79 561 (cellphone)
Ole-Anders Andreassen <olea AT skolelinux.no>
- Spain
José L. Redrejo Rodríguez <jredrejo AT edu.juntaextremadura.net>
- Taiwan
Andrew Lee (李健秋) <ajqlee AT debian.org> +886 988 978760 (cellphone)
- Pakistan
Tariq Farooqi <tariq AT linuxpakistan.org> +92-21-36622134 (officephone)
- France
For more information about Debian-Edu/Skolelinux please see our webpage at
Download:
Manual, most current version:
Manual, Translations: http://maintainer.skolelinux.org/debian-edu-doc/
Release notes:
Screenshot:
A complete list of improvements have been made available at http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/ReleaseNotes
A complete featurue list http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/Documentation/Lenny/Features