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[Alug]Introduction of GNU/Linux to Bourne School
by Ben Francis 14 May '03

14 May '03

Dear LUGers I'm been on the ALUG and PLUG mailing lists for some time now (watching and listening) and I'm a sixth form student at Bourne Grammar School. The school is seriously considering setting up a room of around 10 dedicated linux machines in our IT suite which will be a welcome addition to our current NT/2000 network of around 200 PCs. The Director, Mr C. has tried to install Debian at home but has come across the same problems as I did, both of us being newbies to GNU/Linux. We've set up one box in the school with Redhat 8.0 which worked fine and can see the network, but at the moment is sitting there doing nothing (mainly due to my exams). The primary aim is to introduce Open Source to the school on some old 233Mhz PIIs that will be available to use when we (eventually) get a new batch of PCs before the end of the academic year. But if we're going to be able to justify removing the "friendly world of microsoft" from an entire IT room the machines will have to be usable by everyone in the school for at least some things. They'll ideally need to access their existing Windows home directories, shared printers etc. and at the least be able to use them for word processing with Open Office and web browsing. We're also looking at the possibility of using GNU/Linux for file servers, print servers or even an internal web server running Apache (so I can do PHP programming! yey!) We're still looking at lots of different distros but it's currently looking like we'll either be going for RedHat or Debian. I'm open to either but really want to get to know Debian which seems the geekier of the two :-) Firstly I was considering buying a book, either for me or through the school to get me/us started, and wondered if you had any recommendations. I liked the look of "Learning Debian GNU/Linux" [http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1565927052/qid%3D1052832905/026-24 92735-5301226] but the reviews on Amazon seem rather negative. It comes with and is written for Debian 2.1 - should we be using Debian 3.0? Secondly I'd like to ask if anyone in either ALUG or PLUG would be willing to give us any help. We'd LOVE to have someone come in and help us out and if someone would be willing to do a workshop style session for a group of students on either how to install Linux or the basics of using it that could also be an option. There's always the possibility of trying to arrange holding an actual LUG meeting with the school as the venue (?), I've seen requests for a LUG meeting in Bourne on the lists before.- (At school, we have power sockets, a LAN and a dedicated 2 meg internet connection to play with. And round the corner from a few pubs if you are so inclined, what more could we ask for?) If I can prove that Linux can easily be set up to run side by side with our Micro$oft dominated network with no real problems, then there's a real possibility of the Linux liberation to spread to other parts of the school, and in the longrun saving the school a LOT of money on software licences. I'm open to any ideas and support in my quest for Open Source in school would be greatly appreciated! Regards Ben "tola" Francis PS. thanks for reading my novel length email! hippygeek.co.uk - me bourne-grammar.lincs.sch.uk -school imen.org.uk -us tolagrafix.co.uk -work ---there is no spoon---

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[Alug]Automatic Log-out Program
by Dan Hatton 13 May '03

13 May '03

I'd like to know the name of a program that is to u?xterm as autolog is to virtual terminal, i.e. that listens for key-presses, and closes the u?xterm if there are none for just over two hours.� It's annoying me by closing my uxterms in the middle of large (ftp)|(smtp)|(apt) transactions, and I can't stop it running without knowing what it's called. Any suggestions, please? -- Ta Dan Hatton <http://www.bib.hatton.btinternet.co.uk/dan/>

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Re: [Alug]Routers
by me＠davidfairey.org.uk 12 May '03

12 May '03

> You should look carefully at the different ISPs before jumping in, as not > all are created equal. Start with http://www.adslguide.org. Avoid anyone > who wants you to sign up for a year, and (this is an opinion) anyone who > insists on bundling a USB modem. Consider going with someone who offers > fixed IP addresses; it doesn\'t have to cost more and you can plonk down a > public server anytime you like. Go for a \'wires only\' service, though there > is an advantage in getting the router from your ISP; they\'re more likely to > talk to you when things go wrong (as they do). I would suggest Andrews&Arnold (www.aaisp.net) for they do support Linux users and supply a number of fixed IP addresses free of charge. Although they are more expensive. They also sell routers which AFAIK come automatically configured for your connection. D.

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Re: [Alug]Sundays meeting who's comming then?
by Jenny_Hopkins＠toby-churchill.com 12 May '03

12 May '03

>So I'll take my copy of Unix for BO sufferers and a flask of sad and lonely >juice and sit there bored then. :-) Hey, just cause you'll be sad and lonely doesn' t mean your poor juice has to be too ;-) I've got a new bike so can't wait to ride it over your way - depends if I'm going to see my folks or not though this weekend. Jenny (ZXR400, in response to everyone's unbridled curiosity ;-))

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Re: RE: [Alug]Sundays meeting who's comming then?
by jamie.french＠talk21.com 12 May '03

12 May '03

I should be there, though still awaiting for my pass to be signed by the wife :) Any topics for this meeting? Take Care, Jamie > > From: John Woodard [mailto:mail@johnwoodard.co.uk] > > So far it looks like its just me on Sunday for the meeting! > >I /should/ be there, but am going to be busy the day before at the AFFSAC >(<a Target='_new' Href='http://talk21.btopenworld.com/redirect.html?http://www.affs.org.uk/)'>http://www.affs.org.uk/)</a> so /may/ not make it. > >Adam > >_______________________________________________ >main(a)lists.alug.org.uk ><a Target='_new' Href='http://talk21.btopenworld.com/redirect.html?http://www.alug.org.uk/'>http://www.alug.org.uk/</a> ><a Target='_new' Href='http://talk21.btopenworld.com/redirect.html?http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailma…'>http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main</a> >Unsubscribe? See message headers or the web site above! Best Regards, Jamie French -------------------- talk21 your FREE portable and private address on the net at http://www.talk21.com

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RE: [Alug]Sundays meeting who's comming then?
by Adam Bower 12 May '03

12 May '03

> From: John Woodard [mailto:mail@johnwoodard.co.uk] > So far it looks like its just me on Sunday for the meeting! I /should/ be there, but am going to be busy the day before at the AFFSAC (http://www.affs.org.uk/) so /may/ not make it. Adam

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[Alug]Weekly IRC reminder
by Neill Newman 12 May '03

12 May '03

This is the automated ALUG IRC meeting reminder sent to remind you that there is an IRC meeting tonight (Monday) at 8.00pm. The meeting takes place on the irc server irc.alug.org.uk in the #alug channel. Most IRC clients should allow you to get there with the commands "/server irc.alug.org.uk" and "/join #alug". Popular IRC clients include tkirc, bitchx, xchat and EPIC on Unix, and Mirc under windows. Here are some links to help you get started with irc. Unix http://www.xchat.org/ http://freshmeat.net/ http://www.epicsol.org/ Windows http://www.mirc.com (loads of help with irc for newbies!)

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[Alug]FW: Penguicon
by Keith Watson 11 May '03

11 May '03

From: Andy Potter; > > Keith, > > I thought this might appeal to you: http://penguicon.sourceforge.net/ > > Andy > One of my colleagues sent me this link and I thought it would be of interest to the list :o) Keith ____________ CONSULT, v.i. To seek another's disapproval of a course already decided on. Ambrose Bierce - The Devil's Dictionary

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RE: [Alug]Routers
by Adam Bower 10 May '03

10 May '03

> From: me(a)davidfairey.org.uk [mailto:me@davidfairey.org.uk] > I would suggest Andrews&Arnold (www.aaisp.net) for they do support > Linux users and supply a number of fixed IP addresses free of charge. > Although they are more expensive. They also sell routers which AFAIK > come automatically configured for your connection. They also charge a fairly hefty connection fee but the good sides are they made BT fix our phone line that was not suitable for ADSL (BT said we could never have adsl as we were too far from the exchange and other lies), replied to my one and only tech query in record time (i.e. out of hours!) and setup the reverse DNS I asked for about 2 minutes afterwards, gave me an ipv6 connection along with the ipv4, got us online in 3 days (from initial order to connection!), support linux (and any OS you like if it has an tcp/ip stack and can connect to adsl then they will endeavor to help you out), they also gave us a useful setup book with all of our connection details in which will be most useful when something goes wrong and we can't remember our password or server names or something. In all, I can't fault them. This is definetly a case of "you get what you pay for" I will definetly be buying adsl connection services from them in the future. Adam

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[Alug]could Barry Samuels please mail me his address?!
by Adam Bower 09 May '03

09 May '03

Sorry about the spam but I can't get hold of him directly and I have his Debian CDs sitting here, unfortunatly I have lost his address! Oh and if people want Debian testing CDs (or stable) or Knoppix let me know. Thanks Adam -- jabberid = quinophex(a)jabber.earth.li AFFS || http://www.affs.org.uk/ || Not a filesystem

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