[K12OSN] State of K12LTSP?

[R. Scott Belford]

Terrell Prudé Jr. wrote:
> 
> I can tell you, from the perspective of someone who's tried both of 
> them, multiple versions, side-by-side that K12LTSP hasn't require *any* 
> tweaking to "just work."  Eric did a really bang-up job on the 
> integration and has for years.  And K12LTSP, especially in its "EL" 
> incarnations, is rock-solid for stability.
> 
> Actually, Edubuntu has twice failed me in demos, and fortunately I had a 
> K12LTSP server with me both times to back me up (confirmed later not to 
> be HW failures).  I haven't yet tried Edubuntu Gutsy Gibbon, due to lack 
> of time; it may well be really nice at this point, and if it solves the 
> problems I ran into, then that would be suh-weet.  I use Feisty Fawn in 
> "thick client" mode quite a bit and generally like the *buntu distros a lot.

With respect to Edubuntu, this thread emerged earlier this month

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/edubuntu-users/2007-December/002964.html

In summary, I would state that the K12LTSP continues to be profoundly 
well-configured to provide a positive, out-of-the-box experience for a 
new user.  We have grown accustomed to, and never been let down by, the 
amazing work of our own superman, Eric Harrison.  With the likes of Paul 
Nelson and the strong supporting cast of the K12OSN list, it is a mature 
and refined project.  The one negative, if you will, is that we all must 
hope and pray that kryptonite and Eric do not meet.

Having watched the evolution of Skolelinux, now debian-edu, I am deeply 
impressed by the culture that perpetuates this project.  There is a 
mature and accomplished support base on the mailing list, and the 
culture of development benefits from its adherence to debian packaging 
policies since it is a CDD.  There is not a dependence on a single 
individual.  We *all* could benefit from integrating their LDAP backend 
and web-based gui to manage users into the K12LTSP.  This project, with 
support from the Norwegian government, has evolved with fat, thin, and 
thick clients all being seamlessly integrated with an LDAP and NFS server.

Edubuntu continues to be full of promise and glory - with the next 
release.  I converted several users simply because of LTSP5 and the fact 
that 7.10 was the result of the vision of muekow and all the amazing 
development behind LTSP5.  The problem is that Edubuntu does not have 
Eric Harrison or the packaging policies of Debian, therefore the tweaks 
required to configure a fresh 7.10 with mixed hardware are absolutely 
not acceptable for a new user.  Whereas Eric and this list keep most 
from falling through the cracks, and debian-edu makes it a policy to 
create a distro for the average teacher with only a few available admin 
hours a week, the final word on the Edubuntu users list was that a 
newbie will need to buy support from Canonical if they can't figure 
things out on their own.

All this said, I hope that the future State of the K12LTSP is to

a. Integrate a sustainable LDAP/NFS/Authentication solution, be it FDS 
or debian-edu's solution
b. Include LTSP5
c. Follow the lead of Skolelinux and create a fedora-edu distro just as 
they have developed a debian-edu distro.  It would, of course, be a 
shame to once again see the work of debian replicated, not collaborated, 
but that is what idealism is for.
d. Create a culture of development and support that is stronger than any 
one individual.

> 
> --TP

--scott