Re: [Valai-admin] Some project Ideas

[Muthu N. <mu...@mu...>]

Dear Sivaraj,

This is a good post and highlights the priorities we need to focus on.

You're right about the bloated part and it can be a heavy load on older =
machines.=20

I am trying to put together a server configuration for a number Tamil =
schools here in Malaysia - where each pupil can be given an email =
account and a local web server to host some of their lessons (at least =
until they get a permenant Internet connection).  Vasee did send me a =
list of tools I can download - haven't done that yet.  If there is a =
"ready-made" light weight server somewhere, that'll save me a lot of =
time.  Also, three of the machines I'm configuring are old SPARC systems =
with 32MB of memory.

Once I have the basic server, I can then add the web-based admin tool =
that Vasee pointed me to.

anbudan,

~ MUTHU
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Sivaraj Doddannan=20
  To: val...@li... ; pra...@ya...=20
  Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2002 9:13 PM
  Subject: Re: [Valai-admin] Some project Ideas


  Dear Prabu,=20

  A couple of quick answers.=20

  The "valai" project is a an INFITT effort. There exists already an =
working group in INFITT that deals with glossary of computer terms. This =
WG has already released a word list. Many of its members have worked =
with Tamil Linux team to provide Tamil translations. So we will not be =
duplicating these efforts here.=20

  Developing spell checking in Tamil is much more than developing a =
glossary. Probably we should add a spell checking project to valai.=20

  As for LTSP in MDK 9.0: Mandrake is bloated. I came to this sudden =
realisation this past week end. I had loaded MDK 9.0 last week, and was =
trying get some things done. But while there were too many packages, =
those that I needed didn't seem to work properly. So I wiped out my root =
partition and started loading debian - my first step into Debian.=20

  Anyway why I am saying this is, If we are planning to install Linux on =
Tamil schools, we need a distribution that just works, and has all the =
essential packages. This need not come in three different CDs or a DVD. =
One CD for server and one CD for client should do. Or even the client =
can be set up as netboot, and just a server CD should be suffient for =
most locations. There shouldn't even be any need for package selection =
or any other parameter selection. Just insert the CD and set the root =
password. But every package in this should be tested properly. We can =
achieve this only if we do our own distribution.=20

  I agree with you that we need to tap the college students doing =
projects. Let us think of some ideas. The main drawback there is the =
lack of internet connectivity in most colleges. It is difficult to =
support them unless they have a solid email connectivity. We should =
probably start with colleges that already have internet access.=20

  Another problem is most of the Open Source projects that we have are =
incremental (as in your project example). These may not appeal much to =
student as well as evaluators. We need to educate the students and =
teachers to this effect. Most of the real life work is done in =
increments anyway.=20

  Narayanan: Please invite Dinesh and Muguntharaj to valai-team. Their =
email ids are n_d...@ya... and mug...@ya... resp. BTW, =
how many members are there in the valai-team list. I didn't see any mail =
after your invitation mail.=20

  -Sivaraj.