• Registered: 2010-08-28
  • Posts: 41

Topic: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

Greetings to the CrunchBang people

This is my first posting, so please have patience.

I've just started a course on basic data networks at the vocational training level. Their lecture script, the usual ethernet and TCP/IP stuff, is perfectly OK. But exercises for practical classes are completely missing. And there is a practical problem too: These junsters have seen only Windows and sort of scared of Linux. Although the hardware of the lab is excellent the software is cumbersome: all of them run Windows XP as the host system, students work on their XP guest systems on VMware Workstation! My idea is to give them a small but powerfull Linux system, without installion on the harddisk. The alternatives are USB memory stick or PXE netboot.

My question to the CrunchBang people is this: Suppose I install CrunchBang on one of the computers, native, polish it like compiling network drivers into the kernel, adding more packages, is it a good and a viable idea to distribute the result in the class, as memory-stick of PXE?

  • Registered: 2010-03-26
  • Posts: 548

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

Your enthusiasm and good intentions to introduce your classmates to Linux not withstanding perhaps it's more important to remember that you paid for a Microsoft class and will receive a Microsoft certificate.  In that respect Linux plays no part, however the administration may let you use their equipment after hours -- sort of an extracurricular project.  I had a "friend" who was a Microsoft instructor.  He wouldn't even hear of Linux being  used outside of [massive] system servers but it amazed him to no end just how fast my device booted and how well it did what it was designed to do.  wink

I wish you well on your project and, believe it or not, hope to hear that you've proved me wrong about my viewpoint.  big_smile  BTW welcome to the forums.  [nice nickname -- need nice avatar to complement it]

  • From: California, USA
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 8,647

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

I would choose a different Linux since CrunchBang 9.04 is near its end of support. But other than that I wish you luck as well.

Note: ** Please read before posting **

BTW if you wish to contact me, send me an e-mail instead of a PM.
  • Registered: 2010-08-28
  • Posts: 41

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

winotree wrote:

Your enthusiasm and good intentions to introduce your classmates to Linux not withstanding perhaps it's more important to remember that you paid for a Microsoft class and will receive a Microsoft certificate. In that respect Linux plays no part, however the administration may let you use their equipment after hours -- sort of an extracurricular project.

Oh gosh! I happen to be the teacher! No, it is not for some M$ certificate, vocational training here is for apprentices who have chosen IT as their future profession.

winotree wrote:

I had a "friend" who was a Microsoft instructor.  He wouldn't even hear of Linux being  used outside of [massive] system servers but it amazed him to no end just how fast my device booted and how well it did what it was designed to do.  ;)

I know that part well. The art of Unix is not to humilate those "Instructors".

winotree wrote:

I wish you well on your project and, believe it or not, hope to hear that you've proved me wrong about my viewpoint.  :D  BTW welcome to the forums.  [nice nickname -- need nice avatar to complement it]

You were wrong at least in one point. ;-)

I'll write something in the Introductions forum, if I decide to continue with CrunchBang.

anonymous wrote:

I would choose a different Linux since CrunchBang 9.04 is near its end of support. But other than that I wish you luck as well.

What do you mean? CrunchBang not developed or maintained further?

  • From: California, USA
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
  • Posts: 8,647

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

CrunchBang is still being developed but Statler (the next version of #!) and Debian Squeeze are not yet "Stable".

Note: ** Please read before posting **

BTW if you wish to contact me, send me an e-mail instead of a PM.
  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2009-06-29
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

Upanishad wrote:
anonymous wrote:

I would choose a different Linux since CrunchBang 9.04 is near its end of support. But other than that I wish you luck as well.

What do you mean? CrunchBang not developed or maintained further?

9.04 is based on Ubuntu 9.04 As such the support side of things is all up to Ubuntu, which has decided to end support this coming October. CrunchBang is still in development, it's got an Alpha 2 out based on Debian, which many people in the forums (myself included) are already using. This new Crunchbang will be out sometime after Squeeze goes stable.

just call me...
~FSM~
  • Registered: 2010-08-28
  • Posts: 41

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

FiniteStateMachine wrote:

9.04 is based on Ubuntu 9.04 As such the support side of things is all up to Ubuntu, which has decided to end support this coming October. CrunchBang is still in development, it's got an Alpha 2 out based on Debian, which many people in the forums (myself included) are already using. This new Crunchbang will be out sometime after Squeeze goes stable.

I noticed that in the wallpaper forum too. Taking Debian as the base system is OK for me, as long as the distribution is kept updated. The current status "unstable" for sqeeze too is not a problem for my purpose as a classroom OS (details in the OP).

  • Registered: 2010-03-26
  • Posts: 548

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

Um, Upanishad, please ignore the old man in the corner.  neutral 

NOTE - as you're the instructor go ahead and do it, then.  wink

Last edited by winotree (2010-08-28 16:49:13)

  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2009-06-29
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

@Upanishad, actually squeeze is testing. And testing is recently frozen, so there won't be any major updates for a while, and then it will become 'stable'.

just call me...
~FSM~
  • Registered: 2010-08-28
  • Posts: 41

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

FiniteStateMachine wrote:

actually squeeze is testing. And testing is recently frozen, so there won't be any major updates for a while, and then it will become 'stable'.

Sorry, for calling Squeeze "unstable", I should have checked! Yes it was "testing" until the 6. August, now frozen. Stable enough for me. ;-)

winotree wrote:

NOTE - as you're the instructor go ahead and do it, then.  ;)

In effect, you say Yes to my original question?

Upanishad wrote:

Suppose I install CrunchBang on one of the computers, native, polish it like compiling network drivers into the kernel, adding more packages, is it a good and a viable idea to distribute the result in the class, as memory-stick of PXE?

  • From: Santa Fe, NM, USA
  • Registered: 2009-09-14
  • Posts: 1,406

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

I have a young friend ... has always been a computer geek. 
I first heard about Linux through him;  about 5 years ago, when he was in high school he was trying to install Fedora on his own PC .
Never did get it to boot.

Anyway, he's presently attending classes at Devry Technical School.
Most classes there are for Windows, but he said in one class they are looking into 'alternate Operating Systems'

In the 'alternate OS' class ... they started with Fedora 9 and have now 'advance' to Ubuntu 9.04.

I say ... go for it.  Great to expose the kids to new and 'alternate' computer systems.

Registered Linux User: #497030
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#!Crunchbang 'Statler' (Openbox) -- LinuxMint-Debian-Fluxbox Edition
  • pvsage
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  • Registered: 2009-10-18
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Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

Upanishad wrote:
winotree wrote:

NOTE - as you're the instructor go ahead and do it, then.  wink

In effect, you say Yes to my original question?

Upanishad wrote:

Suppose I install CrunchBang on one of the computers, native, polish it like compiling network drivers into the kernel, adding more packages, is it a good and a viable idea to distribute the result in the class, as memory-stick of PXE?

Lots of people on this forum have gone the bootable USB route.  I don't know about PXE or netboot, but those appear to be very doable for Debian.

If your real question is "Is it OK with yous if I do this?" I'm sure that Corenominal/Philip (CrunchBang's sole developer) would be honored.  Besides...GPL...

while ( ! ( succeed = try() ) );
  • Registered: 2010-08-28
  • Posts: 41

Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

Hi all

Linux & Co. has too many facets, and we get diverted!

vrkalak wrote:

I say ... go for it.  Great to expose the kids to new and 'alternate' computer systems.

My primary intention is not idealogical rather practical. Compare the wealth of network tools under Linux, their efficience and elegance to a cumbersome Windows on Windows bloat. Yes, the standard setup here is an unprivileged account on a Windows XP host and an own XP VMware VM for each trainee!

If I make it to do the same on Linux that migh motivate some trainees to go further. But that would be just a side effect for me.

pvsage wrote:

If your real question is "Is it OK with yous if I do this?" I'm sure that Corenominal/Philip (CrunchBang's sole developer) would be honored.  Besides...GPL...

I understand the legal aspect, basically GPL, and aware that there are no legal obstalcles.

pvsage wrote:

Lots of people on this forum have gone the bootable USB route.  I don't know about PXE or netboot, but those appear to be very doable for Debian.

Yes, my question was technical. I plan to install additional packages and customize the distribution for the environment (two network cards, serial communication) and for netboot and/or usb-boot. Need an estimation how difficult it going to be. Would be happy for tutorials or other documents. The course has already started with the Windows version.

  • pvsage
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  • Registered: 2009-10-18
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Re: Preliminary question on distributing with added packages, drivers, ...

Have you looked here?  Not much info on that page, but it links to pages that have more.

while ( ! ( succeed = try() ) );