I am lucky enough to have an actual server available for 'testing' before I have to upgrade the primary systems so I haven't really investigated using VMware. Now that I know it can be done, I will definitely consider it. Time, have to find more time. My only issue at present is the lack of i20 support in the latest anaconda installer. I will probably be purchasing a different RAID controller shortly, just hate 'wasting' those 2010s I already have. Dave ... <div>On 1/19/07, Rob Owens <<a href="mailto:hick518@yahoo.com">hick518@yahoo.com</a>> wrote:<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> Dave, You might want to consider using VMware to do a test-install of the latest version of K12LTSP. They have a free-of-charge version now. I've installed it on a couple different machines, so I could give you pointers if you need it. Also, somebody mentioned upgrading to the latest version of LTSP on your current K12LTSP installation. I can probably help you with that, too. I upgraded LTSP on an Ubuntu machine and the LTSP installer lets you save the new LTSP tree w/o erasing the old one. For instance, you can have /opt/ltsp_old_version and /opt/ltsp_new_version. Then to switch back and forth between the two versions, it's just a matter of changing a few config files to give the proper location of the kernels and the root path, etc. -Rob (in NJ) --- David Hopkins <<a href="mailto:dahopkins429@gmail.com">dahopkins429@gmail.com </a>> wrote: > Thanks! Thanks! Looks like my weekend is going to > be busy. I'll try to > answer alot of questions so far. > > My thin clients are based on the Via Epia 533 mb > (Casetronic) with 128mnb > memory and 15" LCD monitors so that isn't a problem. > We do have some older > recycled PC's, but ... everyone that says they have > to have sound have the > Epias. We have 10 Windows-based desktops (certain > staff members that have > to work with the state) and 3 wireless laptop labs. > > The school director has been very supportive, but > also has 40+ > teachers/staff and next year NCS adds grades K-4 > (650 students) so we will > be a K-8 charter school (1300+ students). All > students/staff/teachers have > individual login accounts. Maintaining this hasn't > been a real issue for > the most part (4-6 hours per week mostly, after it > is set up) except for the > sound issue. The school can get donated PC's (PIII > 1GHz) with Windows 2000 > for essentially no cost through a state PC-recycling > program that numerous > companies contribute their older systems, so I have > a difficult time with > making the case that upfront, moving to Windows is > more costly. (I have my > MCSE for Windows thanks to my real job, though I am > actually an engineer and > do the IT-stuff as needed) App-wise, we use > StarOffice (site license for > what, about $70.00 total?) and mostly opensource > everywhere else (exception > is Type to Learn and now UnitedStreaming). The > state provides the student > attendance/class scheduling software (requires IE at > present though the next > version is supposedly browser-agnostic). I have two > Windows terminal > servers to handle windows-specific apps. (one for > teachers, one for > students). > > My only other concern is that my switches may need > to be upgraded (I have > netgear equipment, 24 and 48 port switches with > Gigabit links to the > servers). The K12LTSP servers are all dual 2.4Ghz > with u320 SCSI, 8Gb > memory. I still have that issue where I can't use > the hardware RAID at > present, but ... will sort it out eventually. > > As mentioned, since sound works for things like > tuxtype, I should be close > to having it all in place. Haven't tried compiling > from source in a long > time, so ... we will see. :) > > I am a stickler on my licensing. Many of the > OSS-friendly companies have a > hard enough time without stretching the definition > of what constitutes a > system and user. I will contact codeweavers and see > what options are > available. As for next year when we add the other > grades, I am talking with > the IT director and the school director to determine > how much support I can > reasonably provide. If they stay with K12LTSP and > minimal desktops, it can > be done without much additional effort. Also, the IT > director is coming > along in handling routine day-to-day issues. If the > schools goes completely > to Windows, then they will need to add a full time > staff person just to > handle the sudden addition of 300+ desktop systems > probably. That is one of > the really strong points about the linux-based thin > client approach: once > you have it set up, it will typically just run > without many issues. > > If I can just get through this deadline, then with > the advances occurring > with LTSP, things should be in very good shape for > next fall. > > Again, thanks to everyone who responded. I will let > you know how it turns > out. And ... if I can learn enough, all of this > would be very good to put > on the wiki. I know alot is there, but a 'from > scratch with this distro' > approach can't hurt. Just have to find time. > > Sincerely, > Dave Hopkins > > > > On 1/19/07, Krsnendu dasa <<a href="mailto:krsnendu108@gmail.com"> krsnendu108@gmail.com</a>> > wrote: > > > > On 20/01/07, John Lucas <<a href="mailto:mrjohnlucas@gmail.com">mrjohnlucas@gmail.com</a>> > wrote: > > > > > As long as you have basic ESD sound working you > should be able to get > > the the > > > other critical applications running. I don't > know where you got mplayer > > from, > > > but when I installed it, it did not have ESD > support compiled into the > > RPMs, > > > so I had to build my own from sources. To > illustrate, here is the > > initial > > > result from the "mplayer -ao help" command: > > Yes It is much better to install from source. > Follow the instructions@ > > > <a href="http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mplayer-fedora.html">http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mplayer-fedora.html </a> > > The key point is to have esd support. It should be > autodetected during > > configuration > > > > > > The other important application is Flash9. You > need to compile the > > support > > > addon from RevolutionLinux: > > > > > > > <a href="http://pulseaudio.revolutionlinux.com/PulseAudio">http://pulseaudio.revolutionlinux.com/PulseAudio</a> > > > > > > I have both Mplayer and Flash9 working on > K12LTSP v5 (LTSP v4.2u4). It > > *can* > > > be done. It is way important to carefully follow > the troubleshooting > > > instructions for LTSP sound on the wiki without > skipping any steps. > > Make sure you add the cron job script that keeps > Flash sound working. > > > > > > > Next, my version of LTSP still has the 'only > works for first user' > > issue. > > > > > What are you intending to upgrade? If all you > want is to upgrade LTSP, > > then > > > dowload the latest "ltspadmin" and upgrade. If > you want to upgrade the > > base > > > OS, you *could* use K12LTSP v6 (which used > Fedora Core 6 as it's base), > > but > > > at this late date, you might have to completely > start over, since it > > > represents a major departure from previous LTSP > versions (using muekow > > > instead of a separate LTSP distribution). I > haven't tried it yet myself, > > so > > > seek those with greater experience with the new > version. > > > > Correction:. K12LTSP is still based on LTSP4.2 > > The next version based on Fedora Core 7 will be > muekow-based. I am > > using K12LTSP6 and find it very similar to Core 5. > > However, as long as you have the latest version of > LTSP 4.2, there is > > probably no need to upgrade to get sound working. > I had Mplayer and > > Flash (older version) working fine with K12LTSP5. > Now I have Mplayer > > and Flash 9 working well with sound. I have > installed shockwave with > > Crossover Linux. With other apps I had some > trouble with client sound > > in crossover (Powerpoint specifically), but I am > sure others have had > > more success than me. > > I just tested Shockwave on the server. The sound > works fine. I haven't > > tested it on a client yet. > > > > > > Finally, pulseaudio, asla, esd, nasd, > gstreamer etc have been > > mentioned as > > > > possible solutions to the 'sound issue', but > currently it appears that > > > > there isn't a firm solution. I have been > trying to get a solid > > solution > > > > for literally a few years now. I have had > sound working at varous > > times, > > > > but then it would lag so severely in videos as > to be useless. > > > > Powers-that-be want (demand) a solution by > February 16th. Since I > > can't > > > > work on the systems during the day, I have > weekends and some > > evenings. I > > > > am willing to try any suggestions this > weekend. I am not a Linux > > guru, > > > > but am also not completely new to this. > > > > > > Pulse audio and better support for local apps are > very promising for > > improving sound performance but they are not > easily set up in ltsp > > yet. Hopefully in April when Meukow K12LTSP comes > out. Still esd > > seems to work ok for now. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > K12OSN mailing list > > <a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a> > > <a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> > > For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org">http://www.k12os.org</a>> > > > > _______________________________________________ > K12OSN mailing list > <a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com"> K12OSN@redhat.com</a> > <a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> > For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org">http://www.k12os.org</a> > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Finding fabulous fares is fun. Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight and hotel bargains. <a href="http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097">http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097</a> _______________________________________________ K12OSN mailing list <a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com"> K12OSN@redhat.com</a> <a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org">http://www.k12os.org</a>> </blockquote></div>