[K12OSN] Where is K12LTSP at?

[David Hopkins]

> I've been using K12LTSP in our high school for 6 or 7 years.  Just how long
> I'm not too sure.  I was alway reading every single post for the first 4 or
> 5 years but was never one to often lend technical answers.  Others here just
> had more skill.  I'm a full time teacher and just kept busy with the extra 3
> K12 servers, 90 clients and another 12 or so servers...
>
> Now that K12LTSP 5 based on Centos has come out the list has slowed down it
> seems.  I still see Rob O and others here, David H I see in my google
> contacts, but I don't know where others like Eric are or if they are still
> involved with K12LTSP.

I still monitor this list and find it useful but you are right, the
number of posts to it have decreased tremendously in the last year or
so.

> Fedora LTSP is out and I wonder if some of the skilled users have moved over
> or have they stopped using LTSP all toegther?  I'm hesitant to make a switch
> as the Centos5 based K12LTSP seems to be the most stable to date, easy to
> install and configure.

I am using the Centos5 version on all my servers (6 LTSP servers, 200+
thin clients, 4 other servers at present). I know I am not getting the
latest/greatest that LTSP provides but I've also seen people reporting
issues and I just haven't had the time to sort out if K12Linux will
run on the thin client hardware that I have available.  In particular,
I have a lot of Via EPIA 533-based thin clients that the school
purchased.  These have to work or else I cannot justify the switch.
However,  the only real driving reason for me to upgrade is to
finally, once-and-for-all, get sound working properly with support for
local microphones as well.  That is the driving issue for me (and if
you search this list, you'll notice it is the primary issue that I
have had.) So .. I know the limitations of what I have.  If I switch
and things are not noticeably better the teachers will not be happy.
The other concern is that the new version seems to introduce a major
change in where configuration files are located, how thin clients
communicate with the server and other issues.  I think my switches can
handle this but with my older servers I'm not sure if they will still
be able to handle the same number of clients.

> What I'm doing is getting ready for the next change up.  Thinking ahead and
> starting to look at what may be involved for a change.  How long do you all
> plan to remain with the K12LTSP5?

I have an x86 server that I will be rebuilding 'shortly' which means
'by the end of the school year' since any change in our systems will
occur over the summer.  I am hopefully going to be able to upgrade all
the LTSP servers at that time but the authentication, backup and file
servers will not be upgrading from CentOS 5 unless I don't have any
other options.

Sincerely,
Dave Hopkins