[Imc-oxford] rounded corners + linux

[MrDemeanour]

societelibre wrote:
> 
> finally, on that note, i know i haven't been involved in oarc so far,
> so i can't speak; but i went there a few times recently to realize
> that i actually couldn't boot linux on *any* computer there.... i was
> shocked!

Linux boots fine on the machine by the Windows :-) But I take your point...

> :-) how can a social centre pretend to be based on non-corporate
> values, non-hierarchy etc. and do not even try to introduce people to
> (arguably) one of the most successful non-corporate, non-hierarchical
> movement, i.e. the open-source movement? if it was just me i would
> say that there shouldn't be any windows machine in oarc, but i know
> that some people use software only available on windows (like for
> video) so one or two machines is probably necessary.

Yes. I don't know any good reason for using Windows as a platform for
running a browser and some  office productivity tools. Linux is just as
good, and just as easy to use.

I haven't been fighting this corner; I've been too busy putting the
infrastructure in place. As far as I'm concerned, the configuration of
the desktop workstations is strictly provisional. It hasn't been managed
at all - the desktop systems have been set up on an ad-hoc basis.

OARC agreed a plan to configure the majority of these systems with
Linux, authenticating against an NTLM domain hosted on the (Linux)
fileserver. This will soon be possible; then we can start reconfiguring
the desktops. Anyone who wants to help with pressing the agreed plan
forwards is welcome!

> i'm willing to install a very very user-friendly linux distro (so
> easy to use, you won't even believe it), Ubuntu
> (http://www.ubuntulinux.org), whenever ; it takes maybe 20 minutes to
> install. i just don't know what consensus i need to have to do that.
> i'll come to the meeting on thursday i think. :-)

Install it on the middle machine by the wall (away from the Windows :-).
I don't think you need approval to do this; as far as I'm aware, that
machine isn't currently running anything. I'd be interested to check out
Ubuntu. But my view is that we should aim to have as few different
desktop configurations as possible, so that [a] users can sit down at
more or less any machine and find a familiar environment; and [b] to
simplify administration.

-- 
Jack.