The K-12 Open Source Classroom

Bringing Open Source (Free and Free) into the Classroom

Posts Tagged linux

K-12 Online Conference

Sep 5

Posted by admin in OSS Applications, Professional Development, open source | 1 Comment

K-12 Online

K-12 Online Conference--Free!

With school in session, conference season will start ramping up again as well.  With the economy, fewer people attend conferences, but they still need the expertise and ideas they would find at a conference.  Right here is where the K-12 Online Conference (http://k12onlineconference.org/) can help.  We reviewed this conference last year (http://www.k12opensourceclassroom.org/?p=117), but basically, people from around the country and world get together for a few weeks to provide asynchronous and synchronous sessions on a variety of technology items.

The greatest thing about the conference is that EVERYONE in the field participates.  From hands-on to keynotes, everyone comes, and you can learn a lot!   Lots of sessions on all the buzz items, such as Moodle, Mahara, and other course/content management systems, open source apps, and I am guessing this year we’ll see more with Apple and Android apps. You can even earn CEUs, if needed, although check that out ahead of time.  Visit the conference and share with your friends!

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Oracle’s Axis of Evil

Aug 30

Posted by admin in OSS Applications, open source | No Comments

Do you remember this clip from Saturday Night Live from a few years back?  Will Ferrell, as George W. Bush, listing his ‘Axis of Evil.’ Hilarious stuff, as pretty much everything (Evil Knievel even) joined his Axis.  Well now, not to many people’s surprise, Oracle joined the OSS world’s Axis of Evil.  For years we had Microsoft and Apple, but lately, Microsoft seems to be the OSS darling, Apple still is evil, but just harmless, and Oracle trumps them all.  What happened, and why should educators worry?  Well, database company Oracle, which is quite popular, but loathed, recently purchased Sun Microsystems.  Sun developed many products, including the popular Java programming language, Open Office, the popular and free office suite, Virtual Box, the free virtual machine software we reviewed here: http://www.k12opensourceclassroom.org/?p=114, and other open source projects.

When Oracle made the purchase, we all began to sweat.  Now that they made it, we are starting to see their intentions.  They filed patent infringement suits right away against Google for infringement of Java on Android.  They splashed their name all over VirtualBox and Open Office, and we hear rumors that they want to take some of these products closed source.  Make a buck, make a buck.  What will probably ultimately happen in many cases, is the projects forking.  Oracle keeping theirs, and a continued OSS version.  That will be fine, but we will lose the expertise of the Sun/Oracle developers.  You really cannot majorly fault Oracle (although we will), as they do just what a business should.  When you get to it, all businesses work to make money.  Some in just different ways.  This acquisition, though, will really stifle creativity, and the looming battle of Android could ultimately change the number one mobile OS.  Just as I get my Evo.  Time will tell, but we will watch this battle closely…

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Google Bell?

Aug 28

Posted by admin in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Google Calling

Google Calling

What will they think of next?  On the heels of Google Video Talk, you now can place calls from your browser to landline and cell lines.  This reeks of Skype and other VOIP software, but you would be foolish if you did not see this coming.

So now you can dial phones right from your Gmail page.  You need to download the voice plugin (if you did not already use it for Video chat), and it DOES come in Windows, Mac, and Linux versions.  My screenshot shows me using it in Ubuntu.

So why excited about this in education?  Think of the ability for students to call whoever they need, right from their browser.  They can call historical sites, distance learning teachers, travel agencies, businesses, etc.  Just with a set of headphones/microphone.

Another helpful innovation from Google.  Truly, what will come next?

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Dexpot–Get ‘Linux-style’ Multiple Windows on Windows

Aug 26

Posted by admin in Uncategorized | No Comments

Dexpot

Multiple Desktops in Windows 7 with Dexpot

Yeah, I know, Windows on Windows.  So sad this does not come default with Windows, and not just XP, but their mighty Windows 7.  I NEED my multiple desktops.  I like a VM up on one desktop, the browser on another, maybe a document on a third, and of course, WinAmp or music on a fourth.

So why does Windows not come with this by default?  Well, it appears they have some kind of add-on, PowerToys for XP, but not as slick as Dexpot.  I recently downloaded it (http://dexpot.de/index.php?id=home) and it truly amazed me.  Lots of additional features, even beyond what Linux and Ubuntu offer.  As you see, I like my toolbar on the left side of my screen, hidden, and when I hover, it shows me all four of my desktops, and I can quickly click which I want.  I can also use a special key combination, but I have never been the type to remember those, so the toolbar hovering will work.  With all the many applications educators use in a day, I would think this would work well.  In our state, we have a data management system that they use all day long.  With that, teacher email, a plethora of proprietary student software, they could definitely benefit from Dexpot.

Yet another reason why the time has passed for closed source operating systems.  We need these features by default.  We should not need to add third party apps (although Dexpot is GOOD stuff) to get what I now refer to as basic functionality.

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Studying for Linux+

Aug 16

Posted by admin in Professional Development, literature, open source | 1 Comment

Penguin Tutor

Penguin Tutor--Great Web Resource for Linux

I decided to go ahead and work toward the Linux+ Certification.  After earning my A+ last year, adding another will only help in the long run.  Especially since I use Linux on a day-to-day environment, I would be silly not to go and earn the Certification.  What I found so far is much different from A+.  Not as many resources, like practice tests out there.  What I did find so far is that the resources are sketchy at best.  I took a practice test a little while ago and one question did not contain a correct answer.  Yikes!  One good resource I found, Penguin Tutor (penguintutor.com) contains good tutorials and quizzes.  That will be one I check out further.  No Professor Messer type resources yet, for Linux, like the A+ videos (http://www.k12opensourceclassroom.org/?p=168).

In earning this certification, I feel like I will be a more valuable resource in my job and also look good on the resume.  And hopefully we can re-evaluate our current infrastructure and deploy Linux and Linux servers where and when necessary.

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