Public Linux Computer Setup

From BPWiki

This provides guidelines on setting up the public access internet computers in the hall

Hardware

• Minimum Pentium III 800, 5G hard disk and 384MB Memory
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• 17" monitor, if available, otherwise 15"
• Speakers including power supply

BIOS

• Check that bios does not refer to PXE ROM
• Set boot order to CD Rom, then Hard Disk

Operating System and Applications

1. Default install of Ubuntu Desktop - current release. If installation is slow use the Alternate Install Disk.
   1. Create a user Internet or bpuc, as default logon but using admin password
2. Revert boot order to Hard Disk only after install
3. Check system clock prior to reboot
4. Make sure system is set to auto-login without password (System->Login Screen to alt
5. Use restricted drivers if hardware requires it (e.g. video card)
6. Set package source to use local ISP mirror if available. (Don't forget to unselect the Ubuntu software repositories on the first panel of Software Sources if using the "Other Software" tab for Ubuntu software) For Bigpond prior to lucid it is:
   • deb http://mirror.files.bigpond.com/ubuntu/ karmic main restricted universe
   • deb http://mirror.files.bigpond.com/ubuntu/ karmic-updates main restricted universe
   • deb http://mirror.files.bigpond.com/ubuntu/ karmic-security main restricted universe
   • Deselect main restricted and universe from first panel.
7. For Lucid the Bigpond mirror is available on the first panel but multiverse must be obtained elsewhere. To avoid the central, slow mirror at Canonical, add a local mirror by deselecting multiverse on the first panel add add sources for it on "Other Software" from another mirror e.g.
   • deb http://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/ubuntu/ubuntu/ lucid multiverse
   • deb http://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/ubuntu/ubuntu/ lucid-updates multiverse
   • deb http://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/ubuntu/ubuntu/ lucid-security multiverse
8. For Internode just select it as the mirror on the first panel.
9. Set package source options to automatically install security updates without confirmation
10. Unselect the screensaver screen locking when idle.
11. Synaptic Package Manager
    1. Reload the catalogue
    2. Accept all updates
    3. Add all edubuntu-desktop which installs ubuntu-edu-* meta-packages (preschool, primary, secondary, tertiary)
    4. If not already present add TuxPaint
    5. If not already present add OpenOffice.
    6. Test Adobe Players (test page at http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/welcome/
       1. Use package manager to add flashplugin-installer if required for Flash
       2. Shockwave is not easily supported under Ubuntu
    7. Sun Java - add sun-java6-bin package in Synaptic Package Manager (requires manual acceptance of license terms)
    8. Scratch is in a Personal Package archive
       1. Add 'deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/scratch/ppa/ubuntu lucid main' to the list of sources [1]
    9. Install
12. Add the network printer
    1. Set the printer configuration -> printout options to "normal-grayscale" not "normal" which is colour.
13. Set Firefox home page to http://www.abc.net.au/children/
14. Set video card resolution to something suitable for the monitor used