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View Full Version : What does it take to have my local city library run Ubuntu?



jc0811
August 29th, 2008, 03:23 PM
I go to my local library a lot. Homework, reading news from different sources, occasional word processing and spreadsheet use. I have noticed that my local library just has two primary uses on their computer for people that come to use the computers at the library. Only Microsoft Office programs and Internet use. Their usually is a line waiting to use the computers too. They have a system now in place were you use the number on the back of your library card and the pin number you came up with to login to the computer. You can also reserve a seat in one of the computers.

Before we signed up at the clipboard. Put in our name, the time we signed in and which computer we are using. I know the library can benefit from using Ubuntu on the machines. They can just run Firefox for Internet use and use OpenOffice for general Office duties. They can also install and use Wine when somebody walks in with a heavy macro use spreadsheet.

The only downsides of this setup is finding a program for Ubuntu that can log in using the numbers on the back of your library card. Also OpenOffice does not handle macros at all so their is still need for Microsoft Office. Thru Wine of course.

I have watched the video of the librarian installing Ubuntu on the machines. Although I wish their was an update on that. That video made me curious.

I was just wondering if anybody has a similar experience and was it successful? I know some people will wonder where "Internet Explorer" went or "Microsoft Office" went too. I know this will benefit everybody in the end. I just want some ammo before I talk to the board in charge of the libraries here in this state. I hope you guys can help. Thanks again.

Ubuntu Forever!:)

Northsider
August 29th, 2008, 05:03 PM
their is still need for Microsoft Office. Thru Wine of course.
Right there makes me think "whats the point?". Every time someone mentions running a Windows program through wine here, I say, whats the point? Just run windows. I know a lot of poeple here are windows haters or windows dislikers, but if you are going to be running windows programs through wine, you might as well just run windows. (sorry /rant)

I guess just tell them the money savings on windows licenses. They won't have to buy a windows license (only MSO if they choose to install that via wine). I have a feeling that alone would peak the library's interest.

Dremora
August 29th, 2008, 07:43 PM
OK, here is a situation where Linux can save some money.

Userful Discoverstation (http://www2.userful.com/)

It uses terminal multiplexing to make 10 internet terminals out of one PC tower, the library in Marion uses it.

It uses a customized version of Fedora.

Johnsie
August 29th, 2008, 07:48 PM
If Windows already does what they want the computers to do then there is no point changing anything. It's easier also for people to administrate systems they are used to and understand. Change isn't always necessary.

smartboyathome
August 29th, 2008, 08:14 PM
If Windows already does what they want the computers to do then there is no point changing anything. It's easier also for people to administrate systems they are used to and understand. Change isn't always necessary.

+1! Linux may be the best for you, but that doesn't mean it is the best for everything.

t0p
August 29th, 2008, 08:50 PM
My experience of library computer policies does not make me hopeful for your initiative.

I once wanted to run an ubuntu Live CD on a library machine, but the computers were all locked on booting from the hard disk, the BIOS was password-protected and the librarians refused to change the BIOS settings. In fact, they said they "couldn't" change the BIOS settings. Like yeah, the administrator of a computer can't change the boot sequence. Sure...

To give y'all some more idea of what these people's mentality is like: one day I wanted to use a library computer to telnet into a shell account I have on a remote NetBSD machine. So I went into the Windows command prompt to use telnet. The librarian in charge of computers saw this, and she ran over and began to regale me for using the command line. Apparently it's banned to use the command line on the library's computers. Appparently typing commands into a terminal equates with hacking/cracking. I very nearly was banned from ever using the computers again!

If other library computer admins are like that happy bunch, just asking about running Linux will get you drop-kicked from the top of the fire escape.

darrelljon
August 29th, 2008, 08:51 PM
As beacons of the principle of freely available information, public libraries are more appropriate for Linux than many other places. Mine just blew lots of money to replace 7 PCs with 5 new top of the range PCs. All just so they could surf the net with Vista (might even be only XP SP3).

Anyone with a spreadsheet with a lot of macros will likely be professional enough to own Excel at home.

Contact the Public Software Foundation (http://publicsoftwarefoundation.org/) - the library still might be receptive to stocking Ubuntu "as a book".

savantelite
August 29th, 2008, 11:28 PM
A big thing for the board is trust. Would you let someone do something to your stuff that just walked in off the street? They see computers like plumbing, the water is either on, off, or all over the floor. Is what you are going to do to the computers going cause some kind of flooding disaster?

So a big thing is trust, figure out what the library board likes about the library. Dig deep into what the library means to them. Your opinion doesn't matter to them unless they think there opinion matters and is understood by you. Witch ironically is all you want from them. But be patient, you don't have to bring up your big plan when you first meet them. Just show them that you care about them and the library.

Once you have there trust, the go ahead and open up those pipes!


On a second thought, let people know that you would be willing to take there old computers and give them to the library patrons. Format the hard-drive and freely give it to one of those people that are waiting in line to use the library computers:)

Best of luck and let me know how you do.

Northsider
August 30th, 2008, 05:12 AM
Apparently it's banned to use the command line on the library's computers. Appparently typing commands into a terminal equates with hacking/cracking. I very nearly was banned from ever using the computers again!
To be fair to the library, it's a "public" use computer. They don't want any Joe Blow messing around with any "advanced settings", not matter how techinical you are.