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How to deploy 550,000 Linux netbooks into the classroom

The Portuguese Magellan Project

Flávio Moringa flavio.moringa@caixamagica.pt

Caixa Mágica Linux distribution project leader

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1. What is the Magellan Project?

Government project with the aim of providing laptops to elementary school children to improve their computer literacy (Ages 6 to 12);

Dual boot: MS Windows & Linux Caixa Mágica; Intel Classmate PC based; First deployment: 300,000 computers (MG1); Second deployment: ongoing, with enhanced hardware

(MG2), estimated 250,000 by the end of 2011.

Magellan MG2Magellan MG1

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2. What is Caixa Mágica?

The main Portuguese Linux distribution; Free installation DVD's and Live CD's; KDE, Gnome and

other WM; Official phone and

e-mail support on the paid version;

USB version with read and write support;

Free user foruns; Shared base with

Mandriva; Etc...

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3. Asking help from the right people

Design and development:– Nuno Pinheiro - KDE Oxygen Coordinator;– Tomaz Canabrava – QT/KDE Developer.

Language:– Instituto de Formação e Investigação

da Língua Portuguesa (http://ifilp.org).

Hardware support:– Realtek (Wireless hostap support);– Intel (Function keys and brightness sensor).

QA:– Ângulo Sólido (http://angulosolido.pt).

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3. Asking help from the right people

Usability:– Human-Computer Interaction and Multimedia

Research Team (http://hcim.fc.ul.pt);– Focus Group interaction;– Usability reports.

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4. Choose a killer app - Supertux

What application will make kids boot into Linux? Supertux. Our own developments:

– Download and upload of levels through the game interface;– Upload of highscores through

the game interface;– Full Portuguese localization;– Support web page.

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5. The first Magellan version - MG1

Superkaramba theme displaying the most common used applications;

300,000 deploys by the end of 2010;

Caixa Mágica 12; Standard KDE 3; Full hardware

support; Larger interface bar; Recovery system

from hdd; Easy to install new

software from web.

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6. The second Magellan version - MG2

Plasmoid displaying the most common used applications;

250,000 deploys by the end of 2011;

Caixa Mágica 14; Standard KDE 4; Full hardware

support, now including light sensor and hostAP;

Installable in MG1; Graphical recovery

system from hdd.

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7. Why boot into Caixa Mágica Linux not Windows?

The great look & feel:– The new multi-folderview plasmoid made by Tomaz

Canabrava (called “nunosview”) ;– The clock widget made by Nuno Pinheiro;– The “Caixinha” desktop theme made by Nuno Pinheiro;– The KDE desktop efects enabled by default.

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7. Why boot into Caixa Mágica Linux not Windows?

One application per task; Great system mimetype handling; Great browser mimetype handling; Easy Parental controls for Internet

access control, application control and time usage control;

Great and simple games for children, with a fully localized GCompris;

Desktop lockdown; Good localization and

language consistency across menus.

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7. Why boot into Caixa Mágica Linux not Windows?

The pre-configured classroom environment applications:– Easy way to configure the teacher's

computer as an access point;– Pre-configured shared folder on

the teacher's computer;– Pre-configured access to the

shared folder on the students computers;

– Simple iTALC client and server configuration;

– Classroom management software pre-installed, and pre-configured;

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8. Final Remarks

So what are the main tips for this kind of deployment:– Use a clean desktop... no cluttering;

– One application per task is essential;

– Look & feel is essential - first impression is a selling point;

– Simplify everything even if losing configuration options;–– But don't over simplify...

– Keep in mind that although it's designed for young children, teachers and parents will use it too;

– Have at least one or two killer apps not found in the other OS;

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8. Final Remarks

And ultra-mega important:

– Have real kids, real parents and real teachers test your system before releasing it, testing with focus groups, after all:

They know what they want... you can only guess.

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Thank You

Thanks for you attention.

Feel free to ask me more questions, either in person or through:

flavio.moringa@caixamagica.pt

Useful links:http://comunidade.magalhaes.caixamagica.pt/http://www.caixamagica.pthttp://contribsoft.caixamagica.pt/trac/browser/packages/cm14/supertux

http://ftp.magalhaes.caixamagica.pt/mg2/SRPMS/eescolinha2/