Off-topic (XO deployment/volunteer sysadmin)

[Bill Bogstad]

This is a long, off-topic, FYI e-mail and a (possible) request for help.

There is a strong probability that there will be a deployment of XOs
($100 laptops/OLPC) in a Boston metro area school early next spring.
The XOs would be obtained via OLPC's G1G1 or a similar program over
the December holidays.

Not surprisingly the people at the school have contacted the OLPC
Foundation based in Cambridge about deployment/support issues.  The
OLPC believes that as much as possible the deployment process should
be controlled by the end users in order to reflect local needs.  On
the other hand, OLPC would love to have a local deployment with whom
they could work with and from which they could gain insight into XO
usage.

As a result, OLPC is reaching out to local groups for help with the
deployment.  I became aware of this during a meeting of OLPC_Boston (a
local users group for XO owners/enthusiasts).  At that time, I
suggested that there might be people in BLU who could help out with
initial deployment planning and longer term support.

In particular, I think BLU could help out with server and network
issues.  Most people aren't aware that there is a separate development
effort for an XS server software package to support XO deployments.
XS is a modified Fedora installation which is designed to run on
standard PC hardware with some specialized applications which are
appropriate for school environments as well as additional software
peculiar to XO (such as backup software).

Here are some of the tasks that I could see BLU members being involved
with:

1. Site survey for network/server deployment issues.

2. Where appropriate, work with school current IT support personnel to
integrate with pre-existing resources.

3. Work with XS developer and local users on additions to base XS
software or local customizations.

4. Acquisition and installation of server/network hardware.

5. Longer term system administration support for XS installation.
Note: The XS software is designed to be used where there is
essentially no IT staff on site, so this will hopefully be restricted
to hardware failures and remote software upgrades.

6. Donate hardware for XS system.

There are also any number of task related to the XOs themselves, for
which help would probably be appreciated.  In addition, finding
electronic books/resources for deployment directly to XOs or on the XS
will also need to happen, but at least in my case is outside my area
of experience.

Some Web resources:

OLPC_Boston wiki:
 http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Boston

Notes from OLPC_Boston meeting on this topic:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OLPC_Boston/Monthly_Meet-ups/092708

OLPC XS (School server: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/School_server

FYI, XS is under rapid development right now, reading the archives at
http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/server-devel/
is probably the best way to understand what is going on there.

PUNCHLINE PUNCHLINE PUNCHLINE PUNCHLINE:

If you are interested in any of the above you can:

Email me your interests - I'll keep you informed as things happen OR
better yet join OLPC_Boston mailing list - See wiki page above.

Thanks,
Bill Bogstad
bogstad-e+AXbWqSrlAAvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org