Summary: linux on public computers

Sat Oct 19 19:55:38 EDT 2002

[Sorry it took me a while to post the summary.  I've been away for a few meetings.]

Q:
I asked if there are libraries, especially academic ones, out there that use linux for some or all of their public PCs.  

Responses: (read below for the responses)
Most of the information I received (in person or through the web site) list cost, performance, reliability and security as the advantages of adopting linux.  Some also point out the steep learning curve for the users (and library staff.)  Most of them use their linux-based public PCs as thin clients (or in kiosks mode) for accessing the Internet only.

Vern Wilkins pointed out that linux-based PCs is not feasible to access some of [library] database resources; those databases require client software and the vendors usually provide clients for MS-Windows environment only.  Technical support availability and time from Systems staff will need to be considered if a library choose to have few operating systems installed for their public PCs. 

Two linux projects were mentioned and recommended for further exploration: the K-12Linux Project (http://www.k12ltsp.org) and the Linux Terminal Server Project (http://www.ltsp.org/).  The K12ltsp is a project supported by LinuxFund (http://LinuxFund.org) for K12 schools. 

All responses are very useful for us (and hopefully for all of you who informed me that you'd also like to know more about this) and I thank the respondents profusely. :-)

regards,
ranti.

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Ranti's starting point: Meadville public library (http://meadvillelibrary.org/os/) [Cindy Murdock, Network Administrator, just gave a presentation at LITA National Forum 2002, Houston, TX]

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Edward M. Corrado <ecorrado at library.rider.edu>, Rider University:
We use linux based computers at Rider, but we basically use them as Web browsing-kiosks (so we don't have any office programs, etc.). Also we don't have any printers attached to these machines (nor did we have any when they were Win 3.11 or 95). For information on our original set up, you can go to:

	 http://library.rider.edu/scholarly/il2000/index.html

We actually do things a little different now and use a device called a "N|C" by New Internet Computer (thinknic.com) that runs Linux off of a CD-ROM. I also know of a public library who is in the process of signing a
contract with a linux consulting to change all of the public computers (with the exception of the Children's computer that plays CD-ROM games to Linux. They are going to do thinks similar to the K-12Linux Project (http://www.k12ltsp.org). I don't have too many more details on that at this point, but I'd be happy to answer any questions if you are interested in either of the projects I did here at Rider (but they may not be nearly
as full-0featured as you are looking for).

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Nick Rosasco <nsr at etome.net>, Callimachus, Koha:
You may want to take a look at K12 linux project, which is big on the Linux Terminal Server idea as a cost & management-effort saver.

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Lara Little <llittle at pfeiffer.edu>, Pfeiffer University:
We are about to switch to Linux on our public PCs in the library. I'm not sure when the changeover is going to happen - we're bugging the IT guy regularly now so hopefully very soon! - but I'll be glad to keep you posted.

What I know right now: the computers will be Dell Optiplex GX1s, 550 mhz, 
256 mb RAM. The only software they will run will be a web browser, probably 
Mozilla. I'm not sure which flavor of Linux will be on them - the IT guy was going to use Red Hat but changed his mind, and I don't know yet what he's putting on there instead. The computers will all require logging into the campus NT server, and will all print to our one library laser printer.

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Pat Eyler <pate at eylerfamily.org>, the Koha project:
For what it's worth, the Michigan Library Association is going to be hosting a "Linux Tailgate Party" at their pre-conference on 10/29/2002.  I don't know all of the details of the meeting, but think that this will be a good place to ask questions like this.  (Especially since it's in your neighborhood -- sort of).  See http://www.mla.lib.mi.us/conference/preconference.html for more details.

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Perry Horner  <P_HORNER at asu.edu>, Arizona State University:
Here at the Arizona State University West Library we are halfway through our implementation project for a 100% Windows to Linux conversion for both public workstations and servers.  I am very pleased at how the project has been progressing.  You can look over our project plan at http://wlibinfo.westlib.asu.edu  [ranti's note: a very thorough documentation on their project.]

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Ed SUmmer <ehs at pobox.com>,
The last time I was at Butler Library at Columbia University I noticed that 
they were using Linux public workstations.  You can find some info here:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/libraries/inside/lso/

I must admit, I had to type <CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE> to test my hunch since it
wasn't at all obvious to me that Linux was running.

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Raymond Wood <raywood at magma.ca>, 
I have mentioned this before, and probably will again: http://www.ltsp.org/

The Linux Terminal Server Project sounds really really interesting.  Here's a short excerpt from the website:  
  "Linux makes a great platform for deploying diskless workstations that boot from a network server. The LTSP is all about running thin client computers in a GNU/Linux environment".

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Raymond Wood <raywood at magma.ca>:
Pure serendipity - just saw this on one of the GNU/Linux newsfeeds:
  http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2002-10-03-001-26-PS-HL-NT

A geek-speak article on how to get LTSP up and running...

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Vern Wilkins <vwilkins at Indiana.edu>, Indiana University, Bloomington:
I remember hearing something about Linux workstations, but I'm not sure if this was even on our campus (Bloomington).  I believe it was on one of the smaller branch campuses.  Our department supports the library workstations, but campus computing also has their own computers in the library.  As far as I know, we don't have Linux on any of the public computers in the libraries on this campus.  We have considered this but there are many obstacles.  In addition to being used to access the online catalog, our public workstations are also heavily used for database access.  Several of these databases require clients, and of course the vendors only provide windows clients.  Additionally, we would not be able to support many of the campus wide "standard" applications, such as Adobe products and various others.  Access to many campus resources would be difficult, and if it was even possible, it would require extensive education on the part of our end-users.  Additionally, our campus has an enterprise agreement with Microsoft, so the library does not pay directly for any operating system, and does not pay for many applications such as Office.

I do believe we could work Linux into our public environment in very limited ways.  As far as putting it on all workstations, my opinion is that Linux is nowhere near the point where the average user would be happy with it as their primary desktop (personally I love Linux and use it extensively so I'm not saying that with a M$ bias), and it certainly would be impossible to provide the services we do, with a Linux only environment.  At the very least it would require an extensive reworking of almost all the services we offer, and extensive public and staff training.  Linux would work well for a terminal that only provides access to the catalog, and/or terminals that only have
web browsing.  Neither of those are in demand here.
Linux workstations would also work well in our environment for advanced multimedia editing, database work, programming, etc.  Still, there would be far fewer students with the knowledge to take advantage of these workstations, and other than multimedia work, these services are not generally provided by the library workstations our department supports, but by the labs that the campus computing center supports.
In other words, we could make Linux fit in somewhere in this environment if we really wanted to, but we don't see the benefit of forcing it on users at this time.  It's all we can do to manage our Windows environment, and the limited benefits we would see in services, by offering Linux, would probably be negated by the increased complexity in managing our environment.

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Jim Morgan <morganj at iupui.edu>, Indiana University School of Medicine
I do know of a couple unix labs, one in Indy (IUPUI) in the School of Science and one in Bloomington. The one in Bloomington especially is only used for unix classes, and by anyone with a starter knowledge of unix.  It is not user-friendly, despite the graphic interface.  The one in Indy is designed for general science students,and may be more what he's looking for.
The University as a whole has licensed Microsoft O/S and Office for a large sum, and as long is the O/S and office products are free to the labs, dept., faculty and students, most effort is going into maximizing the usefullness of that agreement.

===end of responses===

--
Ranti Junus - Systems office
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Michigan State University
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