blog/Debian_Edu___some_ideas_for_the_future_versions.html

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   6     <title>Petter Reinholdtsen: Debian Edu - some ideas for the future versions</title>
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  12  <h1>
  13      <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/">Petter Reinholdtsen</a>
  14
  15  </h1>
  16
  17 </div>
  18
  19
  20     <div class="entry">
  21       <div class="title">Debian Edu - some ideas for the future versions</div>
  22       <div class="date">11th June 2012</div>
  23       <div class="body"><p>During my work on
  24 <a href="http://www.debian.org/News/2012/20120311.nb.html">Debian Edu
  25 based on Squeeze</a>, I came across some issues that should be
  26 addressed in the Wheezy release.  I finally found time to wrap up my
  27 notes and provide quick summary of what I found, with a bit
  28 explanation.</p>
  29
  30 <p><ul>
  31
  32 <li>We need to rewrite our package installation framework, as tasksel
  33 changed from using tasksel tasks to using meta packages (aka packages
  34 with dependencies like our education-* packages), and our installation
  35 system depend on tasksel tasks in
  36 /usr/share/tasksel/debian-edu-tasks.desc for package
  37 installation.</li>
  38
  39 <li>Enable Kerberos login for more services.  Now with the Kerberos
  40 foundation in place, we should use it to get single sign on with more
  41 services, and avoiding unneeded password / login questions.  We should
  42 at least try to enable it for these services:
  43 <ul>
  44
  45   <li>CUPS for admins to add/configure printers and users when using
  46     quotas.</li>
  47   <li>Nagios for admins checking the system status.</li>
  48   <li>GOsa for admins updating LDAP and users changing their passwords.</li>
  49   <li>LDAP for admins updating LDAP.</li>
  50   <li>Squid for users when exam mode / filtering is active.</li>
  51   <li>ssh for admins and users to save a password prompt.</li>
  52
  53 </ul></li>
  54
  55 <li>When we move GOsa to use Kerberos instead of LDAP bind to
  56 authenticate users, we should try to block or at least limit access to
  57 use LDAP bind for authentication, to ensure Kerberos is used when it
  58 is intended, and nothing fall back to using the less safe LDAP bind</li>
  59
  60 <li>Merge debian-edu-config and debian-edu-install.  The split made
  61 sense when d-e-install did a lot more, but these days it is just an
  62 inconvenience when we update the debconf preseeding values.</li>
  63
  64 <li>Fix partman-auto to allow us to abort the installation before
  65 touching the disk if the disk is too small.  This is
  66 <a href="http://bugs.debian.org/653305">BTS report #653305</a> and the
  67 d-i developers are fine with the patch and someone just need to apply
  68 it and upload.  After this is done we need to adjust
  69 debian-edu-install to use this new hook.</li>
  70
  71 <li>Adjust to new LTSP framework (boot time config instead of install
  72 time config).  LTSP changed its design, and our hooks to install
  73 packages and update the configuration is most likely not going to work
  74 in Wheezy.
  75
  76 <li>Consider switching to NBD instead of NFS for LTSP root, to allow
  77 the Kernel to cache files in its normal file cache, possibly speeding
  78 up KDE login on slow networks.</li>
  79
  80 <li>Make it possible to create expired user passwords that need to
  81 change on first login.  This is useful when handing out password on
  82 paper, to make sure only the user know the password.  This require
  83 fixes to the PAM handling of kdm and gdm.</li>
  84
  85 <li>Make GUI for adding new machines automatically from sitesummary.
  86 The current command line script is not very friendly to people most
  87 familiar with GUIs.  This should probably be integrated into GOsa to
  88 have it available where the admin will be looking for it..</li>
  89
  90 <li>We should find way for Nagios to check that the DHCP service
  91 actually is working (as in handling out IP addresses).  None of the
  92 Nagios checks I have found so far have been working for me.</li>
  93
  94 <li>We should switch from libpam-nss-ldapd to sssd for all profiles
  95 using LDAP, and not only on for roaming workstations, to have less
  96 packages to configure and consistent setup across all profiles.</li>
  97
  98 <li>We should configure Kerberos to update LDAP and Samba password
  99 when changing password using the Kerberos protocol.  The hook was
 100 requested in <a href="http://bugs.debian.org/588968">BTS report
 101 #588968</a> and is now available in Wheezy.  We might need to write a
 102 MIT Kerberos plugin in C to get this.</li>
 103
 104 <li>We should clean up the set of applications installed by default.
 105 <ul>
 106
 107 <li>reduce the number of chemistry visualisers</li>
 108 <li>consider dropping xpaint</li>
 109 <li>and probably more?</li>
 110 </ul></li>
 111
 112 <li>Some hardware need external firmware to work properly.  This is
 113 mostly the case for WiFi network cards, but there are some other
 114 examples too.  For popular laptops to work out of the box, such
 115 firmware need to be installed from non-free, and we should provide
 116 some GUI to do this.  Ubuntu already have this implemented, and we
 117 could consider using their packages.  At the moment we have some
 118 command line script to do this (one for the running system, another
 119 for the LTSP chroot).</li>
 120
 121
 122 <li>In Squeeze, we provide KDE, Gnome and LXDE as desktop options.  We
 123 should extend the list to Xfce and Sugar, and preferably find a way to
 124 install several and allow the admin or the user to select which one to
 125 use.</li>
 126
 127 <li>The golearn tool from the goplay package make it easy to check out
 128 interesting educational packages.  We should work on the package
 129 tagging in Debian to ensure it represent all the useful educational
 130 packages, and extend the tool to allow it to use packagekit to install
 131 new applications with a simple mouse click.</li>
 132
 133 <li>The Squeeze version got half a exam solution already in place,
 134 with the introduction of iptable based network blocking, but for it to
 135 be a complete exam solution the Squid proxy need to enable
 136 filtering/blocking as well when the exam mode is enabled.  We should
 137 implement a way to easily enable this for the schools that want it,
 138 instead of the "it is documented" method of today.</li>
 139
 140 <li>A feature used in several schools is the ability for a teacher to
 141 "take over" the desktop of individual or all computers in the room.
 142 There are at least three implementations,
 143 <a href="italc.sourceforge.net/">italc</a>,
 144 <a href="http://www.itais.net/help/en/">controlaula</a> og
 145 <a href="http://www.epoptes.org/">epoptes</a> and we should pick one of
 146 them and make it trivial to set it up in a school.  The challenges is
 147 how to distribute crypto keys and how to group computers in one room
 148 and how to set up which machine/user can control the machines in a
 149 given room.</li>
 150
 151 <li>Tablets and surf boards are getting more and more popular, and we
 152 should look into providing a good solution for integrating these into
 153 the Debian Edu network.  Not quite sure how.  Perhaps we should
 154 provide a installation profile with better touch screen support for
 155 them, or add some sync services to allow them to exchange
 156 configuration and data with the central server.  This should be
 157 investigated.</li>
 158
 159 </ul></p>
 160
 161 <p>I guess we will discover more as we continue to work on the Wheezy
 162 version.</p>
 163 </div>
 164
 165       <div class="tags">Tags: <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/debian edu">debian edu</a>, <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/english">english</a>.</div>
 166
 167
 168     </div>
 169
 170
 171
 172
 173     <div id="sidebar">
 174
 175
 176
 177 <h2>Archive</h2>
 178 <ul>
 179
 180 <li>2012
 181 <ul>
 182
 183 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/01/">January (7)</a></li>
 184
 185 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/02/">February (10)</a></li>
 186
 187 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/03/">March (17)</a></li>
 188
 189 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/04/">April (12)</a></li>
 190
 191 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/05/">May (12)</a></li>
 192
 193 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/06/">June (20)</a></li>
 194
 195 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/07/">July (17)</a></li>
 196
 197 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/08/">August (6)</a></li>
 198
 199 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/09/">September (9)</a></li>
 200
 201 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/10/">October (5)</a></li>
 202
 203 </ul></li>
 204
 205 <li>2011
 206 <ul>
 207
 208 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/01/">January (16)</a></li>
 209
 210 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/02/">February (6)</a></li>
 211
 212 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/03/">March (6)</a></li>
 213
 214 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/04/">April (7)</a></li>
 215
 216 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/05/">May (3)</a></li>
 217
 218 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/06/">June (2)</a></li>
 219
 220 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/07/">July (7)</a></li>
 221
 222 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/08/">August (6)</a></li>
 223
 224 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/09/">September (4)</a></li>
 225
 226 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/10/">October (2)</a></li>
 227
 228 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/11/">November (3)</a></li>
 229
 230 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/12/">December (1)</a></li>
 231
 232 </ul></li>
 233
 234 <li>2010
 235 <ul>
 236
 237 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/01/">January (2)</a></li>
 238
 239 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/02/">February (1)</a></li>
 240
 241 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/03/">March (3)</a></li>
 242
 243 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/04/">April (3)</a></li>
 244
 245 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/05/">May (9)</a></li>
 246
 247 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/06/">June (14)</a></li>
 248
 249 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/07/">July (12)</a></li>
 250
 251 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/08/">August (13)</a></li>
 252
 253 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/09/">September (7)</a></li>
 254
 255 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/10/">October (9)</a></li>
 256
 257 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/11/">November (13)</a></li>
 258
 259 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/12/">December (12)</a></li>
 260
 261 </ul></li>
 262
 263 <li>2009
 264 <ul>
 265
 266 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/01/">January (8)</a></li>
 267
 268 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/02/">February (8)</a></li>
 269
 270 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/03/">March (12)</a></li>
 271
 272 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/04/">April (10)</a></li>
 273
 274 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/05/">May (9)</a></li>
 275
 276 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/06/">June (3)</a></li>
 277
 278 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/07/">July (4)</a></li>
 279
 280 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/08/">August (3)</a></li>
 281
 282 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/09/">September (1)</a></li>
 283
 284 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/10/">October (2)</a></li>
 285
 286 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/11/">November (3)</a></li>
 287
 288 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/12/">December (3)</a></li>
 289
 290 </ul></li>
 291
 292 <li>2008
 293 <ul>
 294
 295 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2008/11/">November (5)</a></li>
 296
 297 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2008/12/">December (7)</a></li>
 298
 299 </ul></li>
 300
 301 </ul>
 302
 303
 304
 305 <h2>Tags</h2>
 306 <ul>
 307
 308  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/3d-printer">3d-printer (13)</a></li>
 309
 310  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/amiga">amiga (1)</a></li>
 311
 312  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/aros">aros (1)</a></li>
 313
 314  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bitcoin">bitcoin (2)</a></li>
 315
 316  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bootsystem">bootsystem (12)</a></li>
 317
 318  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bsa">bsa (2)</a></li>
 319
 320  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/debian">debian (57)</a></li>
 321
 322  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/debian edu">debian edu (113)</a></li>
 323
 324  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/digistan">digistan (9)</a></li>
 325
 326  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/docbook">docbook (7)</a></li>
 327
 328  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/drivstoffpriser">drivstoffpriser (4)</a></li>
 329
 330  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/english">english (153)</a></li>
 331
 332  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/fiksgatami">fiksgatami (18)</a></li>
 333
 334  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/fildeling">fildeling (12)</a></li>
 335
 336  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/freeculture">freeculture (8)</a></li>
 337
 338  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/frikanalen">frikanalen (8)</a></li>
 339
 340  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/intervju">intervju (31)</a></li>
 341
 342  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/kart">kart (17)</a></li>
 343
 344  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/ldap">ldap (8)</a></li>
 345
 346  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/lenker">lenker (4)</a></li>
 347
 348  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/ltsp">ltsp (1)</a></li>
 349
 350  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/multimedia">multimedia (25)</a></li>
 351
 352  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/norsk">norsk (201)</a></li>
 353
 354  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/nuug">nuug (145)</a></li>
 355
 356  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/offentlig innsyn">offentlig innsyn (5)</a></li>
 357
 358  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/open311">open311 (2)</a></li>
 359
 360  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/opphavsrett">opphavsrett (35)</a></li>
 361
 362  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/personvern">personvern (49)</a></li>
 363
 364  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/raid">raid (1)</a></li>
 365
 366  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/reprap">reprap (11)</a></li>
 367
 368  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/rfid">rfid (2)</a></li>
 369
 370  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/robot">robot (4)</a></li>
 371
 372  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/rss">rss (1)</a></li>
 373
 374  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/ruter">ruter (4)</a></li>
 375
 376  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/scraperwiki">scraperwiki (2)</a></li>
 377
 378  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/sikkerhet">sikkerhet (23)</a></li>
 379
 380  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/sitesummary">sitesummary (4)</a></li>
 381
 382  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/skepsis">skepsis (2)</a></li>
 383
 384  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/standard">standard (38)</a></li>
 385
 386  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/stavekontroll">stavekontroll (2)</a></li>
 387
 388  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/stortinget">stortinget (4)</a></li>
 389
 390  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/surveillance">surveillance (10)</a></li>
 391
 392  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/valg">valg (7)</a></li>
 393
 394  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/video">video (34)</a></li>
 395
 396  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/vitenskap">vitenskap (3)</a></li>
 397
 398  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/web">web (25)</a></li>
 399
 400 </ul>
 401
 402
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