Revision 511314101 of "Skolelinux" on enwiki

{{Notability|date=February 2011}}{{Primary sources|date=February 2011}}
{{Infobox OS
| name                   = Skolelinux
| logo                   =
| screenshot             =
| caption                =
| website                = http://www.skolelinux.org/
| developer              = Skolelinux team
| family                 = [[Unix-like]]
| source model           = [[Free and open source software]]
| released               = June 20, 2004
| latest release version = 6.0
| latest release date    = March 11, 2012
| latest preview version =
| latest preview date    =
| frequently updated     =
| marketing target       = Educational purpose
| language               =
| kernel type            = [[Monolithic kernel|Monolithic]] ([[Linux kernel|Linux]])
| userland               =
| ui                     = [[KDE Software Compilation]], [[GNOME]], [[LXDE]], 
| license                = Various
| working state          = Current
| supported platforms    = [[IA-32]], [[x86-64]], [[PowerPC]]
| updatemodel            =
| package manager        =
}}

'''Skolelinux''' is an [[operating system]] intended for educational use and based on [[Debian]] (hence it is also named Debian-Edu).

Skolelinux is a [[free and open source software]] project founded in [[Norway]], now supporting all languages present in Debian. Its name is a direct translation of "school linux" from [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]], ''[[wikt:skole#Norwegian|skole]]'' derived from the [[Latin Language|Latin]] word ''[[wikt:schola#Latin|schola]]''.

==Design and principles==

Skolelinux offers four different installation profiles on one [[compact disk]] that will easily install a pre-configured educational [[computer network|network]], including a main [[Server (computing)|server]], [[workstation]]s and thin client servers. In short, its major goals are to:

* Enable teachers to provide high quality IT teaching to their students.
* Create a [[Linux distribution]] tailored for schools—based on their needs and resources.
* Simplify maintenance of computer facilities.
* Provide a [[thin client]]-solution, which eases maintenance, reduces costs and allows use of old hardware.
* Cut costs by using [[open source]] software and re-using old hardware.
* Localize the IT infrastructure by translating the software pages to both official writing forms of [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] — [[Bokmål]] and [[Nynorsk]], as well as [[Northern Sami]]. This goal is later extended to reach out to all languages though in schools around the world.
* Identify and facilitate suitable programs for use in the schools.

==History==

The Skolelinux project was started on July 2, 2001. Twenty-five computer programmers and translators agreed to improve the use of software in education<ref name="Dugnad for gratis programvare">{{cite web|last=Haugnes|first=Gunhild|title=Dugnad for gratis programvare|url=http://tux1.aftenposten.no/nyheter/nett/d223903.htm|publisher=Aftenposten.no|accessdate=14 March 2012}}</ref>. They disliked that the next generation of computer users were not able to have access to source code, arguing that children who are interested should be able to learn from expert programmers to create their own software. Other developers, especially the translators, were interested in providing computer programs in the students' native languages. These developers thought that students should be able to navigate the internet by having "road signs" they would understand.

The Skolelinux project was associated with the member organisation "Linux in schools", which was founded on July 16, 2001. "Linux in schools" later changed its name to "Free Software in Schools" by the annual meeting on October 16, 2004. German teachers, developers and translators joined Skolelinux throughout 2002. In 2003, Skolelinux was included step-by-step as a standard part of [[Debian]].

Since 2003, many developers from around the world have joined the project, with developers in France, Greece and Germany  being the most active. The Skolelinux project also cooperates with many other free educational software projects such as [[Linux Terminal Server Project|LTSP]], [[gnuLinEx]], [[Edubuntu]], [[K12LTSP]], [[KDE]], [[Gnome]], [[Firefox]] and [[OpenOffice.org]]. Similar organisations have also been established in Spain, Germany<ref name="Skolelinux Team Germany">{{cite web|last=Gramlich|first=Kurt|title=Skolelinux - Free Software in Education|url=http://www.skolelinux.de/|publisher=Skolelinux Team Germany|accessdate=28 February 2012}}</ref>, Latvia, France, Brasil and Denmark.

Skolelinux has been a major contributor to rewriting the [[Debian-Installer]]. In addition, Skolelinux has conducted extensive development and testing of [[thin client]]s and [[diskless workstation]]s as a part of the new [[Linux Terminal Server Project|LTSP]] version 5.

A total of 196 schools using Skolelinux are [http://www.skolelinux.no/slschools/slschools.php?lang=en currently listed] on the DebianEdu Wiki. This case study<ref name="Skolelinux thin client solution">{{cite web|last=Giannis|first=Kondylis|title=Skolelinux thin client solution|url=https://schoolforge.net/education-case-study/skolelinux-thin-client-solution|work=https://schoolforge.net/education-case-studies|publisher=Schoolforge.net|accessdate=28 February 2012}}</ref> of implementing Skolelinux at a school in Greece  is typical of user experiences<ref name="Use of Open-Source Software at Four Norwegian School">{{cite web|last=Blaatid|first=Jan|title=Experiences from the Use of Skolelinu|url=http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/Help/UserExperiences?action=AttachFile&do=view&target=statskonsult_2003_24_eng.pdf|publisher=NorOSIne|accessdate=28 February 2012}}</ref> .

==Releases==
* Skolelinux 1.0 - codenamed "Venus" (after the almost concurrent [[Transit of Venus, 2004|Venus transit]]), is based on Debian Woody and was released on June 20, 2004.
* Skolelinux 2.0 - codenamed "DebianEdu" (after Skolelinux was adopted as part of the Debian sub-project with that name), is based on Debian Sarge and was released March 14, 2006.
* Skolelinux 3.0 - codenamed "Terra", is based on Debian Etch and was released July 22, 2007.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/PressReleases/PressRelease_DebianEdu-3.0_Terra
|title=Press release DebianEdu-3.0 "Terra"
|author=DebianEdu
|work=[http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu DebianEdu Wiki]
|date=2007-07-22
|accessdate=2007-07-24
}}</ref>
* Skolelinux 5.0 aka Debian Edu 5.0.4+edu0 is based on Debian Lenny and was released February 9, 2010.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://lists.debian.org/debian-edu-announce/2010/02/msg00001.html
|title=Lenny based Debian Edu 5.0.4+edu0 available (aka Skolelinux)
|author=Holger Levsen
|work=[http://lists.debian.org/debian-edu-announce/ Debian Edu Announce mailinglist]
|date=2010-02-09
|accessdate=2010-02-09
}}</ref>
* Skolelinux 6.0 aka Debian Edu 6.0.4+edu0 is based on Debian Squeeze and was released March 11, 2012.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://lists.debian.org/debian-edu-announce/2012/03/msg00001.html
|title="Squeeze" based Debian Edu version released
|author=Debian press team
|work=[http://lists.debian.org/debian-edu-announce/ Debian Edu Announce mailinglist]
|date=2012-03-11
|accessdate=2012-03-14
}}</ref>

==Funding==

Skolelinux development is sponsored by the [http://www.linuxiskolen.no/slxdebianlabs/ SLX Debian Labs Foundation] on a yearly basis. The Norwegian Ministry of Education and The Ministry of Reform and Administration has sponsored the project. Also private donors and companies have provided sponsorship. This helps organize 7-10 developer gatherings annually in Norway, Spain and Germany.

==See also==
{{Portal|Free software}}
* [[Comparison of Linux distributions]]
* [[List of Linux distributions]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.slx.no/}}
* {{DistroWatch|skolelinux|NAME=Skolelinux}}
* [http://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu Debian Edu/Skolelinux Project Wiki]
* [http://wiki.skolelinux.no/Presse Debian Edu/Skolelinux project press coverage list]

{{KDE}}
{{Linux distributions}}

[[Category:Linux Terminal Server Project]]
[[Category:Debian-based distributions]]
[[Category:Language-specific Linux distributions]]
[[Category:Educational operating systems]]
[[Category:Free educational software]]

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