Category Archive

I’m working on setting up a router/firewall which and will document the process to put on this Blog, so stay tuned.

Also I hope to make a beautiful backup solution where rsync would backup different computers on our network twice a week and delete the real old backups after a while. This’ll be kinda difficult to decide whether I’ll have the server pull the data off or the workstations send their data to the server. Probably the latter as then there is less chance of interruption.

I’m also going to be setting up Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon on our LTSP server, hopefully that’ll work even better than it does now, and faster. Should be interesting.

Stay tuned for more guide and tutorials and random stuff soon.

At work, we have a Edubuntu Feisty 7.04 server that serves 2-3 thin clients. It also acts as a print and file server.

Setting it up was a piece of cake, I just upgraded it first, installed some additional apps like Thunderbird and then did the following:

Update and upgrade the server:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get upgrade

Remove the old thin client server enivorment:

sudo rm -r /opt/ltsp/i386

Build a new one:

sudo ltsp-build-client

Start the DHCP server, (won’t work without this):

sudo /etc/init.d/dhcp3-server restart

And it was up and running. Then I made some users I made boot floppies from Rom-o-matic, and booted the thin clients and logged in.

That’s all there’s to it. The only problems I’ve encountered so far are related to printing, with it causing the server to stall at times, but as that mean old printer is 12 years old, I’ll have to forgive it.

Here is a nice review of Edubuntu by Carla Schroder.

Next time, I plan to post on how to set up a decent backup plan with rsync or tar.

Forget my last post, I ain’t getting a Dell yet… I’ll wait a couple of months and see if Dell starts offering any other models with Ubuntu, hopefully soon.

On Dell’s Smart Values page I’m planning to get the Inspiron 1501 at $499 with an upgrade of the CPU and a the best battery… Which brings it too $609 + Shipping. Looks like a pretty good deal, except that I wish that the Ubuntu models also had this discount. I’d love to get the Inspiron E1505N Ubuntu model just to be able to support it, but upgrading it to comparable specs brings it to $248 more expensive than the standard 1501 with the discount. So and $248 more is a little more than I want to give for relativly the same specs, except that the 1501 has XP Home and the E1505N has Ubuntu.

I just hope the Video Card and Wireless doesn’t give me trouble, but according to other accounts, it’s relativly easy to set up.

Now for the specs on the Inspiron 1501

• AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology TL-56 (add $60)
• 15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA Display
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz, 2 Dimm
• 60GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
• 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
• ATI RADEON® Xpress1150 256MB HyperMemory™ (Integrated)
• Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g Mini Card (54Mbps)
• Integrated Audio
• 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery (add $20)
• 1 Yr Ltd Warranty, 1 Yr Mail-in Service, and 1 Yr Tech Support
• Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem

       Interestingly, Ubuntu.com has a huge banner on their site advertising Dell Ubuntu computers… Looks like their expecting a flood of visitors, which, seems unlikely because of the little advertising Dell has done on their end, especially since finding http://www.dell.com/ubuntu seems hard to find, unless you dig deep in the menus. It’s great that Dell’s doing this, they just need too do a better Job at making people aware of it.

Dell released three models yesterday, thursday, but frankly I’m disappointed by their prices. The Inspiron E1505 N comes with a measly 512MB RAM, 80GB HDD and a low-end Intel Duo starting at $599 and a mediocre battery. Dell has the same model with Vista at $549 with 1GB RAM and Turion CPU and the best battery available. Why in the world would I get the Ubuntu model? I’d rather get the one with Vista, wipe it and install Ubuntu than get the Ubuntu at a higher price for lower specs.

If Dell would just allow Ubuntu as an alternative on ANY of their systems, as opposed to just Vista and XP… or even a no-OS option on all models…

Dell, you have disapointed me, but you still have time to make it all better…

A couple of days ago, I discovered HeadlineDeals.com which has really great deals on Dell mercandise. Some of the coupons are worth $500 and I’m waiting for a good one to come along and buy a Dell with some great specs for a low price.

Although Dell is going to be putting Linux, specifacally Ubuntu on some select models later this year, I’d prefer to get a good coupon discount and buy a Notebook, be it with Vista, XP, etc. and wipe the drive and install Ubuntu myself. I think I’ll wait till June, and if Dell continues to stay silent till then, I’m getting one of these.

Ebay also has great deals, but some people have had bad expieriences with buying used or refurbished ones, missing accesories, dead batteries, screens with dead pixels, etc. Although, if I do find a good deal on ebay and it’s in good condition, I might go for that…