[Linux-aus] [LACTTE] Linux Grant Scheme proposal - Darwin Linux Users Group

[anthony hornby]

Project Name: Linux Community Kiosks

Aim of Project: Provide FOSS software to the Darwin community at low cost

Person Resposible for Request: Anthony Hornby, Secretary Darwin Linux Users Group

Request: Grant of $1800 to support the actions listed below.


Hi,
this is a request from the Darwin Linux Users Group (DarLUG) to get a grant from Linux Australia  help us 
establish some open source kiosks at Charles Darwin University Casuarina campus. 
This is to enable the Darwin community to be able to get cheap (cost of their media alone)
access to the latest open source software. Comments and suggestions from the community welcome :-).


At CDU many of the FOSS software distributions and software packages are mirrored anyway for internal use. 

What this project is about is expanding the DarLUG server capacity to be able to mirror all of these in one place 
and establish some "walk up" kiosks on campus in public spaces where people can burn copies of these packages.
   
We have had a quick check and we have managed to get donated 4 PC's ( P3 667Mhz desktops ) we can use as kiosks, 
the server still needs more RAM and both server and kiosks need some more disk space.
   
We have checked with the Universities central IT and the Library and
they are happy to let us put two kiosks on the network intially. We plan
to put a big IDE hard drive in each and a IDE RAID setup in the server 
and set up sync process between the server and the kiosks
at night. We'll keep the other two PC's for spares.
 
We will then have the kiosks running a simple shopping cart application
that will let users choose an up to date distro they want to burn or the
update packages for that distro (the details of the programming of the
application to do this is still to be discussed but we have able &
willing people lined up to do it). We plan to keep it simple and get it
working reliably first and take it from there. 
 
We plan to have one in the foyer of the library - the library is open
till late at night and all weekend - and another one either outside the
uni bookshop or in the student union foyer (both are close to the cafe).
Somewhere with high traffic that doesn't require potential users to be a student to
access it and where there are security cameras so the kiosk computers
don't walk ...
 
So what would help us would be either 2xDVD+R/+RW drives plus 4 large capacity hard drives 
and some RAM for the server - Its a DELL PowerEdge 1400 and takes ECC SDRAM. 
We'd really like to be able to put 2x512MB chips in
it if possible. An IDE RAID card for the server would be good as well 
( be good to be able to run the server storage in IDE raid 1)

Estimated costs:
2 x 200GB SATA Hard Drives = 2 x 200 = $400  # Server storage 200GB RAID 1
2 x 120 GB IDE Hard Drives = 2 x 150 = $300  # Kiosk storage
1 x IDE RAID Card Adaptec 1210SA = $200	     # Server Raid 
2 x 512 MB ECC SDRAM to suit DELL PowerEdge 1400 = $500 # Server memory upgrade
2 x DVD=-R/RW Drives = $250 # Kiosk Burners
2 x Gigabit Ethernet NICs = $150 # Attach server to Uni Gigabit backbone

Total:    $1800.00

Benefits:
This will provide FOSS users in Darwin with a central location where they can access 
the latest distro's & OSS software etc for just the cost of bringing their media.
Many people in Darwin can't access broadband yet and there aren't any local computer shops making 
FOSS software available cheaply. 
Improved access to updated software will hopefully expose more people to the benefits that FOSS brings,
and grow the FOSS user community in Darwin.

We intend to promote the service using the mailing lists at the university,
noticeboards, DarLUG membership & website, via CDU School of IT lecturers
(they have been very supportive & a couple of their lecturers are
members of DarLUG), student union here at the university, in the library
as well as in community notices at shopping centers etc and on community radio. 
Details still being worked out - your input appreciated !! 

CDU School of IT may want to be further associated with the idea and if they
are also a sponsor we can use the uni's media liaison office to get it
out to the local press. 

We intend to divert some of the DarLUG raised funds towards this project 
as well to cover furniture to house the kiosks.
  
As a side note we have arranged so once the server has mirrored the software 
every new PC in the library (100+)  will have a link to
the servers open source software mirrors on the desktop - and all PCs have DVD
burners. The reason we still need the kiosks is for general public access as only CDU students can use library PCs, 
but the library initiative should mean good access to OSS for all CDU students and staff - and they can make copies for
friends, family etc. Central IT have indicated they are happy to look at the same in the student computer labs as well.

Look forward to your reply & thanks again.
 
Regards Anthony.
ahornby at darlug.org or secretary at darlug.org
Secretary Darwin Linux Users Group
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