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Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 18:24:45 +0200
From: Fred Mobach <fred@mobach.nl>
To: lwn@lwn.net
Subject: kmLinux : new German Linux distribution for schools

Hello,

The kmLinux distribution is completely new for me so I decided to take a
look at it and to inform you as most of you will not pay so much
attention on what is happening in Germany ;-).

kmLinux
(http://www.lernnetz-sh.de/html/projekte/opensource/kmlinux.html) is a
complete Linux distribution for schools and very simple to install. It
is in development by the Landesbildungsserver Schleswig-Holstein
(http://www.lernnetz-sh.de/) (a govermental organization of the
Bundesstaat Schleswig-Holstein) in close cooperation with the Verein
Freie Software und Bildung (http://fsub.schule.de/indexf.htm) (Union for
Free Software and Education) and SuSE (http://www.suse.de). SuSE needs
no introduction I assume.

kmLinux comes in two versions : kmLinux and kmLinux-S. It is based on
the standard SuSE distribution.
Both versions are not server but client oriented, a graphical client
computer. The computer must have a Pentium cpu and a VESA-2.0 -
compatible graphic card.

It is still in development. Help is still needed as you can read at
http://www.lernnetz-sh.de/html/projekte/opensource/kmlinux/mitarbeit.html.

It contains a lot of applications (see
http://www.lernnetz-sh.de/html/projekte/opensource/kmlinux/software.html)
for textprocessing, mathematics, CS, physics, chemistry, astronomy,
internet, graphics and games.

kmLinux is a version which does not need a separate partition, it has to
be installed on the first IDE partition of a windows computer and needs
1200 MB. I don't know why they are talking about drive c:. It is
intended to let people know how Linux looks and feels without the hassle
of a normal installation:-). Most users are not computer professionals
and that is also true at schools. Because of performance issues this
version is not intended for permanent usage.

The second version, kmLinux-S, has to be installed on a system with at
least 1600 MB free IDE disc space. If need be (?) an already available
windows partition can be kept on disk also. The installation process can
be started by booting from CD, floppy or from a DOS program. The
installation process is very simple because it has been preconfigured as
far as possible. It takes less then 15 minutes and is then immediately
useable.

This versions uses Reiserfs in order to prevent problems by those
teachers / students who don't know how to shut down a computer in a
regular way ;-).

This comes to you from your Dutch correspondent :-).

Have a good day.

Fred Mobach
fred@mobach.nl