Hello everyone,
I thought you might be interested in this story I saw at the weekend - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27346567 - about a project that uses memory sticks to install operating systems on old or unused computers to give people in the developing world their own computer.
As a secondary note, I wondered if anyone had any ideas about how Wikipedia access could be built in to the mix. I know of Kiwix but wondered if this story would perhaps inspire any great ideas.
All thoughts welcome! Thank you,
Stevie
We discussed this in some detail when the Chapter was first buying laptops to loan out to volunteers, I even created some open source Puppy Linux example CDs. A benefit was that this was a way of avoiding issues of users borrowing laptops from leaving information on the hard drives, and if they liked the working environment they could keep the USB stick that created it.
It is perfectly possible to create a cheap (£2 ?) 1 GB USB drive that can be used by anyone anywhere to run a safe linux (or kiosk) environment with basic browsers and internet connection, customized with handy links and information about Wikimedia, the UK charity or other open knowledge projects. It should be kept in mind that running from a USB stick is not possible for all laptop types, however it is also possible to create a DVD or CD image that does the same thing.
The DVD/USB image could be shared on the internet so that anyone could create a copy on a USB stick, rather than the UK Charity supplying USB sticks.
If USB sticks are going to be given out at Wikimania, it would be smart to have something like this on them to play around with, even if users were to wipe the stick and use it for storage.
Fae
On 12 May 2014 12:34, Stevie Benton stevie.benton@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Hello everyone,
I thought you might be interested in this story I saw at the weekend - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27346567 - about a project that uses memory sticks to install operating systems on old or unused computers to give people in the developing world their own computer.
As a secondary note, I wondered if anyone had any ideas about how Wikipedia access could be built in to the mix. I know of Kiwix but wondered if this story would perhaps inspire any great ideas.
All thoughts welcome! Thank you,
Stevie
--
Stevie Benton Head of External Relations Wikimedia UK +44 (0) 20 7065 0993 / +44 (0) 7803 505 173 @StevieBenton
Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).
Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
On 12 May 2014 12:51, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
We discussed this in some detail when the Chapter was first buying laptops to loan out to volunteers, I even created some open source Puppy Linux example CDs.
...
It was discussed on this list two years four months ago, see http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediauk-l/2012-January/007001.html, though I think the details were bounced around at a board meeting and at a London wiki-meet, back when I used to feel welcome.
Fae
Do you have a link where more can be learned about this and how it could be done?
On 12 May 2014 12:51, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
We discussed this in some detail when the Chapter was first buying laptops to loan out to volunteers, I even created some open source Puppy Linux example CDs. A benefit was that this was a way of avoiding issues of users borrowing laptops from leaving information on the hard drives, and if they liked the working environment they could keep the USB stick that created it.
It is perfectly possible to create a cheap (£2 ?) 1 GB USB drive that can be used by anyone anywhere to run a safe linux (or kiosk) environment with basic browsers and internet connection, customized with handy links and information about Wikimedia, the UK charity or other open knowledge projects. It should be kept in mind that running from a USB stick is not possible for all laptop types, however it is also possible to create a DVD or CD image that does the same thing.
The DVD/USB image could be shared on the internet so that anyone could create a copy on a USB stick, rather than the UK Charity supplying USB sticks.
If USB sticks are going to be given out at Wikimania, it would be smart to have something like this on them to play around with, even if users were to wipe the stick and use it for storage.
Fae
On 12 May 2014 12:34, Stevie Benton stevie.benton@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Hello everyone,
I thought you might be interested in this story I saw at the weekend - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27346567 - about a project that
uses
memory sticks to install operating systems on old or unused computers to give people in the developing world their own computer.
As a secondary note, I wondered if anyone had any ideas about how
Wikipedia
access could be built in to the mix. I know of Kiwix but wondered if this story would perhaps inspire any great ideas.
All thoughts welcome! Thank you,
Stevie
--
Stevie Benton Head of External Relations Wikimedia UK +44 (0) 20 7065 0993 / +44 (0) 7803 505 173 @StevieBenton
Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A
4LT.
United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).
Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control
over
Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
-- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae Personal and confidential, please do not circulate or re-quote.
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
On 13 May 2014 10:31, Richard Nevell richard.nevell@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Do you have a link where more can be learned about this and how it could be done?
A number of examples at http://puppylinux.org/main/Puplet%20for%20special%20features.htm.
There is a wiki at http://puppylinux.org/wikka/ComponentHowTo
When you use puppy linux you can customize it on the fly and then do a rebuild of precisely your version (including browser bookmarks and local documents, if I recall correctly), which itself can be cloned. This simple structure is why so many people have created their own 'puplets' for specific purposes.
Fae
wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org