[Sugar-devel] [DESIGN] Proposal: Contol-Panel packaging

[Sridhar Dhanapalan]

On 11 August 2012 08:28, John Gilmore <gnu at toad.com> wrote:
>> > We have no control over the network environment what so ever and need to
>> > work within the confines of what is available.
>>
>> This is our primary constraint: we cannot install servers or proxies.
>>
>> Schools in remote areas have latent/slow/expensive Internet links.
>> You'd think that a caching proxy is common sense. Unfortunately not :(
>>
>> Furthermore, the newer wireless networks treat every client as
>> potentially hostile and hence prevent them from communicating with
>> each other. This also means that no collaboration can take place.
>
> You *are* sending them XO's or at least XO software loads, yes?
>
> Fix the XO software with a simple control panel checkbox to make it a
> cacheing proxy access point.
>
> Tell them to configure one of the XOs as a cacheing proxy, stick it in
> a corner on permanent power with its ears up, and have the rest
> connect to that one, not to the provided "base station".  They'll be
> one radio hop further away from the Internet (unless you send 'em a
> USB Ethernet dongle for that XO), but they'll be able to collaborate
> and share, and get much faster access to things that more than one of
> them need.
>
> If there isn't enough storage on those XOs to make a decent cache,
> send 'em a 16GB USB stick or a similar SD card too.

The key is simplicity for the end user. Nothing can require technical expertise.

We have a solution for manual updates [1]. This is a fallback if the
automated updates mechanism is not appropriate.

The automated updates mechanism (which uses yum) is great for schools
as no expertise is required to set anything up. If you don't make it
automatic (or at very least, extremely easy), it won't happen.

But back on topic, it would benefit everyone if Sugar packaging was
more modular, to give deployments greater control over that they
distribute and to keep updates sizes to a minimum. We're happy to help
make that happen - we aren't just criticising from the sidelines.

Sridhar


[1] https://dev.laptop.org.au/issues/873


Sridhar Dhanapalan
Engineering Manager
One Laptop per Child Australia