[Edu-sig] Fw: [Visualpython-users] VPython and LiveZope

[Arthur]

> Knoppix-based distros are pretty cool, just put the CD in and reboot.
> Your machine loads the entire OS and whatever tools it provides from
> the CD--nothing is installed to your hard drive.  Good for test driving
> tools or for making Linux-based applications available to Windows users
> without forcing them to partition their hard drives.

Its potential for educational use is already being tapped by the folks at

FREEDUC
Directory of free software for schools

http://www.ofset.org/projects/edusoft/edusoft.html

I had burned their ISO and it booted up on my portable flawlessly.  I was
amazed becuase RedHat8.0 couldn't deal with the Nvidia video driver on my
Dell, while Knoppix effortless gave me a perfect XWindows screen on boot.
>
> Loading a real "batteries-included" Python on a Knoppix disk would be
> great for demos, education, even the lost and forgotten Contagious Fun.
>   By building this as an ISO image we could encourage people to download
> it (from the SIG page?) and distribute it at conferences and trade
> shows to get a taste of what Python has to offer.

I had recently posted a related wish/idea -  a CD distribution that provided
a more complete infrastructure than the standard distribution for education
related apps.  To include Numeric, pygame, wxPython, VPython, pyopengl,
etc...

The only problem I see with a bootable CD is that it must provide the apps
as well as the infrastructure.  So that in putting it together someone needs
to either exercise some editorial control - and deal with the flak that that
might entail, or else throw in the kitchen sink.  The kitchen sink might end
up being confusing, and of uneven quality.

And ...  what I didn't try to do when I booted from Freeduc is write and
save a script.  How is that handled?  Is the hard disk file system mounted?

If you can't wrtie and save a Python script, I am not sure it is a great
solution, beyond  - as you may be suggesting - as a form of a demo CD.

With those concerns put on the table - I think its a great general concept.
Particularly because it seems realistically doable without anyone quitting
their jobs (and living on grits) or waiting 18 months to hear about a grant
approval.

Art