do you ubuntu?
Check me out, I made a little video with me in it and I’m putting it here.
I installed Ubuntu on two of the donated PCs at my library yesterday. It took less than an hour. In fact, if I hadn’t been making the little movie at the same time [with my laptop and my little Canon digital Elph; I don't have a video camera] it would have taken me even less time. Ubuntu comes bundled with a lot of the popular Open Source software titles like OpenOffice, Gimp and Firefox. The Calef Library has two Windows PCs already so if people need specific software that doesn’t run on Ubuntu, they can use those. I’d like to get them a Mac as well and then they can be the only library (to my knowledge) that is triple platform in the entire state of Vermont.
Note: I have not connected these machines to the Internet or the printer yet, so I’m sure there may be pitfalls waiting for me along the way, but I think that would be true no matter what platform I was using. Ubuntu is free. My install process went like this: download and burn the Ubuntu disk image to a CD. Turn on the computer with the Ubuntu CD in the CD drive. The computer boots Ubuntu from the CD. You have the option to run it this way or install it to the hard drive. You have the option to install it on a partition (and keep Windows also) or just erase the drive and install Ubuntu as the only operating system. You restart the machine and it runs Ubuntu and it Just Works. For the Ubuntu curious (I just like saying ubuntu over and over ubuntu ubuntu ubuntu…) you might enjoy this website How to install ANYTHING in Ubuntu. If you’re just Linux curious, you might enjoy this article on how Howard County migrated more than 200 PCs to Linux, and this was in 2004. Hope you like the little movie. Please drop a note in the comments if you’re using Ubuntu at your library.
May 8th, 2007 at 10:00
You are my hero.
May 8th, 2007 at 10:07
Hi, Jessamyn!
A typo in the first sentance makes it unclear whether you _installed_ or _uninstalled_ Ubuntu.
I’m guessing _installed_ … but you never know.
: )
May 8th, 2007 at 10:33
Thanks Silus, fixed it!
May 8th, 2007 at 10:39
Thanks so much. Love it!
May 8th, 2007 at 12:42
I love the video, and I’m in awe of a public library having both Windows and Ubuntu available.
In my own use of Ubuntu, I’ve never had a problem connecting to the internet. Even wifi was easy (although I got my card by asking for help on the Ubuntu forums and buying a recommended card, rather than getting a card first and trying to figure out how to get it to work).
May 8th, 2007 at 1:24
Nice production values! Well done.
May 8th, 2007 at 1:28
Hiya,
MarkPilgrim’s Ubuntu Essentials post was helpful for a recent install (tips how to get the non-default codecs, flash, etc. done quickly).
May 8th, 2007 at 1:30
Hey, is that the Michot Brothers playing in the video??
May 8th, 2007 at 1:35
Hey that was a fantastic video! I want to install Ubuntu at a tiny library now. And if you want to learn to screencast, I hear there was an excellent program at the Mass Library Assn conference last week. Oh wait, you were there … and you missed it! ;-)
May 8th, 2007 at 1:36
I haven’t watched the video yet but let me say it is very refreshing to see someone embrace something different and free, rather than let those machines waste away. Kudos!
May 8th, 2007 at 1:48
[...] do you ubuntu? [Librarian.net] tr { border: 0px } td { cellborder: 10px} table { border: 1px solid black } [...]
May 8th, 2007 at 1:50
Nifty. Was that Michael Doucet/Beausoleil on the soundtrack?
May 8th, 2007 at 1:50
[...] FYI, Jessamyn is one of the premier library tech people. I just always wondered about UNIX. Tanya, where’s your old pc … [...]
May 8th, 2007 at 1:56
Yeah the song is the Eunice Two-Step by Beausoleil.
May 8th, 2007 at 2:07
I love OpenOffice–very cool! I tell my students about it all the time. Great little video!
May 8th, 2007 at 2:18
Definitely a good idea to check out which sorts of wireless cards are best before trying to connect to wi-fi… I really struggled with this part of the setup.
May 8th, 2007 at 2:21
Nice work – thanks for taking the time to make the video.
May 8th, 2007 at 2:33
Did you create the video on a Ubuntu machine? What did you use? Did you like it? I haven’t found a video editor I like for Linux yet….
May 8th, 2007 at 2:36
Maybe it’s just me, but I think this video could have effects beyond Washington, VT. Nothing like a dead simple and entertaining demo to demystify “exotic” technology. The zydeco helps too.
May 8th, 2007 at 2:43
[...] Ubuntu @ the Library By beerorkid her blog [...]
May 8th, 2007 at 4:27
[...] Linky (bizarrely, you have to click read more to get the link) [...]
May 8th, 2007 at 5:20
[...] Bonus: This morning a co-worker pointed out GreenDimes. It’s a service that will do the work for you to get your name off junk mail lists, to reduce the amount that makes it to your mailbox, and then they also have a tree planted for you monthly. Neat. Plus: I’ve been a long-time fan of Jessamyn but must admit, I haven’t gotten over to libarian.net lately. But she was boing-boinged today for making a video about how to install Ubuntu – on some machines that were donated to her library. So awesome. And yes, I do Ubuntu too. And: Poor Galadriel is looking more like a zombie queen than an elf queen. I don’t think all shall love her, but we might just despair. [...]
May 8th, 2007 at 6:15
ugh, ubuntu linux. congratulations on your awesome trend following.
May 8th, 2007 at 6:34
Hey Jessamyn! CitrusFreak12 here. Loved the video! You are my favorite internet folk-hero!
May 8th, 2007 at 7:08
Hi weapons of massdistration- Thanks for mentioning GreenDimes in your comment! We really appreciate your taking the time to tell others about the service.
Kendra
May 8th, 2007 at 7:32
What a very cool video! Maybe if I play it for some of the more wrongheaded of folks in my office, they will change their minds a bit more about Linux.
Thank you for making it!
May 8th, 2007 at 7:42
While I am no fan of Ubuntu/Kubuntu, all I can say is “great job”!. Not only have you helped out your library, but you have also helped out the Linux community. Ubuntu does have good community
support, with their user forum and wiki.
May 8th, 2007 at 7:56
Great idea, and the vid was put together nicely, too.
Unfortunately the pic they used on boing boing makes it look like someone is goosing you. :P
jm
May 8th, 2007 at 9:26
Great video! You should burn about 10 extra cds and give em out if anyone shows an interest.
May 8th, 2007 at 10:15
[...] A Librarian installs Ubuntu in the basement on two donated PC’s. She made a video of her adventure. Thanks to author Corey Doctorow for that link. [...]
May 8th, 2007 at 10:16
Cameron,
Too late. We at Canonical have found Jessamyn’s video, and we’re sending a few hundred officially pressed CDs to our friends in Vermont’s libraries. :)
And if anyone wants officially pressed CDs, just hit https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ and we’ll send you some for free.
The video is quite popular at the Ubuntu Developer’s Summit this week, and we wanted to say “thanks” for making us smile.
Rock on, Jessamyn! Ubuntu loves you!
May 8th, 2007 at 10:20
[...] do you ubuntu? [Librarian.net] [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 12:42
Writing as a software engineer who recently married a librarian, I’ve believed for years that geeks and librarians are just different clans in the same tribe. Rock On.
May 9th, 2007 at 1:02
[...] Using Ubuntu in Libraries May 9th, 2007 — techxplorer I saw this post on the blog of Jessamyn West and thought it very funny, as well as inspirational. In a short amount of time she takes two donated PC’s and turns them into Ubuntu workstations in a way only Jessamyn could. [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 1:09
[...] Watch the video, and follow the discussion around it on her blog and notice the amount of fun these people, who are very non-technical it would seem, are having with the Ubuntu OS. [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 2:25
Mrs. West, do you use Ubuntu in your laptop? If not, why?
May 9th, 2007 at 3:16
Great video!!! ;-)
May 9th, 2007 at 4:22
Congratulations for choosing freedom by using Linux.
You will discover that is is much less messy (no virus, no spyware, more robust and secure) than windows, so it wont be any problem to connect these machines to the internet.
There is also have free (as in freedom, although it is also costless) software you can use to manage your library:
http://www.koha.org
Regards from a spaniard Linux user
May 9th, 2007 at 4:31
Hey, it seems to be much easier than downloading an audio book from Overdrive ;-)
May 9th, 2007 at 5:27
will you marry me? you probably won’t but i thought i’d ask anyway. thanks for a cool video. yes, i do the ubuntu and a few others as well. love ‘em.
note to self: visit the library more often.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:16
[...] librarian.net » do you ubuntu?: do you ubuntu? [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 6:41
[...] http://www.librarian.net/stax/2042/do-you-ubuntu/ [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 7:06
:D
May 9th, 2007 at 7:33
Applications->Add/Remove Programs. Search for “Frozen Bubble”.
People will flock to the library just to play. :)
May 9th, 2007 at 7:37
[...] Installing Ubuntu Linux is easy & fun! [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 7:56
[...] Link to post and video: http://www.librarian.net/stax/2042/do-you-ubuntu/ [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 8:13
Jessamyn, I love your multimedia
May 9th, 2007 at 9:24
[...] librarian.net. Ubuntu telepítése. Kötelező. WPvideo 1.10 [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 9:41
It’s a real good job. Congrats.
Are you Still have troubles with internet conection?
Regards
May 9th, 2007 at 9:48
Jessamyn, great job on the video. It should be an inspiration to a lot of future Ubuntu users. I started using Linux in 2003 and haven’t looked back. I use Ubuntu on my Acer laptop, and it works great. Just remember, there are lots of other great Linux distributions.
As a librarian, you will want to read Glyn Moody’s “Rebel Code” which gives a good account of the birth of the open source movement. Plus check out the documentary film “Revolution OS” by J.T.S. Moore available on DVD. Keep up the good work.
Red
May 9th, 2007 at 10:24
Nice O.S., unless happens that some piece of your hardware is non-linuxfriendly,especially modems
May 9th, 2007 at 10:37
[...] This video by Jessamyn at the Washington, Vermont, USA library just makes me smile. Proof that some people “Just Get It”! [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 10:59
Great video. Ubuntu / Linux is also great on Kiosks. ISLUG (out LUG) has installed kiosks in a coffee shop and local bar.. umm beer!
Keep up the good work.
Tom
May 9th, 2007 at 11:36
[...] Jessamyn West installed Ubuntu on some library computers and made this cute video of it. [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 11:41
You simply kick asses, I’m in love :)
May 9th, 2007 at 12:50
Great job Jessamyn! Love seeing stories like this – it warms the cockles of my heart (whatever cockles are).
FYI, I’m one of the authors of O’Reilly’s _Ubuntu Hacks_ book – if you’ve got Ubuntu questions you should pull it off your shelf there at the library (it *is* on your shelf, right?) and flip thru it. :)
May 9th, 2007 at 12:59
Ubuntu is pretty good isn’t it.
However, you may want to check that any things you would want to attach will work.
Flip through here: http://www.linuxquestions.org/hcl/
I found out the hard way that the printer I have at my parent’s house doesn’t work with *any* linux.
Ah well, que sera sera.
May 9th, 2007 at 3:18
So is there a way to lock down these ubuntu boxes without using a kiosk load? Specifically can you auto purge the browser history, clear OO files, and prevent unwanted activities (e.g DL .exe, install software, etc).
Last time I played with linux for public PCs there was no tool similar to policy editor/shared toolkit for locking and purging the machines after ever patron use, something I find essential for privacy.
May 9th, 2007 at 4:59
You asked about screen-casting?
Check this out:
http://recordmydesktop.sourceforge.net/
Use it to make videos of your desktop.
Great for training others.
It’s open source and free.
Enjoy.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:18
Excellent video. Congrats on giving Ubuntu a try. It gets even better. Wait until you discover all of the software, including a growing number of educational titles you can put on those PC’s.
I have been using Ubuntu for about a week and think this may the first Linux distribution I leave on the family PC.
Enjoy.
Phil
May 9th, 2007 at 6:53
awesome video! More! More!
Shawn Romine
Library Computer Support Tech
Douglas County Library System
1409 NE Diamond Lake Blvd.
Roseburg, OR 97470
541-440-4228 phone
541-957-7798 fax
May 9th, 2007 at 7:33
That was awesome! Long live open-source, libraries, and librarians!
May 9th, 2007 at 7:36
[...] librarian.net » do you ubuntu? – I installed Ubuntu on two of the donated PCs at my library yesterday. It took less than an hour. In fact, if I hadnât been making the little movie at the same time it would have taken me even less time. 9. May 2007, 17:32 o’clock [...]
May 9th, 2007 at 10:50
[...] BoingBoing links to a video Jessamyn West made about installing Ubuntu Linux on some of her library’s computers. If the library gets a Mac, she thinks it will be the first library in Vermont to offer three operating systems. Her post has more information about Ubuntu and using it in libraries. [...]
May 10th, 2007 at 12:33
Yay!
More power to you! Thank you for the great video and for showing all the nay-sayers how its done.
Shane.
May 10th, 2007 at 5:35
[...] For the inquisitive, the link is here – [...]
May 10th, 2007 at 6:45
[...] This librarian uses the much less newbie-hostile ubuntu default desktop, and shows how easy to install and easy to use it is, and how much great software is installed by default. Now that is how one promotes GNU/Linux! [...]
May 10th, 2007 at 8:18
Well done !
here a howto to get the perfect ubuntu desktop:
http://www.howtoforge.com/the_perfect_desktop_ubuntu7.04
May 10th, 2007 at 8:42
How are the patrons liking using Ubuntu stations? We’re contemplating looking into suggesting it for our system libraries and we’re curious what the feedback has been from the patrons in this library. Thanks!
May 10th, 2007 at 9:07
After reading your post about installing the PCs in the library I went and downloaded Ubuntu on a spare laptop. I did a clean install. I love it! It’s on the Internet now. I haven’t messed much with the printing yet.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:42
Congratulations for entering the wonderful world of free and open source software.
I have Kubuntu installed on all of my school library PCs (and an old iMac).
May 10th, 2007 at 1:53
[...] Link [...]
May 10th, 2007 at 4:44
Wow! It only took you ten seconds to start up Open Office!? :-)
Listen, you get what you pay for. I tried using Ubuntu Linux for about two months and found it to be clunky and slow: Firefox was a dog and OpenOffice was unusable; Gnome was unresponsive. Reinstalling Windows was a breath of fresh air. My current setup is: a Windows machine for everyday browsing, email, and Office applications and a Linux machine for the occasional Linux-only application. I also use a Mac laptop because it makes me look cool in public, and believe me I need all the help I can get :-)
Another point I’d like to make. People often make a big deal about how easy it is to install Linux and how much software it comes with. The fact is that the vast majority of computer users will never install an OS in their lives; their computers come with an OS installed. And much of the time their computers come with all the other stuff you need installed as well (Office, etc.). And, I positively garantee that you’ll never use close to half of the stuff that came installed on your Ubuntu install. These facts make the mere hour you spent installing look kind-of wasteful. Think of the things you could have done with that hour! :-)
This is not to say that I don’t understand or sympathize with all the cool counter-culture reasons to run Linux and stick it to Microsoft. But, just like the Mac commercials that imply Mac’s are somehow immune to Viruses and incompatibility problems, a public disservice is done when you tout advantages that really aren’t there.
Thanks for giving me the forum to get this stuff off my chest. :-)
May 10th, 2007 at 8:17
Well done! Thanks for the video.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:07
Great video!
Mark Shuttleworth played this video to the developers at the end of the Ubuntu Developer Summit in Sevilla, Spain today. It was received very well.
Congratulations.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:11
[...] A Librarian Install Ubuntu Posted May 11, 2007 In this video a librarian for a small library in Vermont installs Ubuntu on two donated PC’s without an operating system. This is a really entertaining video. Read about it and watch it: [...]
May 11th, 2007 at 11:59
You are Heroic.
Bring this idea to other local librarians! The library is all about freedom of information, and that’s what Linux and Ubuntu are about!
May 11th, 2007 at 7:27
Great video!
Now use “System > Administration > Synapic” to install “ubuntu-restricted-extras” flash player, java, more fonts and some multimedia stuff.
Best of luck with Ubuntu!
May 11th, 2007 at 7:46
Also try other live distributions, PCLinuxOS, Mepis etc. Love the video!
May 11th, 2007 at 9:14
prepare to get Slashdotted. i thot you worthy!
May 11th, 2007 at 9:21
[...] librarian.net » do you ubuntu? a librarian installs Ubuntu (tags: DIY library ubuntu friday_fun) [...]
May 11th, 2007 at 9:48
J – Finally got around to watching the video. You seriously rock!!!
May 11th, 2007 at 11:51
Greetings to Mrs. West from Mr. West :-) (no relation)
This video is great; wonderful viral advertising for Ubuntu.
Another way to install GNU/Linux, albeit Debian rather than Ubuntu (although Ubuntu is Debian-based), is to point your Windows web browser to http://goodbye-microsoft.com and click on the Debian icon. The process sets up a dual-boot, walks you through the partitioning of your drive, and downloads what’s needed from the ‘net and installs it, all without having to burn and boot from a CD.
Again, thanks for the video! Lotta fun!
May 12th, 2007 at 12:46
Thanks, Jessamyn!
great -nice-happy video!
May 12th, 2007 at 1:22
[...] librarian.net » do you ubuntu? “I installed Ubuntu on two of the donated PCs at my library yesterday. It took less than an hour.” Good news indeed, as libraries with their scarce resources need all the help they can get with their IT infrastructure. (tags: via:BobSutor open-source education Linux ubuntu libraries) [...]
May 12th, 2007 at 2:12
[...] For those who haven’t seen it yet, Jessamyn at Librarian.net has a video of her installing Ubuntu Linux onto three computers at a small library. This comes fast on the news from last week that Dell will be offering Ubuntu as an alternative Operating System to Windows Vista. After years of quietly percolating in the background, Linux is finally catching on in the popular imagination as an alternative to the ham fisted monopoly of Microsoft and I couldn’t be happier. That it’s Ubuntu that is making the noise is even better. It makes me almost want to buy a PC just to help the cause. Maybe I can convince my parents to switch? That might be a nifty little series, following the procedures, from talking my parent sinto the switch all the way through the install process… hmm, yes… [...]
May 12th, 2007 at 3:46
Just connect them up to the Internet with nework cards which are usaly always supported, I bet the windows machines are connected to a rooter some ware and ae on the net because of that, I recon you shoud network up the printer too so all machines can use the printer.
May 12th, 2007 at 3:49
Don’t for get to Find the Ubuntu fourms too get help that you may need, have alook around the net.
May 12th, 2007 at 4:50
[...] Aproveitou para filmar a sua “Install Party” privada, num vídeo intitulado Jessamyn installs Ubuntu @ the Library, disponível no formato livre Ogg e no formato proprietário Flash Vídeo, embebido na sua página. [...]
May 12th, 2007 at 6:01
Jessamyn you rock my world!
cheers from Brazil
http://bsf.org.br/2007/05/12/ubuntu-na-biblioteca/
great Beausoleil
May 12th, 2007 at 6:04
[...] Jessamyn, do librarian.net, filmou a experiência de instalar Ubuntu em 3 computadores que foram doados sem sistema operacional. Cai muito bem no Brasil. [...]
May 12th, 2007 at 8:13
Great video! I’m looking to try ubuntu on Dell starts selling hardware with ubuntu preinstalled.
May 13th, 2007 at 2:09
Great little video. What about making a video of people learning the new system.
May 13th, 2007 at 9:44
Well Done – Kudos – Check out the koha project.
Shaun
May 13th, 2007 at 10:55
[...] Jessamyn West, a librarian from Vermont has made an awesome video on installing Ubuntu. [...]
May 13th, 2007 at 12:42
Great – looks like you had a lot of fun.
I wonder if this kind of thing will force MS into letting non-profits install a MS OS (for free)…
Not holding my breath ;) …although it would be the smart thing to do.
May 13th, 2007 at 1:16
SarcasticSmarmyGuy: If Ubuntu was slow and unresponsive for you, you’ve got an older machine. Xubuntu works great on those. ;-)
Ubuntu does have higher system requirements than Windows XP. It’s also newer. It’s also a ton lighter than Vista.
I’m not entirely sure what advantages she talked about which weren’t there. Ubuntu is free, it comes with a lotta software, and installing it took less time than it would to have gotten an equivalent Windows XP system with all the fixings up and running. (Yeah, the boxes already had 2000 on them, but they may have been donated on the condition that the computer be wiped; a fairly common and not unreasonable request, actually.)
—
All in all, this was a pretty great video. Good job, Jessamyn.
May 13th, 2007 at 1:20
[...] was written by Carlos and posted on 5/13/2007 at 12:20 pm and filed under Open Source. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback:Trackback URL. « EFF’s a bit off about one thing. ^_- [...]
May 13th, 2007 at 1:49
Jessamyn,
Love your little video :^)
Love your little dance at the end even more… Joy.
SarcasticSmarmyGuy: You have no idea what it’s like having to use donated equipment. “You get what you pay for”. Quite.
Go girl.
May 13th, 2007 at 2:56
Loved the Video
Other FOSS software to try:
Ubuntu Studio
Dan’s Guardian
http://www.open-ils.org/
very gool GPL ILS software being used in the whole state of Georgia – VT needs to do this too.
http://www.koha.org/
also GPL ILS software to look at…
K12LTSP.org
Edubuntu
http://meadvillelibrary.org/os/pala-ltsp/presentation/img0.htm
http://www.groklaw.net
http://www.newsforge.com
May 13th, 2007 at 4:08
Cute little Video, i like the part where you
dont accept the EULA, really cool.
Ubuntu Ubuntu Ubuntu :-)
May 13th, 2007 at 6:28
[...] I read a great blog from a Librarian who installed Feisty Fawn on some donated workstations and videotaped it. See it here. This is definitely inspiring and made me wonder about donating some old PCs to local schools. [...]
May 13th, 2007 at 8:07
[...] 13th, 2007 · No Comments As I prepare to install Ubuntu on some older computers at school, I am inspired by thislibrarian’s Ubuntu story. [...]
May 13th, 2007 at 9:16
[...] Via Keith at Invisible Library, a video that Jessamyn at Librarian.net made while installing Ubuntu Linux on some computers donated to her library. [...]
May 13th, 2007 at 9:24
You might also be interested in this site – http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/index.php – which gives a quiz to help choose which distro may be the best fit for you. It returns 2-4 possibilities, and is fairly accurate!
I hope lots and lots of people see your video. This is great!
May 14th, 2007 at 12:34
For screencast on Ubuntu try xvidcap. The web page for xvidcap is here: http://xvidcap.sourceforge.net/
Towards the bottom of the page there are a couple of short training screencast videos.
The download for Ubuntu is here:
http://downloads.sourceforge.net/xvidcap/xvidcap_1.1.5_i386.deb?modtime=1177515551&big_mirror=0
May 14th, 2007 at 2:36
[...] Do you Ubuntu [...]
May 14th, 2007 at 7:08
[...] http://www.librarian.net/stax/2042/do-you-ubuntu/ [...]
May 14th, 2007 at 7:36
See this link:
http://www.meadvillelibrary.org/os/
Has interesting information about using open source filtering tools.
Of course by using proxy servers over the internet, and remote management tools, then access and filtering, and system administration for small public libraries can be centrally managed in one location for the benefit of many small libraries that don’t have the budget to go it alone. The Open Source Software model makes this flexible and leaves room in budgets for smaller libraries and larger libraries to team up to solve common problems (without hurting the budgets of either large or small, if the philosophy and tech understanding at all levels is “dialed-in” to a proper course of action that is long term). Note that many “local” historical clubs are trying to digitally document local history and are using proprietary tools to do this (and some local libraries are being used as sites to store the data). If they choose a software product that locks them into where for the next 200 years they MUST use this choice of products, then they might find that this is not the best solution. The Open Document Format model (ODF) is one that these groups should be using (as then their choice of vendor is not important, because they can move their data between software products seemlessly and quickly). The mistake is choosing the “lock-in” software solution, as then you are no longer independent. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDocument
May 14th, 2007 at 8:24
In the video, you showed the username was “library” and the pass was “library.” Although you probably don’t get many people wanting to take down library computers, what do you intend to do about people doing “sudo” commands in the Ubuntu terminal?
sudo rm -r /*
wouldn’t turn out too well.
May 14th, 2007 at 9:24
Hi….quick suggestion, you may also want to check out the education version of Ubuntu, (if you haven’t already), called Edubuntu. It is modified to include extra math and science software. It usually is issued very shortly after the “base” Ubuntu is released.
May 14th, 2007 at 10:08
Thanks adam and others. I’ll be changing the password before we put the machine on the live internet.
May 14th, 2007 at 11:18
If you know the password of the user to login, you’ll be able to use sudo to get root-level power over the computer. If you use sudo before a command, it’ll ask for the password of that user, so I would consider a solution that involves having the users not know what the password is at all, that way you completely block the ability to delete protected files and directories :)
By the way, I totally loved the video!
May 14th, 2007 at 1:04
[...] Ubuntu in biblioteca Il divertente resoconto, con video, dell’installazione di Ubuntu in una biblioteca del Vermont. [...]
May 14th, 2007 at 5:06
[...] Нашёл тут. [...]
May 14th, 2007 at 8:04
To much fun! :P
Keep it up, you are setting standards in how public services must have initiative!
Here in Brazil we say: “knowledge makes the time, does not wait to happen”
PS. Marry me?!?!!?
I promise I’ll learn english! :P
May 15th, 2007 at 4:26
haha. Way too go *thumbs up*
May 15th, 2007 at 1:36
[...] * Jessamyn Charity West, a librarian at Calef Library, in Washington, Vermont, created a video of installing Ubuntu on donated computers. Three computers came with no legal licenses for Windows, so Jessamyn burned an ISO of Ubuntu and proceeded to overwrite Windows. She comments how Ubuntu is instantly useful since it comes with Open“Office and Gaim pre-installed. See the video at http://www.librarian.net/stax/2042/do-you-ubuntu/ [...]
May 16th, 2007 at 11:02
[...] ein grund weswegen linuk gewinnt: weil einfach keiner so viel spass hat wenn er windoof installiert. [...]
May 18th, 2007 at 1:17
Jessamyn, Quite a watershed event for libraries and linux, and well documented as well, the music was an especially nice touch, and the editing was great.
Chris
May 18th, 2007 at 8:48
[...] Una señorita instaló Ubuntu en la biblioteca de su ciudad. [...]
May 19th, 2007 at 4:32
Very nicely done video. Not sure whether or not you realise this but your You Tube video is fast becoming a popular “this is why you should use Ubuntu” meme. Well done.
May 20th, 2007 at 1:57
[...] Ubuntu in 10 Minutes May 20th, 2007 Here’s a beautiful little video done by Vermont librarian Jessamyn West to show people how easy it is to install Ubuntu on a couple of old, donated computers. Ubuntu is a free open source linux-based operating system, and it’s great for schools & non-profits. [...]
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:08
[...] These are witchy times for Microsoft. Windows Vista, which was years in development, is an underwhelming, ridiculously expensive, resource-hogging, bug-ridden, crash-prone lump of crap. Internet Explorer is still losing market share to Mozilla. Ubuntu, the current star of the Linux universe, is getting rave reviews, and will soon be available pre-installed on new Dell PC’s. Hell, even A-List library bloggers are making videos to guide laymen through Ubuntu installs and conversions. [...]
May 24th, 2007 at 1:40
[...] Here is a charming little clip of a pro-active librarian, Jessamyn West. Every library should have a Jessamyn and I have added her site librarian.net to my blogroll. Ubuntu is an excellent linux distro suitable for all levels of computer knowledge. Recycled PCs may be made useful again at almost zero cost. Ubuntu has been around for over three years now but there are still many people unaware of it. When you use or see Linux every day it is easy to forget that other people still haven’t heard of it. This video shows how straightforward linux is to install (compared to the old days) and the amount of free (open source) software that is included in a standard setup. I liked the deep south, American folk music too! [...]
May 24th, 2007 at 10:40
Just wanted to chime in…
Your video is AWESOME!
I’m still smiling.
Thank you!
May 24th, 2007 at 6:20
“ugh, ubuntu linux. congratulations on your awesome trend following. ”
Congratulations on being a cynical and moronic curmudgeon!:-)
May 24th, 2007 at 6:32
“Firefox was a dog and OpenOffice was unusable”
Did you get the reaction you were fishing for? Firefox is a dog? Only if you’re a moron!
May 24th, 2007 at 6:41
[...] librarian.net do you ubuntu? [...]
May 25th, 2007 at 2:50
This is outstanding! I installed Ubuntu in fall of 2006 on an old machine and then on two more in the spring of ’07. I have been extremely impressed. The potential of this OS becoming the standard for libraries and schools is fantastic.
May 28th, 2007 at 11:54
This is a great video!
(Whence didst thou hooketh up yon Cajun soundtrack?)
June 1st, 2007 at 8:48
Re: preventing “sudo” commands…
Maybe you could enable automatic login, and then you would not have to provide a username / password to people… and therefore they would not be able to run “sudo” commands which would harm the system?
You can enable automatic login by going to System -> Administration -> Login Window
Select the Security tab, and tick “Enable Timed Login”, and select a user.
I’m not an expert – so maybe someone else could confirm that this would be a good alternative to providing the username / password to people?
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:43
[...] We’ve started putting up useful or fun YouTube videos, one a day, to demonstrate the significant noninfringing use of the service. Also because we’re having fun. At first, I was putting them in News Picks, but this one is too great not to put right here. It’s a librarian in Vermont, USA, who installs Ubuntu on two rickety old donated computers in less than an hour and then shows Ubuntu off. The computers didn’t come with valid licenses to any operating system, so she tried Ubuntu. As you will see, she is impressed at all the applications that come with it, including OpenOffice, and she shows you how to save an OpenOffice document as Microsoft Word format. Here’s the Ogg version of her video. If you would like to do the same, and she does make it look fun, here are some instructions she posted afterwards, but as you will see in the video, Ubuntu does the ubuntuing without much input from you. You can even ask and they’ll send you a free CD in the mail of Ubuntu, Edubuntu, or Kubuntu, if you don’t want to burn your own. I use Kubuntu myself. Edubuntu is for schools. If you are a business, this page about applications tested to run on Ubuntu and where support is available will interest you. But Ubuntu, as they say, is and always be free of charge: Ubuntu is and always will be free of charge. You do not pay any licensing fees. You can download, use and share Ubuntu with your friends, family, school or business for absolutely nothing. We issue a new desktop and server release every six months. That means you’ll always have the the latest and greatest applications that the open source world has to offer. [...]
June 9th, 2007 at 11:13
This is a very creative video! I think I will install Ubuntu on my computer now :-)
June 11th, 2007 at 4:08
Hello Jessamyn! Fantastic video there, will be linking it on my blog in a few minutes. I’m camped out by my 3-year-old daughter’s pc installing Ubuntu, as she has no trouble finding her way around my laptop which is also on Ubuntu. Now if I can just convince my husband to switch to Ubuntu on his PC as well …
June 11th, 2007 at 8:09
[...] The usual suspects of course: Jessamyn West. Learn how to Pimp your Firefox. Watch a video on installing Ubuntu. Make friends with Wikipedia. [...]
June 15th, 2007 at 10:51
[...] But it’s clear to me that many people still think open source is something for serious techies, given the awe-struck media frenzy that followed Jessamyn West’s video showing her installing Ubuntu on some computers in a rural library. Many of these operating systems are getting easier to install and hardware manufacturers are getting much more cooperative in designing hardware that will work with many open source operating systems. But even if you’re not installing Ubuntu or Mandriva, there are many free or open source applications that have the same functionality as the desktop applications your library paid a small fortune to license. I use PDF Creator instead of Adobe Acrobat. I use Audacity to record sound http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. I use GimpShop instead of PhotoShop (which is not nearly as fully-featured, but good for small jobs). I typed these trends in Open Office, and I find that, for the basic tasks most people do, it’s just as easy to use as the Microsoft Office tools. In some cases, open source applications are far better than the commercial ones. Especially for cash-strapped libraries, it’s crazy to keep spending money on expensive licenses for commercial desktop software without at least considering the open source alternatives. None of these take a “techie” to install or learn how to use. [...]
June 18th, 2007 at 5:18
CAn you get that Ubuntu version to work of the CD. as in live-CD?
June 19th, 2007 at 11:09
Did you use software on Linux to produce the video?
June 19th, 2007 at 2:30
Did you use software on Linux to produce the video?
@argh: yes
@ Don Ray: nope, baby steps here.
June 29th, 2007 at 9:45
[...] Jessamyn est une bibliothécaire qui vient de recevoir en don, 3 ordinateurs mais ceux-ci sont sans système d’exploitation. Elle a donc installé Ubuntu, un système d’exploitation libre de droit et gratuit afin de faire fonctionner son matériel. De plus, elle a concocté un beau petit vidéo pour illustrer le tout. C’est en anglais. [...]
July 7th, 2007 at 10:49
We use Ubuntu on our public computers in the State Library. It’s solved a host of problems for us, keeps everyone happy.
We even made image CD’s of the Ubuntu install and gave them to the librarian. Now if one gets messed up they just boot it from the first CD and type NUKE at the prompt. 20 minutes later they’ve got the full install ready to go.
July 13th, 2007 at 2:48
[...] Inspiration number 3: Jessamyn West installing Ubuntu. Watch the video, it’s great. Look how she jumps around in the end! [...]
July 18th, 2007 at 8:39
[...] librarian.net do you ubuntu? [...]
August 2nd, 2007 at 2:36
[...] librarian.net do you ubuntu? [...]
August 4th, 2007 at 11:34
[...] librarian.net do you ubuntu? [...]
August 5th, 2007 at 4:32
[...] librarian.net do you ubuntu? [...]
August 17th, 2007 at 10:08
[...] There’s a kid in town who seems like a budding geek, or at any rate a potential budding geek. He said to me one day, “I’ve learned more from 15 minutes of talking to our sys admin than I have in 5 years of computer classes.” Earlier this summer I showed him Jessamyn’s Ubuntu video, and he got interested, so I downloaded it for him and he brought in a CD so he could burn a copy and play around with it on one of his old PCs. He now routinely comes in and talks to me about partitions and other stuff about which I am totally clueless. Awhile ago he asked for “some books about computers.” I couldn’t determine from the reference interview exactly what that meant, so I got him one about website building, one reference book, and one copy of Beginning Programming for Dummies (translation: the three books in the system that were less than five years old–I admit that we have no books on Ruby on Rails–but we also don’t have much demand). He’s gotten very interested in the programming book. I’m going to recommend The Cuckoo’s Egg for one of the books he has to read for English this year, and perhaps some Neal Stephenson. What else should I point him to, either educationally or recreationally? [...]
August 25th, 2007 at 4:32
[...] librarian.net do you ubuntu? [...]
August 29th, 2007 at 11:48
[...] up money for other things. Jessamyn West was able to make use of an old donated computer by installing Ubuntu as the operating system, also saving money. Then, because she put the video of her doing the [...]
August 30th, 2007 at 1:34
ubuntu is a great all in one operating system i love it! i swear by it! ditch windows! install ubuntu!
October 31st, 2007 at 1:34
[...] really had a chance to mess around with it nor do I have a computer to install it on. Reading about Ubuntu installations in libraries also piqued my interest. I did burn a live CD of 6.06 Power PC (for Mac hardware) and booted up my [...]
November 5th, 2007 at 8:29
[...] West at librarian.net (”putting the rarin back in librarian since 1999″) shows how she installed Ubuntu on [...]
November 17th, 2007 at 8:37
[...] read more | digg story [...]
November 21st, 2007 at 6:23
Found your library-ubuntu install video “out there” as I was doing some research of my own for my Ubuntu system. I went open source in August after thinking about it for a year or so and have been very happy with the results *and* my own learning process. Very pleased that your results are equally positive.
My first computer was an iMac running 8.6, which was upgraded to OSX along with some extra memory. It really ran fine for basic surfing and document creation, although anyone running a graphic-heavy program would be unhappy. I’d be more than happy to bring it up to Vermont (hey neighbor!) and then you CAN be a triple-platform library. My husband attended Goddard College for a Master’s program and we live over in NYS, by Oneonta.
It’s a genuine proposal and I hope you’ll think about it (email was registered with this post)
December 12th, 2007 at 11:10
[...] do you ubuntu? (librarian.net) [...]
December 21st, 2007 at 4:40
[...] Probably the most widely discussed video of the year belongs to a librarian. At Calef Library, in Washington, Vermont, Jessamyn Charity West, created a video of installing Ubuntu on donated computers. Since the computers came with no licenses for Windows, Jessamyn records the process of burning an ISO of Ubuntu and overwriting Windows. On camera, she demonstrates how Ubuntu is instantly useful to library users since it comes with OpenOffice and Gaim pre-installed. See the video at http://www.librarian.net/stax/2042/do-you-ubuntu/. [...]
December 21st, 2007 at 7:58
[...] Probably the most widely discussed video of the year belongs to a librarian. At Calef Library, in Washington, Vermont, Jessamyn Charity West, created a video of installing Ubuntu on donated computers. Since the computers came with no licenses for Windows, Jessamyn records the process of burning an ISO of Ubuntu and overwriting Windows. On camera, she demonstrates how Ubuntu is instantly useful to library users since it comes with OpenOffice and Gaim pre-installed. See the video at http://www.librarian.net/stax/2042/do-you-ubuntu/. [...]
December 22nd, 2007 at 10:58
Very nice.
December 28th, 2007 at 9:43
[...] more at: http://www.librarian.net/stax/2042/do-you-ubuntu/ Like this article? Share it!Diggdel.icio.usFacebookMa.gnoliaStumbleUponTechnorati You may also [...]