Messages

1

Development and Scripting / Running .network-autostart script not applying changes

« on: April 27, 2015, 09:20:58 AM »

I have added a line to our update.sh script to change some keyboard shortcuts.
If I open a terminal and run

Code: [Select]

sh .network-autostart the changes are made. However on boot/network-disconnect-reconnect the changes don't get made.

Here are the two lines:

Code: [Select]

sudo -u user gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings show-desktop "['']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings show-desktop "['']" #this is optional but I included it for testing purposes
Other parts of the script work fine on boot. I am thinking it has something to do with how .network-autostart is called. Any thoughts?

2

General Support / Ubermix 2 virtual appliance not loading

« on: June 04, 2014, 11:10:50 AM »

I am getting this error
Internal inconsistency looking up disk image 'vmdisk1'.

Result Code:
NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component:
Appliance
Interface:
IAppliance {3059cf9e-25c7-4f0b-9fa5-3c42e441670b}

I have imported other Ubermix OVA in the past. Running Vbox 4.1.18 on Ubuntu 64 bit host

Thanks for any help,

3

General Discussion / Re: Why I failed to "sell" Ubermix to my school

« on: March 27, 2014, 03:54:30 PM »

Those are good points and the counter points are all about the direction of computer use. For example, snooping and lockdown are one approach to tech in education, while another is watchful trust and exploration.

Remote install is easy enough with the most basic bash script knowledge. I have no formal Linux training and am not even an official tech, and yet I can push out applications to our Ubermix netbooks. I did have to configure the .network-autostart file on the image before I install it on the student computers.

We have students using Chrombooks and students using Ubermix netbooks. Each solution has its strengths and weaknesses. When I am working with Chromebook students I am occasionally frustrated by the lack of installed apps like Audacity or Java enabed website don't work. When I am working with Ubermix students I am occasionally frustrated that a trackpad freezes and I have to have them restart (and we have spinning drives in our Ubermix netbooks, so it does take 60 seconds compared to the SSD 15 seconds).  I can say that they are both better options than iPads and Windows netbooks, so I am happy to have options.

Maybe you should ask your tech department if you can put your Chromebook in developer mode and then dual boot or use crouton to get a fully functional laptop. Ask permission and promise not to do any malicious networking hacking/monitoring.

http://www.webupd8.org/2013/12/install-ubuntu-on-your-chromebook-using.html

4

General Support / Push out the new SBAC Secure Browser

« on: January 16, 2014, 02:48:00 PM »

Here is how we are installing the new SBAC Secure browser over the network. Below the script is the contents of the SecureBrowser.desktop file which you need to make (for some reason I can't attach it). The .desktop file is used to place a shortcut in the Launcher under the Network category.

Code: [Select]

if grep TEST-COMPUTER /etc/hostname
     then

     #this line tests if the browser has been installed by checking for one of the files we added
     if ! [ -e /home/user/.local/share/applications/SecureBrowser63.desktop ]
         then

         #Remove previous versions of secure browser
         rm -rf /opt/SBACSecureBrowser*
         rm -f /home/user/.local/share/applications/SecureBrowser*

         #These two lines download the browser and the shortcut file from your local webserver
         wget http://YOUR-WEB-SERVER/SBACSecureBrowser6.3-Linux.tar.bz2
         wget http://YOUR-WEB-SERVER/SecureBrowser.desktop

         #this untars (unzips) the browser to the /opt folder which is one place to install OPTional apps in linux
         sudo tar xvfj SBACSecureBrowser6.3-Linux.tar.bz2 -C /opt

         #puts the shortcut in the correct folder
         sudo cp SecureBrowser.desktop /home/user/.local/share/applications/SecureBrowser63.desktop

         #cleans up
         sudo rm SecureBrowser.desktop
         sudo rm SBACSecureBrowser6.3-Linux.tar.bz2
     fi
fi


.desktop file

Code: [Select]

[Desktop Entry]
Name=SecureBrowser
Exec=/opt/SBACSecureBrowser6.3/SBACSecureBrowser6.3
Type=Application
Categories=Network;
Icon=/opt/SBACSecureBrowser6.3/kiosk.png
Name[en_US]=SecureBrowser.txt


5

General Discussion / Re: Number of Ubermix computers

« on: February 27, 2013, 01:42:36 PM »

To reply to myself, we now have 400 Acer Aspire One 722 running Ubermix (as well as 90 eeePC). We are expected to order another 100-200 for this summer. Our current deployment scheme is 3rd grade 1:3 ratio, 4th and 5th 1:1, 6-12 all English classes

6

How-to / Re: Microphone Volume

« on: February 27, 2013, 01:39:05 PM »

In Ubermix 1.053 based on Ubuntu 12.04
All Settings->Sound choose the input tab and then crank the slider past 100% If you don't see those options what version of Ubermix are you running?

7

Hardware Specific / Re: Asus X201e Wireless

« on: February 25, 2013, 07:54:26 AM »

One thing you can do is open a terminal and type "ctrl-alt-T" to open a terminal. Then type "lspci" to get a list of all pci devices. Near the bottom should be the name of the wireless card. Then you can search for that card name plus the word(s) ubuntu or linux. You can also determine the driver in use by going to the network manager applet and choosing connection information, searching for the driver can also yield info.

You can try logging into Unity or Gnome interface and see if they prefer that to the Ubermix launcher
http://wiki.ubermix.org/page/Alternate_Environments

As far as adding a new window behavior to the standard Ubermix launcher, I am not sure.

8

Hardware Specific / Re: Thin Client Image or Thin Client PXE Boot support

« on: February 19, 2013, 03:49:05 PM »

Hello,

I have never done it, but it does look like Ubermix works for some PXE boot setups
http://wiki.ubermix.org/page/Network_Deployment

9

Hardware Specific / Re: Ubermix on Dell Vostro 2420

« on: January 11, 2013, 09:01:16 AM »

Since Ubuntu 12.04 works have you tried the latest Ubermix which is based on 12.04?

10

Q&A / Re: how to boot generic from a script run while booted on aufs

« on: December 20, 2012, 07:04:44 AM »

I don't have a direct answer for you, but perhaps another way. We have the .network-autostart script setup and it pulls the updates that we have made since imaging over the summer. However, in the update.sh there is a check for a file

Code: [Select]

#!/bin/bash
if [ ! -e /etc/updated.txt ]
then
         your code
         sudo echo > /etc/updated.txt
fi
That way the script code only runs on a system once and, if a system is restored the script runs on first boot. So it is like the change is a permanent part of the read-only/generic file system.

11

Q&A / Re: Phonics program in Ubermix?

« on: December 11, 2012, 04:24:26 PM »

One thing you can try is to install Play On Linux with the Ubuntu Software Center. Then use Play On Linux to try and install the Windows installer of the phonics program you have. We have had success installing Type To Learn 4 on Ubermix with this method. However, Photostory (another Windows program) won't, so you have to try it and see.

12

Development and Scripting / Uptime Script in development

« on: December 07, 2012, 02:37:39 PM »

Howdy Ubermix Community,

I am working on a script to log computer use. One of the issues we have had with previous computer deployments is that it is hard to keep track of how often the computers are being used so that we can provide support and training to teachers with carts that are more idle than their peers.

What I have done so far is modified a few files that are pushed out to the Ubermix computers to record when the computer: sleeps, wakes, boots, turns off, restarts, wifi connects, and wifi disconnects. The computer then sends this information (along with its name) to an online database (MySQL). Then there are several steps to process this raw log information into a format that makes sense (using PHP), but essentially now I can set a date range and I can see how much a particular computer cart has been used.

I am working on polishing it up so it is more usable to me, and could possibly get it to a state that other folks could use (if you are already using the network update.sh and have access to a webserver). If you are interested or have other methods you are using for recording usage of laptops in your school, I would love to hear about it.

13

Development and Scripting / Re: Push out update to firefox?

« on: December 03, 2012, 09:58:32 AM »

I love the idea of the update notifier. A great way to embed some basic tech practice.

14

Development and Scripting / Push out update to firefox?

« on: November 30, 2012, 10:35:31 AM »

We are running 1.052 on our netbooks, which comes with Firefox 13. Google docs is reporting that we are using an "unsupported browser" and recommends folks use Chrome. It appears everything works, but the message is annoying. What is the best way to have the netbooks update firefox to version 15,16, or 17?

15

Hardware Specific / Re: AMD proprietary drivers in Ubermix 1.062?

« on: November 21, 2012, 12:43:29 PM »

In testing so far with these new drivers I am getting at least an extra hour of battery life (6.5 hours instead of 5+) on the C60 based Acer Aspire One 722. Great stuff!