Computerworld Article about Computerbank and our use of Ubuntu

Nice little write up about Computerbank and our use of Ubuntu in Computerworld - 'the voice of IT management' - online news. The interview that was conducted last Friday.

For details see http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/325438/computerbank_installs_ubuntu_recycled_pcs

Enjoy!

More 3G USB Modem Fun!

This time another vodafone modem - K3520 - white. Worked with network manager (ppa 0.7.1) but on disconnect freezes the computer. Reliably. One of our clients had to come back to have this issue resolved. Twice. :(

Works best in Vodafone Mobile Connect Utility. APN vfprepaymbb, we had username web and password web. Also had to put in DNS: 192.189.54.33, 210.80.58.3.

The Vodafone utility has usage meters, but as Barry advised, it counts everything, including the free areas. Probably a good thing really as it will give an over estimate of data used.

New updated Ubuntu Jaunty user guide for Computerbank computers

Computerbank has just updated our custom Ubuntu Linux distro to Jaunty. We've also changed from using KDE on the desktop to Gnome. Busy, Busy, Busy.

Our user guide has been changed to reflect this and now might have more relevance to other newbie Linux users. The guide is plain english and simple to understand. It is for people who are new to computers and new to Linux.

A copy is available from: http://www.computerbank.org.au/shop/computerbank_ubuntu_userguide.pdf/view

We'll be adding more to it as we go along. Send us your feedback and suggestions so we can improve it even more.

Enjoy!

My second *useful* script for starting newer USB mobile broadband modems on Linux Ubuntu Jaunty

My first and only script was for clearing printer queues at Computerbank network sites with every reboot. I've seen other scripts and can figure out what they do.

I attempted a script for initialising different modems - K3565-Z, MF627, U6T. It works! I am polishing it up as well. For eg, it would be good for the thing to have an error message if the user chooses the wrong modem.

For now it does the job, initialises the right modem (based on user choice). It is also user friendly, with nice dialog boxes. I'm trying to figure out how to put an icon in for disconnected network manager in one of the info boxes. Icing on the cake. I found zenity very easy to use and thank the internets for all the good info and examples that got me started.

Anyway here it is (complete with debugging help by Patrick, David and Barry). Watch out for stray spaces!

#!/bin/sh
# AU 3G Modem Chooser and Initialisation Script
# Needs to be run with gksu (friendly user prompt for password) or sudo when calling
# from the command line.
# Author: Kylie Davies
# Date: 10/10/09
{
# Start with a message, in case user starts accidentally.

if $(zenity --question --text="Use this utility to select and activate USB Mobile Broadband modems." --title="USB Modem Helper")
then

ans=$(zenity --list --text "Choose your USB mobile broadband modem from the list." \
--radiolist --height=220 --column "Pick" --column "USB Modem Type or Model" TRUE Pink\ GRL\ modem\ -\ U6T FALSE White\ Vodafone\ modem\ -\ K3565-Z \
FALSE Black\ and\ green\ Three\ modem\ -\ MF627 FALSE Not\ Listed.);

echo "||$ans||"
if [ "$ans" = "Pink GRL modem - U6T" ]
then
echo "1111"
sudo modprobe option && echo "0x05c6 0x9000" > /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id && sleep 1 |zenity --progress --text "Starting Modem" --title "Starting Modem"
zenity --info --title "Modem Ready" --text "Your modem is ready. Left click the icon at the top right of your screen to create or use a mobile broadband connection."

elif [ "$ans" = "White Vodafone modem - K3565-Z" ]
then
echo "2222"
sudo modprobe option && echo "0x19d2 0x0052" > /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id && sleep 1 |zenity --progress --text "Starting Modem" --title "Starting Modem"
zenity --info --title "Modem Ready" --text "Your modem is ready. Left click the icon at the top right of your screen to create or use a mobile broadband connection."

elif [ "$ans" = "Black and green Three modem - MF627" ]
then
echo "333"
sudo modprobe option && echo "0x19d2 0x0064" >> /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id && sleep 1 |zenity --progress --text "Starting Modem" --title "Starting Modem"
zenity --info --title "Modem Ready" --text "Your modem is ready. Left click the icon at the top right of your screen to create or use a mobile broadband connection."

elif [ "$ans" = "Not Listed." ]
then
echo "555"
zenity --info --title "More Info Needed" --text "Call Computerbank for advice."

else
echo "444"
fi
fi
}


Mobile Broadband USB Modem Fun - Ubuntu Linux - GRL Mobile, Three and Crazy John!

I have spent a lot of time working this out and patching us I go. I am pleased to say I can get three different modems (K3565-z, ZTE MF627, and the U6T) working one after the other without a reboot. I can repeat with success. Happy Happy Joy Joy!

For the benefit of others I thought I'd write about it and include my notes at the end (normally these are inside the computerbank intranet and sometimes make it on to google code issue tracker for our computerbank project).

It all started out with our upgraded Jaunty Jackalope Computerbank distro. The bugs i encountered exist in a straight JJ install too. It is not just us.

A few things that had to be resolved first; Nautilus crashes whenever you try and eject the USB modem media (GRL) from the desktop. You need to do this to switch the modem.

I also found that Network Manager in Jaunty is slightly broken (a config file needs some editing for it to use CHAP authentication). Also network manager wizard fires up when it sees the USB nodes created, so sometimes I would get two wizards. Only one connection could be correct. Eventually I ended up using jaunty ppa for network manager as the issues above had been resolved.

I'm not sure about the option module, I guess I need to compile it into the kernel. It must have been used last time because we had one of these modems working (K3565-z) in Hardy with gnome-ppp. Now it needs to be modprobed.

After that happens you can flip the modem by changing its ID. This is done by working out (getting the IDs) what USB ID the device ends up (USB or CDROM) after settling, and what ID it is when it is a modem. Some devices need ejecting to change ID again (GRL). Timing is everything. So wait!

For one of the devices, the MF627 - the UK version is different to the AU version and so are the hex codes! Mad.

For the record:
MF627 0x19d2 0x0064
U6T 0x05c6 0x9000 (needs an eject to get the initial code)
K3565-z 0x19d2 0x0052

The first value is what the device ends up as, and the second is what you want it to be, a modem.

When you get the device recognised as a modem, the /dev/ttyUSBx will be created. One of the modems I tested had five. One had two. It varies.

As soon as this happens network manager sees the USB modem and Creates a "Configure Mobile Broadband Connection" option from the applet. The wizard does not appear as this ended up causing other issues.

I also edited the serviceprovider.xml (warning it is different layout to previous version) so it was correct and had extra info for GRL, Crazy John, Dodo and other plans. Tested and works. I should see about contributing that back. I need more time to look into it.

I'll stick my notes up here soon. I need to tidy them up so they make sense. I'm still not there yet, I need to create a script or a button that runs the modprobe option command and then echos the id to a file. Or I need option already in the kernel. To be discussed...

Phew!

Notes:

Grl Hot Pink Modem: U6T model

GRL Mobile - U6T modem. Hot pink. LEDs are hard to see. The red one is bright.

NB: If the device stays red for a long time and its activated, the SIM is not in
correctly. Even though these are coded it is easy enough to do. wvdial error: Invalid
dial command. NetworkManager error: Can't get broadband capabilities of device.

When ever this device was plugged in it would cause nautilus to segfault. Ditto other
devices.

nautilus[3603]: segfault at 8bf5010 ip b4da4dc6 sp b6df4fb0 error 4 in
libbrasero-media.so.0.1.1[b4d93000+1f000]

Fixed via https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/brasero/+bug/363435

To fix: sudo chmod a-r /usr/lib/nautilus/extensions-2.0/libnautilus-brasero-extension.so

There was also a network manager bug in the jaunty package.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/391608

Something to do with UTMS and authentication.

Error message: No CHAP secret found for authenticating us to UMTS_CHAP_SRVR

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=7563412

Wisdom here http://www.linuxhorizon.ro/nm_root_bug.html

Fix. (only apply to jaunty version)

1. Locate and remove the following section in /etc/dbus-1/system.d/NetworkManager.conf:

send_interface="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.PPP"/>


2. Restart the NetworkManager

/etc/init.d/NetworkManager restart

Network manager would get confused and throw up a couple of wizards at a time. One
would be wrong. The device would get confused if the wrong wizard was chosen.

I found that the ppa version had tried to solve this. So added the ppa jaunty sources
for network manager.

Sources:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/network-manager/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/network-manager/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

Getting the modem working.

* Eject the device from the desktop or using nautilus.

* sudo modprobe option

* sudo echo "0x05c6 0x9000" > /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id

This creates the devices for USBx and network manager will detect them shortly after.
Wait a bit.

The wizard no longer works - so when the connection appears (click network computer
icon) - it will say Configure Mobile Broadband Connection. Click and the (corrected)
wizard appears.

Crazy John Vodafone Modem - K3565-z model

I can't remember if this made nautilus crash. In any case there is no need to eject the VMC Lite icon that appears. It works ok without doing that. I've done so much testing I can not remember if it works when ejected?

Computerbank systems need to support multiple models of USB modem.

Fix bugs as reported for GRL U6T modem. Get up to date ppa sources for jaunty (see above).

Then when you want to use the modem:

* sudo modprobe option
* sudo echo "0x19d2 0x0052" > /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id

In a few moments, network manager and Vodafone Mobile Connect will see the modem.

Black and Green Three Modem - MF627 model

I can't remember if this made nautilus crash. I don't think I had to eject anything? It works ok without doing that. I've done so much testing with these things I could be confused.

Fix bugs as reported for GRL U6T modem. Get up to date ppa sources for jaunty network manager.

Then when you want to use the modem:

* sudo modprobe option
* sudo echo "0x19d2 0x0064" >> /sys/bus/usb-serial/drivers/option1/new_id

In a few moments, network manager will see the modem.

A script has been made for user friendly way to make this happen. Being zenity-fied.

I could not get this working with any version of vodafone mobile connect.

Just felt the earth tremor

Wow, just now, we had an earth tremor. Our house wobbled. It was kind of like a big wind whipping through.

Snippets for February

The Glass House Mountains area of Queensland is very lush. I'd love to live there. Hi and big thanks to Angie, Mark and co. Mooloolabah is the first place for me to see loads of little fish swimming up against a rock wall. Wow. Ooooo. Greg and I were there while Melbourne was sweltering, buckling and burning in the 46.5 degree heat. I'm glad I missed it. Feeling pretty bad about the fires though. :(

Telstra pre paid dial up starter kits will not work with Linux because their CD can only work in certain versions of Windows/Mac and Telstra won't activate it over the phone. Bah.

Network manager 0.7 is cool! My Nokia N95 was easily detected as a modem. All I needed to do was set it to PC Suite mode, and stick in an APN of internet. Slow but handy.

Shattered Ubuntu Disc

I got home from work tonight to find an ubuntu CD in many many pieces. Apparently the optical drive sounded like it wanted to take off and then bang! The CD bezel flew off and pieces of the CD went everywhere. Here is a pic of the bezel and CD pieces.

Port Phillip Bay Shark Scare

As usual I haven't done a post here for ages. No excuse, just never get around to writing stuff down here. Maybe with the new year I'll try and post more often. Hmm. Maybe.

Saw an interesting news snippet tonight about a bronze whaler shark being caught in Port Phillip Bay (see link below).

My partner, Greg, just had a run in with a 3-4m bronze whaler shark while free diving out off Williamstown. If it wasn't for Greg's speargun, he thinks he might not be here today. Ew.

Greg managed to poke the aggressive shark on the head about seven times with his speargun. Eventually the shark took off and Greg made a quick dash for shore. Of course there is more to tell then that but you get the idea.

Greg doubts the shark caught today out off Rye was the one he had a run in with.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=344457 - Man catches bronze whaler in dinghy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_whaler_shark

Another Linux Public Access Network

Today at Computerbank we rolled out another community access network. This time for the Melrose St Highrise in North Melbourne. Following on from our work out in Darebin our public access networks are proving to be a hit with seniors. Low maintenance and easy to use, our heavily customised and locked down version of ubuntu, refreshes the userspace on every reboot. Printers are reset and jobs are cleared. So easy to keep running that residents with basic computer knowledge can maintain them.

Unfortunately due to factors outside our control the internet couldn't be turned on as the phone line wasn't activated in time. We will return next week to set up the ADSL2 connection. Training will be delivered at the same time.

Here is a pic of Computerbank volunteers Kristen and Mohan helping with the setup of the network.

Long Time Between News - Busy

I've been really busy and occupied with lots of things at the moment so have not bothered posting on my blog.

Between dialysis, medical appointments, working, volunteering and doing regular things - I'm left with little time to do extra stuff. I'm also pretty tired too. I should see about taking the EPO shots. :)

A lot has happened and much has stayed the same. I'm still doing the overnight dialysis system and I'm still annoyed by the rubbish it generates. Recently I had to go back to manual bags because I forgot to order some supplies (doh!). I've put on some weight - but still not eating very well.

I' ve had further tests to work me up for my transplant - I think I'm now on the list. While my mum is still donating her kidney - I could also get called up if the computer says I am the closest match. This is not likely to happen any time soon. Hopefully within the next two months the big operation, with my mum as donor, will actually happen.

Computerbank is keeping me pretty busy too, we're now working on a hardy upgrade to our ubuntu distro. We are also trying to promote ourselves wide and far. If your reading this - spread the word - www.computerbank.org.au :)

My machine is beeping - I better go now.

Computerbank Ubuntu Distro almost ready

We've been working pretty much flat stick to get our much awaited ubuntu distro ready. Next week we start cloning it for a Cook Islands project we are working on. I'm just going over the final bits and pieces now.

We've been doing our own debian derived distros ever since we first started, at one time we were rolling out a Knoppix variant.

This distro has to be our best by far, it builds on all the work and experiences we've had over 10 years as well as upon the good work of the Ubuntu community. Many folks have helped - Ed, John, Con, David L, Glenn, Alistair, Mohan, Barry, myself and many others.

The distro is inspired by our users - users who are new to computing and who have generally only been exposed to a Windows environment. Most of our users use the mouse to click on things, typing commands and using a shell is alien to them.

We are still using KDE as the default desktop but have also included a full working GNOME desktop for people to try out. We use KDE because we can make it look familiar to Windows users. In some cases GNOME may be the better choice as it is simpler to use.

A lot of time has been spent working on special scripts - cloning, refreshing users, adding users, deleting .ICEAuthority and updating skel files. While we plan to develop more scripts, we will not hold up the release waiting for them. The main scripts are in place and fully work.

We include a lot of software - 79 'end user' programs across different software categories - our distro is 4G!! We spend a lot of time tweaking program options, optimising configs and setting consistent choices. We pay a lot of attention to getting it all right so the user doesn't have to do a thing. I'm really proud of our efforts in putting together a rock solid and fast distro.

The major changes this time around include a move from su to sudo (kdesu), new software additions (games, graphics, education, multimedia, office), updated software versions, use of GUI network tools for setting up network cards, use of GNOME PPP instead of a custom dial up config tool. Some software has also been dropped.

I'm currently working on the final touch- bringing our userguide up to date. I've also been playing around with recordmydesktop and have put together a number of video how to screencasts aimed at people who prefer a more visual approach to learning.

References: For more info on the Computerbank distro see the Computerbank wiki page http://vic.computerbank.org.au/wiki/ComputerbankUbuntuDistro

Sleeping with Serena the PD Machine

I had my first night on the Gambro PD machine "Serena." I wasn't really sure what to expect, I had heard the machines were noisy. Serena is very quiet, you can hardly hear it.

Serena has a touch screen and easy to understand menus. It is very easy to operate. The procedure for hooking up is very different to the manual exchanges. Serena needs to be primed before use to ensure all the lines are ready to go. I've included a picture of serena all primed and ready to go.

Overnight I run through 5 cycles, almost 8 litres passes in and out of my peritoneum over an 8 and a half hour period. While it is too early to tell, unlike with manual exchanges, I did not feel a thing while the machine was draining and filling. Yay!

Being on the overnight system frees up my days and means I don't have to lug medical equipment and fluid bags with me. Another Yay! The main thing is to remember to get to bed on time. :)

Kids online education resources - reading

Today while at the linux.conf.au education miniconf someone (sorry not sure of name) asked about the availability of kids reading software for Linux. Sure there is software for making sounds and learning letters and numbers (Gcompris, Childsplay, KHangman, Linux Letters and Numbers, Tux Math, Tux Typing and more) but as of yet, there is not much in the way of software to teach kids basic reading skills.

Lucky for Linux users and people who have access to the internet (broadband even better) there are a number of online options. Just tonight I had a quick poke around and found a few sites I thought were appropriate for kids learning English in Australia:

• http://www.starfall.com This one has excellent online reading material.
• http://vocabulary.co.il/ This is vocabulary based stuff but still useful all the same.
  
• http://teacher.scholastic.com Click student activities and search for reading. A number of results will appear.

Perhaps people can add to the list of sites above or can recommend appropriate software for Linux users. Fantastic stuff if you are thinking of starting up a software project in this area.

Dialysis - what a load of rubbish!

The thing that bothers me the most about PD (peritoneal dialysis) is the amount of rubbish it generates. Stacks!

To give you an idea I've taken a photo of the rubbish from one exchange - plastic wrappers, a leaflet, paper toweling, catheter cap and the dialysis bag itself. The box contains 4 bags, I go through one of these a day.

Before it can be disposed the dialysis bag has to be emptied. Lucky for me, my partner Greg does most of the bag slashing, he uses the fluid on the garden.

Further rubbish comes from other supplies such as gauze, cleaning sticks and bottles of antibacterial wash, avagard and saline. At least the boxes and some of the bottles can be recycled. I might be able to get the plastic recycled by the good folks at Australian Composite Technology (Computerbank recycles computer plastics with ACT). If you have any other ideas please drop me a line.

Back from Eden return to work

Camping at Eden was fantastic, just what I needed. Even more so after the car journey up, traveling almost 5 hours with the heater on so as to cool the engine. This was after a kmart auto mechanic told us we'd be fine. Nothing wrong with our radiator. Right. Lucky for us *the* Cann River mechanic was open on a Saturday. He took one look at our radiator and said it needed replacing. We stayed overnight in Cann River while our friends drove on, some had already made it to Eden (we all left at the same time). We arranged for our friend Mark to come back and get us the next day (3 hour return trip), our car would not be ready until Tuesday.

We stayed in the Ben Boyd National Park. A really nice spot not far from the coast. We had goannas, possums and wallabies in our camp scavenging for leftover food. The goannas would eat whole fish carcasses, yuck. While driving into Eden I also saw two lyrebirds. They quickly run away off into the bush. We saw and heard a lots of other birds including bowerbirds, wonga pigeons, kookaburras, currawongs and more.

Despite advice not to do so I went snorkeling using a tegaderm patch over my exit site. On the first attempt I used 2 patches doubled over and it seemed to work - I only swam for 15 minutes though. The next time I went swimming I tried it with 1 patch and went for longer (an hour). It didn't work and my exit site bandage was wet. Salt water is good for wounds so I really don't think it matters much - just as long as nothing nasty got in.

I'm glad I went because while I was snorkeling I saw more than I have ever seen before (usually only swimming in Vic waters): black stingrays, two types of jelly fish, snapper, a parrot fish, sweep, old wife and a port jackson shark. The shark was dead.

My partner Greg, a spearo freediver type, got us dinner nearly every night. He caught leatherjackets, Australian salmon, blue, red and banded morwong, catfish and some abalone. Tim and Bel, friends from Melbourne, traveling around in the area, also stopped by for a fishy dinner a couple of nights.

There were plenty of kids to keep us entertained. We got some of them to pose for a kid police line up.

The drive back was so much nicer with the new radiator, we could even drive with the air conditioning on. It took us around 7.5 hours to get back home, compared with the 10 hours it took to get to Cann River on the way there!

Update: I wrote to Kmart and they gave me a refund for the radiator work they charged me for. Bravo for being quick to respond to my complaint.

First List for 2008...

It's been great not having to worry about to do lists for the past few weeks. I feel refreshed. It's not that I haven't had stuff to do - I have. I just completely blanked it. I needed a rest. :)

Tomorrow is the start of the working new year for me, back to reality. Ho Hum. Lucky for me though, its only for two days - then I'm back to relaxing for another week when I head to Eden.

So tasks from last year include:

- Invoicing (both new and follow up outstanding) - A nice thing to do in Jan - bring in some money while it is quite.
- Email follow up. Answer any outstanding emails. I think I'm fairly on top of this.
- LCA follow up. Get in touch with people about tours of Computerbank, open day and volunteering.
- Overseas Projects. Cook Islands. And Another. Hmm.
- Darebin revamp. Their P4 is slow to start and needs replacing. They also need another 2 units.
- Distro Project. Write up notes. List where we are at over on the wiki. Somewhat related but not high priority is to finish the distro paper I'm writing.
- Follow up from Shepparton project.
- Radio interview. Tech Talk Radio.
- Catch up re finances.
- Applications
- Review past to-do lists (the list above seems small?)

Tasks that need to be done this week:

- Pay the rent or send a volunteer to do so. Pay AAPT bill.
- User Support. Broadband woes.
- Work for the Dole (WFD) Planning. I have some things planned but will wait to see how many folks come.
-Touch base with WFD Unit.

Future Tasks/Projects:

- LCA Computerbank Tour
- LCA Open Day
- Shepparton?

I need to call the folks at Gambro and do a stocktake as well as pop into the dialysis unit and pick up medical supplies before i go away. Oh and I need to go to a chemist!

So a mild start to the new year. Yay. :)

Getting Boring - PD four times a day

Ho hum, four times a day and getting really boring. But now I've got it down to a fine art.

Quick How To:

Prepare fluid bag (use heater and timer to get it right)
Reveal catheter
Wash Hands with antibacterial scrub
Dry with paper towel
Avagard bench area
Use avagard on hands
Open fluid bag
Prepare the lines
Mix solution
Avagard hands again
Take off plastic seal
Open line
Take off own catheter cap
Make the connection
Open white clamp
Open own clamp
Drain for 10ish min
Close own clamp
Open blue clamp for 5 secs/Close white clamp (clears the line of air bubbles)
Check for air
Open own clamp
Drain in for 10ish mins
Close blue clamp
Close own clamp
Avagard again
Disconnect from line
Open PD cap
Replace PD cap
Weigh everything
Do paperwork
Clean up (lots of mess and rubbish generated)
Done!!!

The whole process takes about 30ish minutes and will depend on how much fluid I have to drain out. I usually ultrafiltrate, which means I produce more fluid out than was put in. One time while doing this I forgot to mix in the glucose. On that occasion I absorbed heaps of the fluid. I'm not sure what it means, I'll ask the nurse when she calls.

So much plastic rubbish is generated at each exchange but at least the waste fluids can go onto the garden. Speaking of which...time to go and do some bag slashing. :)

Training for Peritoneal Dialysis

I had my first session around doing Peritoneal Dialysis (PD). It seems like a lot to do but once I've done it heaps it shouldn't take too long to get the hang of.

The big thing is contamination. I have to be ultra careful not to touch my catheter cap while doing 'exchanges'. An exchange is what we call the process of taking out fluid and putting it back in.

Towards the end of a drain it gets a little uncomfortable for me. Apparently as I am young, this is common. You kind of feel a little bloated when the fluid is in. The fluid can come out with a tinge of yellow or it can even be darker. A cloudy fluid indicates infection. Peritonitis is something i really don't want to get.

I have anti bacterial hand wash and some avaguard lotion. Before connecting and disconnecting I need to use the avaguard.

I have plenty of PD supplies, they take up a lot of space at our house. Each fluid bag is 2L. I think I am shipped supplies on a two week basis. I am using the Gambro solution.

I'm planning on writing up a PD how-to, I'll post it here when I am done. I receive more training tomorrow so should have it down pat by then.

Asus eee PC sold out in Australia ... a sign of better things to come

This is most certainly a positive thing for the free and open source community in Australia. A laptop for $500 and it is running a streamlined version of GNU/Linux. Not that I have used one, but It seems to include all the basics and appears really simple to use. Reports also confirm this.

I've always thought simplicity over complexity would mean greater uptake of GNU/Linux on the desktop. Computerbank's own distribution tries to incorporate this aspect. If people are happy and don't encounter problems or set up issues they are more likely to stay with what works. I feel that another area where GNU/Linux excels is reduced virus risk which means less time is required for system maintenance. The same applies to threats of malware and spyware. It makes perfect sense for GNU/Linux to be the 'safe family computer.'

The eee PC includes a range of software, some of which we include in the Computerbank distribution. There is the super fun kid magnet "Tux Paint." I hear many schools are now using this. It is perfect for teaching young kids (and adults) basic computer skills. Potato Guy has also been included, Computerbank uses this to teach mouse skills. Everyone can relate to it.

For more information see this link to the Australian Age news item - 'Australia's cheapest laptop sells out'
or visit the eee PC website at http://eeepc.asus.com/