I’m going to upgrade my computer labs running Ubuntu to 12.04. This isn’t as simple as it sounds as I use a set of technology which is either not supported any more or stuff I wrote to make things work. For example:
- Netbook launcher – no longer supported and doesn’t work any more – solution, program a new one.
- Login Screen – I use the gnome2 gdm as the backend for my logon screen. Ubuntu not uses the rather inflexible lightgm. solution – replace lightgm with GDM for gnome3 and update code.
- User Management – I currently use nfs/rsync method which is why I’ve been banned by the Geneva convention. The ideal option would be to use LDAP, but it’s so excruciatingly hard to setup that my 19 attempts have all failed. Solution – create a set of juju charms and interfaces for openldap, kerberos, the user management setups that EVERYONE uses.
- Printers – I need to continue to use cups, but need quota management. solution – Add PyKota to manage quotas, package it up as it’s unpackaged and make it a charm with ldap interface.
- Lab Sessions – Update lab session manager to use LDAP, improve it’s reconfigurability and add the printer and nfs quota to the information shown
This is by no means the end of the list, but already I have my work cut out to make sure that this stuff works and that it’s available for other people to use. And all this needs to happen before I can touch one computer with the 12.04 CD. If anyone would like to help, I’d be grateful. After all this, I see no reason to beat about the bush and I might as well release labuntu or some such for internet cafes, libraries, and other public access computer systems.
Ideas?