Re: [seul-edu] linux needs

[Camm Maguire <camm@enhanced.com>]

Greetings!

Doug Loss <dloss@suscom.net> writes:

> On Sat, 20 May 2000, Dave Prentice wrote:
> 
> >     I teach math in an inner-city high school in New Orleans which
> > received 17 old computers in January. I have been trying to learn and
> > install Linux ever since. Six of the computers are Pentiums, which
> > run Linux just fine. However, eleven are 486s. So far, I haven't been
> > able to get them to run Xwindows because of hardware problems. 
> >     After hours of searching, I still can't figure out who to ask
> > several questions to. If you could point me in the direction of
> > someone who is presently using old machines with Linux it would be a
> > great help. 
> > Questions for whoever can answer them:
> > 1. If you have old computers, what useful classroom things can you
> > get them to do in Linux?

Many interesting math applications, depending on the level, and most
of which can be used on the command line:

1) gnuplot (can be run with svgalib in a virtual terminal)
2) R -- a great statistics package (alone or within emacs) (plotting
	requires X, I believe)
3) maxima -- a very featureful open source computer algebra system
        (plotting requires tk and X)
4) gap -- group theory calculator (e.g. analyze Rubik's cube)
5) bc/dc -- numerical command line calculators
6) octave -- an open source matlab type program using gnuplot for
        plotting, so should work on the console in this respect as well.


and many more.  Check out the Scientific Applications on Linux page
(seach engine should turn it up).  I use Debian Linux here, and all
the above plus many more are already packaged for the distribution.

> > 2. Is there an alternative to Xwindows for these old machines?

There are, but not anything you would like to investigate, due to
limited application support.  Most things on Linux have some
functionality under a plain console, though.

> > 3. Where can I find basic math utilities that will run from the
> > command prompt, like calculators and graphing programs?
> > 

See above.

> > Thanks very much for your help.
> > Dave Prentice
> > prentice@instruction.com
> > http://www.originsresource.org
> > 

Take care,


-- 
Camm Maguire			     			camm@enhanced.com
==========================================================================
"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."  --  Baha'u'llah