Edubuntu 7.04 Release Announcement

19 April 2007: Edubuntu 7.04 Released

The Edubuntu team is proud to announce the release of Edubuntu 7.04, codenamed "Feisty Fawn". This release includes both Desktop CDs and Server CDs for several architectures.

  • Edubuntu 7.04 Desktop CD:
    The Edubuntu Desktop CD allows you to try Edubuntu without changing your computer, and an option to install it permanently later. This type of CD is what most people will want to use.
  • Edubuntu 7.04 Classroom Server CD
    The Edubuntu Classroom Server CD allows you to install Edubuntu permanently on a computer as either a Server or Workstation. It includes LTSP (Linux Terminal Server Project) support, providing out-of-the-box thin client support.
  • Edubuntu 7.04 Classroom Server Add-on CD
    The Edubuntu Classroom Server Add-on CD contains additional packages that may be useful in conjunction with the Classroom Server CD.

About Edubuntu

Edubuntu is a Linux distribution for education, designed for a teacher or network administrator to setup a classroom quickly and easily. It is a complete operating system built on Ubuntu and includes educational applications bundled in addition to the office suite, web browser, communication and productivity tools.

Edubuntu 7.04 will be supported for 18 months on both desktops and servers. Note that the previous stable release (6.06 LTS) is a long-term support release, and so users requiring a longer support lifetime may choose to continue using that version rather than upgrade to or install 7.04.

To Get Edubuntu 7.04

Request a CD from ShipIt here:
https://shipit.edubuntu.org/

Download Edubuntu 7.04 here:
http://www.edubuntu.org/Download

To burn these CD images, you will need 700MB media.

About Edubuntu 7.04

Highlights of this release include:

Edubuntu LTSP Thin Client

Edubuntu 7.04 integrates the latest thin client technology out of the box for a simple LTSP server setup. The thin client boot-speed is improved in the new release, and LTSP sound support now enables volume control while providing sound to many more applications.

Edubuntu on 2 CDs

Edubuntu Classroom Server consists of two CDs; a server image and a server add-on imageap with additional educational applications and languages.

Edubuntu Documentation

Recognizing that the use of technology by educators is more important than the technology itself, the distribution has improved documentation featuring The Edubuntu Handbook with tips and best practices for educators and educational IT administrators.

On the Desktop

Edubuntu 7.04 uses the recent GNOME 2.18 desktop environment.

In addition to the recent versions of well known free educational software, newly included in the application list available on the 7.04 Classroom Server Add-on CD is:

  • RasmMol: Scientific Molecular Visualiser
    RasMol is a powerful and easy-to-use application for looking at macromolecular structure and its relation to function.
  • QCad: CAD program
    QCad is an application for computer aided drafting in two dimensions. With QCad you can create technical drawings such as plans for buildings, interiors, mechanical parts or schemas and diagrams.

From our Ubuntu 7.04 Base

Edubuntu 7.04 is based on Ubuntu 7.04, and enhancements in the Ubuntu desktop edition include a ground-breaking Windows migration assistant, excellent wireless networking support and improved multimedia support.

The latest version of Ubuntu includes the following new features:

  • Windows migration tool
    The new migration tool recognizes Internet Explorer favorates, Firefox bookmarks, desktop wallpaper, AOL IM and Yahoo IM contacts, and imports them all into Ubuntu during installation. This offers easier and faster migration for new users of Ubuntu and individuals wanting to run a dual-boot system.
  • Simpler multimedia
    A new guided wizard for automatically installing multimedia codecs not shipped with Ubuntu gives users a safe and easy way to view music and videos.
  • Plug and play network sharing with Avahi
    This new feature allows users to automatically discover and join a wireless network to share music, find printers and more.

Thin Client - LTSP

The Edubuntu classroom server install builds on the functionality from the previous release simplifying common Linux classroom server deployment processes. It includes the very latest thin client software, LTSP-5. Thin client deployments offers clients a lower TCO (total cost of ownership), simpler installation and easier maintenance than typical IT deployments. With all data stored on the server, administrators have substantially eliminated the cost of updating individual workstations to ensure their security.

Installing from the CD will provide you with an out of the box working thin client environment, including sound and thin client block device support.

Features of the integration work for LTSP-5 in Edubuntu include for the thin client:

  • improved boot-speed in the new release
  • reboot button on log-in screen
  • sound now works through alsa - fixes many earlier sound problems
  • volume control enabled
  • sound support for many more applications
  • Jetpipe printing architecture
  • language and keymap settings automatically set to the servers settings
  • python bindings for programmers added to ease the coding of ltsp management apps

Thin Client Manager

Thin Client Manager is the new name for a completely reworked Student Control Panel

Localisation

All language packs available in the ubuntu archive are now available on the Edubuntu Classroom Server Add-on CD.

Under the Hood

  • Linux 2.6.20 Kernel
  • LTSP 5.0.7

Free Software Applications and Repositories

As always, Edubuntu includes the very best of the 100% Free / Libre application software world, and each new release incorporates countless new features and bugfixes from the global development community.

Once installed, click on the [Application] menu item and then [Add/Remove] to find a searchable list of the available applications.

Take the Tour

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/704tour

Release Notes

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/704

Helping shape Edubuntu

If you would like to help shape Ubuntu, take a look at the list of ways you can participate at:
http://www.edubuntu.org/Community

If you have a question, or if you think you may have found a bug but aren't sure, try asking on the #edubuntu channel on IRC.FreeNode.net, on the Edubuntu Users or Edubuntu Developers mailing list, or on the Ubuntu forums:

More Information

You can find out more about Edubuntu and about this release on our website:
http://www.edubuntu.org/

To sign up for future Edubuntu related announcements, please subscribe to Ubuntu's very low volume announcement list at:

http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-announce