Generation Linux: bringing the OS to Australia's students

Through the America's Promise program, schools in the United States are taking advantage of generous donations of computers that run the Linux operating system and provide a cost-effective way to introduce school children to information technology. So while this is happening in the United States, what are we doing here, down under, to help promote Linux? Look no further than a Linux installfest fondly known as Generation Linux.

Hosted by the University of South Australia in Adelaide UniSA on May 7 and 8 in conjunction with the Australian National Science Week, Generation Linux was a series of Linux install classes coupled with a seminar by Sydney Linux User Group (SLUG) board member Conrad Parker. The four sessions on Sunday, May 7, were reserved for the general public to tinker with Linux, and the five Monday sessions were reserved for visiting schools and colleges.

While the university's aim was to promote the National Science Week expo, Generation Linux sought to bring Linux and science to both younger and older students in a fun and interesting manner. The success of Linux in years to come depends in part on making children aiming for careers in the IT industry aware of it now. Armed with detailed install guides and 1,000 Red Hat CDs donated by LinuxMall.com, and clutching lovable stuffed tuxes, students and the public saw firsthand what Linux was all about.

As the systems administrator at (UniSA), Sarah Bolderoff was asked by the School of Computer and Information Science to organize the installfest and conduct a talk about technology with students and the general public. "The talk was open, so I decided to use this opportunity to introduce the students to Linux. After all, Linux is fun," said Bolderoff when asked about her motivation for organizing the event.

Figure 1. Sarah Bolderoff and tux at Generation Linux.

Parker's seminar
Besides being a well-known member of SLUG, Conrad Parker is also a software engineer who develops audio and multimedia software for CSIRO (a government-based science R&D facility here in Australia). His talk to the students was about Linux and its scientific applications at his workplace and abroad. He first went into a little bit of history about Linux, free software, and Linux user groups. After clearing up what source code is and where Linux came from, he then moved to a science-focused theme, outlining the cost benefits of using Linux in virtual testing.

Figure 2. Conrad Parker

Parker spoke in depth about how Linux can be used to avoid proprietary and licensed software and touted Linux as an example of how the Internet is used to develop free software. "Because the source is freely available, anyone can hack, change, and improve on existing code. This allows scientists to create a program and make it available, with no restrictions, to other scientists who may use it in their work. Using Linux and open source software benefits everyone," he said. He concluded by pointing out that Linux has allowed the scientists here in Australia to break the shackles of corporate software, something that I like to think Linux stands for.

When I asked Parker about the most significant event for Linux this year in Australia, he praised the 2.4 kernel as a major step forward: "It will make Linux a better product, which will then flow into the Australian business sector." Parker also said that his local Linux user group is growing in popularity and that, "the lack of public knowledge about Linux is a major bottleneck here in Australia for the operating system."

The installfest
Though Parker's talk was a significant part of Generation Linux, the place to be was in the Linux install classes. The university provided a medium-size computer lab with around 15 systems for these sessions. Given that small space, I didn't expect the sessions to draw much of a crowd, but the lab ended up packed beyond capacity, with students and parents clustered around the monitors.

Figure 3. The UniSA lab during the Monday install sessions

Armed with the install guide, students took to Linux like penguins to water. Participants varied in age from grade-schoolers to high school students. Children as young as six years old came to Generation Linux in the general public sessions, where parents became onlookers while enthusiastic kids crowded around the computers. Due to a shortage of people with Linux know-how, I had the chance to help out the students and public firsthand.

Bolderoff was constantly surprised at how well the students coped with the Linux install classes, and she commented in particular about one student: "He had never seen Linux before and managed to complete the install in five minutes. I was impressed, I hadn't seen anyone go through [installation] that quickly." The students were so successful that it seemed they were already familiar with the Linux operating system, though they strongly denied having used it before.

In a few brief moments of free time during installation, I asked some children a number of questions about Linux. One boy from Muriden College said that he had heard of Linux before, but was unsure about the installation process before the classes. When I asked if the class had helped him understand installation and the potential of Linux, he replied with an overwhelming "Yes!"

Two other Muriden College students said the installfest was a fun and interesting experience, more than just "school stuff." Everyone seemed to have fun learning what Linux is and how to install it, which made for successful classes.

Halfway through the sessions, Bolderoff and Parker took a few moments to give a short talk. They explained what Linux, operating systems, free software, and source code are and who Linus Torvalds is. While this was a bit too complex for some, Bolderoff and Parker also pointed out the everyday benefits of a free and open system.

Where have all the penguins gone?
Generation Linux even survived "the great penguin fiasco." Unfortunately, the stuffed penguins did not arrived by post in time for the May 7 tutorials for the general public. After a little bit of confusion and panic within the Generation Linux team, the tuxes finally arrived for the popular Monday sessions. The penguins proved a good motivational tool for the younger students, and many of the tuxes have found a new home at the university, where they've been getting into all sorts of mischief. Want the evidence? Bolderoff has the comical snaps online here.

The popularity of Generation Linux was such that Bolderoff had to turn away one class for another day. She said she intends to visit schools that couldn't make it to the event, and when asked if she plans to put on another installfest next year, the response was an enthusiastic "of course."