PSC-Manual

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Contents 1 Summary 2 Pre-Implementation 2.1 Shared vision of the importance of adopting public software 2.2 Planing the adoption (short, medium and long term) 2.3 Making detailed plans with time-lines, activities and roles 3 Implementation 3.1 Software installations 3.2 User orientation and training (basic and advanced) 3.3 System administration and maintenance training 3.4 Creating linkages with others using the same software (user communities) both on-line and off-line 3.5 Conversion of data (where applicable) 4 Post-Implementation – Support and Continued Learning 4.1 Support and Hand-Holding 5 Regular Software Upgrades 5.1 Installing and using software applications for new areas (video editing etc) 5.2 Continuous learning on old and new applications for KMKN 5.3 Building in-house expertise on different areas 6 Migrating to Ubuntu 6.1 Pre-Migration 6.2 The Migration 6.3 System Setup

Summary

While public software is generally easy to use and tends to be more secure than proprietary software, any shifting from one platform to another is a process that needs to be managed well. Thus a process for such migration needs to be designed based on the local requirements of any organisation.

Typically the activities that are part of any software use process include

1.Pre-implementation

  1.Shared vision of the importance of adopting public software
  2.Planing the adoption (short, medium and long term)
  3.Making detailed plans with time-lines, activities and roles 

2.Implementation

  1.Software installations
  2.User orientation and training (basic and advanced)
  3.System administration and maintenance training
  4.Creating linkages with others using the same software (user communities) both on-line and off-line
  5.Conversion of data (where applicable)

3.Post implementation – support and continued learning

  1.Regular software upgradation
  2.Installing and using software applications for new areas (video editing etc)
  3.Continuous learning on old and new applications for KMKN
  4.Building in-house expertise on different areas

This document discusses each of these steps and is intended to guide organisations in their adoption of public software.

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Pre-Implementation

Shared vision of the importance of adopting public software

It is critical that the organisation members share the philosophical reasons to adopt public software.[| Why Public Software] adoption is essential, needs to be discussed and agreed on

Planing the adoption (short, medium and long term)

The factors that need to be considered in making a plan for adopting public software include:

1. Number of offices
2. Number of people
3. Number of computers
4. Number and nature of applications used
5. Availability of an in-house support person / team

A indicative 6 month plan for adopting public software is in a separate workbook, this should work for most organisations. Shorter time frames are also very doable for small and medium organisations (less than 20 computers).

The key element in the adoption is the understanding that ICT is another organisational resource and its use needs to be aligned to the core organisational principles of free sharing of knowledge resources. This understanding will help in acquiring the comfort and expertise in using the new applications/platforms.

An overall plan can be drawn, see AdoptionPlan sheet for a template

Making detailed plans with time-lines, activities and roles

The overall plan should then be broken into specific activities, see AdoptionDeatailedPlan for template. The actual steps, who would lead the activity and other participants, along with start and end dates needs to be provided here.

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Implementation

Software installations

Installing public software is quite easy and simple. A 'single-install' is possible for all the tools we want to use, since as many can be bundled into a 'custom distribution' (this is not possible in case of proprietary software tools). A custom Ubuntu DVD can have OpenOffice, Thunderbird, Firefox, educational tools, local language support as well as hundreds of utilities etc. For installing Ubuntu, visit Ubuntu Installation

For installing additional software later on Ubuntu visit Installing Software

For installing OpenOffice.org on Windows, visit Downloading and installing OpenOffice.org

For installing Mozilla Firefox on Windows, visit Installing Mozilla Firefox

For installing Mozilla Thunderbird on Windows, visit Installing Mozilla Thunderbird

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User orientation and training (basic and advanced)

Public Software Center periodically organizes workshops on different tools. Custom workshops can also be designed for an individual organization. Training can be at basic and advanced levels.

System administration and maintenance training

Creating internal capacities to administer and support users is important. Custom workshop can be designed for an individual organization for this activity. Training can be at basic and advanced levels.

Creating linkages with others using the same software (user communities) both on-line and off-line

One part of adopting public software is to move out being a 'consumer' of software who is a mere user, to an active 'citizen' who participates in its development and evolution. This means we need to actively participate in the communities (most of them on-line) for different applications. Participants also share their doubts, issues and respond to the queries of one another, creating a collaborative, peer-learning environment. This is an important part of supporting one another in using software applications. In addition, new requirements can be communicated to the developer community and members can also participate in testing beta versions of tools and sharing feedback.

On-line communities is provided in the online sheet In addition, Public Software Centre also manages a mailing list KMKN@Googlegroups.com and a website www.public-software.in which can provide support, information, resources etc.

PSKarnataka@Googlegroups.com, TCOLBangalore@karnatakaeducation.org.in and KalikaBalaga@Googlegroups.com are other on-line communities created by Public Software Centre for different groups of teachers and teacher educators in Karnataka education.

Conversion of data (where applicable)

Since the organisation is likely to be using proprietary software, there will be many documents in proprietary formats. The data in these proprietary formats needs to be available while using public software applications as well. The free and open source community, while developing public software tools has taken great care to ensure this.

Thus all Microsoft Office documents (.doc, .xls and .ppt) can be opened in OpenOffice. If required, OpenOffice can also 'save as' a document in proprietary formats. MS Outlook emails can be migrated to Thunderbird email client. All web pages can be accessed using Firefox.

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Post-Implementation – Support and Continued Learning

Support and Hand-Holding

Support for this could be in terms of:

1. Phone and and mail based support
2. User training on-site
3. System Administration training on-site
4. On-site support

Also support could be had through

1. Access to help forums and mailing lists for the applications used
2. Local FOSS communities or FOSS enterprises

ITfC Support team provides support covering all aspects in adopting GNU/Linux from training, installation, application usage support and administration support. Operating System Installation Support: Telephonic support is provided if there are any problems during installing the Operating system.

Application Usage support: Support is provided on-line through telephone, email etc if there are any questions on how to use any of the following applications available in Ubuntu.

1. Openoffice.org
2. SCIM – to make documents in Local languages like Kannada etc.
3. Educational Tools like geogebra, ktechlab etc
4. Email Client (Thunderbird)
5. Internet Browser (Firefox)

Administrative Support : Telephonic or Email Based support is provided for simple administrative tasks like configuring printers, burning CDs etc

If the problem is not solved over telephone or email, one of the IT for Change team members can visit the client place to resolve the problem

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Regular Software Upgrades

Installing and using software applications for new areas (video editing etc)

Continuous learning on old and new applications for KMKN

PSC would organise periodic workshops on different applications for building capacities to use in KMKN processes within organisations so that the learning is continous.

Building in-house expertise on different areas

Finally, given the basic philosophy of public software is collaborating to create digital resources for all, different organisations would need to build the internal capacities in using different tools and provide support to other organisations as well. Organisations that are primarily into research would need to acquire mastery over tools like PSPP, R etc, identify their strengths, limitations, workarounds, link up with developer communities for enhancements, provide support to researchers in other organisations. Similarly with audio, video editing tools, drawing tools etc as well.

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Migrating to Ubuntu

GNU/Linux is freely shareable. This can save public funds on license fees on procuring proprietary software and upgrade fees at later dates.

There are a large number of freely shareable educational tools on GNU/Linux, pertaining to mathematics, science, social sciences etc which can be used in all schools.

There are large number of additional tools on GNU/Linux freely shareable, such as SCIM which supports word processing in more than 50 languages, including all languages used in Karnataka such as Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Urdu, Marathi, Hindi etc. or the ORCA screen reader, necessary for the visually handicapped or Scribus for desktop publishing.

All these tools can be pre-installed in a 'custom distribution' of GNU/Linux for a one-shot installation.

A big threat to use of ICTs is virus/worms. Popular proprietary software is susceptible to viruses and schools are unable to keep procuring anti-virus software. In most schools and educational institutions, many computers are unusable due to being affected by viruses. GNU/Linux is virus resistant and hence more secure.

Public software permits local customization. The Kannada version of GNU/Linux are already available and can be used. Further, the educational tools can be customized in Kannada by teachers as well. Such customization is not possible with proprietary software platform.

Pre-Migration

Before the migration process, back up all the data on an external hard disk:
• Files/folders: Save all your documents (check for hidden files and folders) into one folder and back up the same on an external hard disk.
• Mail data: If you are on Outlook/Outlook Express, transfer the data (mails, address book, etc) to Mozilla Thunderbird.

How to transfer data to Mozilla Thunderbird? Click here for the procedure.

Thunderbird will create a profile folder on C Drive. Path:Documents/Settings/user/application data/thunderbird/profile). To trace the exact profile path: Go to Tools on Thunderbird. Go to Account settings - click on server settings/Local Folder (you see the folder with some random numbers) .Back up this data(profile folder) on an external hard drive. (Note:Ensure that the original and the backed-up folders are of the same size)

• Picasa back up (if you use): Open Application --> Tools --> Create Backup and save it on external hard disk.

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The Migration

Insert Ubuntu installation CD

• Restart machine

(If the machine does not boot from the CD, Changes to the BIOS Setup has to be made. Please do this under technical supervision)

Follow the steps:

           # Default language option – English. Click Forward.

           # Click on the India part of the map to set time. (the time might still look out of place. But don't worry it will be set right on restarting). Click Forward.

           # Key board layout – USA.

           # Prepare disk space: Select Erase and use the entire disk option.

           # Fill in the login details. Click Forward.

           # Click Install.

           # Restart the computer when you see the installation complete message. CD is ejected automatically. Press Enter.

Your system now has the Ubuntu Operating System.

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System Setup

Configuring wireless network:

• Go to Network Manager. (you see the symbol on the right side of the top panel). Enter the Network key for the corresponding Network. Click Connect.

Configuring Mozilla Thunderbird:

• Insert the external hard disk where in you have saved the files. Copy the thunderbird back up file (.default).
• Go to places (on the top panel) click on Home, click ctrl H to see all the files. Click on Mozilla Thunderbird. Paste the profile back up.
• Launch the Thunderbird application, do not import.
• Click on Next and set the mail server details.
• Once done, click on Edit Account Settings --> Server Settings --> Browse --> Mozilla – Profile Folder (this will show the mail folder).
Click on it --> Open and Ok
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