Lawrence Freenet is going city-wide on March 1st.
http://www.lawrencefreenet.org/
They use wireless networking to cover Lawrence in Internet service, though you can currently only attach to the service through a wireless-to-wired conversion box. They have plans for free WiFi in Downtown Lawrence. Home service costs between $20 and $35 a month, installation is $200 to $0 (depending on length of contract), though low-income families meeting their income guidelines can receive free Internet service with free installation.
Part of the program involves handing out a free computer to low-income families, often the same ones who are receiving the free Internet service. I'm suspicious from the costs charged to paying Internet subscribers (as well as the installation fees and contract lengths) that someone has gone all-Windows in the choice of operating system.
The free computers are all donated legacy systems, put together by volunteers. Software choices (in addition to bureaucratic costs) could be a major factor in increasing the Lawrence Freenet's costs in their free computer program. From links on the Lawrence Freenet website, their choices appear to be Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. Since the major backer is UNI Computers (http://www.unicomputers.com/) and they make their money off services to Windows users, I'm thinking that the money-saving benefits of Linux aren't being used.
Since the broadband connection is a wireless-to-wired conversion box, there will be no issues with Linux wireless NICs as the only connection required is a wired NIC. Develop the system appropriately and most home users won't notice the difference, though to make things easier donating a CUPS compatible printer as well would be appropriate.
I tried to join KULUA to talk to them about it, but I'm still waiting on list approval.
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Have you contacted Lawrence Freenet to ask if they have considered alternatives to Windows? It's amazing how so many people, even a few "techies", don't have any clue that anything else exists.
~Bradley
Leo Mauler wrote:
Lawrence Freenet is going city-wide on March 1st.
http://www.lawrencefreenet.org/
They use wireless networking to cover Lawrence in Internet service, though you can currently only attach to the service through a wireless-to-wired conversion box. They have plans for free WiFi in Downtown Lawrence. Home service costs between $20 and $35 a month, installation is $200 to $0 (depending on length of contract), though low-income families meeting their income guidelines can receive free Internet service with free installation.
Part of the program involves handing out a free computer to low-income families, often the same ones who are receiving the free Internet service. I'm suspicious from the costs charged to paying Internet subscribers (as well as the installation fees and contract lengths) that someone has gone all-Windows in the choice of operating system.
The free computers are all donated legacy systems, put together by volunteers. Software choices (in addition to bureaucratic costs) could be a major factor in increasing the Lawrence Freenet's costs in their free computer program. From links on the Lawrence Freenet website, their choices appear to be Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. Since the major backer is UNI Computers (http://www.unicomputers.com/) and they make their money off services to Windows users, I'm thinking that the money-saving benefits of Linux aren't being used.
Since the broadband connection is a wireless-to-wired conversion box, there will be no issues with Linux wireless NICs as the only connection required is a wired NIC. Develop the system appropriately and most home users won't notice the difference, though to make things easier donating a CUPS compatible printer as well would be appropriate.
I tried to join KULUA to talk to them about it, but I'm still waiting on list approval.
Sponsored Link
Get an Online or Campus degree Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's - in less than one year. http://www.findtherightschool.com _______________________________________________ Kclug mailing list [email protected] http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
Does anyone know of some good, and hopefully cheap, network security cameras that play well with Linux clients? We recently purchased a camera for about $650, and not only was it designed for Windows/IE, but it specifically tried to prevent itself from working with other platforms. On top of that, it just didn't work at all most of the time (kept crashing every 2 minutes or so).
Any recommendations?
~Bradley
We have four Netbotz 500 camera units for our server rooms, each with an add on camera. Their client is java-based and they include Linux install notes. The units are pretty nice, except the picture quality isn't the best. The temperature, humidity, and airflow sensors are handy. They use Linux under the hood and are expandable.
http://www.netbotz.com/products/appliances.html
Hope that helps.
-Russ
On 11/9/06, Bradley Hook [email protected] wrote:
Does anyone know of some good, and hopefully cheap, network security cameras that play well with Linux clients? We recently purchased a camera for about $650, and not only was it designed for Windows/IE, but it specifically tried to prevent itself from working with other platforms. On top of that, it just didn't work at all most of the time (kept crashing every 2 minutes or so).
Any recommendations?
~Bradley _______________________________________________ Kclug mailing list [email protected] http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
On 11/9/06, Russ Starr [email protected] wrote:
We have four Netbotz 500 camera units for our server rooms, each with an add on camera. Their client is java-based and they include Linux install notes. The units are pretty nice, except the picture quality isn't the best. The temperature, humidity, and airflow sensors are handy. They use Linux under the hood and are expandable.
http://www.netbotz.com/products/appliances.html
Hope that helps.
-Russ
On 11/9/06, Bradley Hook [email protected] wrote:
Does anyone know of some good, and hopefully cheap, network security cameras that play well with Linux clients? We recently purchased a camera for about $650, and not only was it designed for Windows/IE, but it specifically tried to prevent itself from working with other platforms. On top of that, it just didn't work at all most of the time (kept crashing every 2 minutes or so).
Any recommendations?
~Bradley _______________________________________________ Kclug mailing list [email protected] http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
Kclug mailing list [email protected] http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
You should also look into what cameras software like ZoneMinder recommends using, since it's a Linux security camera application they would have a good idea. That said, camera's with their own built in webserver like the Panasonic BL-C30 are pretty sweet too. No dependencies on software because you just hit the camera's web page. :)
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On 11/9/06, Russ Starr [email protected] wrote:
We have four Netbotz 500 camera units for our server rooms, each with an add on camera. Their client is java-based and they include Linux install notes. The units are pretty nice, except the picture quality isn't the best. The temperature, humidity, and airflow sensors are handy. They use Linux under the hood and are expandable.
http://www.netbotz.com/products/appliances.html
Hope that helps.
-Russ
On 11/9/06, Bradley Hook [email protected] wrote:
Does anyone know of some good, and hopefully cheap, network security cameras that play well with Linux clients? We recently purchased a camera for about $650, and not only was it designed for Windows/IE,
but
it specifically tried to prevent itself from working with other platforms. On top of that, it just didn't work at all most of the
time
(kept crashing every 2 minutes or so).
Any recommendations?
~Bradley _______________________________________________ Kclug mailing list [email protected] http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
Kclug mailing list [email protected] http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
You should also look into what cameras software like ZoneMinder recommends using, since it's a Linux security camera application they would have a good idea. That said, camera's with their own built in webserver like the Panasonic BL-C30 are pretty sweet too. No dependencies on software because you just hit the camera's web page. :)
-- Kyle Sexton
Axis cameras are very nice, and run Linux. http://www.axis.com/products/video/camera/
On Thu, 9 Nov 2006, Christopher A. Bier wrote:
Axis cameras are very nice, and run Linux. http://www.axis.com/products/video/camera/
We use Axis cameras to monitor to the EECS computing labs at KU. They work fairly well. My biggest complaint with them is not so much with interoperability, but with the amount of light in the room required for them to work. They seem to require quite a bit of ambient light.
I installed an Axis camera at CPI (Sears Portrait, One Hour Photo, Fox Photos). I wasn't too impressed with the light levels (as mentioned), but I also had problems focusing the camera. Got it a little off to begin with, and the others never got it corrected.
--Don Ellis
On 11/9/06, D. Hageman [email protected] wrote:
On Thu, 9 Nov 2006, Christopher A. Bier wrote:
Axis cameras are very nice, and run Linux. http://www.axis.com/products/video/camera/
We use Axis cameras to monitor to the EECS computing labs at KU. They work fairly well. My biggest complaint with them is not so much with interoperability, but with the amount of light in the room required for them to work. They seem to require quite a bit of ambient light.
-- //========================================================\ || D. Hageman [email protected] || \========================================================// _______________________________________________ Kclug mailing list [email protected] http://kclug.org/mailman/listinfo/kclug
Don't hijack threads.
On Thursday 09 November 2006 22:17, Bradley Hook wrote:
Does anyone know of some good, and hopefully cheap, network security cameras that play well with Linux clients? We recently purchased a camera for about $650, and not only was it designed for Windows/IE, but it specifically tried to prevent itself from working with other platforms. On top of that, it just didn't work at all most of the time (kept crashing every 2 minutes or so).
Any recommendations?
~Bradley
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Bradley Hook -
Christopher A. Bier -
D. Hageman -
Don Ellis -
Kyle Sexton -
Leo Mauler -
Luke -Jr -
Luke-Jr
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Russ Starr