LiveContent

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The idea of LiveContent is based upon LiveDistro, a live instance of an operating system that can be booted from a CD or other type of media without needing to install the actual software on a machine.

LiveContent is an umbrella idea which aims to provide added features in addition to a CD-bootable operating system. With LiveContent, other free open source software applications and content can be coupled with the OS and delivered through various methods.

LiveUSB

LiveDVD

The Free Me project has already produced a live DVD with almost exactly the same ideas behind it. More than willing to lend a hand with this :D. Contact me at jonathan.roberts.uk@googlemail.com if you think I could be of use.

ccLiveCD

Gnome has one. So does Mono. Why not Creative Commons? A successful completion of this challenge would produce an ISO image for a bootable system that would be filled with CC-licensed content and whatever the state-of-the-art in CC-enabled content and open source applications are at that time. Creative Commons will team with Red Hat, Worldlabel.com and OpenOffice in order to produce a LiveCD that can be presented to libraries throughout the US as an example of free open source software, open document formats and Creative Commons-licensed content. Worldlabel is supporting the development and distribution of the LiveCD.

Rationale

general

We believe that the ccLiveCD can be a gateway distribution device to test the waters of using open source software within library settings. Also spread the message about Creative Commons and provide examples of different media that has been licensed with Creative Commons licenses. Create network effects for open source in general - get more people involved with supporting FOSS, CC.

Target

ccLiveCD will be created for librarians to test for public terminals at libraries. The object is to get as many libraries to install Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) on their current systems. We will be aiming the implementation at librarians and library administrators.

We strongly believe that libraries are a great way to plant seeds in the community to help the FOSS movement to become popular. This project will help bring more awareness to Open Source by providing an example of an operating system and free open source applications that could be implemented on library machines. If the ideas can catch on, the long-range effects might be that libraries would begin to implement free open source software on machines permanently, thus saving money on software licensing agreements.

At this time, it seems that CDs provide the best media format that is accessible to most library computer terminals.

possible benefits
  • libraries
    • save money on proprietary software licensing - total cost of ownership (tco) is less
    • libraries can be seen as cutting edge in adoption of open source
    • more control over computing environment
    • can test on machines without installing
    • can also install directly from a desktop image
    • most productivity and creativity applications have a free open source counterpart
    • increase services to user by offering more software
existing library terminals
  • at SFPL main branch, there are two types of computer terminals:
    • some that are used solely for card catalog - no other features provided
    • others where patrons can access the internet (via internet explorer) and use the Microsoft Office 2003 suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) - there are no other applications that are accessible through the tailored, limited-view interface

Proposed LiveCD Contents

Redhat Fedora 7
  • options
    • i386 Gnome LiveCD - maybe the better option
    • i386 KDE LiveCD
      • can have both desktop environments, but probably better to support one or the other due to cd size constraints

testing notes:

    • fedora 7 liveCD gnome extremely slow in liveboot - this is with 256mb ram
    • note - productivity and creativity apps cannot be installed at terminals without first installing Fedora - aka liveCD doesn't support application installs before full OS install
Productivity/entertainment suite with a combination of the following Free Open Source programs:
  • Openoffice - Complete version (same as from OOo site)
  • OOo Wikipedia plugin, links on page and CD to: OO, Support page, OOoforums, Documentation Project
  • FireFox - web browser
  • Thunderbird - email client
  • Gimp - raster graphics editor
  • Inkscape - vector graphics editor
  • VLC - media player
  • Democracy - media player, torrent client
  • Collection of clipart from Open Clip Art Library
  • Worldlabel.com Blank Opendocument Format Label Templates and collection of Pre-designed label templates: address, shipping, filing, CD
  • Information and documentation on Opendocument Format from http://opendocumentfellowship.org/ included i
  • other appropriate documentation for apps
  • note that all these FOSS applications are also available for installation on machines running proprietary operating systems (windows, osx), not just linux machines
Creative Commons-licensed content
  • 10 best examples of CC-licensed content from the following categories:
  • Possible inclusion of a CC plugin pre-installed in Openoffice.org
  • inclusion of CC plug-in for Firefox

Distribution Options

We will investigate options for getting the CDs into the hands of the libraries we wish to target. While we wish to provide a quality LiveCD to the most libraries we can, we realize that mass mailing may not be the best way to accomplish this distribution goal, especially since this may be considered a type of spamming. Ideas other than mailing include hosting the contents online and doing outreach to libraries and other interested parties through a widespread press release, listservs, hand out at events, or get an in through professional organizations like the American Library Association.

While we are working towards a deliverable LiveCD by August 8, further exploration of a dynamic, automated system should be examined. This type of system could be automated to pull updated content from various sources , current application versions and OS patches and build a CD extremely easily. In this way, users could download the most current build at any time.

During development, we hope to provide preliminary builds and demos that we can send to various organization and libraries so that they can review the LiveCD and provide input for further development. Later reviews hopefully will be published in numerous ALA publications. Reviews could be sent with the CD in the mailing so that there is neutral positive influence behind the CD.

Potential Issues

  • what kinds of agreements do libraries have with software providers now, if any?
  • make the cds very intuitive, well-labeled, good supporting documentation - fedora has a lot of good documentation, +/- of liveCD
  • will we only make spins for i386? - probably the architecture of most library terminal machines, unless some use older macs - ppc
  • how do we distribute without spamming?
  • will libraries trust what we send to them?
  • will libraries notice it or have time to look at it?
  • less to do with the software and more to do with presentation and documentation
  • focus on low income areas, rural?
  • will CC put on material that covers all the different licenses? or least restrictive? - attribution only
  • different libraries have different budgets which allow for a vast range in hardware and training
  • The mailing will have a mail back questionaire asking did they install software and other general questions. - rethink this idea due to spamming/response issues? - think about other ways to gather feedback
  • what about adding the CDs to library collections? - might be a good way for people to install or use at home, but doesn't align too well with the applications and content becoming obsolete
  • accessibility

Timeline

June 11
  • Brainstorming "best-of" CC-licensed content to include with the LiveCD
  • Connect with other organizations - ALA, LITA, FOSS
  • blog post about the project
June 18
  • talk to scott about helping us with builds with the correct sizing
  • trying out different spins
  • get the automated fedora build system working!
  • pick examples of CC-licensed content and package? Yes!
  • how to build content packages and auto-pull from various content curators (mayben need tech help)
June 25
  • figure out packaging of physical CD (cardboard insert/cd burns/how many/how long it will take to get manufactured/how much) (with alex/me)
  • public web page requirements (live.creativecommons.org or creativecommons.org/livecontent or creativecommons.org/live ... maybe for now just redirect to wiki page)


July 2
  • planning what docs we need to collect for documentation for Fedora, apps, CC-licenses
July 9
  • have basic liveCD build completed
July 16
July 23
July 30
August 6
  • LiveCD rollout at Linuxworld - San Francisco
August 8th
  • LiveCD rollout CC Salon - San Francisco

Resources

Groups
People
  • Jack Aboutboul - Redhat mailto:jaa@redhat.com - Redhat will provide the themeing and customized builds of the CDs containing the OS, open source apps, Worldlabel documentation, CC content
  • Mr. Alex Choong of Innotech Resources Pte Ltd (worldlabel.com.sg) will cover the cost of duplication of master Library CD. 8000 to 10000pcs with jewel box or sleedve. He wants will also implement a program in Singapore and Malaysia to distribute the CD to libraries. He mentioned wanting reference to this in press releases.


  • Simon Spero at Sun in North Carolina, who might be willing to provide server space to maintain a dynamic build system
Reading
LiveCD Examples
LiveCD Resources

How to get involved

  • investigate what software runs on local library computers
  • provide examples of CC-licensed content to include

future

  • Researching 3 libraries in Putnam County, N.Y. in upscale districts, the 3 libraries had Openoffice.org, Firefox and Gimp installed. Further research in under privileged areas will be done. Visited private library which relies on Donations in Cold Springs, NY. Had no FOSS installed and where extremely receptive to the CD idea.
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