Good Linux Server Distribution, or USB on CentOs
 

My school has a lab of about 20 computers, without hard drives, all hooked up to one central computer, which outputs data to all of the others, as well as is used as the teacher's computer where they can watch everyones screens. however, it is running an older version of CentOs. There is no flash player or Java, and USB devices will not appear when attached. Individual accounts are provided for each student, and are linked with some Windows labs. I was told to try to find either;
A way to enable at least USB devices, and make them only viewable on the central computer and the computer that is plugged in, and to enable Flash and Java
OR
A new distro that will allow this, and our current functions to continue.

Thanks in Advance!!

You know, it would have been quite helpful to know what version of CentOS this was. Even, older than what would have been a clue.

Well, if it is just older than the current version, then USB devices ought to 'just work' and even vaguely recent ought to be do-able. Just out of interest, what makes you think that it doesn't work today?

Java ought to be a case of selecting the appropriate package in the package manager and letting it do its thing. Of course, if this is a really ancient CentOS, that might be an ancient Java.

Flash, I don't use, but, in principle may be similar to Java. For flash to work, it needs to work with something. That is, the browser/browsers need to use it, so it might be best to look at your browsers to see what they say about flash (for example, does it exist somewhere, and are the browsers configured to use it...and do they have the rights to do what they need). The best place to start from may be what the browsers say is the procedure to install flash, in whatever help they make available.

In principle, and depending on the age of your CentOS, this may seem to be the most attractive solution. Remember, however, that what you've got working today, you will still need (presumably) and that includes all of the 'teacher can see this' stuff and the 'it runs the 20 computers as thin clients' stuff (and, probably some other stuff too). When you install the 'new' OS, you will need to set this up again. Now, if the person who set this up originally is still around, or the system documentation is good or you have done this kind of thing before, this may not be the biggest of issues, but if at least one of the above isn't true, you might struggle a bit (and what happens while you are struggling?).

You can either upgrade what you have to create new.


I get the feeling it was created on or based on "Linux terminal server project" (LTSP). There is another that is for schools that I just can't remember the name. I think it is K12linux. I am sure there are more such as 2x.com type stuff or other thin clients or things like knoppix terminal server.


Many current distro's offer an easy way to install ltsp.

We may need to know more about hardware. As distro's get bigger so so the needs of the hardware.

Yes! It was a K-12 LTSP on CentOs! Is it possible to allow USB devices, such as a flash drive, to be used on an LTSP?