Colin Gillies
3-16-2008
MLIS 587 Assignment 3
Open Source workstations in the library.
Examining the uses of open source in the library covers a wide range of items. Here, we will be examining the use of open source Linux derivatives to extend the life of computers donated or considered obsolete by the library.
A word on Linux or OS advocacy.
I would not recommend going with any single operating system in any current library system unless it was Windows. While there are people who are interested in engaging in a fight over which OS is better, that’s not the intention here. I am not aware of a library situation where there won’t be a need to occasionally access resources that can only be accessed from a windows computer, be it a program, or website that only runs using windows specific plugins. Having some windows resources available will be required in any reasonable computing environment designed to make the most resources available to the public.
That said, there would be opportunities to use virtual machines running Windows for those programs (companies like Vmware have a limited set that could be checked out to workstations that required the use of those resources, so it would be possible to maintain a computing system made of primarily Unix or OS X boxes (since Intel based OS X systems can also use the same virtual machines). These virtual machines would run all the programs that regular windows would run, but it would have less access to advanced video processing, so this would not be ideal if there were any gaming workstations in the library that required dedicated video card access.
The purpose I am proposing here is to give the library that chooses this route is simply another tool to add to their arsenal. Some have said Linux is free as in beer. I like the analogy that Linux is “free as in Kittens”. Open Source software requires care and work to keep it working properly, just like a free kitten. Some of the resources that you would need to engage, like newsgroups or Wikis or online forums, may be less familiar resources to your support staff. Make sure they are interested in perusing any issues with a Linux install before proceeding, as this is not a support free environment.
Why Linux?
Older computers (primarily X86 computers) May not have the system requirements to run modern versions of windows, or they may be donated without a valid license for windows or word processors used by the library. The idea behind this is that these older computers would be useful as web workstations, basic word processing, and possibly in a computer literacy type lab. Linux computers can run Firefox and Open Office adequately for most users with 256MB ram, and a 500 MHz or better processor, which is less than is needed to run XP or Vista.
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