libreschool.org/content/project/features/index.en.md

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---
title: Features
type: page
weight: 3
date: 2016-12-10T17:38:20+00:00
slug: features
tags:
- project
---
The technical implementation of the project includes the following steps:
* Audit the **lab hardware**, evaluating its compliance to the technical requirements of the project by checking the PCs and its networking;
* Conclusion of pending works to fulfull technical compliance of the lab;
* Deployment of the **server system**;
* Deployment of the **client PCs** in semi-automatic mode;
* Quality check/test based on the technical objectives of the project.
Deployment of the server, client PCs and the lab network is usually completed before the beginning of the training session, so that the lab can be available in its final form also for the training purposes.
The proposed technical solution has the following objectives:
* **Centralized authentication**. Like in enterprise environments, where
accounts and permissions to available infrastructural resources are
managed at a single point, our solution also provides the ability to handle
creation, modification, changing the password and granting permissions on the
entire infrastructure or part of it from a single _web console_, available
from any PCs inside the lab;
* **Sharing files**. Sharing is an integral part of our project and a key
feature in the classroom context. Our solution allows file sharing using
common enterprise-level protocols, compatible with other proprietary operating
systems, to allow maximum efficiency in sharing;
* **Web content filtering**. It is important to make students aware of the
non-positive and non-instructive nature of some web sites. We believe it
is essential to provide a safe and trusted environment for teaching in the
lab; we provide it by activating a web traffic filtering solution that comply
with the law and with the specific requirements of the individual class. Our
solution includes customizable web filters with a few clicks from the system
administrators;
* **Optimize bandwidth connectivity**. Our solution implements an outbound
bandwidth optimization system (forward proxy) for Internet surfing and OS
upgrades, to ensure efficient and affordable performance even for schools that
do not have good quality connections;
* **Efficient data backup of the lab**. We all know how important your data
is, so backupping important file is crucial. Our solution implements an
efficient backup system with easy-to-use interface for the administrators;
* **Roaming profiles**. All the data and configurations of all users will be
on the server. This allows the solution to be client-independent: in case
of malfunctioning on the clients, they can thus be replaced without worrying
about restoring their content. Also, this further helps the centralised
management of the backups.
The solution, despite its high technological content, has been studied so that
the laboratory can be managed by people without special technical skills.
{{< youtube car56i0Fx_M >}}
Below is a summary of the features that teachers and administrators will have
available for their daily activities.
## Teachers
Inside the network, besides the server, there will be a dedicated PC for the
teacher and some PCs for students.
The teacher's PC will be similar to the students' PCs except for a software:
**Epoptes**.
![epoptes](epoptes.jpg)
With this application, the teacher is able to monitor all students' PCs,
checking what they are doing, providing them remote support, locking their
screen, switching off their PCs and sharing the teacher's screen to show part
of the lesson, for example.
All PCs will have a graphical interface similar to the following with a
georgeous range of applications, some of which are already mentioned in the
main page of the [LibreSchool Project]({{< relref "project" >}}).
![desktop libreschool](desktop.png)
Beside the preinstalled applications, you can install many others by choosing
from a repository that includes tens of thousands of them. Below the
screenshots of some of those.
**LibreOffice**, a famous office productivity suite that has been adopted by
many public administration and private companies in many countries
![app Libreoffice](app_Libreoffice.png)
**Geogebra** to study of geometry, algebra and analysis
![app Geogebra](app_Geogebra.png)
**Freeplane**, an intuitive application for creating mind maps
![app Freeplane](app_Freeplane.png)
**Gimp**, used for photo-editing, free-form drawing, converting between
different image formats and more specialized tasks.
![app Gimp](app_Gimp.jpg)
**Fritzing**, free software for the design of electronics hardware, to support
designers and artists ready to move from experimenting with a prototype to
building a more permanent circuit. It was developed at the University of
Applied Sciences of Potsdam.
![Fritzing progettazione elettronica](app_Fritzing.jpg)
**Scribus**, is a desktop publishing (DTP) application, designed for layout,
typesetting, and preparation of files for professional-quality image-setting
equipment. It can also create animated and interactive PDF presentations and
forms. Example uses include writing newspapers, brochures, newsletters,
posters, and books.
![Scribus desktop publishing](app_Scribus.jpg)
**Openshot**, powerful digital video editing software
![app Openshot](app_Openshot.png)
**Stellarium**, a great virtual planetarium also used by the astronomical park
[La Torre del Sole](https://www.latorredelsole.it/) of Brembate Sopra (BG -
Italy)
![app Stellarium](app_Stellarium.jpg)
**Tux Paint** is a raster graphics editor geared towards young children. The
user interface is intuitive and utilizes icons, audible feedback and textual
hints to help explain how the software works. The brightly colored interface,
sound effects and cartoon mascot (Tux, the mascot of the Linux kernel) are
meant to engage children.
![app TuxPaint](app_Tuxpaint.jpg)
**LibreCAD**, opensource CAD application for 2D design.
![app LibreCAD](app_LibreCAD.jpg)
## Administrators
Laboratory administrators, in addition to normal hardware and network
maintenance, will be able to handle all the functionality provided by the
solution through a convenient and intuitive web interface.
We spent a lot of time to selecting and testing different Linux server
distribution, because we wanted to add to the known stability and solidity,
proper of GNU/Linux, also the ease of access and management, even from people
without sysadmin professional knowledge.
So we choose [Nethserver Linux](https://www.nethserver.org/), a distribution
developed by an Italian company in Pesaro and based on **CentOS**.
Below, some screenshots of the tool made available to the lab administrators.
The images give an idea of how managing the lab is truly powerful and simple
at the same time.
**Nethserver Dashboard**: overview of the status of the server and the
services offered.
![nethserver dashboard](nethserver_dashboard.png)
**Manage users and groups**. Additional functionality is also provided for
bulk importing of users from a spreadsheet, a feature that is useful
especially at the beginning of the year when there are a lot of new students.
![nethserver users](nethserver_users.png)
**Web Content Filter**: administrators will have a powerful tool to indicate
which web content can be accessed and what are to be blocked, based on
categorization of the websites.
![nethserver content filter](nethserver_content_filter.png)
**Network Package Manager** to install/remove on all client PCs. Through this
interface, administrators can set which applications should be present (in
addition to pre-installed ones) or removed on all networked PCs. Each changes
indicated by this tool will automatically be applied on each single PC at its
restart.
![nethserver package manager](nethserver_package_manager.png)
In addition to simplifying server management, **LibreSchool** also helps
administrators in deploying client PCs. We have studied and developed a
solution by which any PC, started according to a particular procedure, is
**automatically** installed/reinstalled and configured, by taking instructions
on configuration from the server.
At startup with the procedure that will be explained during the training, you
will see a screen similar to the following:
![libreschool_pxe_install_client](libreschool_pxe_install_client.jpg)
After making the few necessary choices by the administrator, the installation
starts without requiring any other manual interaction. Once the installation
is completed, the PC will be configured and ready to use as all other PCs in
the lab.