The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Melb PC's New Linux Repository David Hatton |
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Members from the Linux and OS SIG and the Northern Suburbs Linux SIG have been trialling an online Linux Repository, reports Melb PC's David Hatton. |
The repository makes the freely downloadable versions of fourteen or so Linux Distributions available as .iso files. These .iso files are updated on a continuing basis, and we're working towards having the latest versions available about two weeks after their official release.
Using the computers in the Internet Lounge, you're welcome to download any .iso file from the Melb PC Linux repository to a USB drive and/or burn them to your own blank CDs or DVDs.
This facility has been quite popular, especially for members who have dialup Internet or low data limits on their Broadband. But its benefits have been restricted to those who can drop in to the Internet Lounge during the day or come to the Chadstone or Watsonia Linux SIG meetings in the evenings. Now, with the help of the Office Staff, we're also able to offer custom burnt disks of nominated distributions on the same basis as the traditional Monthly Disk.
Custom linux disks
The Linux distributions available on disk will be listed on the MelbPC website via the 'Monthly CDs from Melb PC' link, from where you can also download an order form. Depending on the distribution, you may have the choice of one or two CDs and/or one DVD. The cost is the same as for the monthly disks. As these disks will be created for individual orders, it is not expected that they will be available at monthly meetings except by special arrangement. This may be reviewed if there is enough demand.
Thanks to all who are contributing to this project, particularly Scott Toor, Terry Kemp, James Cox and our helpful Office Staff.
Listings of the current disks are available from the normal Monthly Disk page http://www.melbpc.org.au/monthcd/newmonth.htm or directly at http://www.melbpc.org.au/monthcd/linux-disks-index.html You can download an an printout your own Order Form from http://www.melbpc.org.au/monthcd/linux-disks-order-form.pdf
The Internet lounge
When you start a web browser on one of the internet lounge computers, you'll see
an introductory page with a link to the Linux Repository. Clicking on this link
will take you to the repository welcome page.
Please read this page for important information about the general operation of
the repository.
If you want to access the repository after you've been
surfing the Internet, use the link
ftp://192.168.81.222/pub/linux/html/linux-iso-intro.html
From the welcome page you can either go straight to the Repository Index Page or
the FAQ Page. The Repository Index page gives a brief description of the
distributions available, with download links
and links to the distributions
home pages. While you don't need internet access to download the .iso files from
the repository, you will need to get an internet ticket from the office to
access the distributions home pages.
Chadstone WiFi
Log in using the normal procedure. Then you will need to point your web browser
at ftp://192.168.81.222/pub/linux/html/linux-iso-intro.html.
This will display the welcome page mentioned above.
Reprinted from the November 2008 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
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