3

What is the best Ubuntu distribution for classroom instruction to teach Linux basics?

--

More details:

I have been using Linux as a single user for many years and have been pushing my University to make a Linux box available for student use (and classroom instruction).

They are willing to install Ubuntu on a single server hosted on Windows Azure. I will have about 20-25 undergraduate CS students who may access this system concurrently (though it is doubtful they would be doing anything computationally intensive, mostly just simple scripting, perhaps some basic socket/networking programming and gaining familiarity with Linux).

Is there a particular distribution of Ubuntu I should ask to be installed? I've always gone with the desktop version, should I go for the "server" version here? 13.04 or 12.04 LTS? I hope to keep this around somewhat permanently if it works out (i.e., I want persistent file storage/configuration etc over time, not a Live CD approach where everything gets lost/reset between sessions).

I will want to have all the regular development tools (compilers, editors etc) available.

Is there something special that I need to be aware of with this setup involving Azure?

Thanks - my experience is really only one from a single-user perspective, nor am I familiar with Windows Azure

Levon
  • 133

1 Answers1

3

Azure is just a cloud platform, meaning what you will see is a virtual machine that you can SSH into and do stuff in.

With that in mind, a good starting point for you to get familiar with it is using the Ubuntu cloud images:

http://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/

These will provide a usable, cloud-customized base installation for you to work from.

Whether it's desktop or server is not too important; you will be able to install packages using the standard tools (e.g. sudo apt-get install build-essential should install the basics for you to compile and run programs written in C). You can install editors, other languages, and pretty much anything you need here.

About the only reason why I'd advise against choosing a desktop install is that you don't need it. If people are going to be mainly SSHing in, then a desktop install will just waste resources on a desktop that nobody will ever see.

roadmr
  • 34,802