Rasbian

This page is for details on using a Raspberry Pi 2 with the KOC essential software.

Software

TuxMath

Install directions: sudo apt-get install tuxmath

Launch directions: Menu -> Education -> Tux Math

• Time to first click: 29 seconds
• Responsiveness after loading: No perceptible lag on clicks or interaction
• Time to close: < 1 second

TuxType

Install directions: sudo apt-get install tuxtype

Launch directions: Menu -> Education -> Tux Type

• Time to first click: 4 seconds
• Responsiveness after loading: No perceptible lag on clicks or interaction
• Time to close: < 1 second

TuxPaint

Install directions: sudo apt-get install tuxpaint

Launch directions: Menu -> Education -> Tux Paint

• Time to first click: 2 seconds
• Responsiveness after loading: No perceptible lag on clicks or interaction
• Time to close: < 1 second

Gcompris

Install directions: sudo apt-get install gcompris

Launch directions: Menu -> Education -> Educational suite Gcompris

• Time to first click: 15 seconds
• Responsiveness after loading: A tiny bit of mouse lag navigating the main menu
• Time to close: < 1 second

Gimp

Install directions: sudo apt-get install gimp

Launch directions: Menu -> Graphics -> GNU Image Manipulation Program

• Time to first click: 14 seconds
• Responsiveness after loading: Very responsive, but the mouse icon was flickering
• Time to close: < 1 second

Leafpad

Install directions: PREINSTALLED

Launch directions: Menu -> Accessories -> Text Editor

• Time to first click: < 1 second
• Responsiveness after loading: Very responsive
• Time to close: < 1 second

Libre Office

Install directions: sudo apt-get install libreoffice

Launch directions: Menu -> Office -> Libre X

Libre Writer

• Time to first click: 4 seconds
• Responsiveness after loading: Very responsive
• Time to close: < 1 second

Libre Calc

• Time to first click: 1 second
• Responsiveness after loading: Very responsive
• Time to close: < 1 second

Libre Impress

• Time to first click: 2 seconds
• Responsiveness after loading: Very responsive
• Time to close: 1 seconds

Stellarium

Install directions: sudo apt-get install stellarium

Launch directions: Menu -> Education -> Stellarium

• Time to first click: 8 seconds
• Responsiveness after loading: Very slow... but usable and still fun
• Time to close: 2 seconds

Python Games

Install directions: PREINSTALLED

Launch directions: Menu -> Games -> Python Games

• Time to first click: 2 seconds
• Responsiveness after loading: Very good
• Time to close: 1 second1

Games included

• flippy
• fourinarow
• gemgem
• inkspill
• memorypuzzle
• pentomino
• simulate
• slidepuzzle
• squirrel
• starpusher
• tetromino
• tetrominoforidiots
• wormy

KOC Distribution modification and creation

Creating the image

In later steps we'll automate the deployment of an image. In order to do that, we first need to have a working image. The best way to do this is to download the latest version of Raspbian or NOOBs and deploy Raspbian normally. After it finishes, you should update the system and install all the necessary packages. It is also important to change the language before you finish.

Install the latest updates

• sudo apt-get -y update

Install the necessary packages

• sudo apt-get -y install tuxmath tuxtype tuxpaint gcompris gimp libreoffice stellarium vim

Enable the relevant languages

• sudo dpkg-reconfigure locales

Export the correct language (it should look something like es_MX-UTF-8 or en_GB)

• export LANGUAGE='<language>'
• export LC_ALL='<language>'

Not sure if this is necessary, but I run it again anyways to verify it shows in a different language

• sudo dpkg-reconfigure locales

Poweroff the system, and move the SD card to a Linux system that can read the partitions. See the tar and xz commands in the section below on how to compress the image.

Creating the automated installer

Directions taken from https://github.com/raspberrypi/noobs This assumes that you have already created a working copy of the image that you want to deploy. If not, see the section above on creating an image.

There are two main use cases for which you may want to create a custom version of one of the standard OS releases that is suitable for installation via NOOBS:

If you are a teacher wanting to easily deploy a custom OS release containing pre-defined set of packages and files onto a number of SD cards (e.g. to provision a class set of Raspberry Pi's or quickly restore a Raspberry Pi back to custom "factory" settings).

If you want to be able to back up your existing installed packages and files so that any future OS re-install does not force you back to a clean install.

The following steps allow you to create a modified copy of one of the standard OS releases that contains your custom files, packages and settings.

Download a base version of NOOBS from http://downloads.raspberrypi.org/NOOBS_latest

Extract the NOOBS zipfile

Navigate to the os directory

Create a copy of the folder containing the OS release that you want to modify and rename it with a custom name.

Edit the following fields in the os.json file contained in the folder that you just created

• "name" - replace the name of the base OS with the name of your custom OS version
• "description" - replace the description of the standard OS install with one for your custom OS version

[Optional] Rename or replace the existing <OS>.png icon file with one matching the name of your custom OS version

[Optional] Replace the PNG image files in the slides and slides_vga directory with your own custom installer slides

Edit the following fields in the partitions.json file contained in the folder that you just created

• "partition_size_nominal" - replace the numerical value with the size of the paritions in your custom OS version
• "uncompressed_tarball_size" - replace the numerical value with the size of your filesystem tarballs when uncompressed

Replace the .tar.xz root and boot filesystem tarballs with copies created from your custom OS version (these instructions assume you're only using a single OS at a time with NOOBS - they won't work if you're running multiple OSes from a single SD card). The name of these tarballs needs to match the labels given in partitions.json.

To create the root tarball you will need to run tar -cvpf <label>.tar /* --exclude=proc/* --exclude=sys/* --exclude=dev/pts/* from within the root filesystem of your custom OS version. You should then compress the resulting tarball with xz -9 -e <label>.tar.

To create the boot tarball you will need to run tar -cvpf <label>.tar . at the root directory of the boot partition of your custom OS version. You should then compress the resulting tarball with xz -9 -e <label>.tar.

Project page

https://github.com/raspberrypi/noobs