Codepad – The ClassHelper.org™ Blog

Written for school I.T. administrators and network professionals looking to test the open source Zimbra groupware system, the ClassHelper.org computer science section has a new tutorial explaining how to install Zimbra on CentOS 5. This comprehensive tutorial allows administrators to go from a “bare metal” machine to a completely functional Zimbra server. Enjoy!

Happy Easter! We hope you take this opportunity to reflect on faith, family, and friends. You can learn more about the history and meaning of this holiday for people around the globe at the Wikipedia Easter page. For fun, you may want want to try our Easter crosswords or Easter word search puzzles. Have a safe holiday!

The ClassHelper.org computer science section has a new tutorial on setting up an Openfire collaboration server using a Debian Linux virtual machine (or real, physical server… as you prefer). This is good information for anyone who’d like to get started with collaboration software in their school or business; the tutorial provides step-by-step instructions for each stage of the install. Enjoy!

Here’s how far we’ve come since 1980 with respect to storage capacity. This image depicts 1 GB of memory from a mainframe in 1980 alongside a 1 GB chip from 2009.

1 GB of Memory

Credit goes to MillionFace.com for the source image.

When it comes to something as seemingly simple as editing text (programming, configuration files, etc), there are a surprising number of options available to Linux users. This review focuses on some of the more commonly used tools found in the Ubuntu repositories; most, if not all, of these editors can be easily installed in other Linux distributions. Most of these applications have similar core features, but some integrate more advanced functionality. Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s education news roundup brings updates on the efficacy of school voucher programs in D.C., the ongoing legal saga surrounding a university professor, presidential job picks, and the continued impact of recession on education.

Study Supports School Vouchers (The Washington Post) – A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education has found that D.C. students who used vouchers to attend private schools outperformed students at public schools. This has sparked new debate on already controversial voucher programs.

Jury Says Professor Was Wrongly Fired (The New York Times) – A jury has ruled in favor of Ward L. Churchill, a University of Colorado professor who was terminated for statements referring to World Trade Center victims as “little Eichmanns.” The jury awarded the professor $1 in the case, the smallest amount legally permissible in consideration of the verdict. The professor has asked the judge to order his job be reinstated.

Obama Unveils Picks for Key Ed. Dept. Jobs (Education Week) – President Obama has publicly announced two choices for major Department of Education posts, naming John Q. Easton and Martha J. Kanter.

College Grads Face Worst Job Market In Years (USA Today) – With employers planning to hire 22% fewer graduates this spring, many recent college grads are thankful for any job they can get.

Northern Arizona to Lay Off 45, Close 4 Campuses (U.S. News & World Report) – Northern Arizona University has announced plans to lay off 45 employees and close four college campuses amidst the economic turmoil of the recession. Approximately $21 billion has been cut from the university’s budget.

ClassHelper.org’s computer science section has a new addition. The Linux VPS host tutorial will teach you how to turn any reasonably modern computer into a virtual private server hosting platform. The guide uses Ubuntu Server 8.04 LTS as the base server operating system, with virtualization provided by VMware Server 2.0. It includes full instructions for creating a Debian Linux virtual machine with the ISPConfig hosting control panel installed on it.

This weeks’s news digest examines zero tolerance laws and the effects they have on children, the Texas evolution battle, federal stimulus money, and how the economy is affecting student university choices. Read the rest of this entry »