OCDL • Opensource CD Live!

• Welcome to the OCDL aka Opensource CD Live a project about a livecd with GNU/Linux, but usable also from Microsoft Windows, that contains opensource softwares and documents (syllabus, lessons, guides, samples and tests) that may be used for studing on the "Computer Driving License" (ECDL Core and Specialized, WebStarter and ImageMaker, certificates), all softwares and documents are in italian language.
• Started more than 3 years ago as a personal experiment is now (january, 2009) a stable project.
• Thanks to Slackware (it, eu), Slax, NimbleX by Bogdan, and many others, the project is at his first final release!

• 2005, september • First idea about a collection of documents, syllabus, tests, examples on I/ECDL Core, WebStarter and ImageMaker ICT certifications
• 2006, july • Burned first cd-rom with documents, syllabus, tests, examples on I/ECDL Core, WebStarter and ImageMaker ICT certifications
• 2006, september • Give it to students, teachers and friends to use in school and at home for study ICT; distributed portable versions of opensource programs such as OpenOffice, Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird, NVU, GIMP
• 2007, march • Make the cd-rom a livecd with a GNU/Linux distro
• 2007, may • Use a GNU/Linux distro that respect the requirements of I/ECDL Syllabus (KDE, OpenOffice, Firefox and Thunderbird)
• 2007, august • Make a livecd with all texts and software in italian language and usable also in Microsoft Windows
• 2007, september • Create a livecd! and an "howto" document to make it possible to customize and remaster the livecd!
• 2007, november • Create an ISO and an "how-to" to make it possible to easily install Grub on an HD and use an ISO image on the HD in a quickly but secure way and for saving data in a "hdx" partition or on a lan/server folder (an alternative to the ISO may be a software like BurnCCD for create the ISO directly from the cd-rom so you may use the livecd or create an ISO and install Grub on the HD).
• 2007, december • Write an "how-to" about customization and configuration of NimbleX isolive! (change lan config, add/remove/change programs, icons, menu, desktop, etc...) and on saving in a module (.mo file) or in the ISO-9660 (.iso file). • "Install" dos2grub and customize an ISO image in about eighteen PCs (with MS Windows 9x/ME/XP) to obtain dualboot and make more easy to use GNU Linux at school for students and teachers.
• 2008, 1st quarter • Improve performance of dual boot PCs solution by add a temporary swap file/partition/space; update Mozilla and Thunderbird to 2.x; add easier installer and some help for Grub4Dos in the livecd; add some sample script to improve installation and configuration of the livecd if users want to "install" onto their PCs; ...
• 2008, 2nd quarter • Reorganize and update all the ECDL Syllabus, specially ECDL Core to new version 5.0 (see ECDL Foundation) and start more improvement of all texts, samples, presentations and tests on ECDL Core, WebStarter and ImageMaker in italian language; ...
• 2008, 3rd quarter • Start a collaborative platform like a CRM or a Wiki to update, complete and maintain a multilevel Syllabus on OpenSource (similar to a "fork" from ECDL Core+Advanced+Specialized, but tested and really usefull on OpenSource softwares); ...
• 2008, 4th quarter • Continue in developing collaborative platform and update software and documents about GNU/Linux and I/ECDL to version 5.0 (published in english this summer and in italian on novembre/december). Search and collect documents, projects and all about GNU/Linux certifications (LPI, Ubuntu, Red Hat, etc...) to evaluate the possibility to merge and implement their basic levels into one unified and generic Free/Opensource Software Syllabus... (?)

• 2005/2006 • For one years 60 students and 10 teachers have used the collection and I've used it for many courses in a ECDL TestCenter.
• 2006, july-2007, june • Collection was improved and many texts and softwares was eliminated finally all was burned in a cd-rom. Texts are now ok, but I must "cut&paste" much more to make they better and complete.
• Since 2006/2007 • The cd-rom has texts about I/ECDL and x-portable versions of: OpenOffice.org, Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird from www.winpenpack.com for that users who has Microsoft Windows. The experiment was good!, many people (students and collegues) reported that was a great idea, but someone was unable to use all the contents because the absence of software programs to open and use it.
• 2007, february-july • I've tested many distros (about n. 13) in these years like: Suse, Red Hat, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Edubuntu, Knoppix, EduKnoppix, PCLinuxOS, DamnSmall Linux, PuppyLinux, FUSS, ITIX, QiLinux Docet, SoDiLinux, Skolelinux, etc... but now I'm working on NimbleX by Bogdan (from Slax/Slackware) in the hope to have found the right solution (it boot quickly, is samll, has KDE, has many modules and also in italian!).
• 2007, august-september • I've worked on a more customized ISO of NimbleX (www.nimblex.net) and, thanks to Bogdan, Richardus, Davide and many others, now we've finally a livecd!
• 2007, october • I'm pleased to announce that now we've a livecd that boot with GNU/Linux NimbleX but that has many texts and softwares for I/ECDL both for GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows so the livecd may be used by everyone and also as I/ECDL Opensource tools to obtain these ICT certificates.
• 2007, november • I've finished to translate some others texts/softwares (GIMP and some texts are still in english) and customized icons, menus and backgrounds, now I'll would to write an "How to" the use and customization of the livecd! so anyone will burn his own "LIVECD!".
• 2007-11-14 • Ops! Mozilla Firefox is in italian but without Macromedia Flash plugin :-( so now I'm trying to add flash...
• 2007-11-16 • Tha name of this project as became OCDL aka Opensource CD Live!.
• 2007-11-18 • Mozilla Firefox now has Flash plugin but there're still some problems (crash on right clic ?!)
• 2007-11-21 • Fixed some icons, links, menus and configurations of NimbleX remastered in "OCDL_07.11" and started the distribution of about n. 150 OpenCDLive! to students and teachers in an italian high school! First comments seems good!
• 2007-12-08 • Published the "setup" of "grub2dos" and a mini "how-to" about creation of an ISO image directly from the livecd on the hard disk and for add a boot menu with the choice between Microsoft Windows 9x/ME or GNU Linux (for Microsoft Windows NT/2000/XP added only few intructions in english).
• 2007-12-10 • Having some problems to install grub2dos on some PCs with Microsoft Windows ME/OEM (?). I'll try different situations and I'll come back soon with the right solution!...
• 2007-12-16 • Changed and simplified the setup package Grub4Dos install and the mini "How-to". Now testing it on several and different PCs with Microsoft Windows 98/98SE/ME. I'll come back soon with results of these tests!...
• 2007-12-18 • More changes to the setup package Grub4Dos now is also a ZIP file (decompress in C:\ and run "grub9xme.bat"). I'm still writing and translating the mini "How-to".
• 2007-12-18 • Released stable setup of Grub4Dos in ZIP format (decompress in C:\ and run "grub9xme.bat"). Also finished the mini "English How-to" and the mini "Italian How-to".
• 2007-12-20 • Yuppie ! I've installed GNU/Linux live! also on a HD with Grub in a Microsoft Windows XP environment, simply by copying the contents of livecd! and by editing two files "boot.ini" and "menu.lst" !".
• 2007-12-30 • Wow... At the end of 2007 I've distributed more than 150 live cd (rel. 07.18 with KDE GNU/Linux live, OpenOffice 2.3, Mozilla and Thunderbird 1.5, GIMP 2.2, NVU 1.0 all these applications for both MS Windows and GNU/Linux, ECDL Core 4.0, WebStarter and ImageMaker 1.0/1.5 Syllabus, tests and many other documents) and added to about 80 PCs dual boot in GNU/Linux with OCDL project !!! (all PCs has autostart script so they boot in GNU/Linux, connect automatically to the LAN and the Internet then open the homepage School...).
• 2008-06-28 • Working on part of 1st quarter 2008 and part of 2nd quarter 2008 objectives... Work is a lot, more than I can do... I think the new live cd will be available at the end of 2008 or at the beginning of 2009....
• 2008-10-31 • Between september and october 2008 distribuited more than 80 cd-rom of OpenCDLive and installed other PC with GNU/Linux live starting from an image of the OpenCDLive.
• 2008-12-08 • Improved "/root.kde/Autostart" scripts so now: every live cd start with more customized options, like find a partition with enough free space and create an additional swapfile for PCs with less than 256 Mb of RAM, autoconfigure network card with static IP/DHCP, etc...
  Updated all software: kernel now is 2.6.16 and KDE 3.5.4 completely in italian and respect now about 95% of I/ECDL requisite (menu, application, themes, applet, ... in Module 2) and softwares (for Module 3-7) are now updated (Mozilla Firefox/Thunderbird from 1.x to 2.x, OpenOffice from 2.0 to 2.x), solved GIMP problem with handfree selection, installed more TrueType Fonts and added ISO Master for modify images of the cd live. I/ECDL Syllabus is updated to version 5.0 in italian. Collaborative platform is still in development state, but OCDL project continue...
  Registered the domain www.ocdl.it.... Merry Xmas and a happy new year to you !!!

SCREENSHOTS

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