Column FLOSS : Linux For Kids? There is Dong!

How many of the children or brothers of us who know and are familiar with GNU / Linux? What if compared with children who know of other operating systems? If the answer is less, then the next question is why?

Today we know and recognize hundreds of distros GNU / Linux which we also use, either from mixing local and developers of other distributions are formulated by international developers. There is a Unity Ubuntu, Fedora with GNOME 3, Linux Mint, OpenSUSE to Debian. There are advanced users who know the A to Z of Linux and there is also the user to meet his daily needs.

However, have we introduce Linux to the children? Or is it we try to keep them away from Linux because Linux is the operating system look tough?

Educate and accustom the child to know something early on is a kind of investing for the future of the little guy. The results of various research also confirms that education and habituation will something early on to bring considerable effect in the child's life as adults. Whatever type of education and habits, including educating and familiarize children with Linux.

Is there a special Linux For Kids?

Someone asked, Does Linux suitable for children? The answer, of course, match. The most obvious proof that Linux is a system suitable for children is a project OLPC (one laptop per children) initiated by Professor Nicolas Negroponte.

With a nice view and a funny shape, projects initiated since 2005 has become an extraordinary attraction for children and proved successful in various continents such as America, Africa, Australia and Asia - although not up to Indonesia.

Fortunately, we can still get other versions of the OLPC that can be downloaded and installed on the computer itself or via a LiveCD. Here are some distributions of GNU / Linux can be downloaded and used for children.

-. Sugar / www.sugarlabs.org
This is one of the distributions derived from Fedora and is part of the OLPC project. Through Sugar, primary students will learn to focus work on one thing because it uses the fullscreen mode. Through a totally different appearance, the Sugar into the operating system that does not have the slightest resemblance to a desktop computer. Sugar is also suitable for the class.

-. Qimo for Kids / www.qimo4kids.com
Qimo is an Ubuntu-based distro suitable for children aged three years and above and for individuals. By default, each installation Qimo accompanied by funny games and with a large icon view so the children will have no trouble using this distro.

-. Edubuntu / www.edubuntu.org
If Qimo is more appropriately used for stand alone PC, Edubuntu, which is an official derivative of Ubuntu distro is more properly applied to the network in a classroom or school. With Edubuntu, the children will be getting used to the normal desktop.

-. Foresight for Kids / www.foresightlinux.org/foresight-kids/
Is a derivative of Foresight Linux, Foresight for Kids uses the GNOME environment and with applications for children like Tuxtyping, Super Tux, GCompris, Firefox until the Banshee Media Player. With a typical bees, Foresight for Kids to be funny and interesting for children ages 3 to 12 years.

-. Doudou Linux / www.doudoulinux.org
Taken from the French word which means something that brought the children to calm them to sleep, Doudou Linux uses Debian as the base 5. Uniquely, Doudou not require you to install on your PC so no need to provide a PC specifically for children. With its ability to LiveCD, children can use Doudou anytime and anywhere.