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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
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<!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.3//EN"
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"http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.3/docbookx.dtd" [
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<!ENTITY % globalent SYSTEM "../../../libs/global.ent">
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<!ENTITY % cdo-C SYSTEM "../../../libs/cdo-C.ent">
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<!ENTITY % gnome-menus-C SYSTEM "../../libs/edubuntu-menus-C.ent">
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<!ENTITY % edubuntuent SYSTEM "../../libs/edubuntu.ent">
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<!ENTITY % xinclude SYSTEM "../../../libs/xinclude.mod">
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<!ENTITY language "en">
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<!ENTITY ubuntu '<phrase>Ubuntu</phrase>'>
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<!ENTITY edubuntu '<phrase>Edubuntu</phrase>'>
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<chapter id="using" status="review">
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<title>Use, Configure, Support, and Contribute</title>
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<sect1 id="using-apps" status="draft">
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<title>Introduction to available software</title>
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Edubuntu builds to be a complete and ready to use educational environment. As
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such, Edubuntu comes pre-installed with a complete office suite, teaching and
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learning programs, pre-school resources and much more across a range of
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categories. Here is a brief summary and some screenshots for the most popular
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Edubuntu packages, and if you need more, Edubuntu has thousands of additional
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applications ready for you to install.
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<!-- OFFICE SUITE - OPENOFFICE.ORG -->
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<sect2 id="using-apps-office" status="draft">
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<title>Office Suite</title>
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OpenOffice.org is a complete office suite similar to other, commercial
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office suites. It features a word processor, as well as spreadsheet,
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presentation, drawing, database, and mathematical formula applications.
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OpenOffice.org can open and convert most documents from other commercial office suites and has
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support for many different languages.
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<imagedata fileref="../../images/C/openoffice.png" format="PNG"/>
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<sect2 id="using-apps-internet" status="draft">
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<title>Internet</title>
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Firefox is the incredible successor to the hugely popular Mozilla browser.
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Amongst its many features are tabbed browsing, which makes viewing multiple
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sites a breeze, pop-up blocking, live bookmarks and great accessibility support.
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Combine these with its fantastic customization engine and you have the most
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powerful web browsing at your fingertips.
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Moving beyond the simple web browser, Edubuntu also comes with an email client
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and personal information manager, Evolution. Video conferencing with Ekiga
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as well as instant messaging and chat with Gaim provide communications tools
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that teachers and students need in an Internet age.
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<imagedata fileref="../../images/C/internet.png" format="PNG"/>
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<sect2 id="using-apps-graphics" status="draft">
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<title>Graphics</title>
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In the graphics department, diagrams and flowcharts are a breeze with Dia. Xsane
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provides an easy to use scanner interface. 3D modeling and animation are
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Blender's speciality. Image editing similar to other professional photo editors is done using the
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GIMP. Scribus provides layout and publishing capabilites.
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<imagedata fileref="../../images/C/graphics.png" format="PNG"/>
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<sect2 id="using-apps-multimedia" status="draft">
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<title>Sound and Video</title>
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For all your video and audio play and editing needs, Edubuntu provides several
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programs including Rhythmbox for music playing and Serpentine for burning audio
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CDs. Sound Juicer rips audio CD tracks to your computer. Totem is an excellent
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video and movie player and you can use Kino to edit video clips. Sound Recorder
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can be used to record audio clips to your computer.
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<imagedata fileref="../../images/C/soundandvideo.png" format="PNG"/>
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<sect2 id="using-apps-science" status="draft">
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<title>Science</title>
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<sect3 id="using-apps-science-stars" status="draft">
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<title>Explore the stars</title>
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KStars is a Desktop Planetarium that provides an accurate graphical simulation
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of the night sky. The program includes details for 130000 stars, 13000 deep-sky
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objects and all of the planets. KStars has an easy to use interface, so it can
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be used by everyone, from amateurs through to astronomy experts. You will also
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find a great deal of general information regarding telescopes and other
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astronomy related matter.
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<sect3 id="using-apps-science-table" status="draft">
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<title>Research the periodic table</title>
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<para>Kalzium is a package for discovering and researching information about the
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periodic table and the elements. It includes pictures for most of the 111
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elements present, along with more detailed information including atomic models,
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spectrum analysis, chemical data and energies.
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<sect3 id="using-apps-science-chem" status="draft">
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<title>Test your chemistry skills</title>
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Atomix is a puzzle game, the purpose of which is to make up the molecule
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displayed from the pieces scattered throughout the level. You can only move them
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up, down, left and right and they don't stop moving until they hit something.
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<imagedata fileref="../../images/C/science.png" format="PNG"/>
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<sect2 id="using-apps-math" status="draft">
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<title>Mathematics</title>
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<sect3 id="using-apps-math-logo" status="draft">
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<title>Program in Logo</title>
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KTurtle is a Logo programming language interpreter. The Logo programming
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language is very easy to learn and thus it can be used by young children.
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A unique quality of Logo is that the commands or instructions can be translated,
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so the 'programmer' can program in his or her native language. This makes Logo
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ideal for teaching kids the basics of programming, mathematics and geometry. One
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of the reasons many children warm to Logo is due to fact that the programmable
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icon is a small turtle, which can be moved around the screen with simple
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commands and can be programmed to draw objects.
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<sect3 id="using-apps-math-geometry" status="draft">
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<title>Create geometric constructions</title>
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Kig is an application that allows teachers and students to create high precision
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geometrical constructions. These can be built on and used to explain concepts
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like perpendicular bisectors, tangents and arcs.
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<sect3 id="using-apps-math-plotting" status="draft">
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<title>Plot mathematical equations</title>
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KmPlot is a mathematical function graphing and plotting package. KmPlot has a
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built in powerful expression parser and you can plot different functions
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simultaneously and combine their terms to build more complex mathematical
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functions. It supports functions with parameters and functions in polar
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coordinates. Plots may also be printed with high precision.
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<sect3 id="using-apps-math-percent" status="draft">
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<title>Calculate percentages</title>
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KPercentage is a mathematical application that helps pupils improve their skills
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in calculating percentages. Percentages are split into three types and
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KPercentage tests pupils on these in three training modes. In addition
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to this, there is a random mode which will pick questions from each of the three
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percentage question variations.
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<sect3 id="using-apps-math-fractions" status="draft">
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<title>Practice Fractions</title>
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KBruch is a small program to help pupils practice calculations involving
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fractions. There are four different types of fraction exercise:
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Exercise Fraction Task; where pupils have to solve a given fraction task.
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Exercise Comparison; where pupils have to compare 2 given fractions sizes.
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Exercise Conversion; where pupils have to convert an already given number into
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Exercise Factorization; where pupils have to factorize a given number into its
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<sect3 id="using-apps-math-play" status="draft">
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<title>Play at Math</title>
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TuxMath is an educational arcade game starring Tux, the Linux mascot! Based on
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the classic arcade game "Missile Command," Tux must defend his cities by solving
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<imagedata fileref="../../images/C/maths.png" format="PNG"/>
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<sect2 id="using-apps-drawing" status="draft">
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<title>Drawing</title>
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<sect3 id="using-apps-drawing-tuxpaint" status="draft">
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<title>Tux Paint</title>
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Tux Paint is a free drawing program designed for young children. The program
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provides an easy to use interface with fun sound effects and an encouraging
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cartoon mascot that gives help to children while they are painting.
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<sect3 id="usng-apps-drawing-fractals" status="draft">
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<title>Generate Fractals</title>
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Xaos is a fractal generator with a whole host of extra features for teaching
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pupils about fractal patterns.
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<imagedata fileref="../../images/C/drawing.png" format="PNG"/>
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<sect2 id="using-apps-lang" status="draft">
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<title>Language</title>
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<sect3 id="using-apps-lang-spanish" status="draft">
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<title>Practice Spanish verbs</title>
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With KVerbos you can practice Spanish verb conjugation. The program comes with a
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large set of over 9,000 Spanish verbs that you can choose from to begin your
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verb training. The package also keeps track of previous scores so that pupils
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can identify where their strengths and weaknesses are. Some exercises also
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have a time limit to raise the level of difficulty for more advanced users.
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<sect3 id="using-apps-lang-hangman" status="draft">
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<title>Play Hangman</title>
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KHangman is the classic hangman game with pupils try to guess a word, letter by
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letter. At each miss, the picture of a hangman is added to. After 10 incorrect
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tries the game is over.
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<imagedata fileref="../../images/C/language.png" format="PNG"/>
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<!-- BASIC SKILLS -->
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<sect2 id="using-apps-skills" status="draft">
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<title>Basic Skills</title>
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<sect3 id="using-apps-skills-keduca" status="draft">
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<title>Generate and give tests</title>
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KEduca is an educational testing package, allowing teachers to create tests for
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pupils to take. KEduca includes a module for constructing and saving new tests,
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as well as a separate module for loading and running the exams. Questions can be
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enhanced with images, multiple choice answers with varying grades, and time
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<sect3 id="using-apps-skills-typing" status="draft">
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<title>Learn touch typing</title>
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KTouch helps pupils to learn to type quickly and correctly. With many different
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modes and detailed reporting, KTouch truly makes learning touching typing
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<sect3 id="using-apps-skills-gcompris" status="draft">
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<title>Gcompris</title>
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Gcompris is a suite of over 80 educational games and activities for kids age 4
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to 10 to learn with. These include:
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Computer discovery: keyboard, mouse.
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Algebra: table memory, enumeration, double entry table, mirror image.
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Science: the canal lock, the water cycle, the submarine, electric simulation.
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Geography: place the country on the map.
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Games: chess, memory, connect 4, oware, sudoku.
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Reading: reading practice.
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Other: learn to tell time, puzzle of famous paintings, vector drawing.
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<!-- DOCUMENTATION AND SUPPORT -->
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<sect1 id="using-docandsup" status="draft">
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<title>Documentation and Support</title>
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This book only provides a basic introduction to Edubuntu. To learn more you
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may read the extensive documentation included with the system itself, or access
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the constantly expanding material that community members maintain on the
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<title>Documentation for Other Systems</title>
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Documentation written for &ubuntu; also applies to the Edubuntu
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system. Edubuntu shares a common layout and software with the other operating
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systems in the &ubuntu; family. Material that describes the Debian system may
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also apply to Edubuntu, although the &ubuntu; family differs from Debian in some
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You may also use a range of facilities to communicate with fellow Edubuntu
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and &ubuntu; users over the Internet. As a global community with a strong
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commitment to sharing and cooperation, &ubuntu; has many volunteers who
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contribute their time to support others. In many cases a polite query may
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receive an answer in minutes.
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This chapter explains the resources available to help you develop your
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technical skills and overcome any difficulties that you may encounter. For
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information on how to participate in the Edubuntu community yourself, refer to
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<xref linkend="contribute"/>.
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<sect2 id="using-docandsup-sysdocs" status="draft">
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<title>Supplied Documentation</title>
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Edubuntu includes several sets of documentation by default. To
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<guimenu>System</guimenu>
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<guimenuitem>Help</guimenuitem>
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and choose the relevant link in the <guilabel>Ubuntu Help Center</guilabel>.
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<sect3 id="using-docandsup-sysdocs-cli" status="draft">
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<title>Accessing Documentation from the Command-line</title>
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You may also use command-line utilities to read the <command>man</command> and
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<command>info</command> documentation in a terminal such as a text-only virtual
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console, or a desktop terminal window.
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Use the <command>man</command> command to read a <command>man</command> page in
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a terminal. For example, to read the page for the file
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<filename>sources.list</filename>, type:
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<userinput>man sources.list</userinput>
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To see the various search options available with <command>man</command>, type:
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<userinput>man man</userinput>
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To load the GNU help system in a terminal, run the
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<command>info</command> command:
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<userinput>info</userinput>
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To open the manual for a specific GNU utility, add the name of the program after
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<command>info</command>. For example, this command displays the manual for the
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<command>chown</command> utility:
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<userinput>info chown</userinput>
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<sect2 id="using-docandsup-online" status="draft">
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<title>Online Resources</title>
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The &ubuntu; project and many other groups offer documentation on their Web
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sites for Debian, &ubuntu;, and related Linux systems. All of the providers
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listed here offer documentation without charge, under licences that enable you
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freely copy and distribute the material.
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<sect3 id="using-docandsup-online-sites" status="draft">
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<title>&ubuntu; Web Sites</title>
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Refer to these pages for both on-line documentation and downloadable books
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produced by the &ubuntu; project:
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The main &ubuntu; documentation page
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<ulink url="&ubuntu-documentation;">Ubuntu Documentation</ulink>
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The Edubuntu documentation page
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<ulink url="http://www.edubuntu.org/Documentation">Edubuntu
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Documentation</ulink>
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<sect3 id="using-docandsup-online-others" status="draft">
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<title>Other Documentation Web Sites</title>
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Some of the most well-known providers of free Linux documentation include:
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<ulink url="http://www.debian.org/doc/">Debian Documentation</ulink>
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The Linux Documentation Project
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<ulink url="http://www.tldp.org/">TLDP</ulink>
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<ulink url="http://www.oreilly.com/openbook/">Open Book</ulink>
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<sect2 id="using-docandsup-questions" status="draft">
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<title>Asking Questions Online</title>
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The large number of Linux users today means that any issue that arises
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is likely to have already been discussed on an Internet venue. Web search
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engines such as Google are particularly useful for finding relevant information
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in the text of the numerous on-line discussions held on forums, mailing lists,
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blogs, and project bug tracking systems.
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If you cannot find the answer to your question in the documentation or
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with a search engine, choose a support venue and post your question there. The
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section below explains the support venues for Edubuntu.
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<sect3 id="using-docandsup-questions-search" status="draft">
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<title>Using Web Search Engines</title>
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Search engines provide as many matches as possible for the
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words or phrases that you specify. To get the most useful and relevant possible
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set of results from your searches, try to follow these general principles:
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Use the most specific words that you can.
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Include at least three key words in your search.
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If possible use a specific phrase, such as text from an error message.
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Consider whether the advanced or power-user options of the search engine might
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Use whichever search engine you prefer. Google users may find that the dedicated
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Linux search facility at <ulink url="http://www.google.com/linux"/> provides
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better results than the main Google search page.
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<sect3 id="using-docandsup-online-community" status="draft">
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<title>Community Support Facilities</title>
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The main venues for discussing Edubuntu on-line are:
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The mailing list for Edubuntu users
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url="https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/edubuntu-users">Edubuntu-Users
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<ulink url="&ubuntu-forums;">Ubuntu
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The IRC channel for live discussions on using and developing Edubuntu
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<ulink url="http://www.edubuntu.org/Community">Community</ulink>
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When you use these facilities, remember that the individuals
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that answer questions are freely donating their time to help others, and may see
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many requests for help. If you are new to on-line discussions, please read these
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pages before you post your question:
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The Ubuntu Code of Conduct
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<ulink url="http://www.ubuntu.com/community/conduct">Code of Conduct</ulink>
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How to Ask Questions the Smart Way
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<ulink url="http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html">How to file a
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<sect2 id="using-docandsup-commercial" status="draft">
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<title>Commercial Support and Training Providers</title>
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Refer to this page for information about obtaining commercial
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support for Edubuntu: <ulink url="&ubuntu-paidsupport;">Paid Support</ulink>