Introduction
Edubuntu is a community project within Ubuntu whose mission is to bring the philosophy, passions, and commitments of Ubuntu to educational environments. Edubuntu aims to deliver the best that the open software world has to offer by focusing on educational applications, integration of software, usability, and strong relationships with all role players which include our users, maintainers and upstream projects.
This document outlines the objectives, governance, team structures and code of conduct of the Edubuntu project.
Objectives
Education - To bring an education focus to Ubuntu. To package and maintain administration, learning, teaching and content targeted at education. Edubuntu strives to make it simple to install and use educational software. It aims to be inclusive of all ages, subjects, languages and ability levels.
Integration - To integrate educational applications and tools with the rest of the Ubuntu system. To Integrate with popular desktop environments such as Gnome, KDE, Xfce and LXDE. Integration is a consideration with all new features that are implemented for Edubuntu. Integration is the process of ensuring that features are packaged, accessible with and consistent with the rest of the system.
Usability - To provide a highly usable interface for both students and teachers. Applications, themes, menus, and desktop environment will be tested and enhanced where possible specifically for children and learning environments.
Development
Reaching Goals
Education
- maintain core educational software
- package new educational software
- respond to educational user feedback and needs
Integration
Integration is not only integrating Educational apps into Ubuntu but also integrating Ubuntu into educational environments
- test educational software within supported desktop environments
- make sure educational applications integrate with the rest of the Ubuntu OS
- make sure that Ubuntu functionality fits into educational environments
Usability
- seek feedback on making Ubuntu and Edubuntu easier to use in educational settings
- provide educationally-minded themes and artwork
- make Edubuntu and educational software easy to install and use
Upstream Projects
Edubuntu aims to have well working relationships with the various upstream projects working on the educational software included in Edubuntu. These relationships include working on releases together so that Edubuntu doesn't ship with obsolete versions of the software. Co-operation on the coordination on bug reporting and bug fixing is also facilitated.
Application Bundles
Education is a broad field with many sub-categories. Edubuntu aims to provide its users with useful application bundles which group together related packages for easy installation by users. The application bundles will be maintained as meta-packages installable via Add/Remove (gnome-app-install). Current categories include ubuntu-edu-preschool, ubuntu-edu-primary, ubuntu-edu-secondary, ubuntu-edu-tertiary, edubuntu-preschool, edubuntu-primary, edubuntu-secondary, edubuntu-tertiary.
Installation Media
Edubuntu is currently distributed on CD-ROM as an add-on to Ubuntu. Future versions of Edubuntu may be distributed on DVD-ROM or USB Flash disk image as the demand for a larger selection of software, translations or content increases. Releasing Edubuntu as a full install distribution would also require a move from CD to DVD.
Community Organization & Governance
Edubuntu Teams
Edubuntu Members
The Edubuntu Members are people who have demonstrated a significant and sustained contribution to Edubuntu and education in Ubuntu. Edubuntu Membership gives an @edubuntu.org email alias and Ubuntu Membership. Edubuntu members may aggregate their blogs to Planet Ubuntu.
Edubuntu Council
The Edubuntu Council are people elected by the Edubuntu Members to oversee the Edubuntu community and approve Edubuntu Membership applications. The Edubuntu Council also acts as the release team for Edubuntu and so takes technical decisions for the release to come, work on release announcements and update the website.
Edubuntu Developers
The Edubuntu Developers are Edubuntu Members who desire to work on packaging and have shown that they are unlikely to cause problems with any of the Edubuntu packages. They collaboratively work on the packaging of Edubuntu's software with other members but do not necessarily have upload permission.
Edubuntu Bugsquad
The Edubuntu Bugsquad is a bug triage and tracking team. Members of this team help to ensure that bugs have enough information to act on and are given proper priorities and are automatically subscribed to Edubuntu bugs. This is an entry-level working team that all interested parties are welcome to join.
Edubuntu Documentation
The Edubuntu Documentation team works on the documentation relating to Edubuntu. This covers several different areas including system documentation, Help Wiki and Team Wiki. This team is a member of the larger Ubuntu Documentation Project Team. The Edubuntu Documentation team is also responsible for the Edubuntu website.
Edubuntu Artwork
Edubuntu's artwork is done through the Ubuntu Artwork team. (So do we need this team then? -LaserJock)
Communication
Edubuntu has four primary means of communication for development:
Mailing Lists - the edubuntu-users and edubuntu-devel mailing lists are support and development-related mailing lists. Official information regarding Edubuntu are sent to both mailing lists.
IRC - the #edubuntu channel on irc.freenode.net network. Real-time Edubuntu development and support chat.
- Wiki - the Edubuntu team wiki is used for task tracking, development documentation, and long term organization.
- Launchpad - Launchpad is used to communicate to users and other developers about bugs via bug report comments.
Code of Conduct & Dispute Resolution
As a sub-project of Ubuntu, Edubuntu adheres to the Ubuntu Code of Conduct. Edubuntu leaders are likewise expected to adhere to the Ubuntu Leadership Code of Conduct. While disputes are rare, they do happen. If a dispute between Edubuntu community members can not be resolved privately, one or both of the parties may appeal to the Edubuntu Council for resolution, if the Edubuntu Council also fails solving the issue, then it'll be escalated to the Community Council.