[wailug] Knoppix + Tux4Kids CD review

[Nic Bellamy]

Hi guys,
	just a short review of the tux4kids bootable CD.

It's based on Knoppix 3.2, so the hardware detection etc. is reasonably
up to date (it worked fine on my test machine, a K6-2/400, 64MB RAM, SiS
530 chipset motherboard, onboard video).

It has quite a number of educational/edutainment packages installed, the
star players being TuxPaint, Tux Typing, and TuxMaths (or some name like
that). These are all excellent, polished programs with good graphics. 

TuxPaint especially would be a hit with even the younger kids, once
they've a grasp of mouse usage - selecting different options, special
effects and "stamps" (full colour templates of everything from Tux to
smiley faces) is very easy, and it even has sound effects. Saving files
is simple - no prompts for where to store it or the filename, it just
saves in into a (presumably administrator-configurable) directory with a
generated name, and when loading it just shows you a thumbnail of it. It
also loads the last painting worked on when it starts. Easy peasy.

The typing and maths programs are probably more along the lines of 4 or
5 years up, and both have selectable difficulty levels to give probably
even teenagers a challenge.

There are a number of other less visually flashy, but nonetheless
excellent programs that cover everything from learning how percentages
work right through to astronomy.

Verdict: this is a keeper - 8/10.

Regards,
	Nic.

-- Nic Bellamy <nic at bellamy.co.nz>
   Bellamy Consulting (NZ) Limited. +64-6-377-4957 Mobile: +64-21-251-8954
   Internet Software & Security Consulting -- http://www.bellamy.co.nz/ --

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