The Information Technology Research Institute (ITRI) of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), revised CD-bootable Linux “KNOPPIX (Japanese Version)”, of which operation in Japanese has been developed and maintained by AIST, for educational use. The Institute developed “KNOPPIX-Edu” (a educational version) in collaboration with Alpha Systems Inc. and the Faculty of Engineering, Tohoku Gakuin Univ.(FOE-TG), and further customized it for use at FOE-TG as “KNOPPIX-Edu TG”. The FOE-TG distributes 2,000 copies of the software within the university for class lesson and exercise on trial basis.

KNOPPIX is one of CD-bootable Linux software being developed by Mr. Klaus Knopper in Germany. The ITRI-AIST has been engaged in the maintenance of its Japanese version and adaptation to virtual computer. In the present work, the outcome is applied to the area of education.

The KNOPPIX (Japanese) was revised for educational use, through the tripartite collaboration, ITRI-AIST¹, Alpha Systems² and FOE-TG³ into the KNOPPIX-Edu, which can be utilized in class lesson and exercise.

The concept of KNOPPIX-Edu is to create an integrated environment of software needed for IT education in the university under a readily understandable menu system. It is designed to augment user’s incentive to learn the software. The CD includes software necessary for four years curriculum at the university, such as computer literacy course, internet utilization, internet server construction, and other specialist course.

With the KNOPPIX-Edu, if “Class Lesson” is selected on the initial MENU, no other software irrelevant to the class lesson will be made accessible So that students can concentrate on the software. As KNOPPIX-Edu provides a full set of open-source software needed for private study in a CD-ROM, a student can create an identical working environment at home as that in the school.

At FOE-TG, 2,000 copies of KNOPPIX-Edu TG, a customized version of KNOPPIX-Edu without license fee have been distributed within the university for class lesson and exercise on a trial basis from the beginning of December.

Hereafter, we hope the distribution of KNOPPIX-Edu will be expanded to other educational organizations.

Addresses of some relevant KNOPPIX home pages are given below.

1.For AIST, (http://unit.aist.go.jp/it/knoppix/)

2.For Alpha Systems, (http://www.alpha.co.jp/products/knoppix-edu/)

3. For FOE-TG, (http://www.eng.tohoku-gakuin.ac.jp/knoppix/) (in Japanese)

Label design of KNOPPIX-Edu TG.