C.L.T.C
the free range 'community–linux training centre' project
Quick links:
Publications – a guide to the CLTC Project's publications.
The Gnu/Linux Installation Day Workshop – a day-long
practical workshop designed to introduce beginners to free software,
Gnu/Linux systems, and the basics of how to assess, recycle,
upgrade and install a Gnu/Linux computer system.
The Community-Linux Training Centre (CLTC) Project
The origin of the CLTC project was the development of a mobile computer training
platform for community groups – The Community-Linux Training Centre.
Although that system has now worn out and has ceased to function, the ideas created
through its design, development and use continue to influence the recent research
work of the Free Range CLTC Project.
In 1997, the concept of a mobile computer information and communications
technology (ICT) training centre was developed by members of the Free Range Network.
It was designed along similar lines to the computer/ICT workshops offered by community
education departments in the UK, but unlike these other schemes the emphasis within
the design was tailored to the needs of community groups and grassroots activists. The
concept was originally developed by Paul Mobbs, but refined over subsequent years in
co-operation with other groups and organisations with whom we worked.
Since Linux broke out from its original label as a Unix geeks plaything, Gnu/Linux
has been developed and extended to serve many uses. Like Unix, Gnu/Linux has become
a successful network operating system, running many of the sites on the Internet, but
only recently has Gnu/Linux developed the user-friendly interfaces and applications that
make it suitable for desktop computing. The "Community-Linux" tag
for the project originated from the fact that this was a community-based use of technology
that was enable due to the use of the Gnu/Linux operating system. The primary use of this
system was to teach computer and networking skills to civil society groups (this seems a
simple idea now, but in 2002 the Internet had yet to really enter the public's consciousness).
It was also a valuable demonstration platform for the GNU/Linux operating system within
the context of community activism.
The development CLTC system was the original, and at that time the only, purpose
of the Free Range Network's CLTC Project. Now, even though the original system (after
three years, and many events) wore out and stopped working effectively the ideas and
experience that were generated in its design and use continue to be used. But now, rather
rather than concentrating on the development of a single application of Gnu/Linux
the CLTC Project has widened to encompass the use of the Gnu/Linux system in general.
As part of this process the original work and materials of the Project are being re-written
and re-issued to reflect the significant change and improvement to the Gnu/Linux system
since the first experiments that we carried out in 2001.
During 2009, the CLTC Project will be producing two new resources to support our
continued work in the development of free community computing:
The Fedora Installation and Extension Guide (FIEG) – This is a
step-by-step guide to installing Gnu/Linux on low-grade equipment. It is intended to be a
direct replacement for the old "CLTC Installation Guide", and will cover a far
wider range of issues than that addressed by our old documentation); and
The Command Line Interface Guide (CLIG) – A guide to using Linux's
seemingly primitive text-based interface for day-to-day and more advanced uses of the
Gnu/Linux system.
Publications
The origin of the CLTC project was the development of a mobile computer training
platform for community groups – The Community-Linux Training Centre.
Although that system has now worn out and has ceased to function, the ideas created
through its design, development and use continue to influence the recent research
work of the Free Range CLTC Project.
In 1997, the concept of a mobile computer information and communications
technology (ICT) training centre was developed by members of the Free Range Network.
It was designed along similar lines to the computer/ICT workshops offered by community
education departments in the UK, but unlike these other schemes the emphasis within
the design was tailored to the needs of community groups and grassroots activists. The
concept was originally developed by Paul Mobbs, but refined over subsequent years in
co-operation with other groups and organisations with whom we worked.
Since Linux broke out from its original label as a Unix geeks plaything, Gnu/Linux
has been developed and extended to serve many uses. Like Unix, Gnu/Linux has become
a successful network operating system, running many of the sites on the Internet, but
only recently has Gnu/Linux developed the user-friendly interfaces and applications that
make it suitable for desktop computing. The "Community-Linux" tag
for the project originated from the fact that this was a community-based use of technology
that was enable due to the use of the Gnu/Linux operating system. The primary use of this
system was to teach computer and networking skills to civil society groups (this seems a
simple idea now, but in 2002 the Internet had yet to really enter the public's consciousness).
It was also a valuable demonstration platform for the GNU/Linux operating system within
the context of community activism. 
The development CLTC system was the original, and at that time the only, purpose
of the Free Range Network's CLTC Project. Now, even though the original system (after
three years, and many events) wore out and stopped working effectively the ideas and
experience that were generated in its design and use continue to be used. But now, rather
rather than concentrating on the development of a single application of Gnu/Linux
the CLTC Project has widened to encompass the use of the Gnu/Linux system in general.
As part of this process the original work and materials of the Project are being re-written
and re-issued to reflect the significant change and improvement to the Gnu/Linux system
since the first experiments that we carried out in 2001.
