Hanthana 15 with revolutionary Gnome 3!
Danishka Navin
The latest release of Hanthana Linux, Hanthana Linux 15 was released!. This marks the fifth release of Hanthana Linux project. First release was on 19th September 2009 in parallel with Software Freedom Day celebrations.
It is the strong community around Hanthana Linux Project that enabled us to release the fifth consecutive release. Hanthana 14 (Gagana) is used in more than 15 schools (more than 500 computers) in the island and one being a primary school is of importance. Further, the computer laboratory with 80 computers at Ruwanpura National College of Education is facilitated with Hanthana Linux.
Active forum for Hanthana Linux community and the recently released Hanthana Community Magazine play a major role in penetrating information and knowledge to the community. More than 2000 Hanthana Linux DVDs have being deployed around the island and more than 1000 have participated in practical training sessions and workshops. More than 25 computers in several departments of the National Institute of Education are installed with Hanthana Linux and 5 teams have successfully completed their practical training. Further, three days training session was conducted at the Sri Lanka Navy base for 35 naval employees rated to IT with the aim of training them to do day to day activities as well as software development using Hanthana Linux.
Introducing Hanthana Linux to Mr. Bandula Gunawardane, Minister of Education byMr.Neel Gunadasa, Director of ICT, Ministry of Education and Mr. Bandula Pushpakumara, member of the school hardware team at Deyata Kirula exhibition 2011.
ICT Branch of Ministry of Education introduced Hanthana Linux to the public at the Deyata Kitula 2011 exhibition at Monaragala and at the educational exhibitions at Southlands College and information technology exhibition at Ruwanpura National Institute of Education (around 500 copies were distributed), public were allowed to use Hanthana Linux on the site and educated. Dheeranandha Nanasala took the initiative as the first Nanasala to introduce Hanthana Linux to rural areas.
Students of Sri Piyarathana Madya Maha Vidyalaya, Gonigoda using Hanthana Linux for their school activities...
Teachers in the Hanthana community are so advanced that they conduct practical training sessions not only for their students but also to fellow teachers including the principal. Sri Piyarathana Madya Maha Vidyalaya, Gonigoda of Katogasthota Educational Zone is the best example.
We recall with great respect the opportunity of having a stall for free at IFO+ exhibition by the School of Computing University of Colombo and at the exhibition by the Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna to spread the word among public. Further, we recall with great respect, the Ministry of Education, using Hanthana Linux in school computer laboratories when they first served schools with free and open source software.
Bundling of recently introduced Gnome 3 is special in Hanthana 15. As you know Hanthana Linux is based on Fedora and Hanthana Linux 15 is based on Fedora 15. But several enhancements than Fedora have been introduced in using the desktop, places menu, ability to shutdown without any additional key strokes, ability to use themes by default are some of them. With this release a user guide for the desktop and a keyboard layout for Tamil introduced by ICTAare included.
We are happy to announce that Hanthana Linux project was appreciated at the recently held e-swarnabimani award ceremony.
Community pays respect for you who supported us with dedication even among many difficulties.
To build a linux system is an easy task, but to maintain it and to build a community around is a great challenge. With each and every challenge we had and have, we grow stronger and we keep moving forward!…
Hanthana Linux project may merely viewed as an operating system, but it is really a project of empowering the community. This enables the members of the community to improve their knowledge and skills by contributing back to the project via the elements which are for the betterment of the community themselves.
We have proved that information technology experts as well as the ordinary public of the country can contribute to information technology services. The default wallpaper of Hanthana 14 (Gagana) was from a professional photographer of Sri Lanka, a teacher serving as a physical education instructor (PEI) in a school represented Hanthana Linux at the recently held information technology exhibition at Karandeniya Madya Maha Vidyalaya. He was merely a Hanthana Linux user some time back but now, he not only represent Hanthana Linux at community workshops but also writes technical articles. Although they do not get any proper recognition for their skills and knowledge at their service places, in community services, recognition and social praise is unavoidable.
Users of Hanthana Linux project which is with the sole aim of the betterment of the community, range from a grade one student to adults.
Hanthana Linux project cerebrates it's second birthday at Wallandura Ruwanpura National Institute of Education premises on 17th September 2010
The next release of Hanthana Linux, Hanthana Linux 16 (Dharani) is scheduled to be released in 2012.
To conclude… Our aim is to educate people in the country about free and open source software and increase their usage. We are happy to announce that we hope to improve on this purpose in the year 2012.
Reference:
Hanthana Linux first release – from Sirasa news first (20th September 2009 7.00PM)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpMYZXFa0jc
Sunday Times article
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110731/Magazine/sundaytimesmirror_05.html