I demonstrated a way to build a virtual Linux server on your Mac or PC. This virtual space would give people a safe place to learn by playing with the system. If you completely screw up the virtual machine, deleted it and rebuild it.

Links for the following are at mas.clayton.edu/bootcamp/.

1. Download Ubuntu Linux. You can get 10.04 LTS or 11.10 from Ubuntu.com. Or, wait a couple of weeks, and you can get 12.04 LTS (right now it’s in beta). 10.04 LTS has a more familiar GUI. 11.04 and 11.10 (especially) introduce the Unity interface, which is not universally loved. This file is large and may take thirty to sixty minutes to download.

2. Download and install Oracle VirtualBox software for Macs or PCs with an Intel CPU. You should have at least 2GB of RAM and 10 GB of disk space. In both cases, it’s a standard install. You’ll also want to download the extensions.

3. Create a new, blank VBox.

4. Install Ubuntu. Note: This could easily take an hour or two, depending on how long it takes to apply patches to bring the install up to date, plus the speed of your machine.

Finally, the approach I take is to install the desktop version and make it a server, rather than the other way around. I find it easier to install the server components to a GUI desktop than adding the GUI to a CLI LAMP server. (Just one of my quirks.)

Installing Archon will take you through the steps necessary to convert the desktop install to a LAMP server. Plus, you’ll have Archon installed so you can play with it.

Questions welcome.

If you find this useful, please consider taking ARST 5100 Archives and Technology, a part of Clayton State’s Master of Archival Studies Program. You’ll cover these topics — and more — in greater depth.

A question that’s been explored before before, but one that remains current — especially with the appearance of several new open-source for digital records: What do archivists need to work with digital records? Of course, having a saw, hammer, and nails doesn’t mean that you know how to build something. The trick is to figure out how to use these tools wisely, to get a sense of crafts* and best practices.

Join in a conversation about tools you use and the skills essential to use those tools. Learn about other participants’ favorites. If interested, the group can continue the conversation as an online community to explore these ideas in depth. Participants should be prepared to talk about how they work, the tools they use, and what knowledge and skills they think are essential (whether they have them or not) to succeed in the digital era.

>Examples of tools include the Duke Data Accessioner, the Curator’s Workbench, and Archivematica. (Not to mention other tools that have been around for a while, such as Archon, Archivist’s Toolkit, not to mention Dspace. It’s just as important to have a safe place to “play.” VirtualBox allows you to host a fully functioning Ubuntu Linux computer, and many of these tools run best in a Linux environment. These applications will be available for demonstration during the session.

*Changed craftsmanship to craft out of respect for International Women’s Day (today) and to acknowledge the important issues raised in the session proposal: Is Coding Privileged Work?