DoudouLinux is designed to be used by children without requiring to tune the system first.

DoudouLinux is specially designed for children to make computer use as easy and pleasant as possible for them (and for their parents too).

DoudouLinux provides tens of applications that suit children from 2 to 12 years old and gives them an environment as easy to use as a gaming console. Kids can learn, discover and have fun without Dad and Mum always watching.

DoudouLinux Debian package repository.

Welcome to the Debian package repository for the DoudouLinux project, the computer they prefer! The packages of our repository can be used to build by yourself on an existing Linux system an environment similar to the CDROM or USB key one. Indeed we use this repository to build their images. If you are just using the DoudouLinux CDROM or its USB key, you don't need this repository.

To include DoudouLinux packages into your system, you can download them one by one but prefered method is to declare our repository in your system. To do this, add the following line in your /etc/apt/sources.list repository file:

* for Debian Lenny

deb http://debian.doudoulinux.org/ lenny main

* for Debian Squeeze (not available yet)

deb http://debian.doudoulinux.org/ squeeze main

You also have to grab the repository key in order to authenticate downloaded packages. A first possible method is to install the doudoulinux-keyring package after the DoudouLinux repository is declared, then reload the repository information (recommended method):

$ sudo apt-get update

$ sudo apt-get install doudoulinux-keyring

$ sudo apt-get update

Note: apt-get will ask you whether you really want to install this non-authenticated package. This is what you need to do and is without any risk.

Another method consists in downloading the key then declare it to the package key manager with the following command:

$ wget -O - http://debian.doudoulinux.org/doudoulinux.asc | sudo apt-key add -

Updates (via Distrowatch)

DoudouLinux is a Debian-based distribution targeting young children, with a goal to make computer use as simple and pleasant as possible. The project's version 1.0, code name "Gondwana", is now released: "The version 1.0 of the project is finally ready, after a year of happy work! To mark this event, we named this version Gondwana, for the super-continent which included most of the landmasses in today's southern hemisphere, before the breakup into several continents due to plate tectonics. DoudouLinux provides tens of applications that suit children from 2 to 12 years old and gives them an environment as easy to use as a gaming console. Kids can learn, discover and have fun without dad and mum always watching!"

Read the release announcement and check out the feature list for more information.

Download (SHA1): doudoulinux-gondwana-1.0-en.iso (695MB). Several other language editions are available from the download page.

Recent releases:

• 2011-06-17: Distribution Release: DoudouLinux 1.0

Installing DoudouLinux definitively.

People frequently ask for the possibility to definitively install DoudouLinux onto a computer which would then be dedicated to children. Although this was not a major objective of the project, this function was integrated as a result of several user’s requests. Please remember that one of the primary goals of DoudouLinux is to allow children to use the computer without the risk of damaging data already stored in the machine. This is why installing DoudouLinux will never be possible with a single mouse click…

Why installing DoudouLinux?

First of all, DoudouLinux is designed to be risk free, providing high security, whatever the computer that it runs on is - no data will not be modified. However, if you wish to provide your children with a dedicated computer, it is more interesting to install DoudouLinux onto the computer hard drive. The system will start faster, there will not be the risk to mislay the CD support or the USB key anymore, nor the noise produced by CD rotation.

Moreover data persistence will be automatically activated, giving the children the possibility to access their former work. The type of data persistence activated will also give you the possibility to install additional software packages whenever needed.

Important notice: the installation tool does not currently change administration rights of the DoudouLinux system. This means that anybody opening an activity « Whole DoudouLinux » can launch operations with administration rights. Thus, considering the type of data persistence that the installation program activates, all system modifications, including the wrong ones, will be saved…

Can DoudouLinux be installed?

So yes, DoudouLinux can be installed but not by clicking on the mouse buttons only and not by choosing an « Install » option of some application menu neither. However the installation process which is currently available is designed to be very simple: you do not have to make choices, except in the case where multiple hard disks are available, situation that requires the user to decide which hard disk to use! In return:

Definitively installing DoudouLinux deletes all data stored in the computer.
The installation tool does not propose you to save any data.
DoudouLinux cannot be installed along with a system previously installed on the computer, which would allow the user to choose one or the other at computer startup [1].
The installation requires an USB medium like an USB key, but it is possible to start using the DoudouLinux CD though.

How to install DoudouLinux definitively?

For people who did not pay enough attention to former paragraphs, we insist again: Installing DoudouLinux definitively will also destroy all data stored on the computer… And DoudouLinux only will be available after completing this irreversible operation. If this is what you want, the installation process is the following:

Start the computer with DoudouLinux, using the CD or the USB key.
If you started using the CD, please connect an USB medium that contains the DoudouLinux USB version (IMG file) as soon as the computer is ready for use.
Run the installation tool for DoudouLinux.
Restart the computer without the DoudouLinux USB key (or the CD) in order to test your fresh installation.

For the USB support you have two options:

You can just copy the downloaded IMG file directly onto your USB key [2], so that you have to start the computer using the DoudouLinux CD.
You can create a DoudouLinux system onto the USB key following the procedure indicated on the page Creating a DoudouLinux USB key, then just use this key to start the computer [3].

Important notices for the first case:

Do not change the name of the file on the USB key!
DoudouLinux will use the first IMG file found, and will not tell you if another one is available or not.

In order to run the installation tool, you must enter the « Whole DoudouLinux » activity, then you have to launch the console. This can be done from the « Work » tab, « Tools » group, « LxTerminal » icon. Another possibility is to use the key shortcut mapped to the console and simultaneously press the Logo and the T keys . Then type the following command in the console:

sudo doudou-installer

A series of windows will then be displayed, three of them are only checking that you are fully aware of being destroying all your computer data. The installation program starts by searching for the availability of an USB medium with either a Live DoudouLinux system or a disk image (IMG) file. A window will show you the search result. In case of failure, you will be invited to run the process again, after you have checked that the USB key is correctly plugged. Then the installation program will search for internal hard disks before proposing to install DoudouLinux. The user just has to accept the installation program propositions.

Please note that no window will be displayed during the installation process. This process will last few minutes, around 5 minutes. Once you have started the installation, you have to patiently wait for the last confirmation window, which will inform you that DoudouLinux was successfully installed onto your computer. All you have to do then is to restart your machine and enjoy.

What does the installation tool do?

For curious people, the installation tool does three operations:

it copies data from the USB key onto hard disk (note that data on the CD medium are not used for this operation)
it creates a partition of virtual memory called « swap »
it creates a partition dedicated to data persistence

Partition sizes are automatically computed, the internal hard disk and the DoudouLinux key are automatically detected too, this is why the installation tool does not ask for any technical question. This could not be possible if we had considered the standard installation process for Linux systems instead.

Note: the kind of persistence activated is using the partition folders directly instead of an unique file on this partition. These data can then be easily accessed without DoudouLinux.

Screenshots.