What is the difference between Edubuntu and Ubuntu?

I have always used Edubuntu rather than Ubuntu because I have many children including home educated ones who casually use the education offerings. I appreciate many but not all of the extra offerings. I never got beyond 8.04.4 LTS, so am considering updating. I note now with Edubuntu 12.04 it is >2GB i.e.4 times bigger, even apparently using squashfs. I do now have to consider whether the extra resources are worth it in each computer in my household.

I am sick of reading over and over again 'Edubuntu is Ubuntu with extras such as blah blah', and in a different place the same thing but with a different blah blah. I downloaded Edubuntu 12.04 and ran it 'live'.

Can't say I got on at all with the Unity Interface (this can be changed when installed), but the apparent education stuff seemed quite small and pathetic, I am obviously not finding it. Is there anywhere a FULL LIST of what Edubuntu has pre-installed has over Ubuntu, so a sensible decision can be made whether to go for it, or just add packages that look relevant to me to Ubuntu.

Is there truly no other difference between Ubuntu/Edubuntu but the extra educational packages? (I for example have no school server, but if I understood exactly what is involved, with the number of computers in the house, it may be worth creating one!)

Solution 1:

The Edubuntu website has a FAQ on this that points to a virtual tour so it might be a bit easier to see what Edubuntu is all about:

Take the tour of Edubuntu. There are many school-related applications installed by default, including TuxPaint, TuxMath, and TuxTyping, among others. Edubuntu can also refer to the Classroom LTSP server, which is a thin client based system.

And indeed, Edubuntu is Ubuntu with some extra packages specifically targeted on education for young people. You can yourself install Ubuntu, add these 4 packages and except for the background you should have Edubuntu installed:

Packages

• ubuntu-edu-preschool - Preschool (< 5 years old)

  • blinken KDE version of the Simon electronic memory game
  • gamine an interactive game for young children
  • gcompris Educational games for small children
  • kanagram jumble word puzzle for KDE
  • khangman Hangman word puzzle for KDE
  • ktuberling stamp drawing toy
  • tuxpaint A paint program for young children

• ubuntu-edu-primary - Primary (ages 6-12)

  • celestia-gnome real-time visual space simulation (GNOME frontend)
  • gcompris Educational games for small children
  • kalzium periodic table and chemistry tools for KDE
  • kanagram jumble word puzzle for KDE
  • kbruch fraction learning aid for KDE
  • khangman Hangman word puzzle for KDE
  • kig interactive geometry tool for KDE
  • kmplot mathematical function plotter for KDE
  • ktouch touch typing tutor for KDE
  • ktuberling stamp drawing toy
  • kturtle Logo educational programming environment for KDE
  • kwordquiz flashcard learning program for KDE
  • laby Learn how to program with ants and spider webs
  • lybniz mathematical function graph plotter
  • marble globe and map widget
  • parley vocabulary trainer for KDE
  • ri-li a toy train simulation game
  • stellarium real-time photo-realistic sky generator
  • step interactive physical simulator for KDE
  • tuxmath math game for kids with Tux
  • tuxpaint A paint program for young children
  • tuxtype Educational Typing Tutor Game Starring Tux

• ubuntu-edu-secondary - Secondary (ages 13-18)

  • calibre e-book converter and library management
  • celestia-gnome real-time visual space simulation (GNOME frontend)
  • dia-gnome Diagram editor (GNOME version)
  • inkscape vector-based drawing program
  • kalzium periodic table and chemistry tools for KDE
  • kbruch fraction learning aid for KDE
  • kig interactive geometry tool for KDE
  • kmplot mathematical function plotter for KDE
  • ktouch touch typing tutor for KDE
  • ktuberling stamp drawing toy
  • kturtle Logo educational programming environment for KDE
  • kwordquiz flashcard learning program for KDE
  • laby Learn how to program with ants and spider webs
  • lightspeed Shows how objects moving at relativistic speeds look like
  • lybniz mathematical function graph plotter
  • marble globe and map widget
  • melting compute the melting temperature of nucleic acid duplex
  • parley vocabulary trainer for KDE
  • pencil animation/drawing software
  • ri-li a toy train simulation game
  • stellarium real-time photo-realistic sky generator
  • step interactive physical simulator for KDE

• ubuntu-edu-tertiary - Tertiary (university level)

  • calibre e-book converter and library management
  • celestia-gnome real-time visual space simulation (GNOME frontend)
  • dia-gnome Diagram editor (GNOME version)
  • inkscape vector-based drawing program
  • kalzium periodic table and chemistry tools for KDE
  • kmplot mathematical function plotter for KDE
  • ktouch touch typing tutor for KDE
  • kturtle Logo educational programming environment for KDE
  • laby Learn how to program with ants and spider webs
  • lightspeed Shows how objects moving at relativistic speeds look like
  • lybniz mathematical function graph plotter
  • marble globe and map widget
  • melting compute the melting temperature of nucleic acid duplex
  • pencil animation/drawing software
  • stellarium real-time photo-realistic sky generator
  • step interactive physical simulator for KDE
  • yorick interpreted language and scientific graphics

More information

• edubuntu.org has some screenshots.
• edu.kde.org has an application overview with screenshots.