DoudouLinux

DoudouLinux is an open source Linux-based operating system specifically designed for children, helping them learn how to use a computer. It is based on the award winning Debian GNU/Linux distribution and features a heavily customized LXDE desktop environment.

Available for download as a dual-arch Live DVD

Parents can download this distribution of Linux for their children as a dual-arch Live DVD ISO image of approximately 1GB in size, which must be burned onto a DVD disc using any CD/DVD burning software or written on a USB flash drive of 1GB or higher capacity in order to boot it from the BIOS of a PC. It supports both 64-bit (x86_64) and 32-bit (i386) computers.

Boot options

When booting the ISO image from the BIOS of a computer, parents will be prompted by a boot menu that will allow them to start the live environment with or without persistence mode. The persistence mode will work only with USB sticks and allows the kids to save files and reuse the system whenever they want.

Custom graphical interface designed for children

As expected from an operating system design for children, it features a custom graphical interface that allows them to discover and master a mouse device, learn how to draw, as well as to access a suite of educational games or the entire desktop environment of the distribution.

Includes a plethora of educational applications

DoudouLinux includes a plethora of educational applications, among which we can mention Gamine, PySyCache, Childsplay, Tux Paint, GCompris, KGeography, KHangMan, KLetters, Tanglet, Potato Guy, Raincat, Marble, Kanagram, KTurtle,  MyPaint, Laby, Songwrite, Piano Booster, Jokosher, VMPK, Stopmotion, Hydrogen, as well as a wide range of games.

Bottom line

Summing up, DoudouLinux is a really great and fun to use operating system that provides tens of educational applications that suit children from 2 to 12 years. With this open source computer operating system, kids will learn to use a computer while still having a lot of fun.

What is new in this release:

• Support for ad-hoc WiFi networks, aka hotspots
• Latest printer drivers from openprinting.org now included
• New application to monitor computer use
• New application to explain how to support our project ;)
• Many translation updates and a new official language, Punjabi
• Nicer application launcher notification
• Pysycache and input method fixed in the Chinese version
• Administration rights of activities fixed
• and more...

What is new in version 2013-02:

• Totally new installer that can perform a standard Linux installation, with localization settings (language, timezone, keyboard) and dual boot for example.
• Many video and printer drivers added.
• LiveCD files, the ISO files, can now be booted directly from an USB key, which means Hyperborea will not propose Live USB files anymore.
• LiveCD localization settings are now in boot parameters for an easier access. In a near future, users will be able to easily and quickly change localization settings in the ISO file without requiring re-downloading or rebuilding the entire CD.

What is new in version 1.2:

• official support for Finnish, Galician, and Norwegian (Nynorsk) -which increases the number of official languages to 28
• the size of the application launcher icons in the advanced activities of Gondwanda is now computed based on screen resolution (see [LxLauncher: automatic icon size for a nicer interface-curiosity>http://blog.doudoulinux.org/post/20...] on our blog)
• internal disk partitions of the computer are now mounted read-only at boot -to protect them from the childrens curiosity and... mistakes!
• translations and PDF documentations have been updated

What is new in version 2012-03:

• Many new applications and games, see the updated page New applications
• Deep code refactoring under the skin due to the ARM port
• Improved look & feel compared to the previous development version
• Size of icons in advanced activities is now computed at boot to occupy around half the screen area
• Added playlists for online music and videos using contents from archive.org

What is new in version 2011-11:

• new application PixFrogger
• animated splash during system boot
• autologin can be activated by selecting only one activity in the activities menu
• internal hard disks are now all mounted read-only at boot, which really prevents children from writing on them, and even from reading using the file explorer PCManfm
• Verbiste is now on the Italian CD since it can now conjugate Italian verbs

What is new in version 1.1:

• official support for Czesh, Danish, German, Hungarian, Latvian, Malay, Norwegian (Bokmal), Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal) and Telugu
• new small tool to change the user's name on the local network
• Songwrite is now in its latest version to solve language issues
• translation issues with Stopmotion and Vkeybd (the piano keyboard) have been solved
• missing translation messages on Transifex have been provided for several applications
• translation of boot and shutdown texts in splash images have also been solved
• a basic video driver is forced on recent Poulsbo hardware to avoid a black screen
• annoying print dialogs for all the advanced activities have been discarded
• embedded PDF documentation has been updated
• fixed Russian PDF documentation
• added the Russian version of the song Brother John.