Skip to content

IIAB 7.1 Release Notes

Jump to bottom Edit New page
George Hunt edited this page Apr 25, 2020 · 1 revision

DRAFT

Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) version 7.1 will build upon IIAB 7.0, to be released in April 2020 (Roadmap Ideas, GitHub Milestone, Wiki) in service of DIY digital libraries for schools, clinics and communities across all corners of the planet.

See our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ.IIAB.IO) and consider installing a pre-release today:

download.iiab.io

Please join us in making this major release happen, Thank You!

About

Internet-in-a-Box brings the Internet's crown jewels and the very best of the World’s Free Knowledge (Wikipedia, Khan Academy, OpenStreetMap, E-Books, etc) to those who are burning for learning — but just happen to be offline.

Use drag-and-drop to customize this "learning hotspot" with local gems too — tailored to the needs of your school, your library, your prison, your region and/or your very own family!

Why not build your own LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA with a $35 Raspberry Pi 4 computer, starting today?

What's New?

  • Python 3.x instead of Python 2.7, putting Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) on a whole new foundation for a new decade #1810
  • NGINX alongside Apache, greatly modernizing IIAB's web server engine and associated underlying infrastructure. #224
  • Choose either OS on Raspberry Pi (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or Raspbian). Some prefer Ubuntu for its (1) more recent kernel in support of Raspberry Pi hardware, and (2) potential for 32 simultaneous WiFi connections, instead of just 18 with Raspbian. #823
  • Coming Soon: Experimental option to operate the Raspberry Pi Wi-Fi (1) as a hotspot at the very same time that (2) it's also connected to an upstream Internet access point. PR #2337
  • Captive Portal that actually works well on substantially more client devices and browsers! PR #2185
  • Instant submission of Content Pack descriptions/logos for your IIAB home page, so non-technical implementers/educators around the planet can rapidly & efficiently circulate "menu item definitions" — putting community action into high gear. #1831
  • Self-Clone your entire Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) e.g. to an external microSD card, using IIAB's Admin Console: http://box.lan/admin -> Install Content -> Clone IIAB (instructions). #2268
  • Auto-validation of the most important variables in your /etc/iiab/local_vars.yml configuration file, to catch simple mistakes or typos, and alert you promptly near the very beginning of IIAB's installation. PR #2180

What's Upgraded?

What might future versions bring?

  • Restructuring of OSM (OpenStreetMap) #877, #1726 and similar
  • Automatic installation of "content bouquets" during IIAB installation (up to 64 GB or 128 GB typically) so new implementers can pick a language — then hit the ground running. #1958
  • IIAB out-of-box experience on "Raspbian With Desktop" OS. #1979 With HOW-TO Videos for enterprising teachers and students, with actionable subtitles in common languages. #1975
  • Matomo for usage analytics, alongside some careful re-thinking of how IIAB teachers and content contributors can learn from users' needs. #1762
  • Magrit 0.8.11 for civic/local mapmaking, with URL box/magrit ? PR #1579
  • For a more detailed list, see the Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) 7.2 Milestone

Credits

Thank you e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e for building your own DIY Library of Alexandria. To serve One & All.

Not just in your own community — but by keeping in touch with our global volunteer community network (http://OFF.NETWORK) each of you are providing the lifeblood "fieldback" — that keeps us motivated enabling Internet-in-a-Box's quality content collaborations across ALL communities!

[Many Contributors TBA]

Join our Thursday calls if you too can help: MINUTES.IIAB.IO

Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ.IIAB.IO

Known Issues

  • On Ubuntu 18.04, IIAB's 1-line installer must be run as root #1714
  • If you install IIAB on one kind of Raspberry Pi (e.g. RPi 4) and then move the microSD card to another kind of Raspberry Pi (e.g. RPi 3 / 3 B+, or e.g. RPi Zero W) you'll likely need to run rfkill unblock wifi. Do this after the microSD is inserted into the new hardware, so that hostapd (and your IIAB hotspot!) work. #2265
  • Admin Console removes comments from local_vars.yml #1964
  • Nextcloud video(s) might not play? #2262
  • Kolibri blocks you from logging in at times, with its login page infinitely/rapidly looping. Deleting your browser's cookies is not quite enough to work around this problem, but running your browser in incognito/privacy mode does work. #1532
  • Sugarizer generally requires MongoDB, which is no longer packaged by Linux OS's like Debian 10 Buster. #1437
  • Node.js applications like Asterisk/FreePBX, Node-RED and Sugarizer won't work on Raspberry Pi Zero W (ARMv6) if you installed Node.js while on RPi 3, 3 B+ (ARMv7) or RPi 4 (ARMv8). If necessary, run apt remove nodejs or apt purge nodejs then rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nodesoure.list; apt update then (attempt!) to install Node.js on the Raspberry Pi Zero W itself (a better approach than "cd /opt/iiab/iiab; ./runrole nodejs" is to try apt install nodejs or try installing the tar file mentioned at #2082). You might also need apt install npm. Whatever versions of Node.js and npm you install, make sure /etc/iiab/iiab_state.yml contains the line nodejs_installed: True (add it if nec!) Finally, proceed to install Asterisk/FreePBX, Node-RED and/or Sugarizer. #1799
  • A few residual issues remain at: https://github.com/iiab/iiab/milestone/6
Add a custom footer
Clone this wiki locally