This is an old revision of the document!
A number of callers are beginning to use laptops with powered speakers to provide recorded music for dancing. This page is intended to suggest and share ideas on making this work well.
In the OECDC we have tried 4 systems, but two are very similar and will be lumped together.
All laptops are general-purpose machines. That is their strength and downfall. I have tried to configure a system with minimal controls.
We also want to be able to easily update the content from the macnash playford site to the laptops. That is, we want to be able to play new tunes!
Linux, being open source, is happy to allow copying of the operating system software. This allows what is called a live-CD or live-USB. This is a storage medium that can be “booted” on a computer and runs in memory without touching the main drive. John Nash has created two versions of this, one in 2012 and one in 2016. The 2012 version performed well, but lacked drivers for a new laptop acquired by George Cherepon of the Ogdensburg group. Building a live-USB is not terribly difficult, but does require a great deal of attention to detail and a lot of tedious busy-work. A draft report on how the 2016 live-USB and its design considerations is