[TriLUG] CHCCS Connect 2 School

[Tom Roche]

Has anyone setup a linux client for the Chapel Hill/Carrboro school's
Citrix system for students? Why I ask:

I'm setting up a netbook (a System76 starling running ubuntu jaunty)
for my GF's daughter, who attends Smith and uses Connect 2 School
to do and submit homework. I note

http://www2.chccs.k12.nc.us/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=73390
> Connect 2 School is the district's application and virtual desktop
> delivery system. [...] Citrix XenApp [formerly MetaFrame] is the
> product that makes all this possible.

I'm assuming this can be accessed from a linux, despite

http://www2.chccs.k12.nc.us/education/components/faq/faq.php?sectiondetailid=17640#answer_11
> Q What operating systems are supported by Connect 2 School?

> A Windows 2000, XP, and Mac OS 9.2 is the minimum supported.

since

>   OS 9.2 will work without an installed Citrix client. (Note: OS 9.0
>   and OS 9.1 will not work unless the Internet Explorer (IE) version
>   is at 5.4 or higher. This is a Java issue prior to OS 9.2 that
>   prevents a Citrix desktop from being launched via the web
>   interface.) [But] Internet Explorer is no longer supported for Mac
>   users. Use Safari or Mozilla instead.

it sounds like I'll just need Java, a Java-enabled browser (presumably
firefox), and a Citrix client (perhaps only for troubleshooting). 

Can someone who has already done this, preferably on ubuntu, share
their experience? If not, I'll try

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1164069
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CitrixICAClientHowTo

One more general side question: Citrix offers version 11.0 linux
clients @

http://www.citrix.com/English/SS/downloads/details.asp?downloadId=3323&productId=186

but just a tarball and an RPM. Given that I'm running ubuntu, would
alien improve my life, or am I better off installing the tarball?

Feel free to respond directly to me as well as the list, and TIA,
Tom Roche <Tom_Roche at pobox.com>