Room to learn.
Room to grow.
Cairn is a Linux project for children learning their way around a computer. Start with a few useful tools. Give them more control when they're ready.
A first look
A simple place to start.
Large tiles, clear names, and a small set of choices. Here is the basic layout of Cairn's youngest-child launcher.
The launcher and Terminal integration have working code. These tiles are examples of the frame, not a promise of bundled drawing, music or coding apps. See the launcher source.
Why we're building it
A smaller beginning.
A real computer.
An adult desktop asks a young child to understand a lot at once. Cairn starts with a simple home screen and apps their parent has chosen. Making things and playing games give them a reason to explore.
As they become more confident, the plan is to introduce their own files, more commands, and eventually a regular desktop. They keep their account and familiar surroundings.
We are starting with children around five to eight, with a design that extends into the early teens. Parents choose access based on readiness, not age alone.
The experience we're working toward
Find something to do.
Find your way back.
These are design goals, not a claim that every flow is finished.
Choose an app
A clear home screen, readable names and room to use a mouse or keyboard. The adult chooses which apps are available.
Make something, or play
Existing drawing tools and games keep their own personalities. Cairn provides the way in and the way home.
Try the terminal
A small set of real commands lets children open things and learn how instructions work. Suggestions help when a word goes wrong.
Recover without a scare
A failed launch or frozen app should lead somewhere understandable. Recovery is part of the design, not an afterthought.
The launcher and restricted terminal have working code. In a virtual machine we have exercised test-machine setup, child and grown-up logins, game tiles, and keeping Steam's own windows out of a child's way. Child-account permissions have been tightened, and a grown-up can end a frozen app.
Next:
- The important test: watch children use the full session on a real laptop, and change what doesn't work.
- Testing on older laptops at the minimum target.
A public installer comes later.
An invitation to a designer
Help shape how
Cairn feels.
We want a human designer involved in both the website and the computer's interface. AI-assisted work has helped us build the prototype. It hasn't answered whether the experience makes sense to a child.
Question the home screen. Rethink the visual direction. Help us explain the project to parents without turning it into a promise we can't keep.
This page is a draft to start that conversation. Its layout and existing brand are not a finished brief to reproduce.
Read the current design specificationA few honest answers
Can I install it for my child today?
There is no public installer, and the prototype is not ready to recommend for everyday family use. If you are comfortable installing Linux, you can try the prototype on a spare computer or a virtual machine.
Will I manage it from my phone?
No. The design puts adult administration at the computer through a separate Guardian role. Cairn does not plan a remote management service.
Does it need accounts or an internet connection?
Cairn's design excludes project accounts, telemetry and analytics. Updates and app installation need connectivity. Optional services such as Steam and Minecraft can have their own accounts and network requirements.
Is it a replacement for adult supervision?
No. The goal is age-appropriate independence, with an adult choosing access. The prototype's restrictions are still being tested.
Will it work on our spare laptop?
The current minimum target is a 64-bit Intel or AMD laptop with 4 GB of memory, 64 GB of storage, UEFI and Intel HD 4000-class graphics or better. These are targets, not a compatibility guarantee. ARM and NVIDIA support are outside the current v1 scope.