Re: [SLUG] Ubuntu Server LTS
2009/11/3 Steven Tucker tux...@yahoo.com.au: Hi all, I will soon be replacing a Windows 2003 server in a small business with some Linux variant. Traditionally I have used Debian or Centos, I have been wary of using Ubuntu (whether justified or not, I was not confident with it on a server). Im now slowly being won over with others telling me how successful their ubuntu server installs have been, so now Im considering using ubuntu server edition. My question is .. the next LTS version is 10.04, but my deployment will likely be in January. What do people think the best course of action is? install 9.04 and upgrade, install last LTS (I think 8.10 ??) and upgrade, install last LTS and dont upgrade or go my traditional route and use Centos or Debian. I really hope this does not become a distro flame war, its really not intended (or wanted), just some idea's and hopefully experience. Unless people have specific reasons they would not use Ubuntu on a server, I am more interested in hearing thoughts on the Ubuntu upgrade path rather than using a different distro (unless of course it is justified, not just distro preference). I don't experience with Ubuntu Server LTS so will try to avoid a flame war by commenting on it. I'll try to help you focus on what I believe to be the question which should matter to you the most - which distribution and version will help you spend the least amount of time on active support and you expect things to just work for you? This is a relatively personal question - it depends a lot on your personal experience and in which distro you feel most comfortable that you can tuckle anything in the quickest way. If you want to install Distro X at a remote client site, I think you better gain some time of hands-on experience with it, its community, nomenclature, terminology, time lines and record in supporting the version you are going to install. Remember that unless the customers are Linux system admins themselves (even most professional programmer do not count), they wouldn't care less if the filesystem is ext4 or Reiser5, or that the system can boot a minute faster or has glibc 2.10-1. All they care is that the server will be there and be up every time they try to use it. For your own sanity, you should care about things like stability and security updates - again in the name of spending the least amount of time keeping it up to date and resistant to security attacks. Hope this helps, --Amos -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Need to implement a Net Nanny on Ubuntu PDQ
Hi Sluggers, well, tonight was certainly an eye opener. So, ok, I apparently need to implement some form of Net Nanny software and pretty damn quick too. Can anyone recommend some form of package-based (Ubuntu for the local machine or CentOS-RHEL for the gateway) Nanny software pls? I really need something I can just install, do some form of basic (I mean BASIC) config and it will keep itself uptodate with regular machine updates. I really haven't got the time to learn some heavily convoluted new package. What are my chances? -- Kind Regards Kyle -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] sydney wireless
hey all, anyone know what has happened to sydney wireless? Dean -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Need to implement a Net Nanny on Ubuntu PDQ
aquick google http://www.google.com.au/search?q=Net+Nanny+on+Ubuntu+PDQie=utf-8oe=utf-8aq=trls=com.ubuntu:en-US:unofficialclient=firefox-a found this forum thread http://fixunix.com/ubuntu/126505-net-nanny.html which may give you a solution cheers Ken Kyle wrote: Hi Sluggers, well, tonight was certainly an eye opener. So, ok, I apparently need to implement some form of Net Nanny software and pretty damn quick too. Can anyone recommend some form of package-based (Ubuntu for the local machine or CentOS-RHEL for the gateway) Nanny software pls? I really need something I can just install, do some form of basic (I mean BASIC) config and it will keep itself uptodate with regular machine updates. I really haven't got the time to learn some heavily convoluted new package. What are my chances? -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Need to implement a Net Nanny on Ubuntu PDQ
Kyle k...@attitia.com writes: well, tonight was certainly an eye opener. So, ok, I apparently need to implement some form of Net Nanny software and pretty damn quick too. As I say when the same issue comes up in a business context, this is a social problem and technical solutions will only get you this far: . Can anyone recommend some form of package-based (Ubuntu for the local machine or CentOS-RHEL for the gateway) Nanny software pls? I really need something I can just install, do some form of basic (I mean BASIC) config and it will keep itself uptodate with regular machine updates. I really haven't got the time to learn some heavily convoluted new package. What are my chances? Do you want to pay money for it? http://dansguardian.org/ The software is free, but I don't know of any well maintained blacklist that provides filtering of the sort you are likely to want. The commercial options, found on the site, do however.[1] Personally, though, I would solve this in a different fashion: social control, aided by small technical assistance. Specifically: Assuming the problem user doesn't have root, and doesn't have a sensible way to get it, configure squid, and use a firewall to block any outbound traffic except via that proxy.[2] Then read the logs. Make it known that this has happened, and that you /will/ be reading the logs. Do it. Look for proxy sites and HTTPS access, too, not just the immediate sites, because eventually they will be tested. Just read them every now and then, or grep them. After the first month or two you don't need to be thorough. Personally, I would have something schedule a *random* check between three and fourteen days from now, and repeat that every time. Genuinely random, so you can't be gamed. That should sort out the local stuff, at the cost of whining about games and IM that are no longer easy or pleasant to use. Um, and assume that this is going to get worked around anyway, because there is always a way around it. For example, a friends house, a USB stick, or a suitable Internet cafe, or the school network, or... Daniel Footnotes: [1] ...and, perhaps, a free option has sprung up. [2] Even with this you will find that, for example, -- ✣ Daniel Pittman✉ dan...@rimspace.net☎ +61 401 155 707 ♽ made with 100 percent post-consumer electrons Looking for work? Love Perl? In Melbourne, Australia? We are hiring. -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Need to implement a Net Nanny on Ubuntu PDQ
Both valid points Daniel, but tell a 9yr old not to search for whatever naughty stuff it is that happens to be floating around school. Take into account that not everything that should be behind youtube's 18+ section IS actually behind the 18+ section and you get the picture. For now, I'll settle for blocking things in-house. I can't control what happens outside. At least not fully. Personally, though, I would solve this in a different fashion: social control, aided by small technical assistance. Specifically: Um, and assume that this is going to get worked around anyway, because there is always a way around it. For example, a friends house, a USB stick, or a suitable Internet cafe, or the school network, or... Kind Regards Kyle -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Skype
Hi Some interesting news for people who spend a lot of time making long distance phone calls... http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/News/Mysterous-Mail-Will-Skype- Become-Open-Source http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/News/Skype-Plugin-for-Asterisk Digium, makers of Asterisk telephony solutions, and VoIP provider Skype have announced a one-year development period for a Skype plugin to the free telephony service. The proprietary Asterisk plugin provides Skype users with not only SkypeIn and SkypeOut to friends worldwide but also in other PSTN and mobile networks. -- Richard www.sheflug.org.uk -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Need to implement a Net Nanny on Ubuntu PDQ
Kyle k...@attitia.com writes: Both valid points Daniel, but tell a 9yr old not to search for whatever naughty stuff it is that happens to be floating around school. Please, don't get me wrong: I am not suggesting that your desire to police this is wrong, or anything like that. I hope you succeed, even if you don't think it is likely. Take into account that not everything that should be behind youtube's 18+ section IS actually behind the 18+ section and you get the picture. *nod* Actually, one of the biggest problems[1] is that there are a huge number of briefly existing collect the free bits sites out there, usually on some random blog or other... For now, I'll settle for blocking things in-house. I can't control what happens outside. At least not fully. *nod* Anyway, the dansguardian stuff is pretty decent, and hopefully will do what you want. Um, and I forgot to suggest: you might also call your ISP and ask them if they can offer anything by way of a solution. For all the moral panic about needing to implement this stuff a *large* number of ISPs previously offered a filtered connection service at a fairly reasonable price. That actually *improves* your solution, because (A) you don't need to support it, and (B) you are going to have to pay that anyway. Daniel Footnotes: [1] ...I know this because I /have/ been called on to deal with these questions in a work context, where stronger adult tastes come into play, on a few occasions. Since you ask. -- ✣ Daniel Pittman✉ dan...@rimspace.net☎ +61 401 155 707 ♽ made with 100 percent post-consumer electrons Looking for work? Love Perl? In Melbourne, Australia? We are hiring. -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Skype
Richard Ibbotson richard.ibbot...@gmail.com writes: Some interesting news for people who spend a lot of time making long distance phone calls... http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/News/Mysterous-Mail-Will-Skype- Become-Open-Source http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/News/Skype-Plugin-for-Asterisk Digium, makers of Asterisk telephony solutions, and VoIP provider Skype have announced a one-year development period for a Skype plugin to the free telephony service. The proprietary Asterisk plugin provides Skype users with not only SkypeIn and SkypeOut to friends worldwide but also in other PSTN and mobile networks. FWIW, my strong suspicion is that by Open Source they mean like NVIDIA, in that they will release a binary blob along with enough open glue to talk to it from reasonably arbitrary applications. Unless things have changed that was exactly the form of the Asterisk plugin, and would allow Skype to integrate without losing control of their vigorously protected IP and network. OTOH, the spat between the owners of different layers of the protocol, plus the inability to sell Skype, might actually push eBay to open it up and screw the people who screwed them... Daniel -- ✣ Daniel Pittman✉ dan...@rimspace.net☎ +61 401 155 707 ♽ made with 100 percent post-consumer electrons Looking for work? Love Perl? In Melbourne, Australia? We are hiring. -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
