Ubuntu Domain Server

[Dotan Cohen]

> <sigh>  They _are_ they sysadmin.  Like it or not.  And yes, they'll enable
> an exploitable module - but they'll do that whether you make it hard for
> them or not.  If you won't give them the tools, they'll just google for an
> answer, take the first one they find - safe or not - and throw it in.  If it
> appears to work, that's _all_ they'll care about.  If you give them the
> tools, they won't be able to enable modules that you don't bless.  Of
> course, the modules shipped with Ubuntu may be exploitable too, and we can't
> force anybody to keep their system up-to-date,
>

Exactly. You already know that these people will shoot themselves in
the foot. So why do you want to help them? If they google and get in
over their head, then it's XYZ website's fault. If Ubuntu says "here,
use this tool" then it's Ubuntu's fault.

> As for whether they'll understand - that's what the tool is for, to make it
> _possible_ for them to understand.

Why do you think that a different tool would make that possible? Why
not a better guide or introduction to the subject and the current
tools? Why do you suppose that the difficulty stems from the current
tools' user interfaces and not from the inherent complexity of the
task of administering a server?


> The people you would aim such a tool at
> certainly don't have a clue about virtual hosts, but they do know that
> they're running multiple domains and can't figure out how to make them both
> listen on port 80.
>

So why not teach them what a virtual host is? Why do you suspect that
calling a virtual host by a different name would make it easier?


> Python and bash.  Currently it's just a collection of scripts without the
> GUI.
>

If you wouldn't mind sharing the scripts (in private mail if you want)
then maybe I could get a better idea of how you are solving a problem
that I don't perceive.

-- 
Dotan Cohen

http://what-is-what.com
http://gibberish.co.il