Ubuntu server GUI

[Scott Kitterman]

On Saturday 28 June 2008 13:02, Luke L wrote:
> On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 7:26 AM, Mario Spinthiras <mspinthiras at gmail.com> 
wrote:
> > My 2p,
> >
> > You don't need a higher layer on top of ubuntu or any other Linux
> > distro to handle your linux distro. The thought only complicates an
> > admin's life and is unecessary. As for a GUI , stick to windows if you
> > feel a GUI is appropriate. People with Linux have done just fine with
> > an "as is" approach to the UI and it's not going to change whatever
> > you say or do.
>
> You're one of "those"... Listen, Linux is powerful and can do anything
> you want it to do in terms of software (Except play Supreme Commander)
> from the command line. We are all aware. But GUIs really can and do
> help productivity with increasingly complicated tasks. A GUI or
> "Server Console", as the term is coined, is an abstraction layer to
> help make the system more integrated and easy to manage.
>
> Ubuntu's goal is to be a Linux distribution for the masses, for the
> desktop AND server; to make things easy and understandable without
> compromising power. The server console is a part of this, and I fully
> believe it will be developed as some of our programmers are done with
> this hectic 6-month period.
>
> Finally, don't EVER tell people "Use Windows for a GUI". That is a
> misguided statement that does not take into consideration of the other
> MANY reasons why someone would be using a Linux box over a Windows
> one.

I think both of you have your points, but are rather missing what nxvl is 
trying to accomplish.  Personally I have about half a dozen servers that I 
manage related to my business.  I can, and do, ssh into each one and 
do "stuff" to administer them.  This is a good and right way to do 
Linux 'stuff'.  I encourage admins to know how to do this and not be 
dependent on a GUI even if one is available.  This is not the problem that 
(as I understand it) nxvl is trying to work on.

If I had 1,000 web servers running on blades with a SAN backend, then I have 
to administer them completely differently.  What we do not have at all is 
higher level tools to manage large sets of servers effectively.  This, I 
think, is the problem space he's working in.

Scott K