Quick survey

[Robert Meyer]

OK, here's my spin on it.  Generally, I DO install X on servers that I install.
 I don't start them up in init level 3, though.  While this does eat more disk
space, on a server, who cares about a couple hundred meg when you're dealing
with big giggers these days.  The reason for this somewhat cavalier attitude
comes from running a mess of servers over a network.  My office has typically
not been in the server room.  My standard methodology is to create an icon on
my desktop that does something like 'ssh -f machine konsole -T Machine' or some
such.  Substitute 'xterm', 'eterm', gterm' or whatever flavor suits you best. 
This way, from the office, I can pop a terminal on the remote system by hitting
an icon.  This also allows for running other X applications if I need to.

This is more of a convienience thing.  Nothing like wanting to use something
and not having it.

I typically don't use rpm --build, primarily 'cuz I haven't had time to play
with it.  Most of the time, I use './configure;make' kinds of stuff.  I DON'T
overwrite RPM installed programs with compiled ones.  WAY too many problems and
conflicts with libraries, config files, etc.  I did that once and boned a
machine really bad.  If it was installed with an RPM, erase it with rpm and
then build and install the new one.

As far as using the GUI installer, this doesn't guarantee that it will install
X.  Most of the time, you have the option to do individual package selection. 
In RedHat, it's less obvious how to get to it but you can turn individual
things on and off.  I only use the text installer on machines that I don't have
a mouse connected to.  I really don't like tabbing like a maniac all over the
place.  That doesn't mean that everyone that does admin shouldn't learn the
text installer.  You need to be flexible and be able to handle anything you
come across.  That's one of the main reasons I use 'vi'.  It's ALWAYS there
unless someone took steps to remove it.  Emacs, pico, jed, and all of the
others may or may not be there but 'vi' will be there on EVERY Unix/Linux
system (except for old AT&T 3b2 systems but that's a different story).

Cheers!

Bob
--- John Seth <johnseth at phoenixwing.com> wrote:
> Hey all, I've come up against some conflicts where I work for an unfortunate
> living. My chief systems administrator is training a linux newbie for a
> backup systems admin position to himself and myself since our Network Admin
> left the company.  In doing so, he installed Fedore Core 1 (Yarrow, latest
> release) and is now showing him how to install a server, and compile
> programs.  No big deal, usually....
> 
> My problem is this: normally, servers do not need to be installed with their
> GUI installers, doing so, usually installs X-Windows components onto systems
> with need for them, at least with RedHat. The trainee is a newbie, so I'm
> not too concerned, the fact that they should know both ways is best... but
> my sys admin won't show him text install for the reason "Who doesn't install
> with the GUI on a server these days? What does it matter if X is on a server
> or not?".
> 
> I feel 1) it's a waste of disk space, 2) if it is running on a server,
> that's increased memory, cpu & resource hogging and 3) security issues could
> compromise the server but wouldn't if X wasn't installed.
> 
> The last thing is, he's showing the trainee how to compile programs. No big
> deal again. It's good to know how to run your own ./configure & make
> statements.  However, being this is RH/Fedora, I feel he should also teach
> him how to use things like "RPM --build" and learn about things like the
> .spec files needed for RPM based systems.  Again, I was met with "why? who
> cares if it's RPM or not? Just overwrite the old RPM with the new compiled
> program...".  Hmm... so having, for example, httpd-1.3.28-devel-48.7.rpm
> installed, and compiling Apache 2.0.48 and installing it over the top of the
> old RPM installation.  I see problems with this, maybe not Apache, but other
> programs.
> 
> Being I've now written a novel to the mailing list ;) How about you tell me
> what you do with your systems... do you use the gui install? do you install
> Xwin to a server? why? Since I don't feel like spamming the mailing list,
> feel free to visit my website where I can more easily tally the results. 
> Mind you, it's a quickly thrown up survey...
> 
> http://www.phoenixwing.com/ has the survey.  Thanks for listening to my
> gripes ;)
> 
>  - Tony
> 
> -- 
> <? print(pack("c*", 74,117,115,116,32,/* Tony Evans                  */
>  65,110,111,116,104,101,114,32,80,72, /* Linux/Web Implementation    */
>  80,32,72,97,99,107,101,114,46,10));  /* http://www.phoenixwing.com/ */ ?>


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