Hello,
First, I am very impressed by your very good job. But , I would like to suggest
some ways to inprove the Mandrake distrib :
- the distribution by itself :
- - I have done some samba server installation with this distribution
(mainly for very little compagny). I have no problem but when you leave the
server to the client I have to explain how to maintain it working, and that is
far more complex. So I was wondering if it wouldn't be possible for Mandrake to
have a distribution what could transforme a normal computer in a kind of object
with these properties :
* an easy installation with very few questions ( to be defined later)
* installation of service very restricted : in fact the server should be able
to have after the installation four functions :
* samba share
* mail distribution
* sharing the internet connectivity (with some proctections)
* back-up of the data on a dedicated support
and that's all : no telnet, ftp, etc...
* For the samba share the installation should provide a tool to configure the
shares in a "natural" (for a windows user) way (like SWAT or maybe something
else but something easy) and the explications.
* For the mail distribution the mail system should have only two possibilities
: you could write for people inside and outeside (the real basic things in
fact) not relay or subdomain.
* the Internet sharing : the computer should be able (after a modem
configuration) to share a connection on the internet. There are two ways : one
is to share the internet connection like diald do or (and I think better) like
Masquedialer that permit to have passwords. The internet connection should
also be able to get the mail let say every two or three hours.
* the back-up system : the install have to provide a backup system. I have 3
different ideas: one the instal could make two partitions one for normal use
and the other for backup (every day for example), or, the system could have two
same disk like RAID (I think this is already done but....) and finally the tape
backup should be configured.
In fact, such distrib would transform the PC and a kind of Qbe computer (I
think it's Real Network that produce this kind of computer). I think it would
help to spread the Linux system in the world of small compagnies.
- - Another thing that could be cool is the install of the betas or
alpha code by the same system that update : it would "cool" to have an update
system that look into the cooker and update/install the RPMs choosed.
- - I think this have been already said but a system like bugtrack
should be a big big asset.
- the Mailing List / communication :
- why not have, like Mozilla, time to time, a chat over a IRC (like
irc.openproject.net or something like) ? I think it could improve the
discussion and the reactivity.
- Could it be possible to have both a ML and a news server with the
same articles ? This could reduce the traffic over the ML and permit people to
choose the article and so introduce new people to the ML.
- Could it be possible to have every week a kind of kernel traffic
paper in order to ease the acces to the list, attract new people and also get
involve the regular user of the distrib to know the trend?
I hope it would help you, keep on your good work
Laurent Saint-Michel
Student in ENSAM
