> With all due respect to the decision makers, would it not be a much better > idea to do a POC to see how feasable it might be to replace the servers first > so that the new Linux/Unix desktop boxes have the necessary environment > available they need when they are installed?
Yes indeed. But that would just be sensible :o) Ideally what I would *like* to do is get one (or two) servers, 4 or 5 workstations, a switch etc and set up a complete Linux solution as a demo. It would have to display all the characterisitcs of the current systems (i.e. PDC, DHCP, DNS, mail, roaming profiles, scripted installs, automated patching etc etc). The problem here is that I have SFA knowhow to do most of this, and the spare P75 I have won't quite cut it.. > I expect that we would all be very interested to hear what "the simplest > things" are? Oh, umm, *blush*. Well, getting sound going was fun. Was an ALS chipset with an different stamp on it masquerading as an intel 810. I found out (after recompiling drivers fiddling configs etc) that the mixer mute was on :o). This wouldn't have annoyed me so much as for the fact that it was because I was using the *wrong* mixer and the mixer I needed wasn't installed by default. Grrrr. Printing - double grrr. This was really a matter of not understanding how the Linux lpr system worked. Zane pointed out the nice Samaba printing option (yay!) Font antialiasing is pissing me off (getting there tho - thanks to the help here). Getting my Matrox PCI card working properly to drive my other monitor is prooving difficult (I am using the Xinerama extension for X). Currently running using the vesa drivers as the mga drivers keep wanting the card to be AGP not PCI. Ummm, oh yes, mapping to network drives on the fly that require authentication from a PDC. Can this be done easily? There are probably others, but I am still trying to work through Rutes epic and all the howtos... > I'd agree that RedHat is not necessarily the best Linux dist. for use on a > desktop. I don't want to start a distro flamefest so I'll stop there. Any other better desktop distro options welcome (off list) > Fairly obviously one does not go at it bull-at-the-gate, but as machines come > up for replacement, or the user requests a change. I agree, but standards, policies, support agreements etc all need to be in place before IT will start rolling out linux. Also, if UoC decided to pass on the next Msoft campus agreement, there would *have* to be a bull-at-the-gate change. Speaking of which, I heard rumours that Auckalnd Uni told Msoft to piss off with the last agreement offer. What are they doing instead?? > There is absolutely _NO_ need whatsoever for a user to even nightmare about > having to re-compile a linux kernel. I know, was just an extreme example. > > Urr, where was I? > > Probably wondering why "Critical Thought" (tm) swallows FUD as if it were > caviare. Yes, that was it. Matthew
