Carlton,

I think the reason for doing a network installation is not as what you think.

Network installation is for system administrator to install over a local area 
network where he/she has control of. Network installation is by no means cater 
for the instability of the internet where bandwidths fluctuate between hops. A 
everyday system administrator will actually download a copy of the OS into a 
personal server and then perform installation over the network.

If you read the website of Ubuntu, you will see that they actually encourages 
you to download the base CD edition (it's just one CD, not 17-19 as you state) 
or request for a free one. After a base installation then you can download the 
additional packages. This way is to reduce the loads on the primary servers as 
well as any mirrors you use. And this has been a long and well thought-out 
method to ensure Linux can reach the masses.

As for the reliable uptime, it is already something for a commercial entity to 
provide, let alone a voluntary initiative like a Linux community. Maybe you 
will argue that Ubuntu is supported by a company named Canonical with a 
billionaire Mark Shuttleworth to pour cash in but even that doesn't justify an 
uptime like Google.

As for the nus mirror, the others have explained which I understand, having 
graduated from SoC myself. The school is now in the midst of shifting buildings 
and the network infrastructure will undoubtedly get affected. Mind you, hosting 
a Linux mirror is of no priority when coming to serving the school population 
with their daily lecture-on-demand videos.

Besides, Ubuntu 8.04 has only been released just a week ago. I am sure the 
servers would have been swarmed for updates. I don't have any issue updating my 
7.10 on Wednesday via the sg.ubuntu but I am delaying my upgrade to 8.04 till a 
later time.

Juz my two cents' worth,
James Ng



 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: LUGS <[email protected]>
Sent: Sat, 3 May 2008 1:15 pm
Subject: [Slugnet] Is it safe installing Ubuntu/Debian while connected to the 
Internet.










Someone said, not a direct quote, that doing an Internet install wasn't
safe. I wanted to make sure that it is indeed safe.

Let see.

The situation. I'm installing from a condo somewhere is Singapore. The
person wants to dual boot Windows and Ubuntu 8.04. The've tried
installing it themselves and it never works.

I've set up their router. A Speedstream something or other so that the
firewall is extremely secure. Everything but 'NEW' on output is dropped.
ESTABLISHED,RELATED on INPUT is allowed. No open ports facing the ISP.

Ubuntu while it is installing has no open ports. It doesn't seem to be
running any services that I need to worry about.

After the install I need to set up their firewall of course and I need
to update and upgrade. 

Installing everything from CD or CD-ROM complicates a very well thought
out over the network installation routine. Frankly I don't like the
waste involved in burning the 19 CD's that I then need to carry around. 

I love this part of the install. Hand-over. "Here you can do this again
yourself. You'll need CD's 1-6, 8, 11 and 12."

OK! Where is the danger!

Thanks,

Carlton Lee


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