Mark Kent wrote:
> begin oe_protect.scr
> Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
>> With Linux, enough is sometimes too much
>>
>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>| You'll be hearing more about Ubuntu in future columns. For now, though,
>>| I hope the major enterprise Linux players are paying attention to Ubuntu
>>| and other more streamlined distributions. In an ideal world, there would
>>| be distributions custom-tailored for different categories of workers
>>| -- sales forces, accountants, and even graphics professionals. In
>>| theearly days of Linux, offering the user everything under the sun was
>>| laudab le. These days, it's time to start offering just what each user
>>| really needs.
>> `----
>>
>> http://www.pcwelt.de/news/englishnews/109171/
>
> Surely, customisation of a distribution out to a workforce should be the
> responsibility of the integrator, outsourced support company or the
> corporate/organisational admins for larger companies/orgs?
>
> The great advantage of the debian-based distros over most is that you
> can just keep adding sources to apt, and select precisely what you want.
> This means that a sizable corp could have their own repository, even
> different ones depending on the user-base they're aimed at.
>
> I find the ubuntu project laudable, of course, but it seems that
> companies seem to be neglecting the opportunity to take control of their
> own computers! Perhaps the corporate ICT departments have been in the
> shadow of the megalithic Microsoft for so long, they lack the insight,
> drive or even inspiration or aspiration to take control in this way?
>
Such is evident around my area, Mark. Companies are at best reluctant, at
worst totally against, even thinking about the idea of taking their own ICT
infrastructure in their own hands and moulding it as /they/ see fit. Sadly,
that's their loss, but it's also a loss to the community, in that they
(particularly such niches as the travel industry) can roll-their-own
industry-specific distributions, so that other companies can basically lob
the disc in and get on with it. As it is, we solution providers have to sit
down for months at a time, almost to the ignorance of everything else, to
roll out a custom project for /one/ company. A solution which, while
expensive for the client, is pretty much exclusive to them and not much use
for anyone else. It doesn't make us much money either. For instance, how
about an online booking system for a Pan-European coach holiday company
with live connections to the ABTA database? Sounds like a waste of time for
those who know that ABTA members get software for /telephone/ and /live/
bookings which connect to the database. But you try finding an online
solution. There aren't any. We had to construct one using php/MySQL.
As a product, exclusive to small companies running online bookings, this
thing is a potential. As a solution to a problem, for us it was a one-off.
But the design is such that it's reproducible and highly modular. Possibly
even as part of a GNU/Linux distribution-on-disc that the client just boots
and runs.
For myself and my home infrastructure, I've already rolled my own K12 based
on SuSE and deployed it successfully on three PIII laptops for home use,
and a further two which I sold on earlier this week. RYO K12 SuSE ISO will
appear shortly. :)
--
When all else fails...
Use a hammer.
http://www.dotware.co.uk
Some people are like Slinkies;
They serve no particular purpose,
But they bring a smile to your face
When you push them down the stairs.
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