[CLUE-Admin] New hardware for web server.

[jccann at attbi.com]

> Have you considered becomming a command line Luddite, like me? ;-)

Actually, with my new job (System Engineer), I'll be happily surfing with the aliens on the command line.
> Faster and better, probably, but not simpler.  Debian goes equally well 
> on a PC or an Alpha.  Other distros, maybe not, and I have spent some 
> time learning the quirks (which can be avoided mostly).
> 
> Can you specify the MB form factor and power connector?  I have a 
> Gateway AT case without the top (from the auction) that I probably won't 
> use.  But we should be able to do better.

It turns out that my current case is not going to work with the new MB.  So I can safely donate an entire system, minus HDD.  I figure we can simply pull them from ta8 and plop them into the new box.

> 
> I'll help build it, especially if we want to use Debian.  Anyone want to 
> discuss distros (practically, not religiously)?  Apt makes it very easy 
> to get a minimal distro and stay current on packages (if we use the 
> testing release).

If we want to rebuild, that's okay with me.  We probably should get together and discuss it at the next CLUE admin meeting so we can plan accordingly.  I have no problem with Debian.

> My impression is that rpm systems are harder, but I don't know from 
> experience.

As a die-hard slackware user (6 years) until this last January, I thought the same thing, but Mandrake has a very slick upgrade system for rpms.

Debian is fine with me.  I like the fact that it is hard-core GNU, so I think it's a Good Thing (tm) to run it on our server.

Jeff