December 2001 - openSUSE Edu - openSUSE Mailing Lists

Re: User Admin
by Paul Munro 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

I think Michael asked about LDAP tools, and although I have probably come into the discussion late (I get loads of email so lose track often), I was under the impression that using things like LDAP was *simply* (probably not a good definition anyway ;-) useable by configuring a couple of scripts and running commands from the command line? Since everything in LDAP is structured in an hierarchical *tree* structure with a DNS-like bent to it, don't you just set up your OBJECTCLASS variable and then make every entry's OC as one from the pre-defined list with its attributes set by the parent? As far as I understand it, there are loads of clients for accessing LDAP servers under Linux (including the use of the command line and integrating this with NFS for accessing replication logs etc). There was a very good introduction to LDAP in a back issue of Linux Format--but I can't find my copy at the moment. In any case, LDAP (or OpenLDAP) is a lot better and I think far more intuitive than Active Directory. After having to study AD for three months I'm really none the wiser! After studying the Linux alternatives, I can safely say that I could probably give it a good go. For storing users, authenticating centrally via kerberos, and for having a database-like structure of objects on the LAN/WAN, LDAP is your best--but probably most difficult and least liked--bet. Good luck anyway! Paul

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NHS Meeting, Blair and Gates
by Ian 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

On Saturday 01 December 2001 21:28, you wrote: > If the content of this article is true (and I have reason to believe it > is, having been the person who tipped off The Register, based on > information from a third party), there is almost certainly nothing we can > do to change what happens. Try E-mailing James.Robertson(a)nao.gsi.gov.uk. (National Audit Office) cc to national press will help focus their minds. Express concern that these deals are flouting the NAO guidelines on tendering and also the need to establish value for money by considering the cost against similar alternatives. Tenders through the EU are essential to establish market values and there needs to be transparency in any savings. The basis of the savings in the NHS deal is not clear and no-one is volunteering to show how the figure for the "saving" was derived. If tendering is inappropriate because of monopoly, then regulation should be the option. Its one or the other, tendering or regulation and neither has been applied in the case of the NHS. Copy your E-mail to the editors of the national daily papers. If you are in the open source business complain to the office of fair trading that these deals are damaging your business by furthering and augmenting an established monopoly. Darren.Eade(a)oft.gsi.gov.uk cc to national press will help focus their minds. Also complain if you think EU requirements that procurement of greater value than £150,000 should be advertised in the EU journal and tendered to member states are not being met and that your business was not given the opportunity to compete. If you have contacts in other member states eg SUSE in Germany, Mandrake in France, get them to E-mail as well. Markt-B2(a)cec.eu.int. > But we can help to educate politicians and > journalists - the more people write to their MPs, talk to journalists etc > about what is really happening, the better. Quite, get all your contacts to E-mail the above. Numbers indicate votes so the more the better. Keep it objective on the issues above and try not to give the impression that you are some kind of partisan nutter :-). > I think it's particularly important that this should be reported by the > press in a cynical way: that requires journalists who understand the > issues. I think there may be something in the Observer tomorrow. (Please > don't buy the Sunday Times...) > > More generally, the conflict of which this is a part is really hotting up > now. So let's pour some petrol on it ;-) > On Fri, 30 Nov 2001, Malcolm Herbert wrote: > > http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23096.html Regards, -- IanL

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enabling FTP
by James & Cybèle 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

What do I need to enable to allow FTP from my win98 machines They all use SAMBA/SQUID for net/internet access. James Carter South Lee School

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Roger's last word?
by James & Cybèle 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

>I know that sometimes I can get a bit `over-eager', if I >do, just >ignore me and I'll drop it. Believe it when I see (don't see) it Obviously Roger's sensible last word wasn't good enough James Carter South Lee School

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Re: User Admin Tool
by Paul Munro 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

Well- after going off on a slant with LDAP, I think I may have found a useful tool for those who need to add users "en-masse". If you go to: www.opensourceschools.org And then look at the "Sys Admin" section, page two, you will find a useful article entitled "Making Users in Bulk". Apparently the Linux for Schools Project is running a program called "createusers" which lets you add user accounts in bulk. It can (it says) generate a login, Samba, MySQL, and PostgresSQL account for each user specified in the text file. It can also set "disk quotas for each new user". The web address of LFSP is: www.lfsp.org I suspect that someone on this or another list I was on actually had something to do with "createusers"--so it may be worth a look!! Hope that helps anyway!! Paul

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Re: User Admin [2]
by Paul Munro 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

Well- after going off on a slant with LDAP, I think I may have found a useful tool for those who need to add users "en-masse". If you go to: www.opensourceschools.org And then look at the "Sys Admin" section, page two, you will find a useful article entitled "Making Users in Bulk". Apparently the Linux for Schools Project is running a program called "createusers" which lets you add user accounts in bulk. It can (it says) generate a login, Samba, MySQL, and PostgresSQL account for each user specified in the text file. It can also set "disk quotas for each new user". The web address of LFSP is: www.lfsp.org I suspect that someone on this or another list I was on actually had something to do with "createusers"--so it may be worth a look!! Hope that helps anyway!! Paul

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RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Microsoft, Linux, this list
by Jonathan Bacon 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

Hi Roger, Thankyou for writing this email to set some things straight about the purpose of this list. I agree 100% with your points. I believe this list could be instrumental for many schools getting a better deal on computer software and operating systems. Linux certainly has the capability to do great things for schools and we need to discuss methods of getting Linux into schools and educational institutions. Like I have said before, I don't have an enourmas amount of time spare at the moment, but it may be an idea if we discuss how we can best formulate our efforts. I think the following ideas could be applied to our efforts, and with some discussion they could materialise: - Develop a website which can host information on this subject and plans we have - Present promotional material regarding Linux's usage in schools on the site - Present case studies where Linux has been used on the site - Develop online petitions and advisaries for things such as the Tony/Bill meeting and plans. I am happy to build a site which can be used towards meeting this goal, but I will not be able to provide much content. If you guys can guarentee the content and updating the site, I am happy to build a PHP/MySQL based site for this. Thoughts? Jono > -----Original Message----- > From: Roger Whittaker [mailto:roger@suse.co.uk] > Sent: 05 December 2001 23:27 > To: Schools List > Cc: Jasmin Ul-Haque; Malcolm Yates > Subject: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Microsoft, Linux, this list > > > There's been an interesting exchange of views and I'd like to > take this > opportunity to summarise and possibly caricature some of > them, and at the > same time make some comments. > > 1) "This is a technical list and 'political' views are out of > place here." > > When I set up the list, there was no manifesto - all were > welcome to join > and talk about whatever interested them. However it was > understood that > the purpose of the list was connected with Linux and Education. > Government policies on software procurement are quite clearly closely > related to this purpose and in my view very valid subjects > for discussion. > > 2) "Microsoft is totally and uniquely evil: anyone who says anything > remotely favourable about Microsoft is equally evil and > should be flamed, > strung-up, shot, expelled from the list etc." > > This has never been my position. Personally I think Microsoft > makes some good desktop software (e.g. Excel) and some appallingly > bad operating systems. > > However, Microsoft's business practices have been and continue to be > seriously worrying to anyone who values fairness and decency > in business. > Linux is uniquely threatening to Microsoft because it is hard > to see how > their traditional weapons ("embrace and extend", "buy out and > incorporate") can be applied to fighting against it. It is > because of this > that people who value Linux have to be on their guard against > some novel > and disturbing developments such as attempts to use the law in the US > against open source software as such. > > On the other hand, anyone who wants to make points about the > superiority > of open source software, the iniquity of Microsoft's business > practices > (and much else) would be well advised to read the > Advocacy-Howto. Telling > someone who has not had the information or the time to think things > through to a logical conclusion that he is an idiot, in the pay of a > particular company, or deliberately trying to create dissent > is not the > best way of winning him round to your point of view. > > 3) "People who don't agree with the majority opinions on this > list should > get lost - why did they join in the first place if they think > x, y or z?" > > The list is failing in its purpose if it is not > > a) inclusive of all who want to join, lurk, contribute or argue, > whatever their opinions. > > b) aiming through dialogue and discussion to educate and inform > all who participate in it. > > 4) Linux will soon be the only operating system that matters. > > This is true and all the rest is ephemeral on any reasonable > historical > time scale. Linux began in August 1991. In ten years it has come > from nowhere to the point where it is the major threat to > Microsoft and at > the same time moving into the space previously occupied by > the commercial > forms of Unix. Not to mention the desktop, handhelds, > embedded systems > and more. > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > ----------- > > Please continue to 'have a lot of fun ...' > > Best wishes to all > > Roger > > PS: > > Please accept my apologies for the fact that I have far less time to > participate here than I should - however I value and am very > grateful for > the enthusiasm for Linux which so many people on this list > have. Also for > the fact that people are providing support for each other at > a very high > level in some cases. > > PPS: > > There are good reasons to suppose that the 'Bill and Tony > show' which I > predicted would take place tomorrow has been cancelled > precisely because > of the leaks to the Register and elsewhere which happened > last week. If > so, although it may not make a great difference to the > outcome in terms of > what the Government actually buys in due course, I think it is still > something about which we can do just a little bit of > 'Rejoice, Rejoice'. > > > > -- > > ------------------- > Roger Whittaker > SuSE Linux Ltd > The Kinetic Centre > Theobald Street > Borehamwood > Herts > WD6 4PJ > > ------------------ > 020 8387 1482 > ------------------ > roger(a)suse.co.uk > ------------------ > > > > -- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-unsubscribe(a)suse.com > For additional commands, e-mail: suse-linux-uk-schools-help(a)suse.com > >

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RE: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Re: NHS Meeting Blair and Gates
by Jonathan Bacon 06 Dec '01

06 Dec '01

> -----Original Message----- > Good luck. It took my MP over a week just to send a reply > acknowledging my > letter. Since then..... Nada!! Time for my second barrel I think. Maybe there is some way we can pull together on this. I don't know exactly what we could do, but if we all maybe pull together and put in a little work we could help things somewhat. What might be good is to get some kind of meeting organised with a representative of the government and maybe some representatives of some Linux companies. If we could formulate some kind of report on educational use of Linux and then discuss these issues with them it could present some postive press. Cheers, Jono

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FW: 011205-C.PUTTICK-EN-Microsoft
by Chris Puttick 05 Dec '01

05 Dec '01

Sorry, couldn't resist it, off-topic or not (and it's not for me, as some of you will already know). -----Original Message----- From: Infocomp(a)cec.eu.int To: chris(a)centralmanclc.com Sent: 12/5/01 12:01 PM Subject: RE: 011205-C.PUTTICK-EN-Microsoft Dear Sir, Thanks for your mail which has been forwarded to the responsible Unit. You are not the first person to draw our attention on these points. PS For your information : The hearing with Microsoft, which was scheduled for 20-21 December, has been cancelled at the request of Microsoft, who have decided to exercise their right not to have a hearing. Best regards, Patricia Boeynaems Infocomp -----Original Message----- From: Chris Puttick [mailto:chris@centralmanclc.com] Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 11:37 AM To: COMP INFO4 Subject: 011205-C.PUTTICK-EN-Microsoft Hi With regard to the upcoming Microsoft anti-competitive hearing: has it yet come to the Commission's attention the negotiations that have been taking place in the UK, in which only Microsoft are participating, for software licences worth hundred's of millions of euros, and which will leave British government institutions locked into the Microsoft model when the deal ends in 3 years? Of specific note would be the recently completed NHS example. If you want further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would be grateful for any response regarding the above matter. Regards Chris Puttick +44 (0)161 212 1972

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RE: NHS Meeting - Blair and Gates
by Alan Harris 05 Dec '01

05 Dec '01

Hi folks last word from me on this matter have a look at this http://www.silicon.com/bin/bladerunner?30REQEVENT=&REQAUTH=21046&14001REQSU… time to contact your mep with the details of your objections to the MS/Government Deal? alan ----------------------------------------------------- Alan Harris Network Manager Bryngwyn School Tel : 01554 750661 Fax : 01554 758255 E-mail: alanh(a)bryngwyn.carmarthen.sch.uk ----------------------------------------------------- Notes: 1. The contents of this email may be snooped on by interested government parties for unknown purposes! Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, 2000. 2. The opinions expressed in this email are personal and may not be shared by Bryngwyn School. -----------------------------------------------------

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