services wizard

[bob smith]

Phil Meyer wrote:
> Mike Chambers wrote:
>> Hi there,
>>
>> Was thinking and wondering, if it would be good to have configuration
>> wizards for services that you want to configure (such as email server
>> (sendmail/postfix), http, and so on) that would ask basic questions and
>> would go certain directions (or just one way) depending on how much you
>> answer?
>>
>>   
>
> These are the 'wizard' type tools currently available in Fedora 9.
> # yum install system-config-<whatever>
>
> You will notice that httpd is there, along with bind, nfs, samba, and 
> vsftpd.
>
> system-config-audit
> system-config-bind
> system-config-boot
> system-config-cluster
> system-config-date
> system-config-display
> system-config-firewall
> system-config-firewall-tui
> system-config-httpd
> system-config-kdump
> system-config-keyboard
> system-config-kickstart
> system-config-language
> system-config-lvm
> system-config-netboot-cmd
> system-config-netboot
> system-config-network
> system-config-network-tui
> system-config-nfs
> system-config-printer-libs
> system-config-printer
> system-config-rootpassword
> system-config-samba
> system-config-services
> system-config-users
> system-config-vsftpd
>
> There is no wizard, currently, for sendmail.  However, editing the 
> /etc/mail/sendmail.mc file, and generating a good sendmail.cf with 
> make, is almost trivial.
>
> The various, many, and often obfuscated, options for postfix 
> configurations could, at present, never be managed in a GUI.
>
> I would state, without any desire to condescend or berate new users, 
> that sendmail and postfix are not tools for users, but are considered 
> administrative.
>
> Just as my 83 year old dad would never consider setting up a windows 
> domain server and a windows exchange server, nor should he ever 
> consider setting up a sendmail or postfix server by himself.
>
> The fact that it can be done without monetary cost, does not mean that 
> it should be attempted.
> An open email relay is almost always the result of uneducated 
> tampering, and constitutes a clear and present danger to all who use 
> the Internet.
>
> For these, and other more well reasoned reasons, you may never see the 
> types of tools a new user would need to set up an email server.
>
> As email server software is improved upon, and if there is ever such a 
> thing as a good way to meet most demands, then we may see such tools.
>
> It is frustrating, and I share that frustration with the lack of 
> useful tools for those things that I am unfamiliar with.  Lack of 
> documentation, however, is the worst of sins in IT, and fortunately 
> there is no lack of documentation for configuring sendmail and postfix.
>
> Spend the time and make of yourself an expert.  It can be rewarding, 
> and it may be necessary to accomplish what you want.
>
> Good Luck!
>
>
>
Thanks!! Great pointers!  This might make my admin work easier as I 
build boxes, cause I did not know about the
system-config- capabilities!!!
Wooo hooo!!
bob

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