Linux

[Albert Lunde]

>Hello,
>
>Is everyone on vacation?  It seems a little quite out there.
>
>I'd like to start a discussion on linux; where and how it is or can be used
>in libraries. Is anyone using it as a web, e-mail, or file server? How about
>a firewall?

I'd guess that a lot of people are busy getting ready for new students.

I'm not sure detailed discussion of Linux is totally on topic.

My off-hand opinion is that Linux might reasonablely be _considered_ as
cheap replacement for Unix in many applications like web servers, POP/SMTP
servers, or X-windows displays.

Part of the downside is that you need at least one person on staff who is
skilled in installing and maintaining the system. My second-hand impression
is that this calls for at least as much skills, perhaps more, than a
typical Unix sys admin.

I'd also be very concerned about security of a Linux system directy
connected to the Internet. I've seen a number of security alerts and bug
reports about Linux in the past year.  You can argue that everybody having
the source code works both ways: bugs may get reported sooner; but unless
you follow a lot of security lists very carefully you may not hear about
the fixes.

I would _not_ use Linux for a firewall because there are just too many
issues about the code base that have been raised over time.

The "competition" in this context is commercial releases of Unix for the
PC, like BSDI or SCO, other PC systems like Novell or NT, and products on
other hardware platforms like HP/UX, dedicated
firewalls/routers/X-terminals, or Macs.  For a particlar application one of
these may be attractive.

(I'm not a Linux users, but a part-time Unix admin who's had to spend some
time becoming professionally paranoid about security ;)



---
    Albert Lunde                      Albert-Lunde at nwu.edu