[WEB4LIB] RE: Advice on Linux

[Jerry Kuntz]

If it is the new epixtech iPac product being referred to here, it does have vendor support restricted to installations Solaris or Windows NT/2000 machines, but the actual web server part of it is the open source Jetty: 
http://jetty.mortbay.com/jetty/index.html
and the open source web application server, jboss:
http://www.jboss.org/

I think even the vendors are realizing that putting all your eggs in the MS basket creates more problems than not. In this case I can't fault epixtech's strategy.

It is possible to run an additional web service on the same machine, Apache or IIS, and the iPac manuals detail how to do so. 

At any rate I think Peter's point is valid--few libraries are in a position to risk running applications on platforms which the application vendor either explicity will not support or will admit total unfamiliarity with.

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Peter Verhagen" <pverhagen at sapl.ab.ca>
Reply-To: pverhagen at sapl.ab.ca
Date:  Tue, 4 Jun 2002 09:21:48 -0700 (PDT)

>> When using Apache with Samba and mod_frontpage I can't think of
>> any other "infrastructure" that would cause me to use IIS.
>>
>
>I can:
>
>1) Vendor Support
>
>Now, to the best of my knowledge, our Public Library Vendor
>(Epixtech) supports Internet access to our library's catelogue only
>on two different Operating Systems: Solaris and Windows.
>2) Familiarity
>
>Although I'd like to use Solaris, I don't know anything about it. As
>it currently stands, it would be a waste to drop our existing
>investment into Windows to make the switchover. Although, in
>retrospect, perhaps our Library did make the wrong move when we
>invested into Windows (relying on Vendor's Advice)
>But, If I were to start a new project, and this project DID NOT rely
>on access to my Library's catelogue, I would not hesitate to
>consider OpenBSD (for servers/firewalls) or Linux (for Desktop).
>Case & Point - Please visit: http://extra.sapl.ab.ca/ (shameless plug)
>
>If our vendor choose to support either of these Operating Systems, I
>would not hesitate to make the switchover.
>Peter Verhagen
>Systems Administrator
>St. Albert Public Library
>
>
>
>

--
Jerry Kuntz
Electronic Resources Consultant
Ramapo Catskill Library System
jkuntz at rcls.org

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