[Web4lib] blue sky thinking

[Mark Gilman]

Hi,
 
This is just blue sky thinking and not pertaining to any institution in
particular.  What if an institution wanted to gain the benefits that accrue
to libraries that have excellent server access and support in, say, a LAMP
(Linux / MySQL / Apache / Php & PERL) environment but had limited means and
possibilities.  Is there any reason why something like this scenario
wouldn't work?
 
1)  buy cheap space on a Linux shared hosting server that provides root
access such as 
      http://www.spry.com/plesk-vps/ <http://www.spry.com/plesk-vps/>  /
http://support.jodohost.com/showthread.php?t=1726
<http://support.jodohost.com/showthread.php?t=1726>  /
http://www.linode.com/products/linodes.cfm
<http://www.linode.com/products/linodes.cfm> 
 
2) identify open source tools that significantly expand capabilities (i.e.
Content Management Systems or other database server driven tools)
 
3)  either install and configure these tools oneself or simply outsource it
to someone via a site like http://www.elance.com/ <http://www.elance.com/> 
 
4) point a DNS at this server only for those pages that rely upon the LAMP
environment, but leave everything else "in situ".  What would be the best
way to do that? Could www2.yoursite.com be made to point to a different
server from www.yoursite.com <http://www.yoursite.com>  (the difference
being the insertion of the Arabic numberal two just after the www, or is
that not workable?)
 
Apart from the obvious potential downwides (i.e. the guy who bids the job
proves not be sufficiently capable) is there a fly in this ointment?  Seems
like the upside would be to enable public libraries to participate in some
of the innovation that academic libraries are able to access by virtue of
being embedded in technically forward looking environments with lots of
computer science folks running around pushing the envelope, etc.
 
Regards,
Mark