I'm a newbie (both to Linux and to setting up systems of any sort) and I'm having difficulties - even with YaST2.

I think I'm going to have to start my SuSE 9.3 installation again (I think I have managed to corrupt my current installation).

I'm using YaST2 to do as much as possible (I am not familiar with Linux commands or other Linux utilities).

And I'm tempted to try to find another distribution which might be significantly simpler than SuSE 9.3 and YaST2.

I need to build a web server (LAMP/perl/python), download a few applications (osCommerce, WapReader, an SMS gateway, and possibly one or two others), and set up a few users.

Furthermore, I have to do this quickly. I really need to have it set up in the next day or so.

Is there anything significantly easier than YaST2 for doing this, perhaps with fewer options and steps in the setup/application installation process?

I've read, for example, that it is easier to install a live CD. Is that usually the case? (Unfortunately my system will not run the SuSE live DVD - I think the problem is my computer screen is not the default type for the live DVD).

I'd welcome your thoughts.

Many thanks

Gus

If you find YaST2 difficult, then you'll have real trouble with this: very tough indeed.

I was going to suggest Ubuntu 5.04 (A single CD distro, based on debian.) however, you need everything ready to go. In which case - look for fedora (4 CD or 1 DVD distro - like SuSE it is an everything distro whereas with ubuntu you'll still have apache, for eg, to install.)

For a quickie server though, simple to do, you may want to look for "Fedora Linux 2 for Dummies" ... since this walks you through common configurations for servers as well as acclimatising you to the linux environment very quickly.

Don't forget TLDP - There is a TON of info on there. Check it out for a lot of info on configuring LAMP servers...

If this was no joke, I mean you want to set up LAMP and YAST is too hard for you , read this great Novell LAMP-tutorial to do this:
http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/595.html

Well its for LAM+PHP but if you´ll follow the instructions i guess there is no problem in installing python and perl.

YAST is the really easy to use, but if you really want to use something else for managing your server you could use webmin
http://webmin.com - easy to use server administration with web-based interface.
Just download the rpm-package and install it.

For downloading more applications there are several possibilities , add sources to yast, download the rpms, use apt, ...
If you are new to linux, the only real chance is to try to find the rpm-packeges of the software..

OK.
I guess there isn't anything much simpler than YaST2.
I'll stick with it.

I have another question however.
When downloading applications, is there any convention with regard to where I place the application directory.
I was thinking of having a directory '/applications' with subdirectories for each application I download.

Is this the correct way to proceed?
Does it make any difference where I place the applications?

I'd welcome your thoughts.

Many thanks

Gus

Does it make any difference where I place the applications?
Kinda.

If you install an application from rpm, it will usually install into a directory of it's own choosing. When you compile from source, similarily the developer will have a particular idea about where it should go. UNless you are very keen, you should stick with the defaults.

Normally the /usr directory subtree contains applications for normal users to run while something like /sbin is for admin. This provides a common framework and allows programs to find each other.

Anything user specific would probably go in the users home directory.

Anything you want to be able to run off the command line without specifying the path (./path/to/application/app-executable) will have to be in your path. So special directories will probably need to be added to the $PATH variable.

You don't normally need to worry about this unless you are creating the app yourself.

Thanks Simon.
This is very helpful.

Gus

Another question if I may.

Is there a way of giving my users access to their accounts from the web so that they can use YaST2 from the Internet?

Is there anything which allows this kind of virtual access to users' accounts from the web?

Many thanks

Gus

You can enable remote administration so that you can connect to your server with VNC viewers (also from windows).
I have only tried this on LAN, but Im quite sure it will work also from WAN.

Changes can be made over SSH, but if you prefer graphical tools it is not for you.
You could try also that WEBMIN , which I suggested before.

Look at VNC (Virtual Network Computing)... but also VPN (Virtual Private Network). VNC allows remote desktop access, while VPN is more complete.

What you are looking at will depend on exactly what you want to do, and what for. If you want people to log onto the lan over the internet, you may find the VPN more you.

Apologies in advance; this is a long one!

Thank you all once again.
But maybe a little more information about me and what I am trying to do would help you to help me.

I'm a lecturer.
My specialism is e-commerce strategy and I also very interested in electronic markets.

After having spent the last few years gaining a better understanding of online strategies, I would now like to implement some of them with my students.

I teach a module on implementing e-commerce and this year I would like the assignments to be based on open source applications.
I asked our technical support people to set up a server for me but they are not proficient in Linux and so they have not done so.

I have been preaching the benefits of open source for years and so I (foolishly) decided that I would set up the server myself and have my students use it to install (perhaps) and configure OSS applications.
And, furthermore, these applications would be ones which were of interest to me and/or beneficial to the school or uni.

My class started yesterday (Tuesday) and I explained to the students what I am trying to do.
I also showed them opensourcecms.com during the seminar and it 'blew them away'.
They knew little about the open source movement and were surprised and amazed at what could be done with freely available software.
In the light of this enthusiasm, it is now more imperative than ever that I deliver on the promised server.

So, I'd like to give the students access to their accounts via the Internet/intranet so they can configure their applications whenever and wherever they wish.
And I'd like them to be able to use YaST2 for any application installation which might be required (as some of them may not be very proficient with scripting or command languages).

I guess by now you may well think I have completely lost the plot!
(I have to confess I sometimes think I have a tendency to want to fly before I can walk).
But, for better or worse, I now feel I have to see this thing through to the end.
(And I have to confess, in a strange masochistic sort of way, it is not without the occasional pleasure).

Anyway, do you think VNC, VPN and/or Usermin would be appropriate for this scenario?
Or is there anything else which you feel might be more appropriate?

As always, I'd welcome your thoughts.

Many thanks

Gus

The only thing easier than YaST is Windows Update, but it requires your ceding your right of first sale, fair use rights, plus you agree to allow Microsoft to do whatever they want whenever they want to do it to your computer, and provide you with no warranty even if a failure is directly due to their negligence.

With that said, I think the alternatives (YaST/YOU, apt-get, yum, etc.) are all excellent, and in the case of YaST, extremely easy to use.

By default linux is a multiuser system, ONE superuser and rest are normal users with normal rights. It shouldn´t be used like everybody use their windows system with administrator rights. You surf the web, write your mails, code the stuff you code and so on with normal userlevel... and if there is need for program installation/ system administration you switch to superuser ( the root thingy) .

What you are looking for is a solution to the situation that everybody could install their software.
This would require everyone to be part of root group or you would have to give the root password to everyone.

You will lose all the benefits of the multiuserlevel system and people could access every part of your computer. Lets say installation of the program x would need user to compile a new kernel (the base of the linux system). And if the new kernel then panics ( system is unable to boot) there is no one to help, and everybody else will suffer. This is just one of the worst case scenarios.

The problem is that if you give them the root password and show them YAST, there is always someone who wants to try everything...
"hmm this looks like an interesting button, hmm maybe i should push it.. well what the hell is the system doing... oh I shouldn´t have done that... well whats that. something crashed... oops"
Using linux/unix isn´t easy.


If you teach students to install RPM packages with YAST everything is going to be allright hopefully.

Download the packages to directory x, go to that location x with file browser you are using, click the package and you should see button below address bar saying "install with yast". Click that button,and it will it ask root password and after that package is installed automatically.

With webmin you can also install rpm packages, haven´t done this myself but its possible.
Connection with VNC will give you access to the desktop, it looks like your are on the server but just in smaller window. VPN is more secure but harder to configurate.

thats my two cents

Thanks Onjoo.
This is very helpful.

Would it be feasible and/or better for me to install the applications and then copy the relevant ones to each student's account (can YaST2 or Webmin do this)?
They could then configure their copy of the application but would not be able to do any damage to the system as a whole.

Also, some web hosts use Fantastico (or other autoinstallers) to install applications into the user's account.
Presumably in this case, the host has pre-installed the scripts into the applications' directories and then Fantastico uses these install directories as the source (rather like the way sources can be specified in YaST2, I suppose).
Is something like this feasible in my case too?

What do you think?

Many thanks

Gus

I would suggest seeing if you can find funding to hire an experienced Linux Administrator for this project. Without that, you're burnt toast.