Re: Woody with ext3, 2.4 kernel + custom install questions
On Friday 26 April 2002 12:17 am, Andrew Pollock wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've been given the opportunity at my place of work (which is currently a
> Mandrake shop) to tout Debian. I was intending to use Woody, and have
> created the 8 CD's.
>
> I work for a managed security provider, and one of the reasons that they
> are using Mandrake over the likes of Red Hat is because of the control
> Mandrake allows over what gets installed. (i.e. when you say you want
> nothing, you get exactly that. The exact example that was told to me was
> with Red Hat you'd say you wanted nothing installed, but the thing would
> still listen on port 25. I have to say that even a base install of Debian
> has port 25 open, which is going to unimpress some people here...)
>
> Any, question #1:
>
> Where can I get a boot disk for Woody that has ext3 support (and a 2.4
> kernel). More to the point, where is it _documented_? I rummaged around on
> this list and found that if you boot off disc 3, you apparently get ext3
> (and presumably a 2.4 kernel) however I tried this on the SCSI system that
> I was playing with and that kernel doesn't support SCSI.
>
> and question #2:
>
> Is it possible to automate the installation process of Debian at all? Red
> Hat has KickStart, and Mandrake has some autoinst.img thingy. I'd like to
> be able to provide a set of packages for it to pre install. Could I create
> my own task package or something?
>
apropos the installation, do some research on apt-get and dpkg. once you get
the gist, you will never favor any any other installation method.
as far as port 25 is concerned, unless you're deliberately running an smtp
server, port 25 ain't no issue. otherwise it's access is only vulnerable to
the inherent flaws of whatever external smtp server you deliberately enable
access to your network setup. as for your employer's reliance on mandrake's
security, as far as i remember, mandrake's security is based on the user's
arbitrary selection of menu choices described as minimal security, medium
security, and maximum security. in the real world, none of these mean jack.
straight up, your employer is seriously deluded about security if he
recommends mandrake over redhat, and possibly certifiably incompetent if he
thinks that debian belongs on his list.
mandrake is the distro one recommends only to those who know absolutely
goddamn nothing about linux, as a means of having them learn, at the least
possible detrimental risk to their emotional welfare, what linux is about.
it's toy linux.
alternatively, if you're not willing to invest the time in learning how to
secure port 25, along with a bunch of other ports, maybe linux is not the
path you should take. maybe you'd be better off working with that other os
where you don't get to assume responsibility for anything, at all, and where,
when the shit hits, as it inevitably does, you can foist off the all too
ubiquitous excuse of computer malfunction, rather than the real
reason--operator handicap--as an excuse for why those you intended to serve
aren't being serviced at this time.
mandrake is the ideal desktop-user introduction to linux. it is definitely
not the distribution that any seriously market-competitive enterprise should
employ. do your own research and kick 'em in the ass. they obviously need it.
ben
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