Re: One-Stop Debian Box Config Tool: Call for Collaborators!
From:
Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com>
So sorry, Jarrod. I really must succeed in changing my method and using L
instead of clicking reply. :-(
Sending to list as originally intended.
On Friday 13 September 2013 09:36:50 Jarrod O'Flaherty wrote:
> a
> tool intended to
> become the central and all-encompassing place to go to configure any and
> every aspect of your Debian system.
Libranet, which was based on Debian in the sense that it used actual debian
repositories in addition to its own, had an admin assistant. When its
copyright holder killed Libranet off, those of us who wanted to go on using
Libranet simply commented out the Libranet repositories and went on using
Sarge. The admin tool didn't work very well for Etch, so it sadly died.
I think it was just what you suggest. It did not do everything possible, but
it did do everything basic and a little bit more. For the rest there is
always the CLI. ;-)
You could do worse than find a copy of the admin assistant and work it up. It
was Open Source software so the code is all there. I have the disks that
were released when the next version of Libranet became current, and if you
were interested could let you have them. I actually have the dead ones too.
Lisi
On Friday 13 September 2013 09:36:50 Jarrod O'Flaherty wrote:
> Greetings All!
>
> This is a call to Debian programmers who would be interested in spending a
> couple hours a month working with me on developing a "One-Stop Debian Box
> Config Tool" -- a tool intended to
> become the central and all-encompassing place to go to configure any and
> every aspect of your Debian system.
>
>
>
> CONCEPT OUTLINE
> =================
>
> The tool will (subject to the approval of the collaborators ;) :
>
> 1. Drastically reduce the need to:
> a) Google every time you want to tweak feature X of package Y.
>
> b) Post to message boards when Googling fails to deliver the goods.
>
>
>
> 2. Provide users with an (ever-growing!) common repository of step-by-step
> "recipes" by which they can tweak / fix / customize / build / repair /
> upgrade their systems.
>
>
> 3. Present each step of a recipe in the form of a regular shell command, so
> it can be easily checked, easily modified, and -- most importantly! --
> easily applied.
>
>
>
> 4. Eliminate the need to copy and paste said shell commands by providing a
> special terminal window as part of the interface.
>
>
> 5.
> Reduce or altogether eliminate the need to edit the shell commands by
> intelligently substituting
>
> installation-specific pathnames, module names, version numbers, etc.
> into the commands as appropriate.
>
>
> 6. Allow you to search the recipes using a goal-based syntax similar to the
> following:
> PATTERN) "I want to:
> VERB + OBJECT [ + to + VALUE ]"
> EXAMPLE) "I want to: change the default GTK font size to
> 18pt"
>
>
> 7. Facilitate the sending of feedback to report successes and failures
> using a given recipe, automatically collecting and attaching to it relevant
> information on the system setup as well as any (error) messages that were
> output during the process.
>
>
> 8. Play The Imperial March every time you report using a recipe
> successfully. (Hmmmm. Then again, there could be some licensing problems
> there.)
>
>
> All frivolity aside, let's start talking about how to automate the system
> configuration and administration process the same way the rest of the *NIX
> world is automated!
>
>
>
> HOW TO GET INVOLVED
>
> ====================
>
> Those interested should email me ( jofsama@yahoo.com ) with their:
>
> * Name
> * Languages Spoken/Written
> * Timezone of Residence
>
> * Linux
> Background and Proficiency
> * Linux
> Flavors Used
> * Programming Experience
>
> * Ways You Would Like to Help
>
> Anyone and everyone who enjoys using Linux is welcome to join.
>
> And if you would like to participate but are unsure as to how to do so, let
> me suggest that collaborators can, initially at least, be of greatest
> assistance in:
>
> * Setting up a project homepage.
> * Setting up a mailing list or equivalent by which collaborators can
> communicate. * Helping to flesh out the project scope and requirements.
> * Drafting up a design document and work plan.
> * Creating a document & code repository on Github or similar.
>
> Come and join me in
> collaborating on
> a tool that's going to be the biggest revolution in
> Linux-box interaction since .inputrc got "history-search-backward"!
>
> Look forward to hearing from you!
>
> Yours Sincerely,
> Jarrod O'Flaherty.
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