Topic: Silent Migration from CentOS to ClearOS in SME 9.0 ?

[apmuthu]

We need a new topic for SME 9.0.

Observations from the SME 9.0 alpha 1 ISO:

The other modes of boot up like diskimg, xen and boot.iso are missing (they were there till SME 8.0 beta 7).
The Packages/base/comps.xml file shows base as SME 9.0 packages and core as ClearOS Enterprise.

ClearOS is stated to be an open source rebuild of a prominent North American Linux distribution (read RHEL - not stated anywhere there) where the Enterprise version is available only with paid support contract.

The status of the core developers in going away from SME to other forks like NethServer and the relationship of the smeserver git to the project needs clarity.

Debian has 9 of 14 custodians to make a repo key (recent expiration of Lenny GPG keys whilst older and newer ones have not expired) - how does SME make it's repo keys?

Request for documentation on how to make a custom ISO of current SMEs - 7/8/9.

[guest22]

apmuthu,

thanks for your comments and support to SME Sever. We've also seen you being very keen on Sail, so that's all good!

Regarding your comment on ClearOS, I'm not sure I fully understand. SME Server (x.x) has been based on RH/RHEL/CentOS since beginning of time.. Can you please clarify?

Regarding NethServer, that is s a very good initiative, since it has adopted the SME Server templating system. And for your information, Filippo and team and SME Server are still _very_ good friends!

May I suggest you join the devinfo mailing list where your in depth comments can be discussed with the developers? If you would, that would be great, for as it sounds like your skills are valuable to SME Server, and foremost to our community!

Thanks,
guest

[apmuthu]

Search for the word "ClearOS" in the file Packages/base/comps.xml in the testing SME v9.0 alpha 1 ISO and you can see the reference.
 
Thank you @hwang for your suggestion for me to join the dev mailing list. Will do so in time when I am free of current tasks - cleaning up a few Open Source repos for community use where there is no Internet yet available.
 
Whilst the SME templating system may be quite comfortable to those with long years of experience with it, it was developed at a time when databases like SQLite or MongDB were but a blip on the radar. INI type overrides were in vogue as well. The lack of a hybrid ISO and no out of the box USB install being supported, I was trying to remedy it. Just generated a USB Image for a 1GB pendrive.
 
A web page in SMEServer.org devoted to the NethServer and vice-versa would go a long way in establishing the Friendship between the two template based distros.
 
Making SMEServer usable natively in OpenVZ would be a great plus for those intending to start Cloud Services instead of being the private preserve of a few developers / consultants. Many parts of the Wiki like mirrors and ftpsync usage are quite outdated and need revamping - write access to the Wiki seems limited. A competing distro - BlueOnyx - has the OpenVZ template. Poisoning DNS and reporting root passwords has also to be contended with in any third party distro unless it is manually vetted and compiled from scratch. The SAIL distro does not provide the SRPM of the sarkhpe binary. In fact any Open Source distro should have a full disclosure on their front page as to what part of the source is withheld - for whatever reason.
 
The lack of many SRPMs for SME RPMs is also quite a hurdle. A Wiki Page that maintains the status of the RPMs and their dependancies too would make for full disclosure and confidence in using it. The forum here does not allow attachments and hence I am unable to post my detailed findings.
 
 
 
 

[janet]

apmuthu

We need a new topic for SME 9.0.
Observations from the SME 9.0 alpha 1 ISO:
The other modes of boot up like diskimg, xen and boot.iso are missing (they were there till SME 8.0 beta 7).
The Packages/base/comps.xml file shows base as SME 9.0 packages and core as ClearOS Enterprise.

Specific issues with sme9 alpha should go to bugzilla so proper follow up & action can occur. Please register at bugzilla & post your results/observations/findings there, thanks.
See http://bugs.contribs.org/

for example see this bug
http://bugs.contribs.org/show_bug.cgi?id=7350

Request for documentation on how to make a custom ISO of current SMEs - 7/8/9.

This is also something that can be raised as a bug report, and doing so will likely get more attention given to the matter.

As also advised the devinfo mail list is a good discussion place, but it is intended for development matters, so preferably stay on topic.
The various mailing lists are here.
http://lists.contribs.org/mailman/listinfo/

Initially you can just subscribe and read the activity that gets emailed to you. They are often quiet, and then have flurries of activity, so nothing to be scared of or hesitant about.
You can just read the posts for their informative value, and join in and make posts only when you are ready to do so.

[apmuthu]

Bug Report Filed.
 

[wellsi]

We need a new topic for SME 9.0.

Yes there will be a need for SME 9 forums. At the moment the first ISO is not ready for widespread use

Observations from the SME 9.0 alpha 1 ISO:

All observations to Devinfo mailing list, or problems to bugzilla.
Alpha1 is not representative of SME Server 9.0 there is a long way to go, and currently all problems need reporting.
See also the Alpha wiki page http://wiki.contribs.org/SME9Alpha

Request for documentation on how to make a custom ISO of current SMEs - 7/8/9.

All scripts needed to make the ISO were made available, I don't know the current status of the documentation.

[apmuthu]

Actually the making of the SME9 Alpha ISO itself was a nice case study. Unfortunately, to avoid confusion for the community using the wiki normally, the content of http://wiki.contribs.org/SME_on_CentOS_6 got wiped out and advised redirection elsewhere.
 
I've just resurrected the last of it at http://www.apmuthu.com/files/SME_on_CentOS_6.pdf .
 
I would like feedback on a parallel effort for the SME8 for installing into an OpenVZ container like on a ProxmoxVE box.