Topic: E-Smith/SME Newbie

[JeffC]

Guys/Gals:

I'm completely lost.  I just happened to stumble upon SME (after finding a link from IPCop's website) -- where it mentioned connectivity servers.

Actually, interestingly, this whole 'connectivity server' idea is something I had been debating back and forth with a friend -- an idea that we were going to go alone and try to resell to clients, customers, etc.

All in all, I'm kinda clueless as to the major FEATURE LIST that this concept offers.  I'm sure that when I install it tonight (I'm d/l'ing 5.6), I'll have some basic answers covered, but I'd still like to know if there's a LARGE SIMPLE FAQ to this whole thing.  I checked MITEL's site, and lo and behold, alot of their corporate-ness is infringing upon the simplistic views of an open sourced community - and I absolutely couldn't find the SIMPLE FAQ they talk about.  Can someone help out.  How about other main sites, or webrings for SME?

I think it's a wonderful product so far, and it seems relatively unknown, at least in my circles.

Second, I'd be really interested in producing a customized version of a release of SME (offering of course my work back to open source), but to really REALLY customize it with a new total web interface, so that home and small business owners are presented with the most friendly method possible.  Image Windows XP Icons meet WEBMIN lite.  I'm sure someone can point me to a good link.

Again - newb alert here.  I'm going to re-read everything I've just read, probably 4 or 5 more times.

I'll install this thing like 2 or 3 times.  I'm going to do alot to know this portal, because I don't think clarkconnect is really worth it ($fee not FREE).

TIA

Jeff

[Craig Jensen]

You got a good start by 'using' SME.  Here are some links:

Visit contribs.org

www.tech-geeks.org

http://www.acenet-tech.org/cdj/cdj.html (read the docs and pdfs, these are at other sites as well)

Spend more time at the e-smith.org site.  There is a great deal of basic info there.  Search through the web using google for sme sites.  Read up on contribs from people in this forum and at contribs.org.  If you are familiar with Linux this be familiar quickly.

Regards,

Craig Jensen

[Ray Mitchell]

And do read the 2 handbooks, they are on the CD in documents folder or online.
Yes I agree you should also read ALL the links on www.e-smith.org as there is a wealth of info on the site.

Mitel have the commercially supported arm at www.mitel.com
and the GPL developer/community unsupported arm at www.e-smith.org

Regards
Ray Mitchell

[Tom Haynes]

Don't write off IPCop or ClarkConnect. They are both great distributions. Features come at a cost, and the cost is not only in terms of size but also in terms of complexity and security.

I would not hesitate to use IPCop, ClarkConnect, or E-Smith in a production system.

I say you should install the three and give them a try.

I claim E-Smith is the server most small businesses need. If all you want is firewall/NAT, go with IPCop. I have a fondness for CC and its flexibility.

[Belthazar]

JeffC

Take a look at the following URLs;

http://www.swerts-knudsen.dk
http://mirror.contribs.org/smeserver/contribs/
http://www.dungog.net/sme/files/
http://www.sme-server.nl/index.php
http://www.aplawrence.com/SME/forwarding.html
http://www.tech-geeks.org/index.php
http://www.lordsfam.net/downloads/
http://www.pagefault.org/code/e-smith.shtml#securemail
http://myezserver.com/mitel/contrib

Regards

Belthazar

[JeffC]

Thanks for the great info.

Last question, what should I study/learn/get up to speed on in order that I may be able to customize the administrative Web-based interfaces of the SME/E-smith server environment?

Thanks again!

Jeff

[Ray Mitchell]

There are quite a lot of add on panels already available for server manager.
eg user-panel
Search contribs.org for what you want.

To tailor the server manager itself, dev-info mail list may be the place to ask or post a specific question on these forums.

Regards
Ray Mitchell