Re: [BLUG] What have you done with Linux lately?

So I may be joinging this thread late, and it has probably been a couple of years since my last post to this list. Oh well, I'm back.

I have been doing way more with linux than ever before, but nothing really all that spectacular. Here is a rundown from the last few months (this is all on virtual servers -- no desktop stuff for me).

• I replaced our mail platform at works. We moved from CommunigatePro running on OS X to Zimbra running on Zimbra. I was (am) excited about the change. The users were less so.
• We are in the process of revamping our CRM system, and migrating from Act! running on Windows to SugarCRM. RIght now our testing of Sugar is on a linux server, but that will likely change (too much advantage to having the CRM database in SQL Server).
• Last July we cut from a trditional PBX with POTS lines to 100% SIP based Asterisk.
• I just finished installed laconica microblogging service on a Linux host for a pilot program at work.
• We are working on implementing document management using OSS with a Linux backend.

  So I have a load of fairly stock linux servers running a bunch of different software (almost all OSS). The fun part is that all of my admins are Windows guys. We have no $$ for extra Windows licenses, so Linux it is. I suppose the most exciting thing I am doing with Linux right now is my own in-house training for all of these admins who are hesitant (or is it stubborn) to embrace linux.
  Since work bought me a Mac laptop, I have not run a Linux desktop. However, that itch is starting to come back, so maybe someday soon. Anyone know of any new promising looking distros? Maybe something with E17?
  Last thing. I have also been toying with the idea of an LFS system. Has anyone ever done it?

Kirk

On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 2:34 PM, Barry Schatz <sorbetninja@gmail.com> wrote:

Well, I know we have members. (174 officially on the list and most
replied to my spam)

We need discussions! What have you done with Linux or other free
software lately? Any reinstalls? Who switched distros in the last six
months and why? Was it worth it? Even if you only have time for a couple
sentences, we all can benefit from your experiences.

I'll start.

My current adventure is upgrading my tower (desktop) to Kde 4.2. I use
Kde 4 on my laptops because I don't mind if I experimental packages
break them, but my tower is strictly Debian testing. Except for
Ktorrent, I didn't use any Kde4 apps on my tower until a couple nights ago.

Due to a very custom setup, I had to use a combination of apt-get,
deborphan, and apt-show-versions to get to where Kaboom would import my
settings. Even with my configuration migrated to Kde4, it needed a lot
of tweaking. Settings optimized for Kde3 won't feel right in Kde4. I
ended up going through all the config screens anyway. The defaults are
perfectly usable, but I like to configure everything to work best for /me/.

I didn't save a screenshot before the migration, and I wish I did (I
would like to compare old and new). The layout of everything was simple
and intuitive (for me). The new layout is nice too, though. Everything
feels clean and fresh. Desktop effects work better than before, and
transparency doesn't have gross memory leaks. I lost my convenient app
launchers in the transition, but krunner is so slick now that I don't
feel like recreating them.

If you're interested in Kde4, I recommend it highly. The 4.0 and 4.1
releases were rough, but 4.2 is ready for human consumption. If you want
more detail on using Debian's apt tools (or using Debian in general),
I'm happy to help.

-Barry

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