[eagle] Re: adding stuff to amsat.org

[Rick Hambly (W2GPS)]

Phil,

Yes, it was me.  The purpose is not to add anything new or change anything
specific, but rather to get a handle on some ongoing activities that are
languishing and need attention.  Just look at 
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/AboutAmsat/officers.php 
if you want to know what I am concerned about. 

I will be doing a survey of our applications, like the new Web site and
AIMS, to aid in planning for the future. I will also be looking to see how
we can best plan for backup application maintainers. 

In the long run I can envision a move of some or all of the functions of the
current computer into our new lab in Pocomoke City MD contingent on the
commercial fiber optic line coming in and a qualified on-site maintainer
being recruited.  This would allow expanded use of our facilities beyond
what is allowed in the university environment.

This is a strategic and executive information gathering activity, not
Engineering or an Eagle activity at this point.

Rick
W2GPS
AMSAT President
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Karn [mailto:karn at ka9q.net] 
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 8:14 AM
To: Rick Hambly (W2GPS); Bob McGwier
Cc: eagle list
Subject: adding stuff to amsat.org

I had pizza with Brian Kantor WB6CYT Saturday night. He said somebody in 
  AMSAT, possibly Rick, had asked for root access for the amsat.org 
machine so that various new functions could be added.

I wasn't sure (and neither was Brian) of the specific new functions to 
be added, but they seemed to be various forms of engineering support.

Brian is concerned, and I agree with him, that these additions might 
risk the stability and security of a stable machine already relied upon 
very heavily by everyone in AMSAT for email reflector and web services. 
Problems might come from the new services themselves, or from the much 
larger set of administrators with root access that would surely result.

For example, counter to the assumptions of some, the amsat.org machine 
doesn't run Linux; it runs BSD Unix. They're similar in many ways, but 
there are crucial differences that anyone with root access must be aware of.

Computers, even rackmount servers, just aren't so expensive or hard to 
come by that we have to cram everything on a single box. If there's need 
for another new server to handle AMSAT engineering-related services, I'm 
sure we could come up with a new box and host it at either UCSD (where 
Brian would manage it) or Qualcomm (where I would manage it.)

Just let me know what's really needed, and we can make it happen.

Phil