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Open Source Training/Teaching as Advocacy?
dsavitsk asks: "I am a part owner and I.T. manager of a small company. I spend most of my time writing in-house software in Python and VB, and administering the various systems we use. (Our current setup is a Win2k Server, a few win2k clients, a FreeBSD gateway, and a few other things.) I am also in law school, so my time is very short. In general, whenever I can, I will use an open source program over a closed one (hence, most of our software is now Python powered). One of the perks of my job is that I have an open budget and mandate to learn as much as I can about new technology we might use. (I've bought $1200.00 in O'Reilly books in the last year alone!) So, the question. I simply don't have time to learn everything I need to know, and to configure lots of open source projects that don't have a pile of books or decent documentation written about them. I found, in fact, that not knowing anything, it was much easier to set up a Windows domain than a Samba server. We also don't have the money to hire a full time sysadmin. What we would like is to hire a consultant for open source software who would not only come in to install and configure something, but who would also teach me the hows and whys so that I could then pickup where they left off. Clearly, we are not looking for free help, and would be happy to pay market rate for the work. In short, we are looking for people who would advocate for open source not just be producing it and consulting about it, but by administering it and teaching at the same time. So, where would I find such a someone?"
I do not mean any insult to Samba itself -- it's a great project run by some world-class coders. That was one example meant to illustrate the real crux of his problem: Who is going to maintain all of this custom crap?
You are correct that open-source doesn't mean fix it yourself -- but open source isn't an IT nirvana either.
Let's assume one day this guy's company grows and he hires a sys admin, or a programmer who wears a sys admin hat. The original poster is an attorney now and is busy running his company.
Who in the hell has the time to do routine IT crap, and figure out all sorts of bizarre configurations. If you stick to standard configurations you'll be able to find people to run/fix/upgrade/maintain them. Unless you are a huge organization with lots of technical expertise, don't customize for the sake of doing it or to save $500.
This leads to another thought: If you don't want to run non-free software -- don't use Windows! If you want to adhere to open standards -- don't use a proprietary directory scheme! If you want a free user directory -- don't use a domain!
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
"A low UID is not a license to be rude, and snide comments are especially out of place when they are misinformed. I suggest a calmative, followed by a period of quiet reflection."
/. security expert.
I suggest a laxative.
Reread what I wrote, understand the issues and quit trying to play Mr.