[svlug] [SVLUG-Officers] [volunteers] Fwd: mail problems?

[Marc MERLIN]

Since I can't post to the other lists, I guess we'll have to use the main
list.

On Tue, Jan 22, 2008 at 03:24:36PM -0800, Paul Reiber wrote:
> Regarding server admin - Marc, if you're unable to provide
> administrative assistance for the server yourself, and you're likewise
> unable to train or locate anyone else to help, I'd say, just don't let

I never admin machines where at least one person with little unix clue has
root and breaks stuff, sorry.
I also doubt you'll find any competent linux admin who will work in those
conditions.

Having 2 weeks worth of mail that's spooling because no one is at the helm
anymore, and the people who could fix it don't want to be anywhere near it,
or aren't allowed to, and having it only fixed by a power outage, defies
words.

> it be worrisome; new replacement server solutions are in the works.

Been going on for 15 months, just saying...
As stated in the other message, I setup the original machine in about a day, 
and when that hardware died, I got another one running in about half a day
when I got my hands on new hardware.
15 months! Come on!

> Regarding Joe, at Via.net - did he speak with you personally about
> this?  Did he ask you to pass on that request?

I happened to be there.

> I admit that I didn't try to SSH into the server; when I saw that the
> website wasn't responding, I contacted Via.net and asked if they could
> take a look whenever they had a free moment.  So, it's disconcerting to
> hear this from you (and not Joe) - if there's really an issue here, I need
> to know, since I wasn't aware I was being an imposition.
 
The fact that you don't even realize how wrong that is, worries me much.
If you're getting free hosting somewhere, the last thing you do is calling
the owner of the company to check on your web server when it's actually up
and it's just the web server that's not running.

Marc
-- 
"A mouse is a device used to point at the xterm you want to type in" - A.S.R.
Microsoft is to operating systems & security ....
                                      .... what McDonalds is to gourmet cooking
Home page: http://marc.merlins.org/