[sudo-discuss] Hardware for the masses

[Ed Biow]

As some of you have noticed I can be flakier then a lethal case of
psoriasis, but I've finally got a couple of images ready to muck with
those 50 or so machines that are providing cover for the rats' nest
right now. Unfortunately, I'm planning on leaving town for a few weeks
to go camping so I won't be able to show folks how I'd like to process
the buggers.  But I have actually typed up a set of instructions if
folks can't be bothered to await my second coming.

I took one of the dual core machines, installed Kubuntu 14.04, imaged it
and then set it up as a local server.  It is over towards the computer
hardware wall on one of the tables, ready for enterprising folks to have
at. It is a boxy Dell a wifi PCI card so it can get the internet and its
ethernet is configured to provide a connection of other boxes through a
little switch.  The machine (whose hostname is Spartacus) is also
attached to a KVM switch so it can share its monitor, keyboard and mouse
with up to 3 other machines that are being worked on.  There is a black
button to control which machine has the KVM's attention at the moment. 
So Spartacus is configured with a number of services.
1. Apache web server which has the incomplete instructions about how to
image the new boxes (there is also a crumpled piece of paper there with
some of the instructions).
2. Samba file server to host the images, one for the old Dells under the
server rack (40 GB hard drives) and the other for the somewhat newer
dual core machines near the 3D printer.
3. Approx, a deb installation file caching proxy, so you can quickly
download and install Debian and Ubuntu packages instead of downloading
them afresh for each machine. When I have time when I get back I'll put
the approx cache on an encrypted partition so it will be harder to muck
with.  I'll also use the machine to host Linux & BSD distro isos.  I'll
also include instructions about how to use approx for your personal
machines with a few easily-to-follow instructions.

I put all that stuff at sudoroom, but wasn't able to totally finish the
instructions when I was there.  But I mailed an updated "index.html"
file and an updated installation script to an account that I set up on
Spartacus and its clones, sudoroomie at gmail.com.  If some helpful person
wants they can open Thunderbird, download the 2 files and put up them in
/var/www/html.  You'll have to sudo to get them there, that directory is
owned by root.

Anywho, the upshot is, boot up Spartacus, hook up a machine you wish to
image, then follow the directions on Spartacus (use a web browser to go
to http://localhost). You can use the live CDs or the 256MB USB stick I
left there to install the image.  When I get back I'll make another
install image or two for Debian testing and maybe a 64 bit Ubuntu 14.04
image, as well.

The instructions are annoyingly long and don't cover many of the cases
that will undoubtedly emerge.  If & when I get back in September I plan
to start hosting a regular Friday afternoon/evening Linux InstallFest
where folks can come to get Linux help, share tips, get access to
installation media, and perhaps eat some warmish pizza when I get back
from my weekly donation run at 9PM. 

If you want to install Linux on the machines without my image server
there are a bunch of DVDs in a Microsoft Developer kit binder over on
hardware wall.  But if you don't want to place the box in a home
somewhere, please label the sucker appropriately so people who want to
use them know what they are getting in to.  Also, this should go without
typing, please leave my KVM switch, ethernet switch & USB stick more or
less where they are, or at least tell me where they have been moved.

If any of you are at loose ends this month feel free to join me
dispersed canoe camping
<https://www.google.com/images?q=Utica%20Reservoir&sa=N&tab=wi&gws_rd=ssl>
about 3.5 hours from here in the National Forest in the Sierras.  My
first (and so far only) wife Kathy will be driving up on Thursday or
Friday nights so you can get a ride with her or at least have her show
you how to get there.  We'll have a couple of extra tents and a few bags
& pads and have extra chairs, plates, etc., so you just need to bring
your food, grog & clothes (provided the camping gear isn't otherwise
spoken for that weakend).  I'm hoping I'll be able to get intermittent
Internet access at the coffee shop in Bear Valley, about 3 steep miles
away.  Anywho, my home number is 510-763-0591.  The phone is even dumber
then I am so you'll have to leave a call-back number loudly and clearly
on our 20 year old $5 answering machine. If I'm spared I'll be back in
early September.

e




On 07/30/2014 09:42 PM, Marina Kukso wrote:
> Hi Ed,
>
> Just a quick ping (with a few other interested parties copied)
> regarding the status of the computers and what we can do to help! If
> the computers are already at sudo and if there's any testing/setup
> that we can do now, just let me know.
>
> Best,
> Marina
>

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