Re: [webmin-l] Ramblings after reviewing the pole

[Jamie C. <jca...@we...>]

On Sun, 2005-12-11 at 15:59, John Hinton wrote:
> Jamie Cameron wrote:
> 
> >Hmm .. it sounds like I need to add some popup help to that module. To
> >be honest, I have trouble thinking from the perspective of a
> >non-Unix-expert :)
> >
> I just had to leave that comment there. ;) Yeah, you only have to deal with us dumb sysadmins that can't find what's right in front of them in the Webmin interface! We on the other hand, have to deal with the public who for the most part doesn't know the difference between POP, alias, incoming mail server and outgoing mail server.. and thinks 'email client' is a command not a program. "OK, I'll email that client of mine right away!"

Yeah, that is part of the problem .. most of the webmin users I deal
with are at least moderately knowledgeable sysadmins, so it is hard for
me to get a feel for what non-computer types want (no offence meant to
them :-)

> Actually though, that is the bottom line. No pun intended.
> 
> And, in all fairness, I would really like very much to hear the 
> reactions to my original post by other sysadmins using Webmin. I am in a 
> unique niche myself which may be enough unlike what others are doing so 
> that there is no justification to spend time on my wishes. Our clients 
> are hosting clients, predominantly in the bed and breakfast industy. 
> This means they are business owners, in a business that requires a high 
> degree of specialty knowledge and many simply don't have the time to 
> become proficient on computers. At the same time, bookings run at about 
> 80% directly from the internet with some reporting over 80% from online 
> booking engines. Email is as important as water and electricity to these 
> folks and equates to the person behind the cash register at a store. 
> Many of them can make french toast to die for, or make the army turn 
> green with envy when they bounce a dime off a properly made bed sheet.. 
> but computers? So, yeah, I have to step back to view my ideas about 'how 
> stuff should be', as I'm sure my opinions are somewhat biased by my 
> clients as well. So, really, I do hope others will chime in with yes or 
> no, that would help or not.
> 
> Again, with regards to Webmin, yeah, some additional help pop ups would 
> be great, but I really don't see any of my users knowing what the heck 
> to do within the Apache module. Well, I actually might have one, but he 
> was a sysadmin in the past and got burned out. :) Hmm... maybe even two 
> now that I think more.

It may be best to simply not let them have access to the Apache module
at all, as 99% of users won't need to configure their own Apache
settings. In a virtual hosting environment, all most users need is the
ability to edit mailboxes and aliases, both of which can be done through
Virtualmin .. so pretty much all of the other modules can be turned off.

 - Jamie