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From: Unknown Q. <web...@un...> - 2005-12-12 22:58:52
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further to John Hinton's original post and request for info about what other people do with Webmin ...... i've been using Webmin for just over 2 years to host about 400 domains i've set-up with Virtualmin (move away from Ensim panel after finding too many restrictions) i'm a web designer - not an engineer - and i only have the faintest grasp of how to do a few things at the command line i find Virtualmin does most of what i want and Webmin deals with other things like MySQL & Bind i run each domain on 2 different servers in 2 different data centres via a failover system (set-up by somebody else that really knew what they were doing) i sell a service to my customers that allows then to deal with their own business whilst we deal with their websites updates and e-mail settings the only 2 things i'd like my customers to be able to do easily are 1 = set-up an out-of office / vacation autoresponder 2 = be able to temporarily send a *copy* of their e-mails to somebody else whilst they are on holiday at the moment i use WebMail to do No. 1 - but even then customers are frightened by it's complexity!!! the last thing i want is for my customers to go anywhere near Virtualmin as they would just do too much damage too easily - they don't even get FTP access from us i not sure if Usermin with do either or both of these for me, because last time i looked at it the vacation programme kept clashing with SquirrelMail (previous servers) so i turned it off what i'd really like from Webmin / Virtualmin / Usermin is an idiots' set-by-step guide to every component *~* yes i've bought & read (many times) the brown Webmin book - each time i've either understood or confused myself a little bit more :-) the info about Virtualmin on http://www.webmin.com/index8.html doesn't really give a newbie much hope of configuring the system 1st time - the screen shots and options are too many versions ago i'd go for Virtualmin Pro but it doesn't do Debian yet *~* Barry Caplan says in the next posting to the effect that Cobalt didn't quite get its easy / idiots guides in place even though they identified it as a major requirement it would be great if OpenCountry / Virtualmin could produce an up-to-date step-by-step guide for each function the reoccurring requests to this list for help setting up mail accounts / aliases must surely have made somebody realise that there is a need for a good getting started / out of the box instruction set for the common server requirements i realise that Jamie & Joe have forgotten more that i could even want to learn about the whole project - but if you want me to give you an idiots (non-Unix-expert) view as to how easy / complicated your help files are i'd be more that willing to help out what i like about the whole project is that it allows me to choose and use the functionality that i require and doesn't force me to do it some control panel's way - keep up the great work guys Regards Martyn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jamie Cameron" <jca...@we...> To: <web...@li...> Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 12:25 AM Subject: Re: [webmin-l] Ramblings after reviewing the pole > 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 > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.net email is sponsored by: Splunk Inc. Do you grep through log > files > for problems? Stop! Download the new AJAX search engine that makes > searching your log files as easy as surfing the web. DOWNLOAD SPLUNK! > http://ads.osdn.com/?ad_id=7637&alloc_id=16865&op=click > - > Forwarded by the Webmin mailing list at > web...@li... > To remove yourself from this list, go to > http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/webadmin-list > |