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Complete LDAP Authentication (again)

Offline erroneus

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Re: Complete LDAP Authentication (again)
« Reply #15 on: January 06, 2011, 10:47:25 PM »
Well, as I am sure you know and can see from other threads here, there are contribs and howto guides on how to add things to SME7 which most often also work just fine on SME8. 

eGroupware is just such a contrib.  Also, there has been discussion and success in getting KnowledgeTree installed and working on SME8 (see another thread in this forum).

I get what you are saying that "all of this in one box would be awesome" but the moment you start adding too much beyond basic and common functionalities, you run into an escalation situation where SME server stops being what it is -- easy to install, easy to manage and easy to recover.  As it stands, SME has this amazing ability to "Install Fresh"+"Restore from Backup"="Back online and working."  If you start adding options during the installation process, this functionality is immediately broken as the next time a Fresh Install occurs, an option may be changed or forgotten that completely breaks the ability to restore from backup.  So one must be VERY careful and aware about what things are changed and added that makes an SME server no longer a "stock" SME server.

So, while SME8 will probably never see the addition of larger, specific additions such as eGroupware, all hope of this awesome dream from becoming reality is not lost.

If you were to go through the process of getting your specific set of contribs and changes packaged into a one-step installation that works against a stock SME8 install, then you will have something that could even be rolled into an "SME8 spin."  (I know... I know... "SME8 spin" is probably an upsetting prospect to SME8 devs as it would render SME8 less supportable, but then again, every time someone adds a contrib or a customization this happens too.)

In any case, if I were you and seeking to have this done, I would seek to have a single large contrib that sets up everything from a single, comprehensive package that requires a clean SME8 installation and then offers the "restore from backup?" option to clean it all up.  So what you would end up with is two steps instead of one.  It would still be neat and clean while also allowing the SME8 team to issue critical updates to the installer if they are needed.

P.S. Don't dis the command-line.  I still live and breathe by the command line and I am quite certain the developers of SME8 do as well.  I understand your wanting to point and click at everything, but to get to that point, people had to write code to make it happen.  That code is the underlying the CLI (command line interface) and the CLI is what supports the creation of all of this.  And in most cases, the CLI also supports the creation of contribs and all that.  So if you would like to see your dream become reality, it's time to roll up your sleeves and type a few command lines.  When you are done, you may end up with something that doesn't need any or perhaps only one command line entry to make it all work.  But remember, as much as we would like the world to be point and click, that is for "end users only."  Cars don't build themselves and software doesn't write itself.