[Samba] Samba 3 by Example - chapter 5 & 6 ( Manager -> sambaadmin)

[John H Terpstra]

On Thursday 02 March 2006 23:15, Craig White wrote:
> On Thu, 2006-03-02 at 22:38 -0600, John H Terpstra wrote:
> > > I think you should follow Craig's advice, get your hands on a copy of
> > > "LDAP System Administration", and go through it carefully.  LDAP is a
> > > wonderful enabling technology, but if you don't understand how it
> > > works, you'll get terrible performance, and risk exposing private data.
> >
> > I have no argument with this advice - but please be careful that you do
> > not needlessly scare people off from using LDAP.
>
> ----
> I was wondering if you dropped off the face of this planet since I knew
> you wouldn't take his commentary well.

I started employment with AMD in January based in Austin, Texas. I've been 
very much swamped since December. I'll get back to the documentation when I 
come up for oxygen.

> My biggest concern isn't necessarily for performance or exposing data as
> much as having a user who relies upon a technology that provides
> essential user/group authentication services as well as configuration
> information and can neither comprehend nor maintain it and when you know
> what hits the fan, that user is ill equipped to solve the problem.
>
> No one should be scared away from using LDAP and the samba documentation
> clearly gives enough information to permit someone to integrate samba in
> an LDAP environment but the samba documentation doesn't suggest that you
> can use LDAP on your domain without getting a reasonably rounded
> education on using LDAP itself. Some people have that erroneous
> expectation.

I have received a number of emails from people who used the Samba 
documentation - some of it is rude and some is most appreciative. I can 
handle criticism if it is valid. 

The documentation is in open SVN. Anyone can contribute patches - and those 
who contribute get recognition for their work. When I released the 
documentation to public CVS, and then to SVN, I made a conscious decision to 
disown my own work. I want to encourage people to contribute improvements to 
the documentation. There have been a few contributions - but most people just 
like to poke holes even where they do not exist.

Samba3 by Example is not a book on LDAP. It has a well defined purpose and 
meets its goals. If anyone wishes to contribute systematic changes that 
converts the whole book to a new set of goals and objectives I will not 
object one bit. As far as I am concerned, the source is open and our users 
are far more experienced and much smarter than I am. Please, please make the 
problem go away if you feel inclined to do so. 

I'd be delighted if someone steps forward with an offer to take over 
responsibility for maintenance and improvement of the documentation. Its 
about time for a more capable and more enthusiastic person to have a go. 
Please allow me rush to step aside. :-)

Cheers,
John T.