Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:28:11 -0400 From: Michael Powell <nightrecon@hotmail.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Famp Server Message-ID: <k6mos3$36g$1@ger.gmane.org> References: <1351488821.57168.YahooMailNeo@web162303.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>
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Hamisi Jabe wrote: > Dear All, > > I freel freebsd is very good in networking server but it make work hard > for compiling the Famp package (Freebsd, apache, mysql, php) i would like > to ask the developers to compile a package that its a one select and > install which will do everything for the famp server rather than > downloading selecting extensions, installing this and that exectra. > This, to me personally (at any rate), at first glance seems to be like a click "OK" in a dialog box approach to system administration. While I am not particularly against the idea of a meta port for producing a "FAMP" install I would never once consider using such a thing. I do recognize that it might be a hand-holding crutch to get a new user started, but what I would like to suggest is that the true power of FreeBSD might be better approached by learning how to be a competent system admin in FreeBSD instead of bringing over preconceived methodologies from other operating systems. I just do not think I may be able to properly and completely put into the best words my feelings on this subject, but I may try anyway. Perhaps by way of example I can illustrate: I run Apache as FastCGI with the event-mpm, mysql, memcached, and PHP in the FPM configuration. It is a highly customized and tuned environment which is easily obtained utilizing the inherent configurability of the FreeBSD ports system. At times in the past I have considered changing this to a Linux platform. Each and every time the first show-stopper was always the fact that there are no Linux 'distro' providers which create user packages that provide my (as a system administrator) chosen operating environment. I fully realize that I could learn and master whichever package building environment a particular distro was using, be it .deb or .rpm, and build and package what I wanted. This would enable me to recreate my chosen operating environment in Linux at the cost of many man-hours of effort. It is system administration at its most basic and fundamental; it is the work of the system administrator that makes this happen. Each and every time I decline to do this simply because there are already not enough hours in my day to do everything. It is much, much less work to continue supporting this configuration with the FreeBSD ports system. The ports system has tools that enhance the long term maintenance of this system, which frees up my time for managing other, more pressing issues. What I would like to suggest to the OP is this: what you consider "make work hard for compiling the Famp package" (quoted from above), I consider many times more powerful having a system which allows the system administrator to make the decisions regarding how he will operate his server(s) in his own environment. This traditionally has been a philosophy central to FreeBSD. When such a meta port comes into play, there are defaults chosen which begin to reflect the same kind of restrictions as I outlined before in my reasons for not migrating my chosen environment to Linux. I suggest, instead of leaning on the meta port approach, that the true power of FreeBSD would be more fully realized by learning to be a proper system admin. You will also discover as part of this process it is easier in the long term to maintain. I've been sysadmin'ing FreeBSD for 12 years now, and this learning curve didn't happen overnight, but takes time and effort to achieve. And each time I consider switching to Linux I always end up staying on FreeBSD because as a sysadmin I feel FreeBSD to be the superior environment for my needs. -Mike
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