Installing *nix

Install a *nix-based operating system (OS)

Follow the installation directions that come with the distribution.

There are generally 2 strategies at this point:

1. Install an OS with minimum programs, or
2. Install a suite of programs, for example choose between a developer set or desktop set.

We recommend installing only the OS to minimize the chances of conflicts resulting from installing 2 or more copies of one of the OpenACS system components openacs-system.

Note if any of the components of OpenACS are installed with the distribution. which or whereis can help identify existing components that run from the standard shell.

Many additional programs, such as a build environment (gcc), Mail Transport Agent (MTA), and source control system, are also needed for a fully operational installation. Most of these are included with a basic OS installation.

Install some helper software

You might want to install some of these after a minimum OS install, since OpenACS administration usually assumes you have these (or alternates) installed:

• wget
• emacs or vi/vim
• bash shell (usually automatically installed with Linux distributions)
• gcc or equivalent (along with standard distribution source libraries) - if you plan to install software from source.
• ImageMagick - used by some packages for server side image processing
• aspell - used to offer spell checking in forms

*nix install guides

some helpful documentation for installing *nix flavors

• Official Debian Guide
• FreeBSD Documentation
• Redhat Manuals
• SuSE documentation

*nix-based systems without installing *nix

These DEMOs install a temporary *nix OS on your system:

• Knoppix E-lane demos dotLRN
• VMware version for Windows 2000

Or, lease a hosted system with a *nix OS and OpenACS installed on it.

See companies that host OpenACS websites.

Securing your system

Once you get your OS installed, it's imperative that you secure your installation. As Jon Griffin repeatedly warns us, "No distribution is secure out of the box." The Reference Platform implements some basic precautions, but security is a process, not a condition. If you are responsible for a computer hooked to the internet, you are responsible for learning some rudiments of security, such as monitoring the state of a computer, maintaining patch levels, and keeping backups. We recommend these resources:

• Securing and Optimizing Linux - version 2.0

• Jon Griffin's notes on RedHat security (from archive.org 22 June 2006)

• Linux Administrators Security Guide

• Strategies for Keeping a Secure Server

• Bruce Schneier's Crypto-Gram, especially The security patch treadmill and Monitoring First.