Left behind by YDL?

[Steven J. Norton]

All:

Thanks for your replies and thoughts on this topic; I guess I hit a minor
nerve. Don't worry; I wasn't thinking of running Panther Server on my Beige
G3 desktop. But the issue of upgrading YDL inevitably raised the issue of
new hardware, and if I got new hardware the question was YDL or OSX server,
or something else.

If I could reliably install YDL 4 on my beige G3 and get a number of nifty
(and easy to install) functional and security-related updates that way, that
would be worth it. But if by sticking with my G3 I therefore had to stick
with YDL 3 and spend more and more time rolling my own updates, then that's
a different kettle of fish. In other words, the time I've needed to spend
futzing with YDL (however much fun it may have been) was worth it primarily
because the OS was inexpensive and I could use spare hardware. If I'm
looking at getting new hardware, I'll feel much less willing to spend so
much time fiddling with it. (I have a feeling this is not so much about YDL,
but a more general Linux issue, but the relative scarcity of ready-made rpms
for PPC adds to the problem.)

So two sets of questions: the earlier advice on using yum to update to YDL 4
aside, if I bought the YDL 4 disk set would it allow me to install on my
beige G3? Would it be an upgrade or require a fresh install? When Terrasoft
says non-USB hardware is not supported, does that mean just not guaranteed
or are there major issues?

Or, if I were to spring for new hardware and bought a PowerMac with YDL
preinstalled from Terrasoft, how would my experience using and upgrading YDL
be different from what it has been with YDL 3.01 on my G3? [For example:
when I discovered I needed to upgrade to MySQL 4, I had hoped to simply go
out and find an RPM package or even better do it on yum. It turned out I
couldn't, though I was able to work through the process of compiling and
installing my own rpms with lots of help from this list. But I don't want to
have to keep doing this for an increasing range of key software.] If I'm
looking to cut down on my configuration and maintenance time, is this an
appropriate solution?

Sorry for the "big question" stuff, but I could really use all the advice I
can get.

  -- Steve Norton

on 11/18/04 2:32 AM, Owen Stampflee wrote:

> Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 23:29:45 -0800
> From: Owen Stampflee <ostampflee at terrasoftsolutions.com>
> Subject: Re: Left behind by YDL?
> 
> Guys,
> 
> There will be one more set of YDL 3.0 errata, its not going to be easy
> as nothing that old is still supported by any non-enterprise
> distribution. I feel for you guys with Old Worlds (we still have a
> couple of 'em in our server room), but dropping support was a
> no-brainer... it simply doesnt pay for itself.
> 
> It's my dream that the YDL community comes together, and gets a nice
> flashy Anaconda based installer working on Old World.
> 
> YDL4 will be better off errata wise as well, as we're bringing a new guy
> to do RPM and Errata work.
> 
> As for running OSX on an Old World, HAHAHAHAHAHA. Thats the funnyest
> thing I've heard all day (so, I didnt have a very humorous day)... its
> just not going to happen. Apple has dropped OW support too and its
> slower than hell.
> 
> YDL has always been and always be a loss leader for Terra Soft, the real
> money comes in via Hardware sales (we're an Apple and IBM VAR... if you
> want to buy a new Mac, buy it from us! *shameless plug*) and the cluster
> market, with our latest and greatest software offering, Y-HPC.
> 
> The x86 market isnt much better, the only free as in beer distro that
> offers support over 1 year is Debian, and its bloody ancient.
> 
> Cheers,
> Owen