[CentOS-devel] Small Business SIG suggestion

Thanks Filippo.  Here are some general comments on the home vs business 
issue.  I'm not trying to start an argument or anything like that, just 
carry on a discussion about it.

First of all when I think of what I would do strictly with a home 
server, I'm thinking:

1. Home security
2. Home automation
3. Entertainment
4. Backup
5. Cloudsync

This is of course just me, my family, and my experience.  Also, I'm 
thinking of server vs client systems.  So I think what would I 
personally do with a home server, these are things that I've already 
done or intend to do.  So I can put all my old VCR tapes and DVDs onto a 
server and stream them to my tv, well that's cool and I think a lot of 
people would find that a useful application.  I might also want to have 
the streaming app sync with other people on the internet for some sort 
of comment streaming system.  Maybe I can run a game server as part of a 
broader internet community.  That's also cool.

Some of the things I probably will not do on a home server which are 
listed on your proposal:

Postfix
Cyrus IMAP (or Dovecot)
SpamAssassin
ClamAV (from EPEL) (perhaps, but not for email)
OpenSSL for user certificates

I will almost definitely not run a home email server, and I don't know 
anybody who runs a home email server.  There are even advocates of 
moving all business email to the cloud, and I frequently have 
conversations with my clients on that topic.  However, there are still 
important reasons for small businesses to run their own email servers.  
It would also be very unlikely for a home user to run a public 
website/web application, but small business is likely to want that for a 
number of reasons.

Here is a list of things I think small business would use that home 
users would not:

1. Email server
2. Single signon mechanisms
3. File sharing/Samba in general (perhaps)
4. Public web server (although private LAMP stack would be useful).
5. Client device management and backup (including PDC).
6. VPN server
7. LDAP
8. RAID
9. Replication & mirroring.


Certainly not comprehensive, and of course some home users would want 
these services, but they can always get the business version if the 2 
versions are indeed separated.

There's also this business of convincing people to use a Linux based 
business server.  I personally believe it would be an easier sell if 
there were a special version very tightly targeted for just business 
use.  Yes, business owners can use the same coffee maker that's in their 
home in their office, but for some reason they feel more comfortable 
with something that looks like a commercial version.

I think there certainly are a lot of areas of overlap, and those areas 
should definitely be addressed, which is another topic.  Of course just 
my take, and thanks again.

Omar



On 5/2/2014 9:44 AM, Filippo Carletti wrote:
>> One concern I have is how the project would be "branded."  I'm not sure
>> exactly what you have in mind, but a generic name that encompass both
>> home and small office users might be too broad.  It's a subtle issue
>> that may not be related to the technology, I know.
> I agree with you, but we could be able to "solve" the issue with more variants.
>
>> Do you have a mailing list?  I think I remember reading that SIGs should
>> have their own mailing lists.  I can also talk here if I don't wear out
>> my welcome on this channel.
> I think that SIGs do not have mailing lists at the moment (you're
> right, they're supposed to have them).
> I hope to setup the wiki page for the SLS SIG later today.
> Meanwhile, I'm emailing you the SIG proposal.
>