MikeW wrote: > One WAMP package I used some time back had a limited automated self-test > built in to the installation, so it displayed a list of working and > non-working components, and since it was trying out underlying infrastructure > as well, could give a good idea about what needed fixing. > > Sounds like a similar package test for desktop systems would find > many takers ! Could build it into a distro so that installer-admins could > be told what was broken in technical terms. > I got a chance to visit the site and it was simply a matter of broken infrastructure. The previous "helper" had "scotchtaped" together a series of bargain basement hubs using a tangle of substandard homemade crossover cables. The fact that it worked at all for some short amount of time is simply amazing. The percentage of collisions must have been pretty close to 100%. Eventually, one of the $59 hubs failed (the one their DSL modem happened to plug into). I gave them an old catalyst 2900 I had laying around, ran some homeruns out to different work areas and re-used some of the cheapo hubs. Ubuntu seemed to work OK for them though. I don't think I'd choose to use it, but it seemed perfectly functional for an M$ Office workstation replacement. Cheers,