On versions of Red Hat:
I've used Linux since 1992 and Red Hat since 4.x. RH 6.2 + updates
works fine. What I do for myself and for clients is to build
CD-Rs with the updated RPMs already present. I tend to be very
wary of Red Hat .0 releases, so I stayed away from RH 7.0.
Now 7.1 is out and I expect to be creating OpenACS and AOLserver RPMs
for it shortly. IMO it is still too new to be run on a production
machine connected to the global Internet. But in a few weeks, when
the early adopters have found the first set of obvious issues and
updated RPMs are issued for them, it will probably be time for
migration to RH 7.1.
Meanwhile, I am looking at creating an RH 6.2 CD which has all
RH-supplied updates and PG 7.1 and AOLserver and OpenACS. This should
make installing a working OpenACS 3.2.5 box fairly quick. I had not
intended to make that ISO image public, but if there is interest,
I might be persuaded to do so.
Eventually I'll probably build similar customized RH 7.1 CDs, once I
have more experience with and confidence in that distribution.
Knowing how to recompile a kernel is good. Not having to, because
the one on your install CD is current and has the OpenWall patches
applied already, is probably better still, for many sysadmins.
Overall, I suspect that "For Dummies" and keeping a "professional site
running" may be somewhat awkward things to put together. So I would
suggest either creating a CD so that newcomers can do the installation
easily, or else write the document for those with some existing
Unix/Linux experience.
Right now if you wrote your "OS for OpenACS" HOWTO based around RH 6.2
it would become old quickly. But if you wrote based on RH 7.1 you
would have essentially zero experience base to write it from. If you
try to be generic to cover both, my guess is the HOWTO will become too
generic for the "Dummies" (your chosen term not mine!) who are your
intended readership.
What is the "answer"? Personal opinion: I think I'd write for RH 6.2
for now, but be prepared to rewrite for RH 7.1 in a couple of months
time.
