While I have no comment on this particular issue (since nobody wants
me adminning *anything*), I would like to propose that before we set
up any new services/applications on code4lib.org, we talk about
whether or not any of the existing applications have functionality
that could suffice.

I guess my point is, the level of ambivalence that this thread is
generating doesn't make me terribly hopeful for the longterm
sustainability of volunteer service admins.

-Ross.

On Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 3:25 PM, Jonathan Rochkind <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Okay, so new plan for access to code4lib server, since nobody stepped up
>  to want to be an app admin junta. :)  Subject to approval by Ryan and
>  Jeff, of course.  Recall that Ryan and Jeff at OSU say they are ready to
>  grant shell access to code4libbers, but weren't sure how to figure out
>  _who_ to grant access too--granting access to any random person that
>  emails Ryan/Jeff seems like a bad idea of course!  So they were open to
>  suggestion from us.
>
>  The idea last time was that there should be one or two or three people
>  that take overall responsibility for app-level admin on that machine,
>  who could then grant access to others. (Recall that Ryan is still
>  overall root sysadmin responsible for OS stuff, just not for our apps).
>  Which was a fine plan, but nobody said they wanted to do it. :)
>
>  So new plan. If someone has a need for shell access (because they want
>  to be responsible for management of one of our apps; Like the WordPress
>  for the Journal; or the Drupal; or the wiki; or the planet;  including
>  possibly new apps that the code4lib community wants)---they email this
>  code4lib list explaining what they are going to do, and that they are
>  qualified to do it without messing it up. :)  We, in our usual way, nit
>  pick it to death and debate it. But eventually a rough consensus is
>  reached. And Ryan grants the shell access.  If someone thinks it's a
>  horrible idea to give that person shell access, then I guess it doesn't
>  go forward. I don't see the need for any actual 'voting', I think mostly
>  it'll just work out. (For instance, Ryan already pre-emptively gave me
>  shell access to add new feeds to the planet. If I had emailed the list
>  and said that, which I'm doing now, everyone would have just ignored it
>  and/or said, cool.)
>
>  So?
>
>  Jonathan
>
>
>
>
> >
> > On 3/21/08 8:13 AM, "Jonathan Rochkind" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > So as many of you know, OSU is now hosting the code4lib.org server, with
> > > the various code4lib community apps running on it. Jeremy Frumkin's
> > > group hosts it, and Ryan Ordway does the heavy sysadmin lifting.
> > >
> > > They're now ready to start granting other people shell access to the
> > > machine to manage/admin apps. This was part of the original plan when
> > > hosting moved to OSU.  While Ryan provides basic sysadmining and
> > > security, the intention isn't neccesarily for him to manage individual
> > > apps, but instead to take advantage of interested code4lib volunteers to
> > > do this--essentially how things worked before OSU hosted the code4lib
> > > server. More hands means less work. (Sometimes, to an extent. :) ).
> > >
> > > So the question for the community is--how the heck should Jeremy and
> > > Ryan determine _who_ to give shell access to? Pre-OSU hosting, code4lib
> > > was hosted by a defined group of code4libbers who chipped in for hosting
> > > fees, and were the only ones who had shell access. If you wanted shell
> > > access, as I understand it, you'd have to talk to them about becoming a
> > > member of their 'cooperative', and they'd decide whether that would
> > > happen or not.  Now, with OSU hosting... what should happen? It probably
> > > doesn't make sense that any Joe Schmoe that nobody's heard of can just
> > > email Ryan and automatically get shell access. So ruling that out....
> > > any ideas?    Maybe if you want shell access to manage a particular
> > > application, you email the code4lib listserv, and....   then what?  Not
> > > sure.
> > >
> > > Jonathan
> > >
> > >
> >
> > --
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>  --
>  Jonathan Rochkind
>  Digital Services Software Engineer
>  The Sheridan Libraries
>  Johns Hopkins University
>  410.516.8886
>  rochkind (at) jhu.edu
>