ClearFoundation

Hi COS makers, can u describe complete features that ClearOS 6.2 RELEASE offer? Coz not every ppl start from the old COS. There maybe some ppl come from Ubuntu/Debian n need to know about COS 6.2 features before they prefer to try COS 6.2.

I was using COS 5.2 and I dont even know every features that COS 6.2 offer before I read every COS 6.x development release notes. So I think maybe better to make a greenbook for it

Btw, is COS 6.2 RELEASE fully support IPv6? Thanks

The software overview page is as good as any for a rundown of the features in ClearOS 6.2.

As for IPV6 support...nope...webconfig isn't ready yet, although some thought and 'future-proofing' has gone on during the 6.2 development cycle that will make it easier to integrate when we take on the task.

B.

Ben,

The issue is not what is in 6.2 but rather what is not. That is not described anywhere. For instance, the absense of a mail server is a major digression from all previous versions for - at least - the last 9 years where I have used COS and its predecessor.

I suggest the release notes for 6.2 be upgraded to include a list of what is actually included.

Best regards,

Peter

Peter,

The mail stack for ClearOS is coming...it's not being phased out...it was just the one major 'application' that wasn't ready when the rest of the OS was, so the decision was made to get 6 out, and follow-up with the release of the mail apps (as you know, there are many - SMTP, POP/IMAP, antivirus, antispam, greylisting, mail archives, etc.).

I would guess the email-server apps will be making an appearance in about 10-14 days time.

Having said that..you're right...the release notes should have mentioned this schedule. We state that Zarafa is "coming soon", but those not familiar with the change in architecture (Zarafa replacing Horde) wouldn't have caught on that the mail stack is not ready.

Ben

Is there going to be an Advanced Firewall or equivalent function at any point?

I am glad to see its finally released, but it still feels more beta'ish then the 5x release was

Ben,

I understand the dilemma - and I think Clear did the right thing by releasing when you did.

The problem is the lack of an honest contents declaration in the release notes, which was standard before. Instead we get marketing buzz without complete (meaning the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth) disclosure. My problem is the absense of "the whole truth".

That leaves small guys like me in severe trouble. I run a single production server and have no scope for running a test server before deployment. Consider if I had blindly downloaded and installed COS 6.2.0 only to learn that there is no email infrastructure. I would have been crucified by my users - and they would have been right. My appreciation of Clear would also have been somewhat dented.

I am just as exited as everyone else about 6.2 - especially the fact that there is 64bit version - but my existing 5.2 installation is rock stable and could run for another year or two without issue. So I am not at all concerned about waiting a bit longer - only about the fact that I cannot readily find documentation that allows me to decide.

Hope this is useful,

Peter

That's my fault. I usually write out a "deprecated" section in the release notes, but that didn't happen. On top of that, Ben strongly recommended that a big warning be added to the release notes. Well, that has now been done:

ClearOS 6.2.0 Release Notes

Peter,

Many thanks. Now we all can see what we get at this time and what comes later.

Peter

Peter,

Thanks VERY much for posting the release notes. Really helps.

I just installed Clear OS 6.2 today preparing for a new deployment and have a few questions regarding future plans, based on the release notes.

First off though let me say GREAT WORK! New interface is much snappier, seems to be more intuitive in most cases, etc.

And FINALLY - the one thing I saw as a SORE point in 5.2 on the content filter and web proxy has been SOLVED - ie: being able to set rules on a GROUP basis instead of per USER (I'd actually love to be able to do both, but if I have to choose, group is great). Fixed a MAJOR management nightmare we had in our use case. So extreme kudos here!

But off to some questions concerning items in the release notes:

1. Administrators

Are there any plans to add this functionality back into the Web GUI? Considering my current use of Clear OS, lack of this will cause me to stick with Clear OS 5.2. I use Clear OS at a couple of recovery centers as an LDAP server / content filter, etc. We have a "resource" room setup with about 5-6 LTSP "terminals" that boot into Edubuntu for which the users are authenticated via Clear.

At one center we have over 150 users in Clear and due to the non profit nature of the centers, the staff rotates often. I'm just volunteering on my spare time (not that I have any) to setup and manage the environment remotely, and rely on the rotating volunteer staff to do things like add users, etc. At the moment I am offloading some of the admin to some of the volunteers, but do NOT want them to have full access to everything within Clear OS.

Thus, the "Administrators" ability is critical for me. Being able to make this fine grained on a per user basis was GREAT in 5.2.

Surely hope this will eventually (hopefully not too long) come back in 6.x.

While I see the note did say that one can do this from the command line - considering I manage these things remotely in my "spare time" I need something quick and directly and "fool proof" (which is what I considered 5.2 did).

Just a BIG vote for this one coming back in some form in 6.x, hopefully soon. In the new center I can get by for a month or two without it (though won't port the existing ones until this is there), but if this is something that isn't planned, then I'll probably just stay at 5.2 even for the new ones.

2. Reports - Any idea on an ETA for this (just a guestimate, 1 mo, 3 mo, 6 mo, etc??)

3. Advanced Firewall - Any plans for this coming along soon as well? Note seemed to indicate the Custom Firewall was a replacement, but I find that lacking (I might as well drop to the shell prompt to configure).


The Administrators one really is a big deal to me, so I'm hoping this one is on the roadmap.

Thanks VERY much for your help!