Beta 1.0 Announced

Date: Sat, 8 Mar 1997 08:50:25 -0400
From: "David L. Potter" <ab934@chebucto.ns.ca>
To: csuite-announce@chebucto.ns.ca
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Chebucto Suite Version 1.0 Beta-1 is now available.

We've done a ton of testing, made technical improvements to the 
distribution, improved the documentation and added some exciting new 
functionality.


*Bench Testing
The testing has been almost exclusively on a current version Debian Linux 
system. We are just starting work on the Solaris platform. 


*Beta Testing
This beta release is an important step towards the Version 1.0 release 
and it is _very_ important that Beta sites assist us by commenting on the 
install process, and supplying us with detailed information about their 
hardware / software configuration and problems encountered.

===================================================================

*Technical

The technical improvements include:

	+ simplifying the install
 	+ significantly higher reliability especially with respect 
		to compiling and installing components
	+ an integrated version identifier that will be used to assist 
		in the upgrading process.


*Documentation	

The new documentation (although not complete) exposes most of the 
coarse functionality of CSuite. (Much of this functionality may come as 
a surprise to sites who are currently using CSuite....;-) Improvements 
include:

	+ creation of a 'document centre' (still under construction)
	+ development of documentation relating to Office/Administration 
		procedures 
	+ use of the Lynx multiple bookmark feature to point individuals 
		towards functionality and documentation. 
	+ improvements to the distributed version of the (user) Helpdesk 
		should require considerably less 'repair' 


**New Functionality
============================

*priv-edit

Significantly, this version includes enhancements to the privilege editor 
which puts power in the hands of those that need it.

CSuite builds on server restrictions (.htpasswd) and (system) group 
functionality to allow a team leader to change the members of the team. 
(The team leader can also 'hand off' leader to another CSuite user.) 
 
As an example the IPE1 (Information Provider - Webmaster) can add or remove 
individuals from the IP working group without intervention from a system 
administrator. 

--------

CSuite is now able to extend specific and unique privileges to site 
definable teams. eg. a sub-set of the userhelp volunteers could do 
a directory listing on the account of a user who is having quota 
problems. (equivalent of  "ls -al /~potter"). 

Access to this functionality is provided by having CSuite build a 
bookmark file that provided links to the functionality associated 
with that group when a user is added to a privileged group.

Most of the admin functionality is accessible via a WWW session and can 
thus be accessed with a graphical browser.

*remote services

CSuite now supports a series of 'remote' services... Users will be able 
to [go who] on any CSuite site who has upgraded and registered with the 
master data base. These remote services will include access to 
Information providers, recently changed documents, and search user [go 
people].

Expect a roll-out of this functionality in a couple of days...!

*majordomo

CSuite relies heavily on a mailing list manager (we're recommending 
majordomo) to provide functionality to Information Providers 
and individual users. This distribution includes majordomo and this 
version of CSuite includes several html/form interfaces to assist in 
the administration of mailing lists. (As Chebucto's mailing list 
administrator I use these tools almost daily... they're GREAT!)

===================================================================

Getting Your Copy
=======================

We have moved the ftp site and are in the process of revising the terms 
of distribution/license agreement. The review process is not finished but 
rather than hold up sites that are anxious to move ahead we're going with 
an interim solution.

Anyone interested in more information can have a look at the README, and 
an interim, slightly modified terms of distribution at...

	http://chebucto.ns.ca/CSuite/Beta-1.0/index.html   

The welcome message for csuite-dev has been revised to reflect these 
documents.

If anyone has specific questions they can contact me through

csuite-admin@chebucto.ns.ca

david potter
(902)466-4490

---------------------------------------------------------------------
David Potter                 http://chebucto.ns.ca/CSuite/CSuite.html
Documentation Team                             Chebucto Community Net
============== CSuite - Community Network Software ==================




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