[cobalt-users] RaQ3 vs. Raq4 OS vs. slackware vs. $(other)

["Robert Morgan" <robertm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings everyone,

I've been a lurker on this list for a year or so, and I have a question
(perhaps ideological) I would like some input on.

First, where I'm coming from... I have a small software development company
(just a handful of users) and a couple of servers to support this effort.
When things started, everything ran on an NT4 server -- smtp, pop, http,
ftp, source control, internal file sharing. I wasn't real happy about the
public and private information being comingled on the same computer.

A year or two ago, I got a used RaQ3, wiped it clean and moved the web site
over to it. It now hosts 5 sites, does DNS duties, and handles email for all
except the main site (which is still on that NT box). Now that the spam
problem on the main site has gotten ridiculous, I intend to move email
duties over to the cobalt. This in turn is making me review the state of
affairs in my computing environment. And I'm getting ready to plunge into a
makeover and I feel it appropriate to spend the time to get it right.

GOAL: Set up the RaQ3 as a secure public server and communications server.
HTTP, FTP, SMTP, POP/IMAP, OpenWebMail. To this end, I've been rummaging
through various cobalt list/forum/site archives collecting together
information on security hardening. So far, so good.

Issues:
* Though I've been quite successful as an admin and feel comfortable
slinging code, I've spent very little time with linux. My background and
experience is heavily in the wintel arena.
* I've gotten the impression that the Raq3 is fairly tightly wound and could
spring apart with the slightest wrong touch.

Questions:
1. I've seen some mention of installing the Raq4 OS on RaQ3 hardware. Is
there a difference in the OS compelling enough to want to do that? If it's a
better OS, why wouldn't I want to do that?

2. What about slackware on cobalt? I'd lose the gui, but I can deal with
that. Is slackware a leaner or more organized or more stable distro?

3. If I'm willing to lose the gui and want a leaner, cleaner os, should I
just scrap to cobalt and go with a generic FreeBSD box?

4. Many of the security tips on the cobalt have instructions on shutting
down IMAP? I'm curious about the reasoning behind this.


Thanks so much in advance. The advice on this list that I have followed in
the past has helped me avert many a disaster.

Cheers,
- Robert