Testimonials

"The major thing I like about SME Server (and have since I worked at Mitel and they bought E-Smith) is that it just works. A very simple installation, and it mostly works from the first boot. The server built in 2004 originally got the free download from Mitel, version 5 if memory serves, maybe 5.5 ...

It has its quirks. I've used CentOS and Ubuntu Server in several instances where the goals were different. Horses for courses, as my friends in the UK say. I have made non- contribs applications work in SME, but I don't do it often enough to be really comfortable messing with the templates, even though it isn't really all that hard. If I did a POS or CRM, I typically chose Ubuntu Server or CentOS.

I'm retired now, only two servers to look after, both SME. One, the old box running 32 bit 9.1, the other real server hardware with RAID, 64 bit Xeon processor runs 8.2, soon to be upgraded.

I think that SME is a really good alternative to Microsoft Small Business Server, and certainly easier to administer, with much, much lower hardware requirements and no licensing headaches. If you want a home server with gateway and firewall, there is really nothing better."

Ricks1950 - Source

"It has been a long, long time since I posted on this list. I am not a developer. I don't write code but I do stitch , tape and glue systems together so that they work for companies. I have been off in VoIP land for a few years but am retuning to SME.

I am quiet capable ( now) of building any system from scratch but more often that not I throw in an e-smith server

The reason for this is being demonstrated on this list right now. Careful consideration at development level allows ordinary, and lazy, users to throw in an e-smith and be confident that it will work just like it says on the tin.

That is no mean feat and something that has been happening for a long time here. It takes huge effort to maintain that level of quality and consistency.

SME server release cycles make Redhat look like wild mad things. This can be seen as a problem. It can also be seen as a virtue. In over 15 years of e-smithery I have not once had a production system fail due to software error or hacked due to lax security. Isn't that cool?

The server manager is old. It not accurately reflect how much has happened under the hood. It is clunky and ugly but it has one redeeming feature.

It removes almost all technical verbiage from the user interface. Add a user, Add a group, Add an ibay. It just works and the user knows nothing about passwd, shadow and shells. No mention of DHCP, DNS and PPTP. Just "remote access"

Running setprop from the command line enable me to accurately and quietly set-up a major change on the server and then not activate it until it is all done. This is hugely advantageous in a production environment.

From e-smith 4.04 onwards it has kicked bottom.

Will get back on bug tracker.

robert"

Source