[techtalk] Generic Question

[Telsa Gwynne]

Robert Kiesling wrote:
> > > To answer your question: I suppose it would depend on the state of the
> > > backups and the utilites that were still present on the system.  (Of
> > > course, on *modern* systems, we all have boot/root disks at the ready,
> > > right?).

I didn't originally mean to put the question mark in. My typo. Bad
Telsa. But I'd agree with the answer anyway. 

Jenn V wrote:
> > Uhhh....

Echoed. I do -have- one, I know I do. Really. I'm just not sure where 
it is, and it's never yet needed to be tested. It might not work, for 
all I know...

> > But we do have three linux machines, all duplicates of the others.
> > And while I can't put my hands on my boot disk without thinking, I 
> > know which husband/hacker had his hands on it and 'put it down 
> > somewhere'.

In my experience that results in a "somewhere? What does somewhere
mean?" "Dunno. But it's in a safe place, I remember that" exchange. 
But hey, at least you know who to strangle. (-After- they've found it.)

> > But yes, sysadminning requires a 'never act in panic' state of 
> > mind.

Robert wrote: 
> Does that mean it's like being married? 

What an interesting thought. :)

> Unix requires a different frame of mind than M$ Windows or
> DOS.  But systems are different and it's difficult to give good,
> generic advice.  

That's one of the reasons I like that article. As well as giving
a presumably slightly outdated tale of woe and recovery, it gives
an idea of how you might think about such a problem and get around
it. (So it seems to me, speaking from the outside of this mindset, 
at least.) And I think that's the key skill, which is useful and 
transferable across different architectures and scenarios. 

Telsa

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