Shibboleth Developers

[Russell Beall <>]

Scathing irony aside, I was certainly not advocating any increase in  
complexity or neglect for handling those areas which can be simplified  
effectively.  An equivalent absurdity can be reached by following a  
trail of "logic" in the other direction -- and thus the machines rule  
our lives and nobody has to do anything anymore until the machines  
decide we are no longer necessary.  ;-)

If time is going to be spent simplifying something, I would rather see  
other things simplified or made more understandable such as the config  
files.  Some of the config files contain many elements which don't  
change for the average user and shouldn't be touched.  Other elements  
of interest aren't particularly highlighted as special, useful or safe  
to change.  A lot of documentation has to be read to make heads or  
tails of them.

I don't see packaging a web container into the installer as a vital  
area of simplification.  It would be great for demonstration purposes  
and helping people get their feet wet, but it shouldn't necessarily be  
the only choice either.

We have a definite roadblock if an "average" web developer cannot wrap  
his wits around how to get a webserver and the Shibboleth IdP working  
together, but the question is -- has this really been a problem?   
There will always be issues from those who have trouble, even with a  
more complete install pack, but if the majority can get set up  
effectively then gaining a few extra percentage points in that area  
may not be worthwhile.

I have nothing really against the mega install pack idea, my arguments  
are in regards to the idea that it may become the only choice.

Russ.

On Sep 22, 2009, at 12:30 PM, Peter Schober wrote:

> <some:marker:for:the:ironically:challenged>