It used to be that all the tools a journalist doing computer-assisted reporting needed were a spreadsheet, database manager and a decent SQL book. But in these days of networked newsrooms with a PC on every desk, the CAR specialist's job has morphed to include such diverse skills as Web design, server-side scripting, database administration and data warehousing.
An increasing number of reporters and editors want access to data directly. They want the ability to do quick queries on multiple databases through an easy-to-use interface, such as an intranet Web form. The more tech-savvy journalists want to do their own data analysis using more advanced tools, such as Microsoft Access database manager.
Stand-alone database managers (Access, FoxPro and the like) aren't well suited for the task of sharing data. For that, you need a central server capable of making data available over a network.
Which brings us to Red Hat Linux 9.0, the latest version of the most popular Linux distribution on the market. After more than two months working with Red Hat 9.0, I can say that it is by far the best distribution of Linux ever released and an ideal solution for any newsroom looking to centralize its data operations at a fraction of the cost of other alternatives.
Assuming you already have the hardware on hand, a very basic Microsoft Windows/Internet Information Server/SQL Server installation will range from $2,500 to more than $10,000 (not including support) depending on features desired and number of users.
Red Hat 9.0 can be downloaded for free. A boxed version costs $39.95 and comes with printed manuals and 30 days of Web-based support. Red Hat also sells higher end enterprise editions (the ES series) that range from $350 to $800 and come packaged with up to a year of live telephone support.
Like all open-source software, Red Hat's license allows administrators freedom to install it on an unlimited number of servers accessible to any number of networked users. Microsoft generally requires a separate license for each user or system on which its software will be installed.
As for support, both Microsoft and Red Hat charge for it. But while some kind of formal support is a nice safety net, it isn't absolutely necessary for Linux any longer because the installation, configuration and administration tools have improved so much in the past few years.
And among the new breed of simpler, easier Linux releases, Red Hat 9.0 is without a doubt the best.
Installation
The boxed version can be purchased at any major computer store, but the three installation disks can be downloaded from the Red Hat Web site, www.redhat.com/download/products.html. Be aware that downloading will take several hours even with a very fast Internet connection. The boxed version might be worthwhile for those new to Linux because of the printed documentation and support.
Once you have the disks, installation should be a simple matter of booting from the CD and following on-screen instructions. I installed Red Hat 9.0 on two desktop configurations and a laptop without a hint of trouble. Users will most likely be able to simply select all the default settings and continue.
Although there may be a few speed bumps along the way—especially for new users—the Red Hat Web site and printed documentation should cover these topics adequately. If not, there are several excellent Web sites that cover Linux basics, including the Linux Documentation Project (www.tldp.org) and Linux Planet (www.linuxplanet.com). It might help to have an information technology person nearby just in case.
Red Hat has made selecting the right mix of software a snap. Users can initially select from several broad installation categories such as server, workstation, desktop, and the appropriate software for that function will be installed. Users can also customize their installation by selecting among the hundreds of individual applications that come packaged with Red Hat.
Once the software has been selected, the actual installation should go automatically. Reboot and you should have a working Linux machine.
Software
Red Hat 9.0 includes the two critical applications any newsroom data center would need: a Web server and a high-end database application.
Apache 2.x is the standard Web server packaged with Red Hat 9.0, and it's outstanding. It is by far the most popular Web server in the world. According to the most recent statistics, roughly two of every three Web sites run Apache.
It's popular because it is secure, stable and easy to set up. The default configuration probably will work just fine for internal newsroom use but, if users need to tweak any settings, that can be done by editing a master configuration file.
Red Hat 9.0 offers several database management solutions. The best is MySQL, which is optimized for speed, stability, reliability and power, and ideal for serving data. (For details see "MySQL primed for heavy-duty action" in the March-April 2003 Uplink).
Goodbye stand-alone Access databases and random .dbf files floating around the network. No more problems with corrupted data on deadline. So long to worries about users accidentally deleting or altering data. MySQL, like any high-end database server, allows administrators to give users just the amount of access they need and no more, or the ability to query a database but not to update or delete records.
Red Hat 9.0 comes packaged with a number of scripting languages - PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby - and development tools that allow you to combine the power of Apache and MySQL to create simple Web-based database search pages.
Although there are many ways of installing software under Red Hat, including compiling from source code, the simplest way is to use prepackaged applications called RPMs. Just as Windows has its .exe, the software packaged for Red Hat machines carries the .rpm extension. Several years ago, the company created a special program to handle RPMs called the Red Hat Package Manager, which works a little bit like the add/remove programs control panel in Windows.
RPM did make installing software easier, but it was far from perfect. As long as the user stuck to programs bundled with the distribution, things were fine. But users sometimes want to install more bleeding edge versions of programs, or applications that were not packaged with the system - and that could cause problems.
Red Hat 9.0 solves this problem by simply removing it. The new package manager will not install anything but the applications that come with the Red Hat distribution. Users can install other RPMs, but that must be done from the command line, not through a graphical interface - an excellent compromise for newer users and power users alike.
Maintaining Red Hat
In addition to being easy to install, Red Hat also is simple to maintain because of the Red Hat Network. All users (even those who downloaded the software) are given access to it. RHN is similar to the Windows "update" feature but much more powerful because it updates not only the Linux operating system but any standard installed software.
Red Hat is quite good about posting bug fixes and updates to the Red Hat Network almost as quickly as they are released, thus ensuring that your system is as up to date as possible.
Managing your server is easy and secure with Webmin (www.webmin.com), a Web-based administration tool that is bar none the best available. Administrators can administer a Linux server over a network or even over the Internet, although that is not recommended for security reasons.
Webmin is simple to install, and very intuitive. It is also open source, meaning it is totally free. There are modules available to help manage everything from a firewall to user accounts to disk partitions. Webmin, unfortunately, is not among the standard packages that come with Red Hat 9.0, but its excellent documentation can be downloaded from the Webmin Web site.
The major problem with Red Hat 9.0 is its slightly out-of-date version of MySQL. The 4.x release, which adds Union queries and full support for full-text indexes, is now considered the production version. But Red Hat still inexplicably packages the older 3.2x version of MySQL.
Upgrading to the 4.x series is not as easy as installing Webmin and, if you have an existing installation of MySQL on your machine, it can cause problems. There is excellent documentation on the MySQL Web site (www.mysql.com) that covers everything you'll need to know to install the latest version of MySQL.
Conclusion
Red Hat 9.0 ranks as the single most painless installation I have ever seen in my 20 years of computing. It won't cost you a cent to download, but offers the power and features of systems costing tens of thousands of dollars.