[Tutor] Python on network problems

[Alan Gauld]

> If possible, I would recommend using a Unix clone as your 
> server's OS instead of Windows.  Even Linux, 

Speaking personally I can't complain about Windows 
as a server since windows 2000. NT was horrible but 
Win2K seems to do a fair job.

BUT it does need to be set up correctly and running 
XP Home doesn't count! It is terrible as a server.
However given the number of machines in your network 
I'd expect the basics to bbe catered for. The borttleneck 
issue that Barry alludes to is one I hadn't even considered 
but its valid. If the students are all writing code for a similar 
example and that cpde imports lots of modules which are 
stored on shared disk on a single server then it could 
throttle the network. Similarly if they are all accessing 
a single database or web server stored on the main 
server - that'd be a pretty bad network setup however!

> the learning curve required of the network administrator.

And thats pretty massive. Many Windows admins can't 
work without the GUI tools and Linux really needs 
command line skills to get the best out of it. Even editing 
a text file is intimidating for some of these guys!

Alan G.