[ale] Debian 3.0 as a server platform?

[James Sumners]

The JRE is simple to install on any platform; just download it and
install it to /usr/java [default it seems] or /opt/java or whatever
and add it to your path. I have found that the free implementations of
java are crash prone. So, I stick with the non-free original
implementation.

Apache 2.0 is just about as easy. The first build can take some time
while you determine what configure options you want to use but there
after all you have to do is use the config.nice file that is
generated.

Spamassassin and ClamAV can be a bit tricky. I used Spamassassing from
the unstable repository when I was using my desktop as my private
email server and it worked well. I don't know how crusty the one in
the stable archive is. However, adding the following two lines to your
sources.list will fix that:
deb http://www.backports.org/debian stable clamav
deb http://www.backports.org/debian stable spamassassin

Sure, it could be one line but I like to keep them separated so I know
how many potentially dangerous packages I am using.

Those examples really don't give me a reason to say that the stable
branch is too old. There are easy solutions to the problems and the
base system remains stable. Yes, I can see where this is a problem for
people that want to use only the official repository and package
manager. But, I find that to be a limited view of the operating
system's abilities. Done correctly, Debian can be extended beyond what
is in stable without sacrificing all of the benefits of it.

On 6/2/05, Jim Popovitch <jimpop at yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 2005-06-02 at 11:42 -0400, James Sumners wrote:
> > I have yet to hear anything to back up the "I need newer features"
> > statement. People that have a distaste for Debian stable love to use
> > it but they never give examples of it. What packages in testing or
> > unstable are necessary for you to run Debian on a server? Please, give
> > me some examples.
> 
> How about these:  Spamassassin, ClamAV, Apache 2.0, a recent JRE,  ;-)
> These aren't my requirements for Debian, just similar pain that I deal
> with over on the Redhat side of the world.  ;-)
> 
> -Jim P.

-- 
James Sumners
http://james.roomfullofmirrors.com/

"All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts
pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it
is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become
drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."

Missionaria Protectiva, Text QIV (decto)
CH:D 59