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Re: ALPHA release of apache-1.0.0-1 now available



'Michael Alan Dorman wrote:'
>
>On Sun, 17 Dec 1995, Chris Fearnley wrote:
>> This is a preliminary release.  It seems to work, but I'm disatisfied
>> with my handling of httpd configuration (basically there is none - you
>> have to edit /etc/httpd/* by hand).
>
>Hmm.  That's what kept me from releasing mine.
>
>Maybe we can decide what constitutes a resonable set of things to do at
>install time?

I like the idea of asking a set of questions in the postinst
(similarly to cern-httpd).  There are too many options to simply
impose on the user some default configuration.  Now, that I've got it
compiled, I'm reading the User Guide!  I plan to design some
specifications for the /usr/sbin/httpdconfig script (when I can code
it is another story, indeed).

>Like:
>
>* Should we create a new user and/or group to control access to the 
>hierarchy of html files?  If so, why don't we make it "official" and get 
>Bruce to include in the base /etc/group and /etc/passwd files.

User nobody and group nogroup is either already in there or is it set
up by some other package?  I suppose user wwwadmin might be better?

>* Where should we put the html hierarchy?  I mean, they could exist on 
>/usr, since it doesn't per se matter if they're read-only or not, but it 
>that "right"?  A lot of places use /home/html or some such---I personally 
>don't think this is appropriate, but someone please tell me I'm wrong.

/usr/lib/apache is my choice for serverroot.  Where the documents go
is site-specific.  I'd like to also include an option to chroot httpd
to /usr/local/http or somesuch.  Can dpkg install a package under some
arbitrary directory?  If so then the preinst script might be able to get
everything into /usr/local/http and run httpd under chroot (for the
security paranoid).

>There are others, obviously.
>
>We might also want to coordinate with Ted Hajek who maintains the cern httpd.

I looked at his work and stole many ideas from it.  Thanks Ted.

>Also, you might want to rename the package to apache-httpd and the 
>related directories and files, or you need to conflict with cern-httpd.

apache-httpd provides httpd (as does cern-httpd) so dpkg won't install
one until the other is removed.

-- 
Christopher J. Fearnley            |    UNIX SIG Leader at PACS
cjf@netaxs.com (finger me!)        |    (Philadelphia Area Computer Society)
cfearnl@pacs.pha.pa.us             |    Design Science Revolutionary
http://www.netaxs.com/~cjf         |    Explorer in Universe
"Dare to be Naive" -- Bucky Fuller |    Linux Advocate


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