[plug] apache readiness

[Denis Brown]

Hello, Steve.

At 14:53 10/12/2003 +0800, you wrote:
>Hi,
>
>If one were to install apache / postgreSQL on a Debian machine what would 
>one need to have installed prior to doing so?

The apt-get system should sort out any dependencies for you.   In my early 
forays into Linux-land I installed Apache, Postgresql, php and so on from 
.debs but became a bit disenchanted at the comparative sloth of the "Debian 
Machine" (tm) at keeping up with the later Apache, PostgreSQL, etc 
developments.   It always seemed that they were a long way behind the 
current releases.  So I took courage in both hands and examined just the 
points you raise, with some help from the people here :-)

>My concerns relate to any kernel options and other software ...

Don't know of anything kernel-related.   As above, apt-get will handle 
dependencies otherwise unmet.

>Should one install most apps from .debs??  Or can one install from source 
>quite safely??

Installing from .debs at least gives the assurance that a lot of testing 
has been done and while I did things that way, they Just Worked 
(tm).   Upgrading the apt-get way confers great advantages.   When 
installing from source, the main thing seems to be a willingness to examine 
the doco for each of the products, especially what shiny new config options 
there are.   For example I am just now installing PostgreSQL 7.4 from 
source and I see they have several more configure options, including safe 
threads, which have to be deliberately enabled.

I found the greatest headaches in configuring php to play nicely with 
Apache.   Of course there are many other ways of gluing a web server and 
database together.   Php (version 4 I think) had just been released along 
with Apache2 and the documentation was ostensibly simple, yet there seemed 
to be great gaps in its coverage.   May be better now; I'll find out soon 
because I have a couple of new systems to set up ;-)

The other thing is data migration.   For example when upgrading PostgreSQL 
across versions you need to pg_dump or pg_dumpall to save your data in a 
"portable" format and then restore from the dumps when the new version is 
present.   Not sure if the apt-get process handles that.   Anyone know?

HTH,
Denis