I'm new to this, and have a suggestion... (fwd)

[Rob Hartill <ha...@hyperreal.com>]

:-)

no ack sent for this.

Forwarded message:
> From root@pchb1f.gallaudet.edu  Sat Oct 14 07:06:36 1995
> From: root@pchb1f.gallaudet.edu
> Date: Sat, 14 Oct 1995 10:09:16 -0400
> Message-Id: <19...@pchb1f.gallaudet.edu>
> To: apache-bugs@mail.apache.org
> X-Mailer: Lynx, Version 2.3 BETA
> X-Personal_name: Kevin Cole
> Subject: I'm new to this, and have a suggestion...
> 
> I grew up with older OS's such as the Xerox Sigman 7's CP-6, PDP-11's RSX-11,
> and DECsystem-10's TOPS-10.  These days I work mainly with VAX/VMS, and have
> no real organized experience with Unix.  But I've managed to get a Linux
> server up and running without really knowing what I'm doing.
> 
> I don't have any real network experience, per se, other than as an end-user,
> and now a Linux administrator.  I know FORTRAN and several old assemblers,
> but am just getting started with C.
> 
> My suggestion:  Documentation for the beginner.  You talk about all these
> features which make the Apache server better than the NCSA server, but don't
> say what they mean.  What is DBM authorization and what can I do with it?
> How do I know if I have the libraries required?
> 
> In particular, your Configuration file documentation is VERY confusing on
> this point.  It says:
> 
> ========
>   # [Some other former Apache compile-time options are now treated differently;
>   # the virtual host code is always present; DBM auth is an optional module, 
>   # and may be configured out by changing the module config below, though it 
>   # still defaults in.  Note that this config file does not include DBM auth 
>   # by default --- configure it in below if you need it].
>   ...
>   # Modules which implement Apache extensions:
>   # These can be commented out if you don't want them
>   # (or don't have the decade-old "new" DBM libs).
> 
>   Module asis_module        mod_asis.o
>   Module imap_module        mod_imap.o
>   # Module dbm_auth_module  mod_auth_dbm.o
> =======
> 
> So, if I read this right, it's configured out, but defaults in, but is not
> included in, so I have to configure it in... but it's configured out, but
> defaults in, but is not included in, so I have to configure it in...  but
> it's configured out...  (you get the idea).  It's optional but I might need
> it, and it relies on a decade-old new file.  Who wrote that? Dr. Seuss?  ;-)
> 
> I *THINK* I'm supposed to remove the # from the module line...  DBM auth
> appears to be present already in the modules.c that I untarred.  So I'm
> assuming it's now a standard feature, but in that case, I'm not sure why the
> Configuration file would NOT include it.  (I figured I needed to mess with
> Configure cuz your documenation implies that I need to customize for each
> machine.)  But I don't know enough about this to determine if I have the
> decade-old, new libs.
> 
> HELP!
>