Re: [aclug-L] Debian and package source?

["Troy Wolf" <troy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've included responses to responses below.  Additionally I'd like to add the following.

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And now, deep thoughts, by Troy Wolf . . .

 

I struggled for 2 weeks trying to get a RH5.2 box configured to accept PPP dialin requests.  Even had a couple people who are doing this and know the stuff help me.  One of them even telnetted into my box and tried to fix it.  One of these people is using Debian and the other is using Slackware.  More than once, I completely wiped my RH server and started over hoping to get a fresh start and a fix.

 

Then I got mad and installed Debian on a second box.  The ppp setup was a relative breeze.  (Although the sample configs I had received from people did not work.  Instead, I followed the highly documented examples within the Debian ppp and mgetty packages to the letter--worked just like they said.  Go figure.)

 

I then used this new found knowledge (a WORKING AutoPPP dialup server) to try to re-engineer my RH box.  Nada.  It still craps out immediately after authenticating and starting ppp.

 

Is there ANYONE using RH to allow AutoPPP dialup?  Specifically with 2.2.x kernel.  I'm wondering if there isn't something "broken" in the latest version of everything I have on the RH box as opposed to the older versions on the Debin box.

 

You know, as much as I love the power, stability, and *possibilities* with Linux.  I can't blame those people who use Microsoft Products.  Not everybody has a month to spend learning every new process.  There are people who have more money than time--I've got neither.  (go ahead, flame on)

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Troy Wolf:
New Debian install, ppp-2.3.5 installed with it.

1. Should I have the ppp source on my box somewhere?  If so, where?

John Goerzen:

Not by default.

 

Troy Wolf:

2. If not, where do I get it? (I've been using dselect to get
packages (slick!), but I don't see a ppp-source package.)

 

John Goerzen:

You can download the source package or install it off the third
CD-ROM.  The source package consists of three files: .orig.tar.gz,
.dsc, and .diff.gz. You can find these on
ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/source.  Once you have
it downloaded, run:

dpkg-source -x *.dsc

it will unpack the source tree for you.  You can then cd into that
directory.  To build a .deb out of the source, run:

dpkg-buildpackage -B -us -uc -rfakeroot

This process requires that you install the dpkg-dev, gcc, libc6-dev,
fakeroot, binutils, debhelper, etc. packages.

 

 

Troy Wolf: WOW! That sounds terrible.  (I don't have any Debian CDs--did it all from the net)  3 packages?  This process makes rpms sound really nice.  Isn't simply downloading a single standard tar and unzipping it easier?.  I assume I don't understand what building a .deb does for me.

 

3. Where should package source be on a Debian box--ie: what is standard?

John Goerzen:

There is no particular standard; many people use a directory
underneath their home directory.

Troy Wolf:

PS: I'm wanting the PPP source so I can see if the IPX options are
enabled and re-compile if necessary. I know, I know, nobody cares
about IPX--which is evidenced by the almost complete lack of
information about how to give IPX connectivity to a Windoze client
through a PPP dialup session.  There are hints about it, though.

Look in the manpage for pppd; search for ipx.  there are several IPX
options mentioned in there.

 

Troy Wolf: Yeah, I've exhausted that avenue.

 

 

Another rambling thought: I'm not a gamer, but aren't a lot of the
popular games from years past IPX games?  If this is true, I'd think
that with the number of Linux hackers who are also gamers, that
PPP/IPX dialup would be pretty common.

John Goerzen:

I'm not aware of any Linux games that use IPX.  Linux uses TCP/IP as
its native protocol, and I don't think that any Linux coders have seen
fit to code otherwise with respect to games.

Troy Wolf:

I guess I was referring to Windows & Dos games.  Many of them were (are) IPX.  I was assuming many people have heterogenous networks with (heaven forbid) Windoze AND Linux.