Re: [sheflug] Apache, shtml and php config. problem

[Lesley Binks <lesley.binks [at] xxxxxxxxx>]

Ruth Gunstone wrote:
> In message <44E04916.10303 [at] zen.co.uk>
>           Lesley Binks <lesley.binks [at] zen.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> 
> [snip]
>> You might also want to be aware of the apache documentation which is
>> usually installed with apache.  I have it installed on Linux and BSD
>> boxes and SSI's are listed on the front page.  Start your server up and
>> try this link : http://localhost/manual/howto/ssi.html which you might
>> find looks remarkably similar to
>> http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/howto/ssi.html
> 
> Indeed it does. We live and learn :-)
> 
Good :)
[snip]

> 
> Well I wouldn't go as far as a recompile, (mainly because I wouldn't 
> have a clue how or why to, anyway!), but on a /personal/ machine on a 
> /private/ network, I must say I can't see any harm either. That said, 
> I also respect the "purists'" attitude of doing things the 'right 
> way'. One day, I *might* have to alter a setting on a /real/ 
> web-server and I'd be foolish to be so cavalier then! :-)

Depends what you want to do. :) I was faffing around with mod_perl some 
time ago on Apache 1.xx so needed to recompile.  It was interesting and 
fun to do.

> 
>> I tried Ubuntu early on, it's nice enough but I port scanned the box and
>> found an open port < 1024.  Posted somewhere on an ubuntu list and they
>> said 'they needed this port open for things they had to do'.  Not the
>> exact words but that was the essence of the reply.  They were no more
>> specific than that so ... with one root controlled port open and one
>> root account they'd attempted to make inaccessible (but easily got
>> round), against a load of distros that don't do that, I decided not to
>> pursue Ubuntu any further.
> 
> That's really interesting!
> 
> I actually chose Ubuntu because it loaded readily onto my laptop, and 
> onto a Dell PC at work, and even onto an old slot-loading iMac!! 
> (eventually). That's when I decided on it as my 'base system', for my 
> renewed attack of the Linux learning-curve!
> Fortunately, my Ubuntu machine is behind my router, so according to 
> "Shields Up!", It's practically invisible!
> 
I suggest you try scanning from inside your network to see what ports 
are open on it.  It would be interesting to know if there are any apart 
from those you expect.

Routers mostly come with pretty good firewalls.  However, one thing they 
all do is stop traffic coming in but not traffic going out.  I'm sure 
you realise if any machine on your network initiates an external contact 
that's ok according to your router if that is still at it's generic setup.

So ... if you have a port left open that's controlled by root, and no 
idea what process is using that port and the people who give you that 
distro won't tell you what they need it for then ...., well ... the 
choice is yours what you do about that port and that install.

I have heard Ubuntu is pretty good over a range of hardware and some 
people say it is the distro most likely to install on new hardware but 
that may be because Ubuntu takes Debian and makes it *really* unstable ;)

> My 'other' machine, the one I'm typing from now, doesn't run Windows 
> /or/ Linux /or/ MacOS, so is to all intents 'invulnerable' to all 
> those nasties out there :-)
> 
... or not .. as the case may be :)
Your list still leaves Solaris *BSD VAX/VMS AIX to name but 4.

Regards

L.

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