Re: Strategy: DNS server in main for potato?
On 6 Sep 1999, Chris Lawrence wrote:
> Since new versions of bind are going to be non-free, we need a
> strategy to include a DFSG-free DNS server in potato. The options, as
> I see them, are:
>
> 1. Use DENTS (http://www.dents.org/); however, it may not make the
> November freeze date. And it's not BIND (which everyone who
> is/should be setting up a DNS server "knows".)
Hi. I am the official gopher for the Dents project, so I thought that
I would pop my head in and comment on this idea.
0) Debian is an officially-supported platform. We want any and all
debian-required patches fed back and integrated into the main tree.
Michel Onstein has been taking care of our debianization and been doing
a great job; until he decides he doesn't want to do it any more, then
I would appreciate his continuing as our main debian contact for all
code-related matter. He has commit privs to our CVS tree. Of course,
anyone interested in actual coding is welcome to join the project.
1) As I've said in my other email, our only external dependency is
on glib. Our control facility is still in its early stages, and you
can always configure it out. (You can read the design document for the
control facility at http://www.mindspring.com/~tlewis/ctlfac/design.html;
the parent directory includes ASCII and postscript versions.)
2) We aim to be a drop-in replacement for named, so all config files
should continue to work. At least, that's the goal; we're still lacking
several features to make this happen.
3) A good way to find out more information about the project is to read
my paper from this year's USENIX conference on it. You can find it on
our web page at:
http://www.dents.org/usenix/Dents-usenix99.htm
It's three months old and a little outdated, but it's the best description
of the project right now.
4) The best way to get a handle on the project is to get our code
out of CVS; instructions are in "http://www.dents.org/docs/README";.
Alternatively, you can grab a snapshot from CVS at:
"ftp://rocinante.mspring.net/pub/dents/dents-current.tar.gz";.
5) I would love to see Debian jump on board with Dents. If you search
the debian-devel archives, you'll see me in here a few months ago looking
for developers. I'm a long-time Debian user and have a lot of respect
for you guys. (I type this on my home machine, a Debian box.)
6) If we had a lot of help, and if we started right now, then we could
be ready, i.e., DNS feature-complete, for a November release. However,
with that little time (two months? is this the beginning or the end
of November?), I would be very nervous that overlooked bugs would make
it out. Therefore, although it really pains me to say so, I can not
really recommend that Debian rely on Dents for a November release.
If you could slip the release to the new year, or if you can throw
several network-progrmaming-savy people on the project, then we could
probably make it. How much leeway is there here?
7) We are a GPL'd project, and so I think that we would make the best
choice for Debian to ship as your main name server. If there is any way
that we can pull this off, then I really want to work with you guys to
make it happen.
I appreciate the consideration you guys have shown us, and I look forward
to working with you guys.
--
Todd Graham Lewis Postmaster, MindSpring Enterprises
tlewis@mindspring.net (800) 719-4664, x22804
"I'm the mint guy!"
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