May 11th, 2004
Did you ever try installing Apache with SSL (really, haven't we all?) and get a nasty error message like this:
Generating a 1024 bit RSA private key .........++++++ .......++++++ writing new private key to '/etc/apache-ssl/apache.pem' ----- problems making Certificate Request 850:error:0D07A098:asn1 encoding routines:ASN1_mbstring_copy:string too short:a_mbstr.c:147:minsize=1 dpkg: error processing apache-ssl (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1 Errors were encountered while processing: apache-ssl E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
Unhelpful, isn't it? I run into problems like this all the time, where the goal (installing Apache with SSL) hits a roadblock (whatever that mbstring_copy shit was) that is totally tangential. I really don't want to delve into the details of what a Certificate Request is, how it might fail, and what I should do about it when it does. I want the computer to take care of all that for me. But it can't, or won't.
I ran into something similar a few days ago while updating my resume. I use XML Resume for that, so I can keep one master version and generate text, html, and pdf documents from it. To make those transformations happen, XML Resume relies on other software. And that software in turn relies on still other software. Once upon a time I had it all working, but after reinstalling from scratch recently I've lost my PDF power. I'm sure the problem is fixable, but at the same time I'm not exactly dying to give it a Lieutenant Columbo workover.
With the Apache problem, at least, I found a solution on Debian's bug tracker-- it turns out you have to fill out all the fields when the installer generates the certificate. Surprise! So when I deleted apache.pem and issued another apt-get install, the partially installed apache-ssl package went through without so much as a whimper. How convenient.
I think this is the litmus test of whether Debian (actually, any Linux) is a good match for your personality. If you can accept the tangential problem solving, you'll be fine. If you want the luxury of a neat and tidy installer that takes care of everything for you, not so much.