On Tue, Feb 05, 2002 at 07:42:08PM -0500, James A. Treacy wrote: > There are files which boot floppies controls that have no file > extension. This causes problems because apache assumes that they have > mime type text/plain and newbies don't can't figure out how to download > the file. A good example is dists/stable/main/disks-i386/current/linux . > Try wget -S http://ftp.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/disks-i386/current/linux > > Here are some alternatives: > - add .htaccess files and add lines like: > <Files linux> > ForceType application/octet-stream > </Files> > The problem with this is that not all mirrors are running apache. > Additionally, if a site has set 'AllowOverride None', apache will give > an error message when users try to download the file. > - Have sites add 'DefaultType application/octet-stream' to either the > apache config file or to a .htaccess file. Using a .htaccess file has > the same problem as the first example. Besides the problem of getting > hundreds of mirrors to modify their apache config, there is the > additional problem that there are probably files in the archive that > are plain text that would then be consider as binaries. > - rename all binaries with no file extension > > What I suggest is that starting with the next release any files that > aren't plain text be given an extension that will convince apache that > they are binaries. The biggest hassle here will be changing all the > links to the files. > > If you don't do anything about this, the webmasters will be forced to > send all mail from lusers complaining about this problem to this list. :)
This is not really as bad as it sounds. I looked at what would need to change for the linux file. What would be a good extension, linux.bin? It's a dozen places in rescue.sh and release.sh each, rdev.sh and bootconfig.c for a couple lines each, and syslinux.cfg and other bootloader files. The worst part is the documentation and messages, which I'd be willing to take on -- and those would not cause many bugs. In the ppc area, bootargs is a text document, so no problem. Same with any kernel-configs. The apus bootstrap folder has several binaries also, so that would be a little additional work. But the dozen or so people it would impact would probably be forgiving. -- *------v--------- Installing Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 --------v------* | <http://www.debian.org/releases/woody/installmanual> | | debian-imac (potato): <http://debian-imac.sourceforge.net> | | Chris Tillman [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | May the Source be with you | *----------------------------------------------------------------* -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]