(not sure whose email got delayed since i posted this question some time ago --
thanks for the tip though on how to get more meaningful modperl crash info).
The problem was the symbol conflict between XML::Parser and apache when built
with expat. This has been apparently known for over a year, but has still not been
fixed last i checked, presumably because it involves 4 different products interacting:
apache builds with expat, modperl gets linked in, then modperl pulls in XML::Parser
which pulls in expat again.
I rebuilt apache disabling expat and all was fine.
This is so common a configuration (apache, modperl, and XML::Parser), i have
to assume that the only reason there is not rioting in the streets is because
perhaps it only happens the way i built it (apache statically linking modperl).
-mda
