Configuring a Linux host - Interfaces - Debconf

This report appears to require some introduction. After the introduction, there's an introduction about something called debconf.

There are some guys in Fresno, who have started a business they call RecyCom. It's located in a fairly particular area in Fresno, in Fresno's Tower District — an area , perhaps distantly, but possibly, analogous to some of the more culturally artisanal districts in other cities. There used to be a great cafe, there. Then, Starbuck's moved in. Such is another tangential matter of fact.

RecyCom reminds me of the Linux Terminal Server project (LTSP), and here, there's another siderbar. I've heard that the LTSP has made use of refurbished computers. Recycom makes a business about refurbished computers, as well as the sales of new hardware — there are some Ipods there, also.

I was purchasing a replacement monitor for this, my old Gateway box. The new one is about 15 inches, or so, in screen-width. "The old one was a pillbox, in comparison", and — after some fluctuations in the local electrical grid — it stopped working correctly.

When I was checking-out their pricing, before purchasing the replacment monitor, I had had an opportunity to bring up the LTSP and Linux, to the fellows working there. It was then, when a concern was expressed, of the fellow whom I was talking to. What he expressed, I have been aware that it represents a concern, raised about Linux; it is a concern that must be addressed in development of a Linux distribution -- namely, "How to configure it?"

The concern, said, it is a concern that is being addressed — I had tried to articulate this to the fellow. He had said he is familiar with Debian. I am not sure of how familiar he is, with it, but it is not so much of a concern.

There are situations in which an argument would be to a waste. Having heard the fellow's concern, I consider, it was enough.

Debian is, quintescentially, the Linux operating system. As such, Debian is not exclusive to other Linux distributions. (In related fact: Debian provides distributions not only of Linux. There are Debian releases of the Hurd project's kernel, of NetBSD, and of the kernel of FreeBSD; more info is availalble on those, at and from the Debian systems ports page).

Debian is the basis to numerous more distributions of Linux, of which, Ubuntu is one. There's democracy in action, about software and systems technology.

Of what's been produced in and of Debian, there is a substantial body of work made about standardization, constituting the body of Debian policy, documented.

Furthermore, there is the big, big Debian package system — onto which packages.debian.org is one interface.

Within the Debian packaging system, there is something caled debconf. That, then, is what I have intended to bring to attention, in this article.

debconf, I am not a developer of. I may not beeither as knowing or eloquent of it as may be a developer of it. (Upd: There is a manual about debconf.)

During the administration of my Debian box, here at the casa, I have had an opportunity to have become familiar with Debconf, in some degree.

Debconf serves as an interface onto the configuration and re-configuration of systems provided in Debian packages. Debconf is integrated with the Debian packaging system system.

Debconf supports a number of interface front-ends -- including a console front-end, a number of X front-ends (one of which uses use GNOME widgets, for instance), and there is, reportedly, a web-based front-end.

Debconf operates on files made by a package maintainer.

Debconf is a fairly low-level thing in the operating system. I can't expect it to fly far, to the typical user, excepting if and that it works.

So, anyhow, in systems work, there is debconf. Considering the diversity that may be attendant in Linux systems, and the relevance of systems configuration, in conjunction with the maintenance of software packges in a system — all of which may be configured by some diverse means — debconf fills a spot, and fills it pretty darned well.