[Spambayes] Upgrading python

[Skip Montanaro]

    Kristian> I tried to convert the hammie.db file using db_expimp.py on a
    Kristian> Python 2.2 installation; however, this failed with an error
    Kristian> message.

That won't work if you don't have the correct version of the Sleepycat
libraries.  Still, what error did it display?  You're posting requests for
help with fairly noninformative phrases like "failed with an error message".
We can be a lot more helpful if you paste actual Python tracebacks into your
mail messages.

    Kristian> Also, db_upgrade does not seem to be available on my Mandrake
    Kristian> installation, and neither is there an RPM package called
    Kristian> 'sleepycat'.

Execute something like

    rpm -qa | egrep 'db[0-9]'

You should see output like

    libdb3.3-devel-3.3.11-7mdk
    db1-1.85-6mdk
    libdb3.3-3.3.11-7mdk
    libdb3.2-3.2.9-2mdk
    db1-devel-1.85-6mdk
    db2-2.4.14-3mdk
    db3-utils-3.3.11-7mdk

(This is on a Mandrake 8.1 system).  My guess is that you probably need to
install the db4-utils package from your CD.  I don't know how well Mandrake
does any more with multiple versions.  It may be that the python2.3 RPM will
only use the db4 rpm.  On the other hand, you may be able to "step back" to
the db3 rpm.

    Kristian> Since I cannot wait (I need to check my mail after all, and
    Kristian> the spam volume is too great to do this manually) I have
    Kristian> started with a fresh SpamBayes; I will just have to live with
    Kristian> a few unsure messages for a while. But I think this at least
    Kristian> deserves a mention in the documentation as I would probably
    Kristian> have been able to export my DB before upgrading had I known
    Kristian> this.

Yes.  I'll see if there's a reasonable place to squeeze that in somewhere.

<off-topic>

On the one hand, I find it rather frustrating that Red Hat at times seems to
be so danged slow functional updates.  On the other hand, I find that
Mandrake upgrades their stuff too quickly.  I can't get security updates for
my 8.1 system from Mandrake anymore (not a problem for Red Hat 7.3 which is
roughly the same vintage) and am generally stuck downloading and attempting
to build from 8.2 sources I get from a machine in Brazil (not always
successfully).  I tried upgrading my laptop from 8.1 when 9.0 came out and
wound up with an unbootable system.  I have no idea how I'm supposed to
reliably upgrade my 8.1 web server.  I'll have to try a fresh 8.1 install on
my laptop and an upgrade to 9.something.

I guess maybe veering back to Red Hat for my server would be a reasonable
choice.  Any other Linux vendors out there which might strike a happier
medium between Red Hat and Mandrake upgrade-wise?

</off-topic>

Skip