zoneminder wiki Debian install

[ajoeiam]

Greetings

I was looking to install a 'security' cam as an assist in my birthing times for small ruminants.
Haven't got the install complete because of the challenges with also learning how to setup and run and administrate a LAMP system.
(Do wish it were possible to use at least Postgresql instead of Mariadb!)

The instructions at https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Debian_10_B ... e_Easy_Way
suggest that the repository ' deb-multimedia.org ' should be used in the installation of all the required packages needed to actually run Zoneminder.

I would suggest that using this repository is actually a bad idea.
The problems start occurring after installation when you want to update your system.
To a less than expert eye it looks like deb-multimedia.org is a great idea but in practice it results in some serious fun.

To update your system it becomes necessary to first remove ALL the packages that have ' dmo ' as a suffix.
Then you need to make sure to reinstall, this time from a ' Debian ' repository.
As there were about 35 packages (didn't count just a LOT) this was a non-trivial task.

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=227270 gives a good method of 'fixing' the problem (which I found after an hour of working package by package).

AIUI a wiki is supposedly editable by anyone but I am uncomfortable in adding into the wiki that following the installation instructions are going to leave a system with security flaws and even better isn't capable of being updated using 'normal' techniques.

Am hoping that pointing out this rather egregious flaw is useful for the community.

[bbunge]

I have to be up front with you and say that I am not happy with the Debian Buster install procedure. It was a "quick" job to help get those going who want to use Buster. I know there are some issues with Debian such as the API not working but I have been involved with some life changes and not able to spend time researching and testing. Iconnor was going to look into a Debian package for his repository. In time it will be there.

As for now I would recommend using Ubuntu for Zoneminder. I have that down to using an install script that should work for 99% of users. I don't know of a reason you can't use Postgresql. Many of us used MySQL but have gone to Mariadb for recent installs. I have an old Dell i5 quad core PC running Bionic, Zoneminder 1.30.4 and 17 cameras. I manage the server with Webmin. Recommend you give Bionic/Mariadb/Zoneminder a try. I'm sure the cows or goats or sheep will not care. Life is going back to normal for a couple of months so I may be able to work on Debian. PM me of you need anything specific.

bb

[ajoeiam]

I have to be up front with you and say that I am not happy with the Debian Buster install procedure. It was a "quick" job to help get those going who want to use Buster. I know there are some issues with Debian such as the API not working but I have been involved with some life changes and not able to spend time researching and testing. Iconnor was going to look into a Debian package for his repository. In time it will be there.

As for now I would recommend using Ubuntu for Zoneminder. I have that down to using an install script that should work for 99% of users. I don't know of a reason you can't use Postgresql. Many of us used MySQL but have gone to Mariadb for recent installs. I have an old Dell i5 quad core PC running Bionic, Zoneminder 1.30.4 and 17 cameras. I manage the server with Webmin. Recommend you give Bionic/Mariadb/Zoneminder a try. I'm sure the cows or goats or sheep will not care. Life is going back to normal for a couple of months so I may be able to work on Debian. PM me of you need anything specific.

bb

Thanks - - - I wasn't too happy with a requirement to do a pile of painful changes caused by following 'instructions' that were, in retrospect, shown to be not really great stuff. Nothing personal but it was frustrating being taken to task on another forum because I had installed what I though was 'Debian' approved stuff only to find that it was almost 10 years out of date and the fix - - - it weren't fun.

I would think Postgresql should work except when I went through the forum posts a thread quite some time ago one (some) of the devs indicated that there was something that Postgres didn't have that mysql did and not to bother trying poastgresql and that they were never going to support postgres so just don't - - - - me - - -- dunno.
Re: Ubuntu - - - - I spent quite a bit of time working on learning and trying to use LXD until I found that the Canonical dev team responsible had decided that as no one, in their opinion, ever updated regularly enough (their words not mine) that snapd and lxd were set up to force updates. The time frame without an update could stretch to 60 days but only with some serious tap dancing and finger crossing and other. When my server shut itself down 4 months in a row because of this 'joy' (not really but I think you get the idea) I have chosen to remove Ubuntu and Canonical from my computer software list. I prefer to manage my system and would prefer if I would be allowed to do so. Rather don't want someone else making the decision - - - - - there's already enough government bureaucrats already dancing in line screaming at me telling me what to do I really don't want another group making even more clamor. Sheep.cattle might not care but I would prefer if the whole world would NOT be able to watch me work in a difficult hugely problematic situation - - - - there's already enough stress without adding the militant vegan crowd into the mix.

Thanks for the response - - - - best of luck with the changes and 'til later.

[bbunge]

Actually I seldom use a full "server" install of Ubuntu. I do a net install from the mini iso with just what I need to run Zoneminder. as for updates I check for them once a week or so.

[bbunge]

An update for you...
Bionic is now at 18.04-3. Just did an install from a netboot USB (http://cdimages.ubuntu.com/netboot/) and upgraded to the Linux 5.0 kernal (https://www.howtogeek.com/436507/how-to ... 18.04-lts/). Installed only the openssh server from tasksel. Installed LAMP with: apt install apache2 php mariadb-server php-mysql libapache2-mod-php7.2

Linux 5.0 seems to run a bit faster on my i3 Dell Optiplex 9020 test PC.