[freeside] MySql Help - a *VERY* negative opinion is rendered

[Kenneth R. Lewis]

Gary,

I too had this problem, and got the same 'pat' answer from Ivan,
while others who have inquired get somewhat reasonable responses.
Could it be cyclical? Even periodic?

It is a shame that Freeside has these dependencies, and at the
same time, a prohibition ( read "lack of tutorial or documentation")
on help for anything deemed "out of scope"..yet required.

I was able to get around the Perl DBD:mysql issues by removing, then
reinstalling the entire perl distribution----then going through
the step-by-step process of installing (via CPAN interactive shell)
the list of dependencies. Only after that arduous effort, and much
wasted time was I able to get Freeside running.  Oh, and by the way,
divining the obscure notation methods, file/directory naming convention
and other obfuscation's consumed even more precious time. Eventually
I was able to get to a point where I could discover the severe
limitations,
dead ends and oversights that make up Freeside.

Essentially, Freeside has one useful module and that has to do with
customer database entry. The rest is an awkward attempt at interfacing
to RADIUS (albeit not too smoothly) and a severly limited accounting
paradigm that has little to do with real accounting needs or practices.

Things like: recurring billing of Credit Card customers - duh, this is
probably the MOST important thing to get right - requires more steps
and effort than dealing with the local DMV employee... C'mon!
For me, it is the clearest of indications that this effort (although
noble) is not ready for prime time. You truly do get what you pay for.

On that note, the 'offer' [sic] to consult/per hour by the author,
coupled
with the ego-centric put-downs for newcomers to Freeside should be
warning
enough..... This is my honest, and battle earned opinion. 

So - I tried, I learned, I abandoned quickly.

K.R. Lewis  (Responses will be summarily ignored.)

ivan wrote:
> 
> On Wed, Aug 01, 2001 at 04:02:48AM -0500, Gary Dewrell wrote:
> > Any ideas on how to fix this problem?
> 
> Install a working MySQL client library.
> 
> Problems getting things like your database and Apache installed and
> working correctly are outside the scope of the Freeside mailing list.
> There are mailing lists for MySQL and DBD::mysql, please ask there for
> assistance.  Once you get MySQL and DBD::mysql working, give Freeside a
> try again.  Good luck.
> 
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "ivan" <ivan at 420.am>
> > To: <ivan-freeside at sisd.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2001 2:05 AM
> > Subject: Re: [freeside] MySql Help
> >
> >
> > > Interesting.  If that's actually something people need to do Freeside's
> > > configuration stuff will have to be renamed.  I don't think so, though.
> > > Note the following paragraph in the documentation:
> > >
> > >                 Usually there's no need for this option, unless you are
> > >                 using another location for the socket than that built into
> > >                 the client.
> > >
> > >
> > > Your problem is because you're using a MySQL client library
> > > (libmysqlclient.so) that doesn't match up with your MySQL server, for
> > > example if you installed one from RPM and the other from source, or
> > > vice-versa.
> > >
> > > On Wed, Aug 01, 2001 at 01:50:31AM -0500, Gary Dewrell wrote:
> > > > OK Next Update.  I found that you can specify the socket location on the
> > DBI line such as:
> > > >
> > > >  DBI:mysql:fredcat_db:mysql_socket=/tmp/mysql.sock
> > > >
> > > > but since freeside requires a directory to be created using that name I
> > cant do it because I cant create a directory with a / in it.
> > > >
> > > > Im no programer so Im hoping someone has already figured a work around
> > for this.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks in advance.
> > > >
> > > > Gary
> > >
> > > --
> > > meow
> > > _ivan
> > >
> >
> 
> --
> meow
> _ivan