Once again, I feel the need to foment the tides of debate regarding some things I have been wondering about as I have started thinking about squidGuard in recent days.
In the past several weeks, I have seen some questions about updating the db files, and saw one thread in particular about a fellow that could not get the diff files to work because he was using only text files (instead of the db files). I have also seen, in the time that I've been reading this mailing list, many exchanges on the relative merits of using only text files versus the db files. Some have postulated that there is no difference in the performance (or in other aspects) of either strategy until one's blacklists grow to sizes far beyond those seen in ordinary, everyday use. Assuming that these assertions have been correct, let's say you have a sysadmin who has decided to dispense with the db files all together, and use just the text files (since squidGuard will use text files if no db files are present). This supposition being made, I have some questions: 1. Is this even recommended? In what cases would it be imprudent? 2. What is the function of the text files if one is using the db files for filtering? 3. Would the SleepyCat db program even be required if one used only text files for filtering? 4a. How does one update the text lists to augment filtering of bad sites? The diff files appear to be exclusive to db files. For example, when using a simple conf file that filters only ads using a text list, creating a domains.diff with the entry "+x10.com" and running squidGuard -u produces the following output in the squidGuard.log file: 2002-02-14 15:15:30 [7895] error update dbfile /usr/local/squidGuard/db/ads/domains.db. file does not exists, use -C to create 2002-02-14 15:15:30 [7895] init urllist /usr/local/squidGuard/db/ads/urls 2002-02-14 15:15:30 [7895] error update dbfile /usr/local/squidGuard/db/ads/urls.db. file does not exists, use -C to create 2002-02-14 15:15:30 [7895] squidGuard 1.1.4 started (1013728530.567) 2002-02-14 15:15:30 [7895] db update done 2002-02-14 15:15:30 [7895] squidGuard stopped (1013728530.575) The domain added to the diff file does not appear to be blocked after carrying out this procedure, nor was the domain added to the domains text list. Furthermore, manually adding the item above directly to the domains text list did not result in filtering of that domain, even after Squid was restarted. 4b. Is there a specific order by which domains should be added to the text files, if this is an acceptable way to update the lists? In essence, the question becomes: how does one maintain and update the text files if one chooses to dispense with the db files completely? Regards, Henry Barker
