NSBD

NSBD - Automated software distribution system

Not-So-Bad Distribution is an automated Web-based distribution system designed for distributing free software on the internet, where users cannot trust the network and cannot entirely trust the software maintainers. NSBD authenticates packages with GNU Privacy Guard (GnuPG) or "Pretty Good(Tm) Privacy" (PGP(Tm)) digital signatures so users can be assured that packages have not been tampered with, and it limits the maintainer to only update selected files and directories on the user's computer. NSBD's focus is on security, leaving as much control as is practical in the users' hands.

NSBD handles automated updates by supplying a means of checking for updates to packages and automatically downloading and installing the updates. This "automated pull" style of distribution has the same effect as the "push" style of distribution, but gives more control to the user. A direct "push" style is also supported, which is especially appropriate for situations where there are multiple contributors to a shared server (for example, a shared web-page server). NSBD can "pull" directly over http or by using rsync to minimize network usage.

Obtaining

Web page http://www.bell-labs.com/project/nsbd/
Source tarball http://www.bell-labs.com/project/nsbd/archives/nsbdsrc.tar.gz
Source information http://www.bell-labs.com/project/nsbd/bootstrapping.html
Version 1.6 (stable) released on 2003-02-17

Licensed under The GNU General Public License, Version 2 or later.

This is not a GNU package.

Documentation

User manpage available from http://www.bell-labs.com/project/nsbd/nsbdman.html

Support contacts

Help List	<nsbd@lists.bell-labs.com> http://lists.bell-labs.com/mailman/listinfo/nsbd/
Developer List	<nsbd@lists.bell-labs.com> http://lists.bell-labs.com/mailman/listinfo/nsbd/
Bug List	<nsbd@lists.bell-labs.com> http://lists.bell-labs.com/mailman/listinfo/nsbd/

Project contacts

Maintainers	Dave Dykstra <dwd@bell-labs.com>
Developers	Dave Dykstra <dwd@bell-labs.com>
Sponsors	Lucent Technologies

Related information

Interfaces	command line, X Window System, web
Programs	breloc
Source languages	Tcl/Tk, C
Use requirements	GnuPG or PGP
Build prerequisites	tcl 8.0.5, tk 8.0.5, the tcl and tk "plus patches"
Weak prerequisites	rsync

Entry information

License verified by	Janet Casey <jcasey@gnu.org> on 2001-07-18
Entry compiled by	Janet Casey <jcasey@gnu.org>

Categories

Top > All Packages in Directory
Top > Security > Internet

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