I've noticed that the check that ./configure script does in order to find out if gdbm si used only tries to link with gdbm_compat. But the man page of gdbm says: If you wish to use the dbm or ndbm compatibility routines, you must link in the gdbm_compat library as well. For example: gcc -o prog proc.c -lgdbm -lgdbm_compat and indeed on any vanilla system this is the case. Debian, OTOH have patched their libgdbm_compat. -- damjan | дамјан This is my jabber ID --> damjan@bagra.net.mk -- not my mail address, it's a Jabber ID --^ :)