[Techtalk] ssh with no password (the debian way?)

[Angelina Carlton]

hello,

I have a remote webhost that I can ssh into and do my thing.
I dont mind typing my password, but id like to use rsync from 
cron, via ssh to mirror some directories between the two hosts.

This is where I'm at so far...

remotehost: Debian Sarge
localhost:Debian Sid

on the localhost:
ssh-keygen -t dsa
this creates /home/orchid/.ssh/id_dsa
my public key, im told is /home/orchid/.ssh/id_dsa.pub
I am prompted for a passphrase which I enter
then, it tells me the key fingerprint and exits.
c5:f34:765:blah:bleh:whole:bunch:of:stuff: orchid at morcheeba

next, still on the localhost, I run the
script: ssh-copy-id -i .ssh/id_dsa.pub aec at remotehost
i have to use my regualar login password, the script 
does its thing and exits the remote host telling me to
now try `ssh aec at remotehost` and check for  ~/.ssh/authorizied_keys

so i do this, and it now asks me not for my regular
login password, but for the passphrase I used to make the keys

So basically, it has enabled me to not use a logon password
but has activated a password protected key

Why didnt I just hit enter to get a blank passphrase during
the ssh-keygen session? Because everyone tells me thats a
no-no

I dont know then what the correct way on Debian is for this
procedure. 

thanks for your help.

aec.