Package: mc
Version: 4.5.1-1.1 
Architecture: sparc

(Installed slink, kernel 2.2.1)

I've tried to install mc .deb package that has become available recently.
When I start mc, a string "subshell.c: can't open slave pty ....." appers
for a moment, and then subshell feature of mc doesn't work (e.g. when I
press Ctrl-O I can't run shell commands)

As strace shows, mc tries to open /dev/ptmx 3 times one after other. First
two attempts succees, the third fails with "no such device". After this
the message is printed.

ls -l /dev/ptmx
crw-rw-rw-   1 root     tty        5,   2 Feb 26 15:44 /dev/ptmx
   
uname -a
Linux snuppy 2.2.1 #1 SMP Wed Feb 3 12:54:13 MSK 1999 sparc unknown