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Answers to these questions should be sent directly to the e-mail address of the inquirer with or without a copy to gazette@ssc.com. Answers that are copied to LG will be printed in the Tips column of the next issue.
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 13:08:48 -0800
From: Abdul Rauf,
arauf@lums.edu.pk
Subject: Intel NIC
I have a problem while I am trying to implement firewall on a Linux box. Problem is that I have installed two Intel NIC's in the system and gave them two IPs with the same subnet, when I ping them from the other machines both of them reply but when I ping to each other they don't. What could be the reason? Thanks
--
Abdul Rauf
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 15:44:28 -0800
From: Sudhakar Chandrasekharan,
thaths@netscape.com
Subject: DSL Access
My telephone carrier slashed the prices on DSL access http://public.pacbell.net/dedicated/dsl/dsl_basic.html. I am currently on the waiting list to get connected via DSL. The PacBell page lists the following under the "Hardware Requirements" section -
* Alcatel 1000 DSL Modem
* POTS Spliter
* Kingston KNE 40T Network Interface Card
I have a dual-boot (Debian GNU/)Linux - Win '95 machine at home. How is the support for the above hardware under Linux?
--
Sudhakar
Date: Sat, 06 Mar 1999 23:06:49 +0000
From: "graham.drake",
graham.drake@virgin.net
Subject: video card
The Linux desktops running under X do not fit my monitor, I suppose I have not got the resolution correct. I have a Compaq Presario 2110 but have not got any video card details. If anybody out there has set up on the same computer please would you send me details. Thanks,
--
Graham
Date: Fri, 05 Mar 1999 20:15:23 +0000
From: Huub van Niekerk,
niekerk@igr.nl
Subject: E-mail
I'm looking for an email program that equals Windows' Eudora. Who can do a suggestion? Thanks.
--
Huub
Date: Sat, 06 Mar 1999 02:57:15 +0000
From: DanBarnes,
DanBarnes@worldnet.att.net
Subject: Joystick Article
I've been puttering around off and on with getting a joystick working with Linux and I realize that I can't recall coming across an article anywhere on this, this might be a good article idea for Linux Gazette.
--
Dan
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 16:39:55 -0600
From: Mark Forstneger,
mark@advancenet.net
Subject: new kernel
I am looking for information on what differentiates kernel 2.2.x from 2.0.x. Perhaps you could do an article on it? There were many articles on the Windows98 release and how it different from Windows95, whether one should upgrade, etc. Jump on the bandwagon. Thank you very much.
-- Mark
(Check out the article by Joseph Pranevich, "The Wonderful World of Linux 2.2." in our February issue. --Editor)
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 14:31:00 -0800
From: "Michel A. Lim",
support@whl-international.com
Subject: Does Linux like WINS?
Hello all. Now that my network card is working, I am trying to connect my Linux box (Red Hat 5.2, kernel 2.0.36-0.7) to my Windows network. After some struggling, the Linux machine now appears and is accessible in the Network Neighborhoods of all my Win 9x/NT4 workstations. Furthermore, I can ping and telnet from each workstation to the Linux server by its host name (WHL31) and by its static IP address (192.168.34.6).
However, I can only ping from the Linux box to the workstations by their respective IP address. Since the workstations receive IP addresses dynamically from the DHCP service on my NT3.51 server, I cannot simply add the host names for all workstations to /etc/hosts. Therefore, my NT3.51 server (192.168.34.1) also acts as the WINS server for my network. I have configured Samba (1.9.18p10) with the following entries in /etc/smb.conf:
wins server = 192.168.34.1 name resolve order = wins hosts lmhosts bcastbut the Linux machine does not seem to be querying the WINS database.
What am I missing here? Is there another way to direct Linux to the WINS database? I was hoping to try things this way first, before trying to set up the Linux server as the WINS and/or DNS-caching server for my network.
Thank you for your attention in this matter. Any suggestions and ideas would be most welcome. However, please bear in mind that I am not very network savvy. For that matter, I'm also do not have any formal IS training.
Regards,
--
Michel A. Lim
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 16:14:27 -0300
From: "AcidBrain",
AcidBrain@ThePentagon.com
Subject: Linux to Netware Problem
Hi, I liked your zine very much. I'm mailing you, because it appears that no one knows how to solve my problem ( at least here, in Brazil). The problem appears when I try to connect ( dialing ) to my ISP, that is a Novell Netware. Look at the logs.
First, I tried to connect with minicom :
CONNECT 33600/ARQ/V34/LAPM/V42BIS[ after some time: ]
Connected to NetWare CONNECT 2.0.30 Service Selector on port AIO_111913000. Sorry, there are no services available at this time.Ok, I thought. Minicom is not the best way to connect. So, someone said that connecting with pppd would be the solution. The result was the same. Then, I read about ezppp in one home page that said it works works with Win NT. The result was the same. My modem is an USR Sportster 33.6 - Slack 3.5 and I can connect normally in other ISPs.
Would you know the solution ? If so, please help-me. Thanks,
--
AcidBrain
(The best guide I know of for connecting to the Internet using PPP is an article by Terry Dawson "The 10-Minute Guide for Using PPP to Connect Linux to the Internet" found at http://www.linuxjournal.com/issue36/ppp.html. --Editor)
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 17:45:41 -0000
From: Robert Karlsson,
rknna98@robertsfors.se
Subject: Problem with the proxy
I am running Slackware 3.4 with the kernel 2.0.36. I am trying to get my Linux to work with our schools proxy. I need some kind of proxy client that can handle SOCKS5. We tried some clients for SOCKS4 (homemade) but they don't work so it got to SOCKS5. What should I do?? I have no idea how to make it work. I don't know so much about SOCKS5 so I cant program my own program. Is there some program for SOCKS5? Please answer. (I want to throw W95 in the wall) /SiD_V
--
Robert
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 20:50:03 +0000
From: Michael Wilson,
michael.wilson5@virgin.net
Subject: Dodgy Hard Drive
Before I start, excellent resource, keep up the good work... to my problem now. I have 3 HD's two on the master and slave on the primary controller and the last on the primary of the secondary controller.
The dodgy drive is a Segate Medallist ST34321A. I have included a part of the boot.msg so as you can so what I mean...
The Mailbag!
<4>PIIX4: IDE controller on PCI bus 00 dev 11
<4>PIIX4: not 100% native mode: will probe irqs later
<4> ide0: BM-DMA at 0xf000-0xf007, BIOS settings: hda:pio, hdb:pio
<4> ide1: BM-DMA at 0xf008-0xf00f, BIOS settings: hdc:pio, hdd:pio
<4>hda: SAMSUNG SV0644A, ATA DISK drive
<4>hdb: FUJITSU MPC3064AT, ATA DISK drive
<4>hdc: ST34321A, ATA DISK drive
<4>hdd: CR-2801TE, ATAPI CDROM drive
<4>ide0 at 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6 on irq 14
<4>ide1 at 0x170-0x177,0x376 on irq 15
<6>hda: SAMSUNG SV0644A, 6105MB w/490kB Cache, CHS=778/255/63, UDMA
<6>hdb: FUJITSU MPC3064AT, 6187MB w/0kB Cache, CHS=838/240/63, UDMA
<6>hdc: ST34321A, 4103MB w/128kB Cache, CHS=8894/15/63, UDMA
<4>hdd: ATAPI 8X CDROM CD-R drive, 512kB Cache
<6>Uniform CDROM driver Revision: 2.51
<4>Partition check:
<4> hda: hda1 < hda5 hda6 hda7 hda8 > hda2
<4> hdb: hdb1 < hdb5 >
<4> hdc:hdc: set_multmode: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
<4>hdc: set_multmode: error=0x04 { DriveStatusError }
<4> [PTBL] [523/255/63] hdc1 < hdc5 >
As you can see the drive is detected as CHS 8894/15/63 I originally used this
as my primary boot drive but had to install Linux on another drive and not
mount the then hda2 hda5 etc as Linux it would corrupt the files on reboot or
shutdown with an error message such as can't find fs signature. I have
subsequently purchased a replacement primary drive and have changed the
settings in the bios to reflect LBA for the Segate so as you can see the CHS is
re-interpreted as CHS 523/255/63 but that is showing an error.
Any ideas, or the scrap heap for it ??
--
Michael
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 04:47:23 +0000
From: "Rod King",
kingr@mervbak.nex.net.au
Subject: Uninstalling Software
Have you had any articles on uninstalling application software in Linux. I am having some trouble finding information on this subject. Thanks
--
Rod King
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 15:35:34 +0000
From: Ben,
ben.metcalfe@ntli.net
Subject: retrieving Win9x / NT user names with Linux.
I've searched high and low for info on how to do this - something like an nbtstat on a win32 box from a UNIX server. I just need a way to allow a Linux server to retrieve the user name that a win9x / NT user is logged in to a hot-desking machine with.
So if I log in to a Win95 box as fubaruser / password, then try and open a local intranet page on the Linux server, it will allow me to log in with my own personal profile for the intranet site - and this profile will follow me from Win9x machine to Win9x machine. Because of the unclean nature of these machines, and the multiplicity of browsers in use, cookies are impractical.
help me pleeeeease?
--
Ben
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 23:03:52 -0800
From: David Gardner
gardner@transport.com
Subject: Advice on Linux Internet gateway box...
I'm using an old i486-66 box (16 MB RAM, 250 MB HD) running Linux 2.0.32 kernel with Diald, pppd, routed and other assorted daemons. I also use masquerading to allow all workstations on my home network to get onto and use the Internet. It works okay but the syslogd tends to get stuck and blocks any additional dial-out sessions. Once I kill the syslogd process, everything goes fine again but ... nothing is logged. Can you make recommendations on how to solve this problem?
I'm also considering ADSL to replace my POTS connection. Do you have any specific recommendations for converting the Internet gateway system?
--
David
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 11:20:04 -0000
From: Brian Lycett,
BrianLycett@Regis-intl.com
Subject: PC CHIPS Problem
I recently bought a brand spanking new PC-CHIPS motherboard, model 598, with a SiS530 onboard AGP 3D graphics card. I was quite eager to run Linux on this, but imagine my disappointment when I started X and got a corrupted, garbled screen. When I came out of X, the fonts were also all messed up.
I tried the latest XFree86 release, which is supposed to support the PC-Chips mainboard, but it still didn't work. Does anyone know of any fixes for this? The VGA uses shared system memory - could this be a problem?
This is the first problem in Linux I've come across that I can't find help for anywhere.
So if anyone out there could help me get X Windows up and running on my new box, I'd be very, very happy. Thank you.
--
Brian
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 14:44:06 -0600
From: Mark Zolton,
mcz@wheat.ksu.edu
Subject: Linux, PalmIII, and Email
I just purchased a PalmIII and I am interested in using it to compose and send email. The Pilot utilities for Linux contain a pilot-mail program which is capable of retrieving email from a POP client and sending it to the PlamIII. It sends email from the PalmIII via sendmail. I have no trouble getting email from the POP client, however, I have not played around with sendmail enough to know how to set it up to send email to my service providers SMTP host. What I would really like to find is an application which would allow me to use the PalmIII's serial connection to send email to an SMTP host so I don't have to mess with sendmail. If that isn't possible, can anyone recommend a good tutorial on setting up sendmail for personal use?
--
Mark
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 04:49:26 PST
From: "Ar San",
san_hk@hotmail.com
Subject: TACACS is year 2000 compliance
I would like to know that TACACS/TACACS PLUS is/are year 2000
compliance?? (NetWare Server)
Thanks!!
--
San
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 21:40:52 +0100
From: "Wojtek Pêkala",
wojtekp@infonet.wroc.pl
Subject: Scanner Mustek Cp 600
The CP 600 scanners are really cheap, and that's the reason why my employer has equipped me with one. Right now the scanner is the only reason why I still have a Windows partition on my disk, as the lpt scanners lack generally support under Linux. I tried to use the Win3.1 software for the scanner under Wine but to no avail. The failure surprised me since Wine generally handles the old small W3.1 progs quite well. Here is what I got:
Unexpected Windows program segfault - opcode = 8b
Page fault in 32-bit code (0x0809ddfc).
Fault address is 0x03780345
Loading symbols: wine /usr/X11R6/lib/libSM.so.6
/usr/X11R6/lib/libICE.so.6
/usr/lib/libMesaGL.so.3 /usr/X11R6/lib/libXpm.so.4
/usr/X11R6/lib/libXext.so.6 /usr/X11R6/lib/libX11.so.6
/usr/lib/libncurses.so.4 /lib/libdl.so.2 /lib/libm.so.6
/lib/libc.so.6
/lib/ld-linux.so.2 /lib/libnss_files.so.1
TOOLHELP SHELL COMMDLG KEYBOARD WIN87EM LEAD52 PANEL USER GDI KERNEL
WINEPS WPROCS DISPLAY SYSTEM USER32 GDI32 KERNEL32
In 32 bit mode.
Register dump:
CS:0023 SS:002b DS:002b ES:002b FS:03b7 GS:002b
EIP:0809ddfc ESP:40a6f5b8 EBP:40a6f61c EFLAGS:00010246( R- 00 I Z-
-P1 )
EAX:03780345 EBX:000003ff ECX:0000037c EDX:03780345
ESI:03780345 EDI:000008d4
Stack dump:
0x40a6f5b8 (USER32..code+0x33e090): 00000000 40307818 000008d4 01c004b1
08abd96 0 00000001 00000413 00000081
0x40a6f5d8 (USER32..code+0x33e0b0): 00000413 402e2598 00000000 00000413
0000000 1 00000000 00000001 00000000
0x40a6f5f8 (USER32..code+0x33e0d0): 00000000 00000001 00000000 4031754c
40a6f62 8 080c33f8 402e2598 00000081
0x40a6f618 (USER32..code+0x33e0f0):
Backtrace:
=>0 0x0809ddfc (MENU_SetItemData+0x15c [menu.c])
1 0x0809e6e8 (MENU_ExecFocusedItem+0x5c [menu.c])
2 0x081c7862 (TOOLBAR_SetMaxTextRows+0x22 [toolbar.c])
3 0x081c7d53 (TOOLBAR_LButtonDown+0x47 [toolbar.c])
4 0x081b419a (TSXFree+0x2e)
5 0x081b4a81 (TSXMapWindow+0x65)
6 0x0807d3a0 (CallFrom16_p_long_tp+0x8 [callfrom16.s])
7 0x08067e87 (BUILTIN_Init+0x6b)
...
Seems like some bug in user interface to me ? Is there any workaround ?
(I enabled the lpt's for WINE to write)
Regards
--
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 06:23:44 -0800 (PST)
From: Jonathan Markevich,
jmarkevich@yahoo.com
Subject: Mac client over LocalTalk
Does anyone know if it is possible to do file sharing over a simple LocalTalk (serial) connection? I had a modem cable so I could plug into a RS232 modem, and a null modem cable. Sounds good so far...
Getting netatalk to use the serial connection instead of the Ethernet one was another issue... SuSE 5.2-6.0 doesn't include slattach and the HOWTOs claim that's what I need.
This machine is a Mac Plus and it really really needs some storage space. It would be an awesome client otherwise; I should be able to run MacTCP, Eudora and Mosaic! Except... I can't LOAD them on the machine without some sort of networking. Incompatible floppies, you know.
Any ideas? I've also read the netatalk HOWTO and it says "First you need TCP/IP running" and doesn't seem to include the thought of a SERIAL connection.
Thanks for your help!
--
Jonathan
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 12:31:13 +0100
From: tuezney,
tuezney@mailserv.oma.be
Subject: opengl accelerated?
Are there already free accelerated opengl1.1 compliant drivers for e.g. riva TNT based cards for Linux? Is there anybody working on this? Xi-graphics do make them but than they are commercial!
--
tuezney
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 07:46:02 -0700
From: "K.A. Steensma",
steensma@flash.net
Subject: What is a *.ajr file?
I had kind of forgotten that your message about issue #38 had come in via email. So last night (on my desktop computer), I went over to you home page and found the "Linux Gazette Downloading Information" section, pointed at the "here" in "Linux Gazette can be downloaded by clicking here" and went to download issue #38. As my pointer went over the "here", my status line (in Netscape) indicated that I would be downloading "ftp://ftp.ssc.com/pub/lg/lg-issue38.tar.gz". But when I clicked on the "here" and the dialog box game up for me to decide where I wanted to put the file, the file name was "lg-issue38_tar.arj". (I should have said earlier that I use Win98/Netscapte on my desktop.) And that is exactly what I downloaded; a "ajr" file.
Supper was on the table, so I left it as that and (later) sat in the bedroom (with my laptop that has the same combination of software) and (since I still hadn't read you issue) downloaded another copy of the issue. That copy was downloaded as a 'gz' file which I then decompressed, stored and read. It didn't come to me that (earlier) I had downloaded a 'ajr' file before. Now this morning, using the deaktop computer, I downloaded another copy and that copy was (again) a 'ajr' file.
What is a 'ajr' compressed file? Do you have any idea why (with my desktop computer) I download a 'ajr' file but with my laptop, download a 'gz' file. I really don't think that I have made some 'silly' mistake or that I have different versions of the OS or Netscape (as far as I can remember, both machines were derived from the same CD/disk file (Win98 from the CD; Netscape from a downloaded installation file).
I just started to download the base files (from the next 'here' in the web page) and the same thing happened again. The status bar for Netscape indicated that I would be accessing a 'gz' file, but the 'Download To' dialog file indicated that I would be receiving a 'ajr' file.
I've been around computers and the Internet long enough that I am considered an 'expert'. But this one kind of flips me out.
--
TIA - KAS
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 23:18:25 -0000
From: "Monaghan Consultants Ltd",
alex@monaghan.co.uk
Subject: fdisk
My fdisk (Debian 1.3) does not recognize my SCSI drive correctly. I'm using a Future Domain TMC8xx card using the ST01 setting in the kernel config, this is fine on my current small SCSI drives, but I'm wanting to replace these with a couple of HP C2247's.
When running fdisk the initial message (and also at boot time) is showing >64 heads, but fdisk will only allow me to set 64 heads.
How can I create a partition to use all of the disk ?
Is this a limitation of fdisk, the kernel or the SCSI card ? Thanks
--
Alex Monaghan
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 14:34:08 -0000
From: "Victor Gibson",
victor.gibson@onlinemagic.com
Subject: winmodems
Being a complete newbie where Linux is concerned and working for a company that has few Unix servers running WINS and DHCP and hosting a few websites. I was asked if I would be interested in learning Unix to cover sysadmin. I jumped at the chance, although the training is not for a few months I decided to ditch my win98 system at home and go head long into a Linux install(Red Hat 5.1)
It has taken me all weekend to get it up and running, with the X Window System configured, now this is not a long time as I like to read all the instructions, learn from past mistakes and many hair pulling moments that manuals and HOWTOs and FAQ are there for a reason. My next step along the Linux path is to get my modem working............It's a winmodem so I appear to be stuck, I do not really want to spend any more money on a modem; is there anyway I can get a winmodem (internal) to work under Linux, I read somewhere this is not possible as the CPU does most of the modem's work (driven by software.
Can anyone point me in the direction of any info on getting winmodems to work under Linux? Thanks,
--
Victor
(To my knowledge, there's no way to get a winmodem to work with Linux. Anyone out there have a different answer? --Editor)
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 17:14:04 +0600
From: "sujon", sujon@ncll.com
Subject: Red Hat and sendmail
I installed Red Hat 4.2 and sendmail 8.5.Recently I upgraded to Red Hat 5.1 and
sendmail 8.9.Sendmail is working on server. But when other user (work
station/dialup line) send a mail it does not work and give a message
recipient must be change.......
Please help......................
--
Sujon
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 16:26:53 -0000
From: "Matthew Pearson",
matthew.pearson@infomatrix.ltd.uk
Subject: Article ideas for you...
I've only just discovered your site, and it looks very useful.
A decent collection of how to set up and use a DAT drive with Linux would have made my life a lot easier recently. There are bits about it all over the place, but they really are all over the place.
I'd like to be able to centrally administer my Linux boxes (we now have 6 in the office). The boxes are used for file serving, mail, and anything else to software development (we've got about 10 engineers here). I know that one way of centrally administering Unix is to centralize the /usr partition and NFS mount it. It doesn't look like RPM will allow that very easily. I don't need to be able to boot via the network, but it would be useful to have a more centralized system, than a whole bunch of boxes that have to be updated with every new fix or application to be added. Do you have any ideas/inspiration on this?
--
Matt Pearson
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1999 15:23:19 +0600
From: "sujon", sujon@ncll.com
Subject: Multi-login protect
I am looking for a software multi-login protect for (RED HAT 5.1) Thanks
--
sujon
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 08:43:02 -0600
From: "Jonathan",
flymolo@eatel.net
Subject: ext2fs problems
I recently bought a copy of partition magic 4. I used it to steal more space from windows and add it to my / ext2 partition .... apparently it resized the partition but not the file system. Is there any way I can tell the file system to non-destructively rebuild itself using more space?
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 12:56:46 -0000
From: "Thorp, Alexander",
athorp@lucent.com
Subject: Own domain over part-time dial-up (article, issue 36)
Interesting article. Just a couple of comments about the script:
First, the comment "for some reason this didn't work". It's not altogether clear what you expected it to do, but the exit 0 is entirely superfluous. If you hoped to exit from the entire script, this cannot be done from within a sub-shell. Is there any reason for executing such a phenomenal number of sub-shells? It is not as if you are doing the sorts of things which sub-shells make easier, such as localizing changes to the environment or to the current working directory.
If one assumes that really you wanted to exit from your script here, then you would be better off writing:
if [ -f /var/lock/LCK..modem ] ; then
echo "modem not available" 1>&2 # redirect stdout to stderr
exit 1 # error exits should not exit 0
else
/etc/ppp/ppp-on
sleep 45
fi
Second, test -e is bash-specific syntax. The habitual use of bash-specific
syntax results in scripts that are non-portable. All versions of test (and
of /bin/sh that have test as an in-built) that I know of support test -f;
this is standard syntax for this operation. For example, HP-UX /bin/sh
does, as it happens, support test -e, but on Solaris this doesn't work. For
/bin/ksh the situation is reversed, with the Solaris version accepting test
-e but the HP-UX version not. All Linux distributions come with a /bin/sh
(sometimes just a symlink to /bin/bash), so better to use /bin/sh for shell
programming, as per Unix convention, and to stick to the standard part of
the shell programming language.
It is not altogether clear whether you think that the line #!/bin/bash half way down the script as the first line of a sub-shell section will have an effect, but this could be confusing to a reader less familiar with shell programming.
--
Alex Thorp
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 13:26:07 -0500
From: Siddharth Kashyap,
skashya@cs.concordia.ca
Subject: Wharf
I am using Red Hat Linux 5.2. In FVWM95 I start Wharf. From this Wharf I click at xterm icon I get a blank xterm window. This is because the person who wrote the code in the file fvem2rc.modules.m4 is calling xterm as :
xterm -bg black -fg blackNow, what annoys me is how come such a big company would do something as stupid as this.
--
Siddharth Kashyap
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 18:34:16 +0000BR
From: Paul Dunne,
paul@DUNNP.CIX.CO.UK
Subject: Linux & the impeachment -- is there a link I'm missing?
Sorry to gripe, but just browsing through the Linux Gazette mail bag, and... what are all those letters about the US President and his, er, "recent problems" doing there? The title is `Linux Gazette', right? Please, let's keep this sort of irrelevant material out of LG.
--
Paul
(Sorry Paul -- they are there because I wrote about it in the "Not Linux" section and felt they had a right to reply to my remarks. Guess I should have put the responses in the "Not Linux" section too. Just didn't think of it at the time. --Editor)
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 09:11:55 -0600
From: "Louis C. Lohman",
llohman@kissane.com
Subject: KDE - so what?
Am I just being obtuse, or does KDE feel like a heavy, bloated, resource-intensive desktop environment? If that's what I wanted, I would stay with M(I'm sorry, I can't say the word)t. Features and benefits be damned, FVWM2 comes real close to the type of responsiveness I feel should be expected of the desktop ... KDE doesn't even come close.
And WHY hasn't anyone else complained? At least, not in a forum that I've been aware of. Is it that everyone is so enamored of the acceptance that Linux has been getting that they are afraid to rock the boat?
On the other hand, I suppose that we (the Linux user community) feel like we can pass this KDE thing off as a ready replacement for W(I'm sorry, but I can't say that word, either)s, given that it is so slow and bloated that W(you know)s users will feel right at home.
Yeah, that's the ticket, we'll make 'em feel right at home.
--
Lou Lohman
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Contents: |
May 1999 Linux Journal
The May issue of Linux Journal will be hitting the newsstands April 12. This issue focuses on Programming with an interview with Larry Wall, the guru of Perl. Linux Journal now has articles that appear "Strictly On-Line". Check out the Table of Contents at http://www.linuxjournal.com/issue61/index.html for articles in this issue as well as links to the on-line articles. To subscribe to Linux Journal, go to http://www.linuxjournal.com/ljsubsorder.html.
Linux Without Borders
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 08:48:20 -0500 (EST)
Linux Without Borders is an
E-list dedicated to discussion and implementation of the
vision that in countries whose citizens are not yet rich enough
to own Personal Computers(PCs), computers must be *shared*; and
that the way to enable sharing while preserving individual
privacy is to install Linux, a multi-user, multi-tasking
operating system, on PCs owned cooperatively, or by businesses.
This will enable citizens to establish their own accounts on a commonly owned, or rented, computer, where they can do all the things that citizens of wealthier countries can do: write, do accounts, and -- perhaps most important -- use "their" computer to communicate with other people, in their own country and throughout the world.
To subscribe, send E-mail to: Majordomo@tux.org with the following line in the body of the message:
subscribe linux-without-bordersFor more information:
Tech Talk
The Chicago Tech Talk radio show, "The Linux Show", will be celebrating UNIX's 30th birthday with a special show on April 6 at 8PM CST. Host Jeff Gearhart will be interviewing Peter Salus. Listen in on-line at http://www.ttalk.com/shows/thelinuxshow/thelinuxshow.shtml.
Silicon Graphics Positions Available
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 16:37:20 -0800
Silicon Graphics, Inc. is a leading supplier of visual computing and
high-performance systems. The company offers the broadest range of products
in the industry - from low-end desktop workstations to servers and high-end
supercomputers. Silicon Graphics and its subsidiaries have offices
throughout the world and corporate headquarters in Mountain View,
California.
Silicon Graphics has several key teams doing Linux development here in the bay area, and looking for experienced engineers to join.
The Linux Kernel Development team is defining and developing operating systems for SGI open source platforms, evolving the Linux technology to address SGI's key markets.
The Linux Platform Development team is putting Linux on our next-generation scalable multiprocessor servers. This work involves the Intel IA64 processor, and high performance scalable I/O subsystems.
The Storage Team will be taking the best File System SGI has to offer and moving that to the Linux community. They will also be moving our clustered File System technology based on XFS to Linux.
For more information: Carol Stanford, stanford@engr.sgi.com
Linux Links
LINUXCANADA.NET, The Future of Linux in Canada: http://www.linuxcanada.net/
Give your opinion on Linux Certification: http://www.linuxcertification.org/
Centuries 5,4,3,2,1,0 + Circadian Theory of Learning: http://people.tamu.edu/~carlson/bryson.html
The LINUX Forum: http://www.mediadrone.com/linux/
Index of Alternative Operating Systems, Linux news page: http://www.indexos.com/OS/Operating_Systems/UNIX/Linux/News/
The UNIX Guru Universe: http://www.ugu.com/
The LinuxStart.Com Project: http://www.LinuxStart.Com/
Marc Merlin's LinuxWorld Expo Page: http://marc.merlins.org/linux/lwce_winter99/
O'Reilly Summit Highlights Business Case for Open Source: Press Release
Investors in Red Hat: Press Release
NetBeans Ships One of the First Cross-Platform IDEs to Support Java 2
Prague, Czech Republic, March 2, 1999 - NetBeans today launched DeveloperX2 2.1, one of the first full-featured Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) to support and run on Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s Java 2(tm) platform. DeveloperX2 2.1 enables software developers to build sophisticated Java Foundation Classes (JFC) GUIs, compile, and debug applications on the platform of their choice. NetBeans also simultaneously launched a concurrent version, Developer 2.1, which supports Swing 1.1 and Java Development Kit(tm) (JDK) 1.1.
NetBeans Developer combines support for all stages of application development including visual design, coding, compiling, and debugging in a comprehensive visual programming package. It is available in two versions which run on all platforms that support JDK 1.1 and 1.2, respectively, including Windows 95/98/NT, Linux, Solaris(tm), HP-UX, OS/2, AIX, SGI Irix, and others. The IDE is based on JFC and JavaBeans Components, and all parts of the IDE are actually themselves JavaBeans. The result is an IDE where the user can fully customize the interface, modify component behavior and easily add new components.
NetBeans Enterprise will allow teams of developers to build full-scale distributed Java technology-based applications. In addition to the features of Developer, Enterprise will feature several additional modules: Version control systems support (integration with multiple vendors); database connectivity - JDBC; Enterprise JavaBeans support - EJB; distributed computing support - RMI and CORBA; and directory services - JNDI.
For more information:
http://www.netbeans.com/
Programming Web Graphics With Open Source Software
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 10:13:39 -0800 (PST) Sebastopol, CA--Many people assume that creating web graphics requires graphics editors like Adobe Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro. But with Open Source software like Perl and GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) you have the power to dynamically generate graphics based on user input and activity, easily manipulate graphics content, and optimize graphics for compression and quality.
Programming Web Graphics with Perl & GNU Software
By Shawn P. Wallace
1-56592-478-9, 470 pages, $29.95 (US$)
It's a little-documented field, and the valuable free libraries and tools available on the Internet are little publicized. From access counters and log-report graphs to scientific plots and on-the-fly animated GIFS, graphics scripting is within the grasp of most web scripters. "Programming Web Graphics with Perl & GNU Software" was written to provide a practical resource for intermediate and advanced web programmers who want to use CGI Scripts to generate dynamic graphic content.
For more information: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/prowg/
Kudos to Trident
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 16:20:15 -0500
I'm writing you to let you know of a recent hardware company's
exceptional support to the GNU/Linux community and the GPL.
The Advanced Linux Sound Architecture project ( http://alsa.jcu.cz/) is a project designed to build an architecture for pro-quality sound and MIDI applications, from low-level drivers for sound and MIDI hardware to high level libraries and sequencers. The project is committed to releasing all work under the GPL.
As you may know, many sound card manufacturers are reluctant to give any technical help, and even some of those that offer help require NDA's, which of course excludes the possibility of release source. We have blacklisted some companies (http://alsa.jcu.cz/black.html) who have either refused to release information or have decided to release binary-only drivers, which ALSA will not use.
Trident (http://www.tridentmicro.com/) recently contacted the ALSA developer mailing list, having written their own drivers for their 4D Wave chipset for ALSA, and offering the source for the drivers. They graciously allowed all of it to be put under the GPL, including technical documents.
I am hoping to drum up support for their hardware in order for the community to demonstrate how cooperation of this sort can aid sales. Maybe this will convince more companies to follow.
Their chipset is used in the following products. If GNU/Linux users are looking towards purchasing a sound card, perhaps they would consider some of the following, since these cards are well-supported under ALSA.
Company Product Name ======================================= Best Union Miss Melody 4DWave PCI HIS 4DWave PCI Warpspeed ONSpeed 4DWave PCI AzTech PCI 64-Q3D Addonics SoundVision (model SV 750) CHIC True Sound 4Dwave Shark Predator4D-PCI Jaton SonicWave 4D Paradise WaveAudio Interactive (Model AWT4DX) Promedia Opera CyberPCI-64 Stark PCIYou can read more about ALSA and the call to sound card manufacturers at http://alsa.jcu.cz/call.html For more information:
Linux services new from VC3
COLUMBIA, SC March 15, 1999: VC3, Inc. announced today that the company will begin offering Linux services to corporations regionally. The announcement comes at a time when the Linux operating system, a UNIX-like operating system available at no charge to businesses, is gaining momentum as a cost-effective system of choice for running many business applications.
VC3 will provide Linux setup, configuration, and ongoing administration services for both mid-size and large companies in the Southeast. In addition, VC3 will support all Linux distributors that build their own versions of the Linux operating system, including Red Hat Software, Caldera Systems, and SuSE. This will enable VC3 to service and support all "flavors" of Linux.
VC3 will provide the Linux operating software as well as set up, configure, and administer the operating system for large and mid-size corporations. Installation requires about a half-day to one day. Installation and configuration prices vary from $200 to $5,000 depending on the project scope and number of servers.
For more information: http://www.vc3.com/
JES Linux Class
Date: Tue, 02 Mar 1999 12:43:38 -0800
Newport Beach, CA JES & Associates, Inc. is once again
stepping to the forefront to meet industry demands in
announcing a new course, 200L Linux Fundamentals. Designed
for newcomers to Linux, the three-day course will have its
debut run beginning April 5, 1999.
For more information:
http://www.jes.com/
Applix Launches Open Source Initiative With Applix SHELF
WESTBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 1999--Applix, Inc. (NASDAQ: APLX) a leader in decision support applications for Linux and Unix workstations, today launched its first Open Source initiative with Applix SHELF, an embeddable, full-featured programming language. With SHELF, application developers will be able to increase customization and extensibility of their applications by embedding Applixware language in their products.
Both Applixware and Applix SHELF are available for all major distributions of Linux, including Red Hat, SuSE, Caldera, and Slackware. They are also available for Sun, IBM, Compaq, and Hewlett Packard Workstations, as well as for Microsoft Windows 98 and NT. Applix SHELF is being released under the GNU Library Public License (LPGL), as defined by the Free Software Foundation, Cambridge, MA. Under LPGL, Applix SHELF is freely usable in either the original or modified form. It is available now for free download at Applix's new Open Source-oriented website.
For more information:
Applix, Inc., http://www.applixware.org
esh -- A New UNIX Shell
esh is a new shell for Unix, written completely from scratch. It is very small, both in number of lines of source code and in memory consumption. The whole shell is about 5000 lines of C source code, and occupies about twice as little memory as bash in some cases.
However, esh is also extremely flexible, with a real programming language at the core. The syntax is a simplified form of Scheme.
For more information:
Ivan Tkatchev, http://esh.netpedia.net
Debian GNU/Linux 2.1 'Slink' released
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 12:06:46 -0500
Debian GNU/Linux 2.1 'Slink' has officially been released on March 9, 1999
for the SPARC, Intel x86, Alpha, and Motorola 680x0 architectures. Release
notes, installation instructions, and other information is available at
http://www.debian.org/releases/slink/
Debian GNU/Linux 2.1 contains over 2250 precompiled binary packages contributed from over 400 developers, including all of the favorites: web servers, GIMP, gcc, egcs, XFree86, SQL servers and many other tools and utilities.
Debian's new powerful package manager 'apt' allows for easy installation, maintenance and updating of packages including sophisticated handling of dependencies and configurations. Packages from other distributions can easily be installed using the 'alien' utility.
For more information:
Debian Press Contact, press@debian.org
Debian homepage: http://www.debian.org/
PROFUSO Mail Gateway
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 13:00:24 +0000 (/etc/localtime)
PROFUSO proudly announces version 1.0 of PROFUSO Mail Gateway
"Personal Edition", the freely available personal email to WWW
gateway.
We can make this powerful software available for free because the development of Personal Edition is supported by its commercial edition (PROFUSO Mail Gateway Server Edition), that is multiuser and lets you create web based e-mail services (like H*tmail).
PROFUSO Mail Gateway is a server software for the Linux operating system that allows to send and receive e-mail using only a web browser. PROFUSO Mail Gateway extends all the functionality of e- mail, including multimedia and attachments, over the WWW. When installed on your Linux web server, all you need for e-mail is your favourite browser.
PROFUSO Mail Gateway is available in two versions: "Personal Edi- tion", that is single user and freely available from our WWW site and "Server Edition", that is commercial and multiuser and lets you create your own free web e-mail service in minutes.
You can download your free copy or obtain more information on the Server Edition at our site:
http://www.profuso.com/products.html
For more information:
Giuseppe Zanetti,
beppe@profuso.com
WebEvent! Web-based calendar software
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 01:15:42 -0500
Please add WebEvent, our web-based calendar and scheduling software
to your list of Internet applications. WebEvent has been available
for Linux since 1995 and the commercial version has been around for
over a year and a half.
WebEvent is an interactive web-based calendar that allows you to view and modify calendar-type events from any computer that can run a web browser. Features include multiple views and formats, event types, repeating events, event reminders, searchable calendars, meta-calendars, conflict resolution, source coude, and an easy to use web-based interface.
For more information: http://www.MatadorDesign.com/
SuperAnt CD-ROM with Mini-Distributions
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 17:56:19 -0800
SuperAnt is announcing that effective immediately,
they will be making available a Mini Linux Distribution CD-ROM.
The Mini Distribution CD-ROM contains small rescue releases of Linux
and packaged Linux systems that require only diskettes to boot from.
Some contain XFree for Linux, allowing graphics use on properly
configured systems. Some of the included distributions are Small Linux,
Trinux, Linux Router Project, muLinux, Toms Disk, and LEM.
The CD-ROM contains more than 600 megabytes of files.
SuperAnt is a Linux and Open Source technology provider and packager, selling and marketing business and recreation CD-ROMS on the Internet.
For more information:
http://www.superant.com/
Steven Gibson,
superant@superant.com
HELIOS products and support for Linux
March 18, 1999- CeBIT '99, Hannover, Germany, Hall 9, Booth C25- HELIOS Software GmbH announces the availability of its EtherShare 2.5, EtherShare OPI 2.0, PDF Handshake and Print Preview products for the Linux operating system on computers based on Pentium processors. HELIOS PCShare 3 will also be available for Linux later this summer.
HELIOS Software supports Linux with its file server, print server and PrePress applications on the HELIOS CD014, available in April. HELIOS CD014 includes a minimal Redhat Linux runtime to support the HELIOS software applications as well the Linux TCP/IP, NFS, FTP and Web services to serve Macintosh, Windows, UNIX and Internet clients.
For more information: info@ugraf.com, http://www.ugraf.com/
HELIOS Software Gmb, http://www.helios.com/
Communicator 4.51 now available for Linux
Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 08:49:20 -0800
Netscape
just released Communicator 4.51 today (Tuesday, March 9), including the
Linux version. This is the first update to Communicator 4.5 since its
release last October. It includes a Netscape branded version of AOL
Instant Messenger 2.0 (enabling group chat), Quotes Anywhere (via Smart
Browsing keywords), improved stability and in addition to several
performance enhancements, this release corrects potential security
vulnerabilities reported in recent months by independent programmers.
Communicator 4.51 is available for download via Netscape Netcenter at http://home.netscape.com/download/
The Answer Guy
a small question --or--
What's wrong with internal modems?
Error starting recompiling process?How Can I Delete? --or--
No rule to make target 'config' --or--
Fvwm95-Wharf --or--
Another "No Login" Problem: A little tip
Multilink PPP using Linux --or--
New Linux Distribution --or--
login source code --or--
Personal LAN setup... --or--
Good morning!!! --or--
diald dials every hour... --or--
Modem Problem --or--
Plee for help
security issue, /etc/passwd --or--
Linux and Y2K
Your approach to Y2K problem --or--
Greetings from Jim DennisDear Bill,
Thanks for the offer letter. Of course, I'll take that promotion. I'd love a senior marketing position at Microsoft's sunny Seattle campus.
I'll be happy to help MS focus on its core competencies (making mice, joysticks, keyboards, and the exciting new "Talking Teletubby (TM)" line of toys. It's definitely the best thing since "Teddy Ruskin (TM)" and the "Cabbage Patch (TM)" dolls.
(I have some interesting strategic proposals for dealing with the Mattel and Fisher-Price problems, but we'll discuss them when you meet me at SeaTac next week. Not that they're anti-competitive or anything like that! But be sure to "secure delete" this e-mail after reading it. Too bad you don't have that new "one-time reader" code integrated into Outlook (TM) yet. We're still stuck using that old Norton code)
I agree with your assessment about software. That's definitely passe. We'll only have a couple more years before those Linux geeks completely eat our lunch. Believe me, after this prolonged undercover assignment that I've been on I know all about Linus' subversive plan. BTW, thank Paul for starting that company to hire Linus. I would have hated to go to Helsinki and attempt the infiltration during one of their winters. I'm sure he was right to put that down here in the Silicon Valley; the ploy might have been a little too transparent if we'd put it up in King county.
It's too bad that MSN has been such a flop so far. How are the AOL acquisition plans going? I still think you should set up a European shell to do that. If Daimler-Benz can buy Chrysler than I don't see why we can't have British Telecom come in and nab AOL.
Luckily MSNBC is doing pretty well, and should be ripe for the Senate elections in 2002. We definitely have to finish our diversification out of software before then, since I don't think we can string out the W2K delays much longer than that.
By the way, we should fire that red bearded freak that's been ghostwriting "The Answer Guy" for me. He's actually been HELPING our customers put Linux on OUR computers and I heard that he said some choice personal things about YOU. I even heard he got access to some of our internal memos and is planning on leaking them to "Obi Wan Raymond." (http://www.userfriendly.org/cartoons/archives/98dec/19981203.html)
After those "Halloween" fiascos I'd hate to see an "April Fool's Document...."
Using a 286 as a Serial TerminalFrom Richard Mills on Sun, 07 Mar 1999
Is there anyway to set-up a 286 ps/2 with and without a hard drive, for use as a dumb terminal over null modem? Specific program names would be great, I cant find a good terminal emulator for it. Also instructions for how to set it up on the client end would be super.
Thanks for your help.
You can still find many MS-DOS compatible programs at ftp.simtel.net --- (which is actually an alternative name to ftp.cdrom.com --- the largest archive on the net)
You can find some in /pub/simtelnet/msdos/commprog and others in /pub/simtelnet/msdos/telix/
Note that Telix, Procomm, Qmodem, Telemate and most of the good terminal emulation packages for MS-DOS were not free. They are shareware. The last time I tried to register a copy of Telix I found that the company which had aquired the rights to the package had basically no interest in the MS-DOS version. They have a Windows version which seems to be the only one they still update. Luckily we don't need updates for simple terminal emulation over null modems and simple file transfers.
Another approach would be to use the MS-DOS version of Kermit from Columbia University. This should be adequate for most simple terminal operations and it has an excellent scripting language (as does Telix).
Good luck!
What's wrong with internal modems?From Darrell Spice, Jr. on Sat, 06 Mar 1999
I was reading your response about the "winmodems" and wonder what's
wrong with an internal modem? Not all internal modems are "winmodems",
the USR 56K modem I use works fine with better operating systems
everywhere
My opinion on internal modems was gelled long before Windows was written. I think they are a bad idea. It's a matter of personal prejudice, borne of long years of experience. It is an opinion shared by most BBS sysops ISP sysadmins and other "industrial grade" computer users.
One reason I avoid them is that I've seen internal modems meltdown and take out a motherboard with it. I've seen that twice. I've never heard of an external modem damaging a system through a serial line.
However, it works for you --- so, by all means, use it. (They can be a bit cheaper, and many will only expect about two years use out of any modem they get so it might make sense for some users on financial rather than technical grounds).
Error starting recompiling process?From darod on Fri, 05 Mar 1999
I get an error when I try to recompile the kernel. Actually, I get the error before I even get into the recompiling process. Here it is:
When I try to run "make menuconfig" I get the errors ( I've
included a screenshot of what errors show up) in question. I'm a
newbee pretty much. I've had Linux on my machine for about 2
months. I've recompiled before but, I was using the "workstation"
option in Mandrake. I am now using the latest version of Mandrake
with the latest version of KDE.
I chose the "custom" option for
install this last time and now I'm running into these problems. I
talked to several people about this and they have advised me to
install these files;
kernel headers (I knew about this one)
kernel source (I knew about this one too)
gcc (I didn't know about this one, but I loaded it and it
still gives me the errors)
Headers just the portions of the kernel that some other programs need to know to run compile and run under it. So, if you install just the headers you can't compile a new kernel --- but you can compile various programs that need to refer to kernel function prototypes and defined values (constants).
The sources are needed to compile a new kernel, of course.
gcc is the compiler (GNU C compiler). It's the tool you use to compile anything on a typical Linux system. There are also some derivative alternative compilers like egcs available.
I need help with this, I hope you can help me. I want to
recompile the kernel so that I can setup my iomega zip drive.
These errors are from the compiler's inability to find various header files. This is almost certainly due to a problem with your installation.
On a properly configured system you should have a couple of symlinks from /usr/include to directories under /usr/src/linux. On my system these look like:
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 Nov 23 16:39 /usr/include/asm
-> /usr/src/linux/include/asm
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 28 Nov 23 16:39 /usr/include/linux
-> /usr/src/linux/include/linux
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 27 Nov 23 16:39 /usr/include/scsi
-> /usr/src/linux/include/scsi
Once these sylinks are in place (and there's a symlink from /usr/src/linux to the actual location of your kernel sources) you should be able to build your new kernel and other software properly. (In your situation I'd expect that almost nothing would compile --- those symlinks are used by alot of software).
Thanks in advance,
Darrin Rodriguez
Error starting recompiling process?From darod on Sun, 07 Mar 1999
Ok,
So your telling me that you think I probably won't be able to compile anything with the way things are now on my machine configuration, right? Well, what can I do short of installing the OS again? I don't want to loose all the tweaking I've done already if possible! What can I do with this thing?
Darrin
MAKE THE SYMLINKS
... and:
MAKE SURE THE SYMLINKS ARE RIGHT
I realize that my long description of what these symlinks are and why you need them didn't actually spell that out in simple, bold terms like this --- but that's what I meant.
Deleting Files and UNIX PermissionsFrom martin a. salazar on Fri, 05 Mar 1999
Hi,
How can I delete files with attributes like these.
b---r----- 1 10080 24640 96, 68 Feb 10 1977 csh.cshrc b---rwxr-- 1 24672 8231 32, 39 Dec 16 2010 exports
Regards,
Marty Salazar
Newgen IT Corp.
marty@newgen.net.ph
Under UNIX (and Linux, of course) you need write access to the directory in which a link occurs to remove that link. So in a mode 777 directory you can remove any filename (link) REGARDLESS OF WHO OWNS THAT FILE AND REGARDLESS OF THE PERMISSIONS ON IT.
(As a special case under Linux and most modern versions of Unix if the mode of the directory is "sticky" --- mode 1xxx --- then you must have write access to the directory and you must own the file, or be root, to unlink/remove it).
Note that I've made a distinction here between the file and its names (links). In a Unix/Linux filesystem a file is an association between an inode (a management and meta-data structure) and a set of data blocks (the data or file contents). The file's name is a link from a directory to the inode. There can be many such links or "hard links.
Thus the process of removing a file involves "unlinking" it. When the link count is zero (there are no remaining links to a file) and there are not processes with a file open, then the filesystem driver removes the actual file (that is it marks the inode as deleted and adds all of its data blocks back to the "free" list.
So the 'rm' command doesn't actually "remove files" --- technically it "unlinks files from directories" (which often has the side effect of reducing the link count to zero and consequently deleting the file).
Understanding this hopefully explains why write access to a directory is generally sufficient to remove files in it.
Now regarding your example:
The filenames you show here would normall be related to regular files in the /etc/ directory. However the "permissions" you show suggest that these are block device nodes (links to thinks like your /dev/hda1, etc).
Moreover the ownership/group fields are rather unlikely to be valid UIDs or GIDs on your system. This suggests that you have a rather thoroughly corrupted filesystem. So, my first suggestion would be to boot from a clean rescue floppy and try 'e2fsck -c' Then consider re-installing Linux (after backing up any data, of course).
Recompiling Kernel to Support CD-ROMFrom PEREZ, Martin on Fri, 05 Mar 1999
Hi,
I am new to Linux and I though I would start on Red Hat 5.1, I'll
upgrade to 5.2 when I am happy and used to installing 5.1. Now I am able to install without an error, however, when ever I attempt to mount a CDROM with the -tiso9660 I get the error saying the format is not recognize. Therefore, I try to recompile the kernel using a 'make config', but WHAM!! I get a response of 'Nor rule to make target 'config". I have installed the relevant C libraries and the like on install. Please Help!!!
Martin Perez
I usually put a space between my -t and my filetype specification. That might not be a problem, let's see...
O.K. The mount command doesn't care.
I can't say whether there is some other problem with the mount command that you are attempting since you don't give a full example of that command line.
In most Recent versions of Red Hat Linux the kernel is modular. Thus the iso9660 filesystem type is often contained in a module rather than being linked directly into the kernel. You can see which filesystem are currently linked into your kernel and/or provided by loaded modules by using the command
cat /proc/filesystems
... which is a dynamic list.
Perhaps you need to load the iso9660 module from its home under /lib/modules/X.Y.ZZ/fs/ (where X.Y.ZZ is your currently loaded kernel's version number). You could use the 'insmod' or 'modprobe' commands.
But wait. Many of us don't have to manually load these modules. What's going on?
Well, there is a daemon (kerneld) which dynamically loads kernel modules "on demand" --- when it's properly loaded and configured. The phrase "on demand" means slightly different things (under the hood) for device drivers, filesystems, and network protocols. Also kerneld was a 2.0 thing. The new 2.2 kernels should be using a different facility called 'kmod' instead.
So, it could be that you have a problem with your dynamic module loading subsystem.
This all suggests that you've either changed things a bit from the default Red Hat installation, or that you haven't successfully completed that installation. You might want to build/rebuild your modules "dependencies" table. You can do that with the command:
depmod -a
... which is often in the startup scripts (/etc/rc.d/*) somewhere. "modprobe" and the dynamic module loaders require this information in order to load interdependent sets of modules in the proper order. For example, the iso9660 filesystem module depends upon lower level CD-ROM device support. (They aren't combined into a single module for a few reasons: first a CD can have non-ISO9660 filesystems on it; Linux allows this; also, there are many different CD device drivers for non-SCSI and non-ATAPI CD-ROM controllers).
So, try that.
No, regarding your problem with building a new kernel. Naturally you have be "in" the proper directory when you start this process. That would usually be /usr/src/linux --- which is usually a symlink to the top level diretory of a specific set of kernel sources.
It's possible that you've installed just the kernel headers. This allows you to build other programs (which need to know about certain kernel prototypes and defined values (constants). However, you need to install the full kernel source set to actually build a kernel.
You can try the command: make menuconfig
or: make xconfig
... to get a more attractive and friendly interface for configuring your kernel. It's also possible to manually edit your .config file --- if you insist.
Anyway, make sure that you actually have the kernel sources installed, not just the kernel headers. Also make sure that you're in the correct directory and, if you're following a symlink, that the symlink(s) point to the right place.
fvwm95-Wharf: xterm comes out black?From Siddharth Kashyap on Fri, 05 Mar 1999
In fvwm95, I start Wharf. Through I click at xterm icon. This gives me a DARK BLACK xterm window. Please help. This only happens when I enter as a user, not root. I am using Red Hat Linux 5.2
I'm not familiar with this "Wharf." I presume it's a fvwm-95 "module" or a small applet which gives you a little "applications dock" --- like AfterStep and the old NeXT desktop, perhaps. If that's the case --- perhaps you have to check some configuration file for Wharf to see if it is starting your xterm with weird command line options.
One trick you can try is to go to a text mode terminal using [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[F2] or such (log in as the same user that is running your X session) and start an xterm from there. You could use the following command:
xterm -display :0 -bg cyan -fg black
... which will start the 'xterm' from outside of that process group. Assuming that this works --- it suggests that your configuration somehow has some weird settings for launching its xterms. We're bypassing those settings and manually starting one.
The the challenge is to track down which part of your system is harboring those settings.
More on fvwm95 WharfFrom Siddharth Kashyap on Fri, 05 Mar 1999
I have Red Hat Linux 5.2 I want to know is this a bug. In the fvwm95 I start something called Wharf. (If you click your mouse on the desktop, you get some options. One of them is Sytem Utilities. In System Utilities, there is Wharf). When you click at Wharf it opens an icon bar. One of the icon is for xterm. When I click at the icon I get a blank xterm window. Please help me.
Incidentally, it is conventional to keep your .sig (signature) to about 4 lines. Your correspondents probably won't appreciate receiving mail where the "signature" is longer than the message at hand.
Even after all these years, Brendan Kehoe's "Zen and the Art of the Internet" is an excellent guide to the customs and etiquette conventions for many Internet protocols (including e-mail and netnews).
[ Zen and the Art of the Internet can be found online at http://www.cs.indiana.edu/docproject/zen/zen-1.0_toc.html. -- Heather ]
Another "No Login" Problem: A little tipFrom Jens Christian Gram on Wed, 03 Mar 1999
I have experienced the "no login" problem in both RH 5.1 and RH 5.2. The problem seems to be that the /bin/passwd command has applies some restrictions to the entered passwords (they can not be to short, to simple ...). When you use the graphic tool, no restrictions are applied, but you can not log in, if the password violates the restrictions from passwd.
I hope you understand what I mean, and that you can use my help, even though I am relatively new at linux.
Jens Christian Gram
The normal Linux 'passwd' command does attempt to enforce a "strong passwords" policy --- to ensure that the user will pick passwords that are unlikely to be in a potential attacker's 'crack' dictionary. 'crack' is a program that hashes (encodes) a list of words (a dictionary) into every variant of the way it might appear in a given password file (/etc/passwd). This is much more efficient than a true "brute force" attack.
In any event --- the GUI tool obviously has a bug it it --- since it just calls the underlying 'passwd' command and doesn't relay the error messages back to the user. I personally consider that to be a major flaw and would suggest that sysadmins remove this program (python script?) from their systems until it's fixed.
Modem Multi-link PPP: EQLFrom Spears, Michael T. on Tue, 09 Mar 1999
Are you familiar with setting up a Multilink PPP connection using two dial-up modems (v.90) and Linux as the client? Is so, can you point me in the direction of the documentation for setting this up?
Thank you, Mike Spears
You can also get broader results doing Google (http://www.google.com), Yahoo! and other search using the phrase: "linux eql" or "+linux +eql"
The Linuxcare search engine (http://www.linuxcare.com) comes up with the README.eql file on this keyword. It also comes up with a number of interesting links on the phrase: "multilink ppp"
See if those help. The README.eql file is included in your Linux kernel sources.
How to Create a New Linux Distribution: Why?From Cesar A. K. Grossmann on Tue, 09 Mar 1999
Hi James, it's me again...
A friend asked me how to build a new Linux CD-based distribuition, but I have only some clues, can you help me?
I have identified some major tasks a future Linux distributor must deal:
Did I missed something (or: is this the "New CD Based Linux Distribution HOWTO")? There are any documents at the Internet that can help anyone who wants to make a new Linux CD based distribution?
The most important step that you seem to have missed is to ask: "Why?"
.. Why create a new distribution? Why are the current crop of distributions inadequate to your task? ..
This leads to other logical questions:
What other distributions are out there? What are their weaknesses for your purposes? Could any of them be modified to your needs?
Someone wanted Red Hat Linux with KDE. So we have Mandrake. Someone wanted Slackware with support for RPMs so we have S.u.S.E. Some people didn't want to use RPMs so we have Debian. (Actually the roots and histories of these distributions is far more colorful and involved than I'm implying; but I'm trying to make a point).
Keep in mind that you could start with an existing distribution and create a "installation profile" (S.u.S.E. even allows you to store these on floppy and use them for future installations). With Red Hat's distribution you can create a "KickStart" script which is effectively an installation profile (and installation automation tool).
With Debian you'd have to do more scripting on your own. However it could certainly be done.
Incidentally, you missed one of the chief differences among distributions in your list:
Pick a Package Format
... personally I don't like the Linux penchant for re-inventing wheels. The FreeBSD "ports" (NetBSD "packages") system is rather nice in that it's basically a huge set of Makefiles. These get the "canonical" version of a package and do whatever is necessary to unpack, patch, build and install it. Naturally 'make' handles dependencies.
So, if you really want to make a new distribution and you don't have an over-riding vision for "why" --- think about creating one around this concept.
However, I think we've got enough variations of this wheel for now.
Seeing Stars During LoginFrom john walshe on Tue, 09 Mar 1999
Hi Jim,
I am wondering how you would get the * to come up on a screen for each character pressed when someone is entering a login password on a unix platform.
Thanks, John.
I suspect that this is at least one reason why the login program doesn't provide visual cues for each character you type. Another is that it would reveal the length of your password to any shoulder surfers in your vicinity any time you logged in.
I was amused that the Lotus Notes login dialog (under Windows) would spit out a random number of *'s for every keystroke you entered in the password field of the dialog. So you knew that the keyboard was responding --- but couldn't tell if you'd "bounced" some keys. That doesn't seem like much of a "solution."
In any event --- feel free to play with it. Understand that 'login' is a security sensitive program. The slightest mistake you make there can probably be exploited to take over your whole system. So, I wouldn't deploy this on exposed servers unless you are very sure of your programming skills (or very foolhardy --- as the case would more likely be).
Setting up a Personal/Home LANFrom DrDave on Tue, 09 Mar 1999
Hi!
You may remember me from a couple of months ago, when I wrote you in my first weeks of using Linux, asking about the correct way to put together a bash script to remove spaces from filenames being copied from a Win98-generated CD. Since then, I've fallen for Linux like a stone, and I only return to Win98 when I need to do something with minimal or no support under Linux. (I'm working on the C chops, but they're nowhere near close to solving many of my problems elegantly. Grrrr.)
One of these things is the operation of a WebCam. Now, I've been through the bttv etc. sites and tried a number of things, but I'm forced to face the fact that my capture card is not supported under Linux.
[ Did you try WebCam World? Their developer's area seems to be trying to track all software that supports webcams, including Linux based apps, at http://developers.webcamworld.com/slist.html
With our fast pace of development it's also worthwhile to keep checking. I found this by feeding "+webcam software +linux" to Yahoo! -- Heather ]
My first thought was that I'd put together a driver in C for the card. After the laughter quieted to a dull roar, I dropped that idea. My second thought was that I'd just have to buy a new capture card. Not bad, but I do like a fair amount of the software I have that works with my current card. Hmmm.
Third thought: Build a mini-LAN. Rehab the old 90MHz Pentium in the closet, throw an ethernet card in it, and run the webcam/software on that box, but get access to the images/clips it produces from my "main system" running Linux. I like this idea because it seems like it will work well for most things I like to do with my cam, and because I can learn a ton about networking in the process.
Pardon my circumlocution. I'll get to the point: (hehe)
I've done some looking at the most available docs, including the networking HOWTO and a couple of books I bought on general Linux things, but none of them address my situation directly, and I'm a complete novice to networking, so I'm having trouble bridging the gaps. Perhaps you can help...
Question 1: What networking protocol should I aim for? A friend who runs a major NT based network suggested setting things up with NetBEUI, since I'd have next to zero configuration to do before getting things running. I haven't seen this addressed anywhere directly.
You want TCP/IP. In a real pinch you might use IPX (the Novell protocols). However, the whole Internet uses TCP/IP and even the latest versions of Netware and Windows prefer TCP/IP.
Question 2:
I need to be able to access the mini-LAN and my PPP connection from my
linux box concurrently so, for example, I can have the webcam generate
and stamp a .jpg image on my w98 box, and have a background job on the
linux box ftp'ing the files to my ISP's web server. What are my major
concerns here? If I can't avoid a using an IP-based protocol on my LAN
(so my w98 box needs an IP address), how do I make this work?
Thus your PPP interface will use the "real" IP address and all of your other systems will speak to the Internet through that one system (which is then your "router" and/or your "proxy").
There is a technical, though somewhat blurred, distinction between a "router" and a "proxy host." Linux can act as either or both concurrently.
One feature that's built into Linux is "IP masquerading" a particular form of "NAT" (network address translation). This allows it to re-write packet headers as it routes packets. When properly configured this will allow a whole network LAN to look like a single, busy, system to the rest of the Internet.
So, let's assume that you set up an ethernet. You decide to use 192.168.99.* for your IP addresses. According to RFC 1918 you can use any of the 192.168.*.* addresses, and/or you can use 10.*.*.* and/or you can use 172.16.*.* through 172.31.*.* (now you don't have to read the RFC --- since that's all of the most important notes from it right there).
So, your Linux system sees that as eth0 (the first, and probably only ethernet interface on your host). So you'd have a script that looked something like:
ifconfig eth0 192.168.99.1 netmask 255.255.255.0 broadcast 192.168.99.255 route add -net 192.168.99.0 eth0 ipfwadm -F -a acc -m -S 192.168.0.0/16 -D 0/0
... which would configure the interface, add the route (automatically done in 2.2.x --- but necessary in 2.0.x and earlier), and add a special entry to the "forwarding" table for the kernel's IP packet filtering (so-called "firewall").
Your PPP configuration would set the default route (out to the Internet). You might use manual dialing or a program like 'diald' to automatically dial your ISP whenever packets get directed for it (dial on demand). I've heard that newer versions of the PPP daemon (pppd) support dial-on-demand directly --- though I haven't tried it.
Search through the back issues of my column. I've described IP masquerading, diald, PPP, and routing in considerable detail and on a number of occasions.
There are also HOWTOs on these subjects --- look at the canonical LDP (Linux Documentation Project) website at: http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP
In particular you might want to look at these:
- Networking Overview HOWTO, by Daniel Lpez Ridruejo
- http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/Networking-Overview-HOWTO.html
- ISP Hookup HOWTO, by Egil Kvaleberg
- http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/ISP-Hookup-HOWTO.html
- ISP Connectivity mini-HOWTO, by Michael Strates
- http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/mini/ISP-Connectivity.html
- PPP HOWTO, by Robert Hart
- http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/PPP-HOWTO.html
- Diald mini-HOWTO, by Harish Pillay
- http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/mini/Diald.html
- IP Masquerade mini-HOWTO, by Ambrose Au
- http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/mini/IP-Masquerade.html
... those are a good start.
- SMB HOWTO, by David Wood
- http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/SMB-HOWTO.html
... this will give you an idea of how to use your Linux system as a file/print server for your Windows boxes --- using Samba. That may be necessary or at least helpful for your application.
- IPCHAINS HOWTO, by Paul Russell
- http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/IPCHAINS-HOWTO.html
... the 2.2.x kernels use this instead of ipfwadm --- so you may need to read this if you've upgraded your kernel.
Question 3:
Am I getting in way over my head here?
I realize this is a pretty broad question for this forum, but any advice
you can send my way would be greatly appreciated. I also figure there
are probably a fair number of people out there making the Windows->Linux
transition who might be interested in a similar solution for a multitude
of problems.
Thanks again, David
Essay QuizFrom Nilda on Wed, 10 Mar 1999
Thanks for the refreshing essay assignment, but I have work to do. I don't remember signing up for a class in comparative OS religions and I don't have the time for this sort of childish prattle.
If you are really interested in answers to these questions please feel free to search through some web sites --- particularly through the archives of the main "Linux media watchers" web sites:
- Linux Weekly News
- http://www.lwn.net
- Linux Today
- http://www.linuxtoday.com
- LinuxWorld
- http://www.linuxworld.com
... these have links to hundreds of recent press clippings from sources as diverse as small local newspapers and magazines like Scientific American. Those are a more suitable source of this sort of information.
When corresponding with people in the Linux community it's unwise to "come off with a 'tude" --- like doling out an writing assignment or as though we "owe you" something. Most of us are volunteers. Those who ask me for free support at least owe me some courtesy --- and doing some preliminary research and/or explaining your specific needs and background is the least of that.
Your questions are very broad --- there are rows of books devoted to the workings of Linux, and several ("Unix for the MS-DOS User" et al) that specifically compare Unix (and therefore Linux) to other operating systems. As for the marketing hype and drivel that you seem to be inviting --- the web sites I've listed above should provide links to plenty of that.
I hope those help answer your questions. Please also feel free to read a few back issues of my column to get an idea of it's true purpose.
Overactive dialdFrom PCTech1018 on Wed, 10 Mar 1999
Hello Jim,
I have been following Linux Gazette and your Answer Guy column for about
6 months now. You do a good job as far as I need (other people may need
more than I do).
Situation: I have a Linux PC (RedHat 5.2) running as a dial-on-demand Internet Gateway using diald. It works great. I have Samba up and running as well as named. I can connect to the internet from both my Linux PC and Windows95 boxes. When the connection is down, and I attempt to connect with ftp, ping, http or whatever, diald correctly establishes the internet connection to my ISP.
Everything is hunky-dory except one annoyance: diald dials every hour whether or not someone is attempting an internet connection. How do I get this to stop?
Thanks, Darren
'diald' has features to filter out some sorts of traffic from its consideration as "activity" for the line. Thus it can be configured to ignore some sorts of packets.
Read the diald man pages for more details on that.
[ The University of Oregon hosts a site which points at lots of documentation for Linux. At http://limestone.uoregon.edu/woven/linux-doc-other.html#LMP you should be able to find a website near you carrying manpages, if there aren't adequate ones on your installation. -- Heather ]
Another Lost SoulFrom gme947 on Fri, 12 Mar 1999
I recently bought a 56K V.90 modem. I am currently using the old Windows 3.1 and the information sheet included with the modem tells me to set the jumpers. I did all of this for Com2 IRQ3. Where do I put the Modem inf files so that my computer will recognize my new modem. I was able to use the dialup in DOS but not in Windows. I could not get Netscape to recogize the new modem. What should I do? The Modem is a NewCom
Thanks
One problem with that is that you bought a modem from a manufacturer and retailer that apparently won't provide you with any technical support (otherwise it seems unlikely that you'd be asking me this question).
A related problem is that you're using an OS and set of software packages which is also unsupported by its manufacturer. (Remember that next time someone says "Linux is unsupported" --- clearly MS-DOS and Windows are even more so).
Yet another problem is that you are suffering from some misconception about how Netscape's Navigator works. A web browser doesn't interact with your modem at all. It communicates with a TCP/IP networking protocol suite or "stack" as they are commonly called.
In all likelihood any modem using programs on your system can already recognize your modem. There is some set of options you might have to pu in your SYSTEM.INI file so that Win 3.x programs can determine the COM port and IRQ that you've installed this modem at. I don't remember the specifics (as it's been years since I used or supported Windows 3.x). So you'll have to play with "Control Panel" and "Setup" until you bumble across the widgets that set these --- or read some manuals to find examples that you can put in with a text editor.
Plee for helpFrom Ian on Wed, 17 Mar 1999
Hi there Jim....
My name is Ian van Battum and I am a desperate man.
I have recently wanted to further my computer studies and have found Linux to be a great OS to learn and master. Being a complete newbie to Linux, I am not a stranger to OS's and what have you.
I have how ever a small problem. I have a laptop on which I would like to load Linux. Unfortunately it only has a floppy drive. So I need to go through the slog of installing off a 'million' and one floppies. This is not a hassle though but I am stuck when it comes the old procedure of doing this task.
Somewhat more durable in their efforts are a 6-diskette Debian base packages install (after which it will be able to use even a fairly fragile connection, and retry as necessary).
Of course Linux hasn't got the only spot in this limelight. FreeBSD will also install via FTP given its single boot floppy, but you do need a solid enough link to get the 'bin' distribution... although they do have their 'distributions' (base file sets; yeah, I know, it kind of confused me the first time I saw it, too) split into parts so they can be copied onto floppies and recombined, I've never actually done an install that way.
If it weren't a laptop then it would be pretty easy to swap your hard drive into another system, apply the new OS, and then return it to your system. Of course if it weren't a laptop, it would be worth buying a super-cheap 2X CD-ROM... maybe even used, or as a giveaway from a friend joining the multimedia age.
As for adding peripherals, you may not be as out of luck as you think. Most laptops have a parallel port, and ZIP support across parallel ports has been in Linux for a while now. So, you could potentially get a lot more files onto a ZIP. There are a few parallel based CD-ROMs such as the Backpack, but I'm not sure how well Linux supports them. And, there's usually your CardBus or PCMCIA slots... which I call "piecemeal"... as in that's how they let you upgrade your laptop, by pieces.
My own Ricoh Magio E laptop installed TurboLinux great from an Addonics PCMCIA based CD-ROM (ATAPI/IDE drivers were used) with only the help of also using its 'additional hardware' disk, and making sure that the CD's card/cord was plugged into the lower bay in the type III cardbus slot. The only trick there is, the install floppy has to be able to spot your CardBus or pc-card controller, and you have to use a device whose card can be found in the card manager's database.
If you have a 3'5" sized drive, you might actually be able to do this the same way a non-laptop user would, anyway. (I had an ordinary 3.5" drive on my Sager-Midern Pentium-60 laptop, in a special removable slide. It was great. It's a shame the video finally broke and now it won't start. Eventually I'll make enough free time to take it by a repair shop and see if they can do anything for it.) If it has a PCMCIA sized drive, then there are PCMCIA ports for desktop machines, as well. However, many laptops have proprietary internal setups, and some manufacturers have a policy that says you void the hardware warranty if you take out anything. So, be sure what you're getting into before you consider that route.
Of much greater concern for an older model system, since Linux has pretty darn good support for older hardware, is whether your hard disk has enough space for what you want to do with it. The Sager-Midern mentioned above fit a Caldera Network Desktop on a 500 MB drive fairly easily, but newer distributions have more stuff, and certain packages (like X networking, emacs, and source trees) have grown quite large over time.
Do you have any suggestions to resolve my problem as I have gone through
all the web sites? I would be really greatfull if you could shead some
light on this for me.
- Red Hat
- ftp://ftp.redhat.com/redhat/current/i386/images
- S.u.S.E
- ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/SuSE-Linux/6.0/disks
- Pacific HiTech
- ftp://ftp.pht.com/pub/turbolinux/images
- Debian
- ftp://ftp.debian.org/pub/debian/dists/stable/main/disks-i386/current
...though admittedly they don't make it clear which disk images are the one you need to do an FTP-based install. Their in-flight questions have gotten pretty clear about telling you which disk to put in, and you shouldn't need anything special from Red Hat unless you have an unusual controller for your internal hard disk.
Many thanks
Ian van Battum
Plea for helpFrom The Answer Guy on Tues, 23 Mar 1999
Pretty good, but you missed the possibility of establishing a network with PLIP, then using a network-based install. All you'd need is a parallel "laplink" style cable. Unfortunately I don't think the distributions