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Linux News Issue 13
L i n u x N e w s
A summary of the goings-on in the Linux community
Issue #13 February 16
Ons devies: "Hacken en dienen"
**** My Two Cents
Hi Activists! Now that _everyone_ in LinuxLand has TeX
installed and is happily and productively auc-tex'ing, dvips'ing,
and xdvi'ing away, it's time for another Linux News (overdue actually).
A lot has happened with Linux software: new libs, new kernel, new
utilities and ports. And the anxiusly awaited XFree86-1.2 is here and
ready for the i386 unices. But the Doc Project has claimed another
hard working and capable coordinator, Lars Wirzenius.
The importance of the Doc Project became very clear to me recently
when the physics department of my school hired me to set up a *nix
based dialin system which will eventually connect to the campus--wide
network (and of course, Internet). Linux was the only choice of
course, in part because of the small drive space -- 105 megs. It seems
that there are two problems: many physics students are fond of using
Mathematica and are reluctant to try and learn another complicated
math package, espacially when it runs under an OS that they are
unfamiliar with; secondly: no organized docs. Is Linux just for
hackers?
**** Announcements --- The week in c.o.l. and c.o.l.a
-- January 24 Werner Almsberger ``A new test version 0.9 of
the MS-DOS FS is on tsx-11.mit.edu and on sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/
Linux/Incoming named dosfs.9.tar.Z It can be used with the 0.99pl4
kernel and possibly also with later versions.
Because there are many changes, this will be a test release that
isn't part of the official kernel for a while. The usual warnings
about ALPHA test software and especially file systems apply.''
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming/
dosfs.9.tar.Z
-- January 24 Robert Sanders has made his new version of the
dos emulator based on dosemu0.4 from Matthias Lautner.
``dosemu47.tar.Z is a collection of my enhanced sources to the MS-DOS
emulator originally written by Matthias Lautner. Note that the term
MS-DOS emulator is a misnomer, as you must have a copy of MS-DOS to
boot it. I doubt this is a problem for anybody.''
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/ALPHA
dosemu/dosemu47.tar.Z
-- January 14 Hansruedi Heeb has announced power management utility for
laptops with the WD7600 ( only ) chipset. ``Currently all 'pwrm' does
is to set the time-outs for theLCD and the backlighting. And it does
an installation checkfor the WD7600 chipset and returns its status.
Time-out settings include permanently on and permanently off.
This was tested on SLS 0.98 pl 1 (Nov 12). But it should be
pretty independent of the kernel version.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming
tsx-11.mit.edu:/incoming
-- January 29 Ted Ts'o has new patches for the serial drivers (
against 0.99pl4 kernel).
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/ALPHA/serial/
serpatches
-- January 29 Rik Faith ``ANNOUNCE: BINARIES UPLOADED''
Gnu utilities, fileutils,m4, less177, Gnu indent etc.
FTP:ftp.cs.unc.edu:/pub/faith/linux/utils
tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/binaries/FSF
sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/LInux/utils
-- January 29 Dave Safford has compiled a pre-packaged release of
Linux. ``ANNOUNCING TAMU (Texas A&M University) Linux.99p4 package
TAMU.99p4 is a linux package originally based on SLS.99,
but with some additions, fixes, and a highly automated
installation procedure.
TAMU.99p4 is available from sc.tamu.edu in pub/free_unix/TAMU.99p4
The installation procedure is the main difference from SLS.
A single boot diskette is used, and it boots directly into
an automated installation program which installs a full system
from a supplied backup set. This installation program asks a
few questions about the desired configuration, and then
installs and configures it to a fully bootable state, including:
- LILO and BOOTACTV configuration/installation
- configuration of fstab, and rc.local
- a *greatly* simplified X configuration
(this alone is worth the price of admission!)
The boot diskette can be used to restore your own full backup set,
if you need or want to do a reinstallation in the future. In addition,
it can be used for linux maintenance, as you can exit the install
program and use tools such as efsck directly.
Additions include:
- xview package (root is configured for twm, and user1
for olvwm, so you can compare environments)
- calentool (a really nice X based calendar/scheduler)
- a2ps (super ascii to postscript formatter)
- xpaint
- new/improved mr and mw (read/write multiple diskettes)
(mw now automatically formats diskettes if necessary,
which makes backups much easier)''
FTP:sc.tamu.edu:/pub/free_unix/TAMU.99p4
-- January 29 David Meggins announces a new .dvi driver based on the
Beebe drivers for the Deskjet.
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/sources/
/usr.bin/dvidjp.tar.Z
-- January 29 Scott Laird ``I have just uploaded an enhanced
version of Kevin Martin's 8514/a X server. I've re-compiled the
server with some of the patches from Xfree86 1.1. In specific, it
includes support for compressed bitmap fonts, Type 1 and Speedo
scalable fonts, and TCP/IP.
This server supports the ATI Grahics Ultra series of graphics
accelerators, including the Graphics Vantage, the Graphics Ultra, the
Graphics Ultra+, and the Graphics Ultra Pro. It should work on other
video cards that are register compatible with IBM's 8514 standard.
This server supports 1024x768x256 colors. It should also support
640x480x256, but I have not tested this. It requires at least 1 Mb of
video memory to run. Users with 512k need to upgrade for this to
work.
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/packages/
/X11/X8514
sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/X11/
X-servers/X8514
-- January 29 Corey Minyard ``I have fixed some major problems
with the Sony CDU-31A CDROM driver.
I have put sonycd-0.2.tar.Z and sonycd-0.2.patch1.Z on sunsite.unc.edu
in the incoming directory to fix them. With the patches, the driver
will now work with workman.''
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming
sonycd-0.2.tar.Z sonycd-0.2.patch1.tar.Z
-- January 30 Kevin Sanders has made sources for chainsaw 2.2 (
an Empire game) available.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming/empire
-- January 31 Muhammad Saggaf has released another upgrade to
Seyon, the X11 based communications program. Seyon 1.9 has many new
fetures and some bug fixes.
FTP:sipb.mit.edu, export.lcs.mit.edu, tsx--1.mit.edu
sunsit.unc.edu
-- January 31 F.F. Yap ``I have uploaded the binary for octave-0.66
at sunsite.unc.edu in/pub/Linux/Incoming . Octave is a freely
distributable matlab clone, which is a high level language for
doing numerical computations. The full source code for octave
can be obtained by anonymous ftp from ftp.che.utexas.edu .
This is still an ALPHA release but is already quite useable.
Try it out !''
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming/
octave-0.66
-- January 31 Rick Sladkey has uploaded a new version of the RPC
support files for Linux. RPC provides a complete ANSI-C and C++
compatible Remote Procedure Call prgramming environement.
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub/linux.BETA
/NFS/rpc-0.9.tar.Z
-- January 31 Mika Liljeberg has uploaded a new updated version
of tcsh 6.03, the enhanced ``C'' type shell.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu and tsx-11.mit.edu
source from tesla.ee.cornell.edu:/pub/tcsh
tcsh-6.03.tar.Z
-- January 31 Jonathan Majid announces news from sunsite:
1) To be more friendly to the intercontinental links of our southern
neighbors, sunsite is now mirroring Oreilly's term distribution from
tartarus in australia. For those who don't know, term is a serial
multiplexor that allows the redirection of tcp ports. very nifty. the
mirror can be found in /pub/Linux/apps/comm/term.
2) For those with email and fast uucp links, but no ip access (for FTP)
sunsite offers ftpmail, which will retrieve files from sunsite (or other
sites), uuencode them, and split them into bite sized chunks before delivering
them to your very door. Send mail to ftpmail@sunsite.unc.edu for more info.
Perhaps this should be added to the FAQ as a good way of getting
Linux?
-- February 1 Mike Jagdis has uploaded source for xdm which has
support for shadow passwd. Also included are source for ftpd.
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu,sunsite.unc.edu,nic.funet.fi
xdm.taz and ftpd.c.Z
-- February 2 Krishna Balasubramanian has provided patches for a
new version of SYSV ipc (interprocess communication) for the 0.99pl4
kernel.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/kernel/misc-patches
and tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/patches
ipcbeta+.tar.Z
-- January 28 Zeyd M. Ben-Halim has released a new version of
his port of ncurses.
This version should be usable by the general public as it is more stable.
ncurses is a SYSV-compatible curses (screen management) package.
It supports keypad() allowing access to function and arrow keys.
It supports and uses Terminfo instead of termcap for terminal description.
It has support for PC graphic characters (used in drawing boxes).
It has color support similar to that in SYSV curses.
It has support for LINES and COLUMNS environment variables.
It has support for SIGWINCH.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming, tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub
/linux/sources/libs/
-- February 3 MIchael Will ``There is a new linux-system
online in Germany again, it is on 040-702-7454 and called TOD
(Temple Of Data) (tod=german word for death).
It has not to many things to download yet, but it will grow, and it's
major aim is to show a linux-system online, with information for the
newbee, and it will try to let people share their experiences...''
-- February 3 Peter MacDonald has a new c1 disk on tsx--11 for gcc,
gxx233.taz which fixes a regex problem.
-- February 3 Hannu Savolainen ``Tracker 3.9 is available for Linux
(and several other plattforms) atnic.funet.fi. The file is
tracker-3.9.tar.Z. This is a direct successor of the str15/32
-program, which is included in the sound driver kit.''
FTP:nic.funet.fi:/tracker-3.9.tar.Z
-- February 3 Gregg Weber has uploaded configuration software
for WD and SMC ethernet cards.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:pub/Linux/Incoming
wdsetup-0.2.tar.Z
-- February 5 Zeyd M. Ben-Halim has a new version of ncurses
available: ``Changes from ncurses0.3 to ncurses0.4 include:
Addition of more KEY_* definitions.
Addition of function prototypes.
Addition of several missing functions.
No more crashes if screen size is undefined (use SIGWINCH handler).
added a handler to cleanup after SIGSEGV (hopefully never needed).
changed SRCDIR from /etc/term to /usr/lib/terminfo.
renamed compile/dump to tic/untic.
New scrolling code.
fixed bug that reversed the sense of nl() and nonl().
a few other fixes here and there.''
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/sources/libs
-- February 5 Muhammad Saggaf `` I've put the binary
distribution of Seyon 1.9 (rev. 3) on
sipb.mit.edu:/pub/seyon/bin-linux as well as nic.funet.fi and
sunsite.unc.edu. As before, you need libc4.2 (4.1 probably will
do, but I'm not sure) and X libs 2.1. You can get those from most
linux ftp sites.
As usual, the binary distribution is not compiled with the
USE_NONSTD_BAUD flag, so it does not directly support speeds above
38400 bps. Get the source and compile with that flag defined if
you wan Seyon to directly support speeds up to 115200 bps (you'll
have to install it suid root in this case, of course).
If you're using and older version, I recommend that you get this
one. Besides tty speed enahncement, this version shows the modem
status lines and has a clock to show on-line time -- plus many
other new features such as a versatile 'when' script command
similar to those of Procomm and Qmodem.''
FTP:sipb.mit.edu:/pub/seyon/bin-linux
-- February 8 Erik Troan ``This is a list (and short
description) of all of the stuff
that's been moved out of pub/Linux/Incoming on sunsite.unc.edu
in the past 10 days. If the description is wrong, please let me
(ewt@sunsite.unc.edu) know asap as this is the same description that
goes in the INDEX file.
I'm going to try to get these things out weekly to semi-weekly, but
sunsite is a mess, so it may take me a while to get on a regular schedule.
/pub/linux/apps/m4-103A.taz
General purpose macro language/preprocessor
/pub/linux/kernel/misc-patches/snd-driv-0.5.tar.Z
Sound card driver
/pub/linux/utils/shell/tput10A.taz
Allows shell scripts to use the tty
/pub/linux/X11/xapps/Seyon-1.8-linux-bin-tar.Z
X-Based comm program (binaries)
/pub/linux/X11/xapps/Seyon-1.91-tar.Z
X-Based comm program (source)
/pub/linux/development/mk363A.taz
GNU's make binaries (jt 4.2)
/pub/linux/development/mk363B.taz
GNU's make binaries (jt 4.2) [I don't know the diff between A and B]
/pub/linux/utils/file/futl34B.taz
GNU File utils (2.3.3 & jt 4.2) w/ mans
/pub/linux/X11/xapps/Seyon-1.9-linux-bin-tar.Z
Binary version of Seyon 1.9
/pub/linux/X11/window-managers/gwmbin.taz
New binaries of the generiw wm
/pub/linux/utils/administration/utilb10.taz
Misc utils (hostname, kill, more, ...)
/pub/linux/utils/shell/shutl18B.taz
Misc utils for shell scripts (jt 4.2)
/pub/linux/X11/devel/tk3.0+tcl6.5.update.tar.Z
Update for tk3.0
/pub/linux/apps/tex/hp2xx.taz
Converts HPGL to a TeX useable format
/pub/linux/utils/administration/fsutil-1.0.tar.Z
fs independent frontend for mkfs and fsck
/pub/linux/apps/math/octave-0.66.tar.Z
MATLAB-like free math program
February 9 Andrew Brown has uploaded Zsh 2.3.1 adapted to
compile cleanly with Linux
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu and sunsite.unc.edu
February 9 Charles Stephens has uploaded an X capable version
of Nethack.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming
nethack31-linux2.zip
32bottom
``He's done it again -- doesn't he ever rest''?Anonymous linux kernel
hacker
-- February 9 Linus sez:
``Only complete newbies don't know what this is all about, but I'd better
tell you anyway: patchlevel 5 of the 0.99 kernel is now available on
nic.funet.fi (pub/OS/Linux/PEOPLE/Linus) as both context diffs against
pl4 and complete source code. I'm not even going to speculate on 1.0
right now.
The pl5 diffs are about 90kB compressed: the major changes are to the
tcp/ip code and the serial driver, while there are various minor fixes
strewn around the system:
- serial lines/tty changes (tytso & Fred v Kempen)
- NFS bugfixes (Rick Sladkey)
- tcp/ip (Ross Biro)
- coprocessor handling changes (me)
- harddisk driver error handling (Mika Liljeberg)
- various minor patches (me and others)
Serial lines now implement non-blocking opens correctly and support
dial-out lines (same minor, major .eq 5). I changed the default startup
mode to be CLOCAL so that people won't get confused by the modem line
code when not using dial-in.
Another interesting change is the 387 error-coupling tests at bootup:
the code to check if the intel-recommended exception 16 error reporting
is present is non-obvious. If you have had problems with coprocessor
error handling, or have a non-intel coprocessor, I'd suggest you test
this out: I'd like to hear about problems/successes.
PS. If you tested out the latest ALPHA-diffs (the ones that already
changed the kernel version to pl5), the changes to the final pl5 were
only cosmetic.
-- February 10 Jim Winstead:
``I have uploaded a new bootimage to tsx-11.mit.edu as:
/@tsx-11.mit.edu:pub/linux/images/boot-0.99p4.Z
This is the 0.99p4 kernel, compiled with the SCSI drivers, no IRQ
detection, no networking code, the MSDOS, ext, proc, and minix
filesystems, and otherwise all the 'normal' options - no support for
funky serial cards or other non-standard things. Oh yeah, it's
compiled with the US keyboard and the Alt-key setting the high-bit.
Note that there is no corresponding root-0.99.Z or somesuch. You
still need to use root-0.98.Z to install Linux using the boot/root
combo. (Yes, some people do still do it that way.)
I also put three DOS utilities in pub/linux/INSTALL/dos_utils:
/@tsx-11.mit.edu:pub/linux/INSTALL/dos_utils/
/beav133.zip
/@tsx-11.mit.edu:pub/linux/INSTALL/dos_utils/
/comp430d.zip
/@tsx-11.mit.edu:pub/linux/INSTALL/dos_utils/
/zipzp715.zip
comp430d.zip is a DOS program that is compatible with the standard
Unix compress utility. It's useful for uncompressing the boot and
root images.
beav133.zip and zipzp715.zip are DOS-based binary file editors that
are useful for editing the boot image to use something besides the
floppy drive as root.
Finally, I'm slowly planning and working on a new boot/root release
that will use a combined boot/root image and a supplemental disk -
this will basically be a minimal Linux installation and could serve as
the basis for a larger release, but I'm still pondering that one. I
don't have that much free time. TeX smile
-- February 9 Greg Naber ``New channel announcement:
FIDO (gated to fidonet)
This channel is for discussion of fidonet compatible mail
processors, connection programs (front-doors), mail readers
and necessary utilities to be able to interface with fidonet
systems and exchange what is commonly called echomail and
netmail.
This Channel is available via fidonet from 1:343/34 in the form
of a fidonet echoid called LNXFIDO.
There are a number of programs that are available to the *nix
platforms that allow communications to fidonet compatible
mailers.
This area will allow those that may be interested, to have a
place to congregate and discuss the various aspects of porting
fidonet compatible programs to the Linux platform."
-- February 10 Tommy Frandson has sent a new version od VGAlib
to sunsite.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming/
-- February 10 Nathan Laredo has placed a new sendmail package
on sunsite and tsx--11.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming
sendmail565.tar.Z
-- February 11 Greg Naber ``After making Linux available to
fidonet for close to a year now, and patiently waiting for some
ports of fidonet compatible related programs
to Linux, I have decided to take the 'bull by the horns' and co-ordinate
the gating.
What I need are some kind souls who are familiar with any of the
following:
1) GCC;)
2) Fidonet message struture
3) usenet message structure
4) Linux;)
large part of message deleted
If you would like to partake in this endevor, please free free to join
me in what I think is a worthwhile project that could benefit many
Linux users.
S'Qually Holler's BBS Renton, Wa.
1-206-235-0270 USR DS V32b V42b14.4
1:343/34@fidonet.org
greg.naber.@f34.n343.z1.fidonet.org
greg@squally.halcyon.com
greg@halcyon.com
-- February 11 Todd Klaus reports that Linux recieved some major
press in the March edition of Unix World/
-- February 12 Qi Xia has released xiafs ver. 0.7 for Linux.
"For you reference, xiafs (pronounced as sheaves) is a file system
designed and implemented to retain most of minix fs' stability
and eliminate minix fs' constrains. It provides following functionality
against minix fs:
large file system (2GB, potentially 4TG)
long file name (248 chars)
three seperate time stamps (ctime, mtime, atime)
better new block allocating algorithm.
(speed up in fragmented file system, no defragment tools needed)
FTP:(???)
-- February 14 Zeyd M. Ben--Halim has released another upgrade
to ncurses now up to version 0.5
FTP:netcom.com:/pub/znbenhal/ncurses05.tar.Z
(and probably in the appropriate dirs at sunsite and tsx--11)
-- February 14 Peter Eriksson has released version 0.1 of his
``rwhod'' daemon.
FTP:ftp.lysator.liu.se:/pub/linux/
rwhod-0.1.tar.Z
EMAIL:ftpmail@lysator.liu.se
UUSEND pub/linux/rwhod-0.1.tar.Z
QUIT
-- Febrary 14 XFree86 1.2 is here. (Well I guess I'm finally
going to have to upgrade and re--install my system now/.
``Binaries are available via anonymous FTP from:
ftp.physics.su.oz.au - SVR4 binaries
under /XFree86/SVR4
ftp.win.tue.nl - SVR4 binaries
under /pub/XFree86/SVR4
ferkel.ucsb.edu - SVR4 binaries
under /pub/SVR4/XFree86
stasi.bradley.edu - SVR4 binaries
under /pub/XFree86/SVR4
blancmange.ma.utexas.edu - SVR3 (ISC) binaries
under /pub/ISC
ftp.prz.tu-berlin.de - SVR3 (ISC) binaries
under /pub/pc/isc/XFree86
tsx-11.mit.edu - Linux binaries
under /pub/linux/packages/X11
agate.berkeley.edu - 386BSD binaries
under /pub/386BSD/0.1-ports/XFree86
nova.cc.purdue.edu - 386BSD binaries
under /pub/386bsd/submissions/XFree86
ftp.cs.uwm.edu - Mach386 binaries
under /i386
Ensure that you are getting XFree86 1.2 - some of these sites may archive
older releases as well. Each binary distribution will contain a README
file that describes what files you need to take from the archive, and
which compile-time option selections were made when building the distribution.
David Wexelblat dwex@mtgzfs3.att.com (908) 957-5871
AT&T Bell Laboratories, 200 Laurel Ave - 3F-428, Middletown, NJ 07748''
February 15 Nigel Gamble has released an upgrade to his
interrupt driven printer driver.
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:pub/linux/BETA/
/lp/lpirq.3.tar.Z
-- February 15 Matt ``hard work'' Welsh announces that he will be assuming
leadership of the Linux Documentation Project. Write him at
mdw@tc.cornell.edu if you are able to provide any help.
-- February 15 Joe Fritz announces doas for Linux: ``Doas is a
utility which allows one user to permit another user to run
specific commands under the first's user ID. This can be used to
permit (limited) root access to other users, to provide access to
accounts without signon (eg bin, daemon, etc) without giving root
access to those who need to manage these accounts. It is also useful
as a controlled front end for setuid shell scripts. For every
command, an access control list is specified indicating which users or
groups are or are not allowed to use the command.''
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:pub/linux/sources/
/usr.bin/doas0.0A1.tar.Z
-- Febrary 15 Ted T'so announced that the permissions on the X11
dir at tsx--11 would now be fixed for snarfing XFree86-1.2.
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:pub/linux/packages/X11/
XFree86-1.2
-- February 15 THomas Uhl has sent binaries of ftptool and
xvmont to sunsite.These are OpenLook interface tools for FTP and
mounting floppy drives.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:pub/Linux/Incoming/
ftptool.tar.Z, xvmount.tar.Z
-- February 15 Christoph Niemann announces his INMOS-B004 device
driver for Linux (wow!). Write him for source at:
niemann@rubdv15.etdv.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
-- February 15 Ian Jackson announces his updated secure boot
patch for Linux.
FTP:sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/Incoming/
secureboot99.5
-- February 16 H.J. Lu announces new library. ``This is the
official release of the Linux C library 4.3. You have to
install the source code of 0.99 pl5 to use it since there are some
changes in kernel. You have to use 0.99 pl 5 kernel to call bsd
flock (). You also need gcc 2.3.3 or above to use it.
In this release, dynamic linking is introduced. Eric Youngdale
(eric@tantalus.nrl.navy.mil) is maintaining the new shared library.
>From now on, we won't make the classic shared library any more. We
have put the basic iostream into the jump table version of shared
library. If you need more than that, you have to use gcc -static.
gcc -nojump will not work any more. Please test jump tablized
iostream.
The linker, crt0.o and gcrt0.o compatible with dynamic linking are
included in this package.
The latest binutils.tar.z also has the new linker.
I will try to make libc.a and others as well as libc.so.4.3 for 486.
I won't promise anything. Your best bet is get the source code and
ask Eric how to do it yourself.''
FTP:tsx--11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/GCC/
image-4.3.tar.Z, extra-4.3.tar.Z, inc-4.3.tar.Z, libc-4.3.tar.Z and
libc-4.2-4.3.tar.Z
As usual suggestions etc. to:
Denise Tree
tree@cs.jhu.edu
tree@midget.towson.edu
Happy Hacking
to everyone!
