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Re: [Wlug] Mozilla

by Charles R. Anderson

On Thu, Mar 14, 2002 at 05:51:48PM -0500, Charles R. Anderson wrote: cra> /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins Nope. I just went and tried it myself. I couln't get the darn automatic installation to work, so I did this: #!/bin/sh # Download the jre.xpi cd $HOME wget --passive-ftp ftp://ftp.netscape.com/pub/netscape6/english/6.2.1/unix/linux22/xpi/jre.xpi # Go to your mozilla plugin directory cd $HOME/.mozilla/plugins # Make a java2 subdirectory and go into it mkdir java2 cd java2 # Unzip the xpi file here (yes, it is a ZIP file) unzip $HOME/jre.xpi # Move the contents of jre-image-i386 up one directory # and remove the istaller junk that doesn't work mv jre-image-i386/* . rm -rf symlink.sh install.js jre-image-i386 # Make a symlink in the plugin dir to the actual plugin binary cd .. ln -s java2/plugin/i386/ns600/libjavaplugin_oji.so . It seems to work. No more annoying "download the plugin" dialog boxes. -- Charles R. Anderson <cra(a)wpi.edu> / http://angus.ind.wpi.edu/~cra/ PGP Key ID: 49BB5886 Fingerprint: EBA3 A106 7C93 FA07 8E15 3AC2 C367 A0F9 49BB 5886

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] Mozilla

by Charles R. Anderson

On Thu, Mar 14, 2002 at 05:38:59PM -0500, Gregory Avedissian wrote: avedis> avedis> When I got home last night, I tried Mozilla again, and now I remember why I avedis> stopped using it. I had trouble trying to download the java plugin when I avedis> wanted to get into a chat room. Heh. I remember having the same problem, but I just decided to never use java on the web. avedis> After another failed attempt to download it with the browser, I tried gftp avedis> and got the file, jre131i.xpi but I have no idea what do do with it. There avedis> weren't any readme files nearby at the ftp site. Any ideas or suggestions are avedis> welcome. Thanks. I believe it goes in the plugin directory, which is: /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins or $HOME/.mozilla/plugins depending whether you want it systemwide or not. -- Charles R. Anderson <cra(a)wpi.edu> / http://angus.ind.wpi.edu/~cra/ PGP Key ID: 49BB5886 Fingerprint: EBA3 A106 7C93 FA07 8E15 3AC2 C367 A0F9 49BB 5886

March 14, 2002

Mozilla

by Gregory Avedissian

When I got home last night, I tried Mozilla again, and now I remember why I stopped using it. I had trouble trying to download the java plugin when I wanted to get into a chat room. After another failed attempt to download it with the browser, I tried gftp and got the file, jre131i.xpi but I have no idea what do do with it. There weren't any readme files nearby at the ftp site. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome. Thanks. Greg

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] docs / latex /?

by doug waud

Bill Mills-Curran wrote: > (It would be very cool if I could produce the > pdf "fill in the blanks" document.) That step is what dvipdfm is for http://gaspra.kettering.edu/dvipdfm/ (try dvi to pdf in google to get more stuff) You may also want to look at latex to html converters, for example http://cbl.leeds.ac.uk/nikos/tex2html/doc/latex2html/latex2html.html (again, try google, this time with html latex as bait.) doug

March 14, 2002

pop3 server?

by David Lee Ludwig

I'm trying to pick a pop3 server, however I am having a tough time doing such. A few notes: * The pop3 server will, for the time being, mount all maildirs via NFS. Similarly, all passwords are retrieved via NIS+. * Debian/woody packages would be nice, but not a requirement. Any thoughts? -- David Ludwig | "The Linux philosophy is laugh in the face of davidl<at>wpi.edu | danger. Oops. Wrong One. 'Do it yourself.' http://www.oflove.com | That's it." - Linus Torvalds

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Aaron Haviland

Frank Sweetser said: > On Thu, Mar 14, 2002 at 01:06:54PM -0500, Aaron Haviland wrote: > > it's not dpkg that has the problem. debian's gcc is patched so it > > defaults to i386 if the arch is any ix86, unless specified otherwise. > > (at least, that's what i'm making of this patch...) > > Actually, that's standard gcc behavior, which redhat has as well. Well, I seem to remember seeing something... somewhere... to some effect that I'm not entirely sure of... and I can't find it anymore... (sadly, this is how my mind usually works. broken and partial memories) > The difference here is that (if I understand things correctly) if you want to > compile a package for iX86 where X != 3, then you have to download and install > a package which *changes the default for every compile on the whole system*. > As Charles mentioned, the way that RPM does it is by macros. You tell RPM "I > want to build this particular packate for i586". It then goes off, and via the > correct configure macros, adds the flags to gcc (probably the same flags that > the debian package makes the system wide default) to compile *only* that > package for i586. > > So if I'm a random user who wants to compile a package on a i686 platform to be > run on a 386, and the sysadmin has installed the i686 package, that means that > I have to do *extra* work to get *standard* behavior! > > Someone please tell me if I'm wrong, because that seems like a pretty hackish > way to do things. pentium-builder is a wrapper for gcc/g++ that iff DEBIAN_BUILDARCH is set, runs gcc/g++ with -march=$DEBIAN_BUILDARCH -mcpu=$DEBIAN_BUILDARCH, otherwise it just runs gcc/g++. it's transparant to whatever called gcc. you don't have to specify DEBIAN_BUILDARCH=i386 to revert to default. the name "pentium-builder" doesn't mean it's specifically for pentium. as for it being hackish... from the pentium-builder README: Why did I do it this way? There are alternatives after all. I could just set CFLAGS or GCC, or I could place the shell script wrappers in a separate directory and set the PATH to point to them when you want to build pentium optimized stuff. The problem with all these ideas is that I can imagine packages that would circumvent them. It's a hack, but it works. I welcome a cleaner solution. ... on another note, i've compiled povray for k6 and pentium and timed them, aka "time ./povray" running on a k6 machine, the k6 optimised one consistently runs 1 second faster overall (33 seconds total) but the pentium optimised one has a .1 second lower sys time. which is better? (i don't have the output anymore. just thought i'd ask while on the topic of optimising) (yes, i read the time manpage. just doesn't seem to sink in through this thick skull :) ) -- Aaron Haviland orion [at] tribble [dot] dyndns [dot] org orion [at] parsed [dot] net A man on a slushy bender can do some crazy things.

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Aaron Haviland

Charles R. Anderson said: > On Thu, Mar 14, 2002 at 01:06:54PM -0500, Aaron Haviland wrote: > orion> As far as everything being i386, that's lets debian be installable on > orion> more architectures, like the 386 laptop i'm typing this on right now. > orion> Redhat, Mandrake, etc wouldn't install... everything's pentium > orion> optimised. > > Red Hat is not Pentium optimized. They do however provide i586 and i686 > kernel and glibc packages that will be installed only if the system > supports them. Hmmm. I can't find the redhat or mandrake cds i tried a couple years ago... but i seem to recall that i was unable to completely install because something was compiled for i586 and wouldn't run. honestly can't remember, it was too long ago. *shrug* sorry if i'm spreading bad information. a bad experience will do that to me :) -- Aaron Haviland orion [at] tribble [dot] dyndns [dot] org orion [at] parsed [dot] net "Boys in bed, girls in bed All now go to sleep Sleep, sweet dreams Wake to a new today tomorrow"

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Charles R. Anderson

On Thu, Mar 14, 2002 at 01:06:54PM -0500, Aaron Haviland wrote: orion> As far as everything being i386, that's lets debian be installable on orion> more architectures, like the 386 laptop i'm typing this on right now. orion> Redhat, Mandrake, etc wouldn't install... everything's pentium orion> optimised. Red Hat is not Pentium optimized. They do however provide i586 and i686 kernel and glibc packages that will be installed only if the system supports them. -- Charles R. Anderson <cra(a)wpi.edu> / http://angus.ind.wpi.edu/~cra/ PGP Key ID: 49BB5886 Fingerprint: EBA3 A106 7C93 FA07 8E15 3AC2 C367 A0F9 49BB 5886

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Frank Sweetser

On Thu, Mar 14, 2002 at 01:06:54PM -0500, Aaron Haviland wrote: > it's not dpkg that has the problem. debian's gcc is patched so it > defaults to i386 if the arch is any ix86, unless specified otherwise. > (at least, that's what i'm making of this patch...) Actually, that's standard gcc behavior, which redhat has as well. The difference here is that (if I understand things correctly) if you want to compile a package for iX86 where X != 3, then you have to download and install a package which *changes the default for every compile on the whole system*. As Charles mentioned, the way that RPM does it is by macros. You tell RPM "I want to build this particular packate for i586". It then goes off, and via the correct configure macros, adds the flags to gcc (probably the same flags that the debian package makes the system wide default) to compile *only* that package for i586. So if I'm a random user who wants to compile a package on a i686 platform to be run on a 386, and the sysadmin has installed the i686 package, that means that I have to do *extra* work to get *standard* behavior! Someone please tell me if I'm wrong, because that seems like a pretty hackish way to do things. -- Frank Sweetser fs at wpi.edu, fs at suave.net | $ x 18 Full-time WPI Network Tech, Part time Linux/Perl guy | The UNIX system has a command, nice, which allows a user to voluntarily reduce the priority of his process, in order to be nice to the other users. Nobody ever uses it. -A. Tanenbaum, _Modern Operating Systems_

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Aaron Haviland

Charles R. Anderson said: > On Thu, Mar 14, 2002 at 01:40:34AM -0500, Aaron Haviland wrote: > orion> > Just install pentium-builder, set the environment variable like it > orion> > says to, and apt-get -b source <package> away! > orion> > orion> Well, hot damn. you're my new hero! Now I can still build optimised > orion> local .debs and make non-optimised redistributable ones without messy > orion> tweaking! > > RPM has had the ability to build for different architectures and > optimize based on them since the beginning: > > rpm --rebuild --target=i386,i586,i686 foo.src.rpm it's not dpkg that has the problem. debian's gcc is patched so it defaults to i386 if the arch is any ix86, unless specified otherwise. (at least, that's what i'm making of this patch...) I think what i really like about debian's build system is that while most people use a makefile for debian/rules, you DON'T HAVE TO. you can use any sort of script you want, so long as it does what it needs to. You DON'T HAVE TO use debhelper to put files in the right locations and fix permissions. You DON'T HAVE TO do anything a specific way, so long as the result is the same. As far as everything being i386, that's lets debian be installable on more architectures, like the 386 laptop i'm typing this on right now. Redhat, Mandrake, etc wouldn't install... everything's pentium optimised. -- Aaron Haviland orion [at] tribble [dot] dyndns [dot] org orion [at] parsed [dot] net relevance is irrelevant.

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Charles R. Anderson

On Thu, Mar 14, 2002 at 01:40:34AM -0500, Aaron Haviland wrote: orion> > Just install pentium-builder, set the environment variable like it orion> > says to, and apt-get -b source <package> away! orion> orion> Well, hot damn. you're my new hero! Now I can still build optimised orion> local .debs and make non-optimised redistributable ones without messy orion> tweaking! RPM has had the ability to build for different architectures and optimize based on them since the beginning: rpm --rebuild --target=i386,i586,i686 foo.src.rpm Each distro includes RPM configuration files to define the build environment for that distro, including the optimization flags to use: optflags: i386 -O2 -march=i386 -mcpu=i686 optflags: i486 -O2 -march=i486 optflags: i586 -O2 -march=i586 optflags: i686 -O2 -march=i686 optflags: athlon -O2 -march=athlon optflags: ia64 -O2 They are usually passed to configure/make by setting variables in the .spec file (so you don't need to patch Makefiles): CC=$RPM_OPT_FLAGS ./configure make or even better, by using these macros, which will also cause the package to place all its files in the standard places that the distro has defined in the local RPM build environment (i.e., /usr/doc vs. /usr/share/doc): %configure make %makeinstall That way, when configure tests the compiler, it can be sure the compiler works with those optflags. Also, it doesn't require klugy scripts to override the compiler binary, etc., and can be used by any user, not just root (perhaps pentium-builder can too, I don't know). -- Charles R. Anderson <cra(a)wpi.edu> / http://angus.ind.wpi.edu/~cra/ PGP Key ID: 49BB5886 Fingerprint: EBA3 A106 7C93 FA07 8E15 3AC2 C367 A0F9 49BB 5886

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] docs / latex /?

by Frank Sweetser

On Thu, Mar 14, 2002 at 08:26:48AM -0500, Bill Mills-Curran wrote: > Some years ago, I was a heavy Latex user, but it's been a while... > I've heard rumors that it now has a WYSIWYG interface. Is this true? There's LyX, which isn't half bad, but sometimes takes a little kicking to do odd things, and has it's own file format which is almost, but not quite, TeX. There's a few emacs packages for LaTeX (find 'em on freshmeat - I forget the names at the moment) that are supposed to give you a good inline preview. -- Frank Sweetser fs at wpi.edu, fs at suave.net | $ x 18 Full-time WPI Network Tech, Part time Linux/Perl guy | I think that's how Chicago got started. A bunch of people in New York said, 'Gee, I'm enjoying the crime and the poverty, but it just isn't cold enough. Let's go west.' --Richard Jeni

March 14, 2002

docs / latex /?

by Bill Mills-Curran

I need to generate some documents that look decent on the web and also print well. Some of the documents are forms for people to fill in, and, for the most part, the people are pretty unsophisticated. They may even just print the form and fill it in by hand. Some years ago, I was a heavy Latex user, but it's been a while... I've heard rumors that it now has a WYSIWYG interface. Is this true? At any rate, I'm looking for recommendations of something that can produce decent html (most word processors generate abysmal html) and decent printable stuff. (It would be very cool if I could produce the pdf "fill in the blanks" document.) Right now, I'm painfully generating the html in xemacs (very clean html) and then postscript and non-editable pdf from that. I've heard that docbook is good, but that it has a high learning curve. Suggestions? TIA, Bill

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Aaron Haviland

Josh Huber said: > Aaron Haviland <orion(a)tribble.dyndns.org> writes: > > > apt-get source <package> && cd <package>-* && dpkg-buildpackage > > -rfakeroot -us -uc > > > > ... but iirc, it's not really optimised. to do that, you need to rebuild > > certain packages without certain tweaks that debian throws in. something > > about enabling certain i586 stuff, but still making them work on i386? > > (which is why all the debs say i386 instead of iX86) > > Well, for most of the optimizations, a very simple change can be made: > > $> apt-cache show pentium-builder > Package: pentium-builder > Priority: extra > Section: devel > Installed-Size: 80 > Maintainer: Alex Pennace <alex(a)pennace.org> > Architecture: all > Version: 0.17 > Depends: gcc | g++, perl > Filename: pool/main/p/pentium-builder/pentium-builder_0.17_all.deb > Size: 6604 > MD5sum: 25fd685abdcfd1e0ec6efc92a8d3e801 > Description: force pentium optimized compilation > Replaces gcc, cc, and g++ with scripts that build pentium optimized code. > (Other processors can be optimized for as well.) > . > By default, after installing this package, the compilers will behave > normally. However, if the environment variable DEBIAN_BUILDARCH=pentium > is set, they will enter pentium optimized compile mode. > > Just install pentium-builder, set the environment variable like it > says to, and apt-get -b source <package> away! Well, hot damn. you're my new hero! Now I can still build optimised local .debs and make non-optimised redistributable ones without messy tweaking! -- Aaron Haviland orion [at] tribble [dot] dyndns [dot] org orion [at] parsed [dot] net

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Josh Huber

Aaron Haviland <orion(a)tribble.dyndns.org> writes: > apt-get source <package> && cd <package>-* && dpkg-buildpackage > -rfakeroot -us -uc > > ... but iirc, it's not really optimised. to do that, you need to rebuild > certain packages without certain tweaks that debian throws in. something > about enabling certain i586 stuff, but still making them work on i386? > (which is why all the debs say i386 instead of iX86) Well, for most of the optimizations, a very simple change can be made: $> apt-cache show pentium-builder Package: pentium-builder Priority: extra Section: devel Installed-Size: 80 Maintainer: Alex Pennace <alex(a)pennace.org> Architecture: all Version: 0.17 Depends: gcc | g++, perl Filename: pool/main/p/pentium-builder/pentium-builder_0.17_all.deb Size: 6604 MD5sum: 25fd685abdcfd1e0ec6efc92a8d3e801 Description: force pentium optimized compilation Replaces gcc, cc, and g++ with scripts that build pentium optimized code. (Other processors can be optimized for as well.) . By default, after installing this package, the compilers will behave normally. However, if the environment variable DEBIAN_BUILDARCH=pentium is set, they will enter pentium optimized compile mode. Just install pentium-builder, set the environment variable like it says to, and apt-get -b source <package> away! ttyl, -- Josh Huber

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] Win2k and Linux

by Charles R. Anderson

On Wed, Mar 13, 2002 at 09:39:29PM -0500, Tim Trachimowicz wrote: track> I've never had a problem using LILO to dual boot Win98 and RH 6.2 (then track> 7.2), but I'm a little intimidated by Win2k and it's boot loader. Sure, there is no problem with using LILO and the Win2K bootloader at the same time. You can just delete the FAT32 partition on drive 2, install Linux, and install the LILO bootloader on drive 1's MBR. LILO is smart enough to be able to boot kernels from the second drive, and it will also be able to boot up the Win2K bootloader which will bring up its menu as usual. -- Charles R. Anderson <cra(a)wpi.edu> / http://angus.ind.wpi.edu/~cra/ PGP Key ID: 49BB5886 Fingerprint: EBA3 A106 7C93 FA07 8E15 3AC2 C367 A0F9 49BB 5886

March 14, 2002

Win2k and Linux

by Tim Trachimowicz

Hey folks, I'm working on setting up a dual boot system with the following drive setup: Drive 1 - 6gb IDE Partition 1 (4gb) - Win2k NTFS (c:) Partition 2 (2gb) - Scratch FAT32 (e:) Drive 2 - 3gb IDE Partition 1 (3gb) - FAT32 (d:) (This is where I want to install RH 7.2) I've never had a problem using LILO to dual boot Win98 and RH 6.2 (then 7.2), but I'm a little intimidated by Win2k and it's boot loader. I've tried Google and a few other places for info, but a lot of it seems to focus in installing the two OS's on a single large disk with multiple partitions. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? I am free to wipe/partition any or all of the disks and start fresh if that makes sense. I have read some info about making a boot partition, but again, it wasn't very clear to me... Any websites, FAQs or personal insight is appreciated. Thanks in advance! --Track

March 14, 2002

Re: [Wlug] I'm possessed -- sound stuff

by Bill Mills-Curran

I have an explanation. Apparently I did something to gaim to make it start using sounds to announce "buddies" signing on and leaving. I have no idea what triggered gaim to start doing this. Bill

March 13, 2002

Re: [Wlug] I'm possessed -- sound stuff

by doug waud

Hi Bill Mills-Curran wrote: > > This is very weird... My linux box has just started making sounds -- As a pharmacologist, the first thing that comes to mind is whether you might have been feeding it beans. You may want to check out http://www.beano.net/ Incidentally, the veterinary product is called "Cur-tail" :-) doug

March 13, 2002

I'm possessed -- sound stuff

by Bill Mills-Curran

This is very weird... My linux box has just started making sounds -- stuff like little sound card samples. It has done about 6 sounds in the past 30 minutes. The only action I have taken since logging in this morning is to look at some web pages. I've "finger-ed" and "last-ed", but there is no evidence of co-workers getting cute with me. I did see one thing in the system log: Mar 13 08:13:21 pent584 kernel: ad1816: Analog Devices AD1816A detected Mar 13 08:13:21 pent584 kernel: ad1816: ISAPnP reports 'Analog Devices AD1816A' at i/o 0x500, irq 5, dma 1, 3 Mar 13 08:13:21 pent584 kernel: ad1816: AD1816 sounddriver Copyright (C) 1998 by Thorsten Knabe Mar 13 08:13:21 pent584 kernel: ad1816: io=0x500, irq=5, dma=1, dma2=3, clockfre q=33000, options=0 isadmabug=0 Mar 13 08:13:21 pent584 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-service-0- 3 Mar 13 08:38:25 pent584 kernel: ad1816: Analog Devices AD1816A detected Mar 13 08:38:25 pent584 kernel: ad1816: ISAPnP reports 'Analog Devices AD1816A' at i/o 0x500, irq 5, dma 1, 3 Mar 13 08:38:25 pent584 kernel: ad1816: AD1816 sounddriver Copyright (C) 1998 by Thorsten Knabe Mar 13 08:38:25 pent584 kernel: ad1816: io=0x500, irq=5, dma=1, dma2=3, clockfre q=33000, options=0 isadmabug=0 Mar 13 08:38:25 pent584 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-service-0- 3 These messages appear only one other time in my system logs. Oh, one other thing... I did mount an NT share on my box yesterday. (I don't suspect this, but might as well tell everything.) Any ideas? Thanks, Bill

March 13, 2002

Re: [Wlug] RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Aaron Haviland

Doug Geiger said: > Wow flame bait ;) > Since you asked for it, random comments/flames inline. > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: discuss-admin(a)wpila.org [mailto:discuss-admin@wpila.org]On Behalf > > Of Chuck Haines > > > > I figured since I hadn't seen this on the list I'd post it. I recently > > (and by recent I mean 2 - 3 months) re-installed Linux on my computer. I > > was a very satisfied Slack8 user but I wanted something more. For one, I > > wanted a package manager. So I thought I might dabble into Debian (seeing > > how that is supposedly the premiere distro). But one problem existed, > > Debian still used binaries. I wanted everything compiled from source so > > it was optimized for my system (yes, I am a geek and very proud of it). > > apt-get source <package> > And I believe you can do similar w/SRPMS. Though I'll give that if I was > going to go through all the trouble of compiling everything from source, > personally I'd just grab .tar.gz of it all. Hell why bother with a distro? > apt-get source <package> && cd <package>-* && dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot -us -uc ... but iirc, it's not really optimised. to do that, you need to rebuild certain packages without certain tweaks that debian throws in. something about enabling certain i586 stuff, but still making them work on i386? (which is why all the debs say i386 instead of iX86) (research...research...research....) ah, here: http://ibiblio.org/gferg/ldp/giles/repository/repository-7.html > > So I begin my install of Gentoo. Gentoo is still in late beta stages (the > > 1.0 release is scheduled for mid to late this month). The install was a > > little rocky, but unlike most linux distro's you can find the authors on > > their irc channel on opennetworks and they are a tremendous help. I have > > yet to have a problem that someone in that channel wasn't able to fix. > > irc.debian.org - I use it and enjoy it ;). > which is just an alias for OPN, last i checked :) -- Aaron Haviland orion [at] tribble [dot] dyndns [dot] org orion [at] parsed [dot] net http://debian.parsed.net ICQ: 43079202

March 13, 2002

Re: [Wlug] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Brian J. Conway

> 'Course the REAL geeks just rewrite their own POSIX-like kernel from > scratch and start their own distro based on it ;P. No, the real geeks fork an existing project, add "Open" to the name, and start badmouthing the original project at the top of their lungs. ;-) -b

March 12, 2002

RE: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro

by Doug Geiger

Wow flame bait ;) Since you asked for it, random comments/flames inline. -- Doug Geiger runexe(a)counter.clue4all.net http://counter.clue4all.net/~runexe/ If you're crossing the nation in a covered wagon, it's better to have four strong oxen than 100 chickens. Chickens are OK but we can't make them work together yet. -- Ross Bott, Pyramid U.S., on multiprocessors at AUUGM '89. > -----Original Message----- > From: discuss-admin(a)wpila.org [mailto:discuss-admin@wpila.org]On Behalf > Of Chuck Haines > Sent: Tuesday, March 12, 2002 2:39 PM > To: discuss(a)wpila.org; wlug(a)mail.wlug.org > Subject: [WPILA-Discuss] Gentoo Linux Distro > > > I figured since I hadn't seen this on the list I'd post it. I recently > (and by recent I mean 2 - 3 months) re-installed Linux on my computer. I > was a very satisfied Slack8 user but I wanted something more. For one, I > wanted a package manager. So I thought I might dabble into Debian (seeing > how that is supposedly the premiere distro). But one problem existed, > Debian still used binaries. I wanted everything compiled from source so > it was optimized for my system (yes, I am a geek and very proud of it). apt-get source <package> And I believe you can do similar w/SRPMS. Though I'll give that if I was going to go through all the trouble of compiling everything from source, personally I'd just grab .tar.gz of it all. Hell why bother with a distro? > So I went searching for my distro. I searched and searched and just when > I thought I wasn't going to find it, I found a distro called Sorcerer > linux. WOW, I thought to myself, this does what I wanted. So I > downloaded and installed it. I still hate it to this day. So then I > continued my search and stubbled upon Gentoo linux on Slashdot. After > being disappointed with Sorcerer, I wasn't expecting much, but little to > my knowledge this distro would turn out the be the best distro I've ever > tried (and I've tried close to 100 distro's of both unix and linux > flavor). Damn, 100? How much free time do you have? > So I begin my install of Gentoo. Gentoo is still in late beta stages (the > 1.0 release is scheduled for mid to late this month). The install was a > little rocky, but unlike most linux distro's you can find the authors on > their irc channel on opennetworks and they are a tremendous help. I have > yet to have a problem that someone in that channel wasn't able to fix. irc.debian.org - I use it and enjoy it ;). > Not to mention, some of the authors went here to WPI as they commented > when they saw I was from WPI. This distro has it all. It has an amazing > package management system which is simple to use and VERY powerful. Plus > is compiles everything from source which means that your system is 100% > optimized for your system (and yes it evern recompiles the gcc and stuff > so that it is optimized), although you can now use bninaries optimized > for i586. Not to mention you compile the kernel at install time > so there is no more "stock" kernel business. You can get to > business right away. Also, gentoo will only install what you want, making > this as small or large of a system as you wish. IMHO, this is the best > distro on the "market" today. I have even begun some devlopment for it. Have you tried LinuxFromScratch? I remember talking to you about it... > Just thought I'd share some thoughts on the newest distro of my liking. > If anyone is interested, their website is, http://www.gentoo.org. They > can also be found on irc at us.openprojects.net, channel #gentoo. I'm in > the channel a lot so look for termleech or termr00t. 'Course the REAL geeks just rewrite their own POSIX-like kernel from scratch and start their own distro based on it ;P. > Thoughts, comments, and flames are welcome. > > ---------------------- > | Chuck Haines | > | GDC Webmaster | > | chaines(a)wpi.edu | > | AOL IM: CyberGrex | > ---------------------- > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > Discuss(a)wpila.org > http://wpila.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > >

March 12, 2002

Re: shutting down SuSE 7.3 via KDE

by doug waud

Hi Pierce Barnard wrote > Hello Andy, the error occurs when I log out of KDE. Then at the Linux > desktop login window, I select shutdown, I have the impression KDE can do a lot of funny things. I suggest you try shutting down by CTRL/ALT/F! to a command line and then typing shutdown -r now (or -h if that is your objective) I suspect this will work ok. If it does, then you will be confirming my suspicions and you can focus on blaming KDE and not Linux :-) doug

March 12, 2002

Gentoo Linux Distro

by Chuck Haines

I figured since I hadn't seen this on the list I'd post it. I recently (and by recent I mean 2 - 3 months) re-installed Linux on my computer. I was a very satisfied Slack8 user but I wanted something more. For one, I wanted a package manager. So I thought I might dabble into Debian (seeing how that is supposedly the premiere distro). But one problem existed, Debian still used binaries. I wanted everything compiled from source so it was optimized for my system (yes, I am a geek and very proud of it). So I went searching for my distro. I searched and searched and just when I thought I wasn't going to find it, I found a distro called Sorcerer linux. WOW, I thought to myself, this does what I wanted. So I downloaded and installed it. I still hate it to this day. So then I continued my search and stubbled upon Gentoo linux on Slashdot. After being disappointed with Sorcerer, I wasn't expecting much, but little to my knowledge this distro would turn out the be the best distro I've ever tried (and I've tried close to 100 distro's of both unix and linux flavor). So I begin my install of Gentoo. Gentoo is still in late beta stages (the 1.0 release is scheduled for mid to late this month). The install was a little rocky, but unlike most linux distro's you can find the authors on their irc channel on opennetworks and they are a tremendous help. I have yet to have a problem that someone in that channel wasn't able to fix. Not to mention, some of the authors went here to WPI as they commented when they saw I was from WPI. This distro has it all. It has an amazing package management system which is simple to use and VERY powerful. Plus is compiles everything from source which means that your system is 100% optimized for your system (and yes it evern recompiles the gcc and stuff so that it is optimized), although you can now use bninaries optimized for i586. Not to mention you compile the kernel at install time so there is no more "stock" kernel business. You can get to business right away. Also, gentoo will only install what you want, making this as small or large of a system as you wish. IMHO, this is the best distro on the "market" today. I have even begun some devlopment for it. Just thought I'd share some thoughts on the newest distro of my liking. If anyone is interested, their website is, http://www.gentoo.org. They can also be found on irc at us.openprojects.net, channel #gentoo. I'm in the channel a lot so look for termleech or termr00t. Thoughts, comments, and flames are welcome. ---------------------- | Chuck Haines | | GDC Webmaster | | chaines(a)wpi.edu | | AOL IM: CyberGrex | ----------------------

March 12, 2002