Subject: Linux-Misc Digest #720
From: Digestifier <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 94 07:13:18 EDT

Linux-Misc Digest #720, Volume #2                 Wed, 7 Sep 94 07:13:18 EDT

Contents:
  Wanted: XFree86 compatible ISA card (and recommendations) (Robert Ashcroft)
  Buying a YGGDRASIL CD ROM ([email-masked])
  Re: OS/2 vs. Unix Which one is better and why??? (Mike Gebhardt)
  1.7MB+ format help wanted... ([email-masked])
  Re: Yggdrasil Sum94 CD (Steve B.)
  Re: If Linux passes X/Opens Spec 1170, will it become a true Unix? (Rick Kelly)
  Re: Newest kernel version to fix memory problems... (Stephen Harris)
  SWT in Texas: Has anyone dealt with this firm? (Chuck Lloyd)
  Re: BOCA 8 port NIGHTMARE !!! (Bob Kupiec)
  Re: Linux is a GNU system and the DWARF support (Joe Buck)
  Linux for HP/Apollo? (David Edwards)
  Re: Reminiscence... (Pete Ehlke)
  Re: Reminiscence... (Michael O'Reilly)
  Re: 525MB streamer that wouldn't backup 300MB: SOLVED! (Harald Milz)
  Re: CAP for Linux? (Alan Cox)
  *** PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE POSTING *** (misc-2.07) (Ian Jackson)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Robert Ashcroft)
Crossposted-To: misc.forsale.computers.pc-clone,ba.market.computers
Subject: Wanted: XFree86 compatible ISA card (and recommendations)
Date: 7 Sep 1994 03:22:59 GMT

I'm interested in cheap XFree86 SVGA cards.  I'd like recommendations and
if you have one to buy, perhaps used, I'll consider buying it.

Situation:  At school there is an old 386 computer on which I have Linux
running.  I got X to run in 16-color VGA mode (ho ho ho... sort of like
a dog walking on its hind legs, it does it poorly, but you are amazed it
does it at all).  But the "SVGA" card that came with it is just too stupid
to deal with XFree86.

At the moment the best I can do is have it display its X-windows on
a Sparc in the same room, which is cool in and of itself, but not
real useful.

So I'd like to yank that card and put in a better one.  It needn't be
wonderful, it needn't be new, it just needs to work and be usable for
low intensity X-use.  I just want to be able to show people how great
this stuff is---my home system is has the ATI GUPro, displayed on a
17'' screen, but I can't (don't want to) haul that into school.

I also don't want to spend too much, since the sole purpose is to
demo this for other people.

Recommendations appreciated.

RNA

------------------------------

From: [email-masked]
Subject: Buying a YGGDRASIL CD ROM
Date: 6 Sep 94 16:43:32 PDT

Hello,

Before I buy the YGGDRASIL Linux CD ROM. I'd like to know
if the Toshiba 3401B is supported? Will someone e-mail me
the answer please.

Andy

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Mike Gebhardt)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.os2.advocacy
Subject: Re: OS/2 vs. Unix Which one is better and why???
Date: 7 Sep 1994 00:47:34 -0400

To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: OS/2 vs. Unix Which one is better and why???
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy,comp.os.linux.misc
References: <[email-masked]> <[email-masked]>

>In article <[email-masked]>,  <[email-masked]> wrote:

*** lots of other stuff deleted ***

>>I know for a fact that you can't learn Unix (I mean learn it really well)just
>>by fooling around with it.  So what's the point?

I couldn't disagree with that statement more. Installing applications and 
getting them to work on my Slackware distribution has taught me more 
about the inner workings of Unices in general than anything else ever 
could, and I've been in the computer business since 1981. 

When I wanted to learn the inner workings of Un*x I installed Slackware 
at home, because during the day I was too busy getting things done to 
pick apart SunOs. 

So at night I customized and upgraded Emacs, Got PPP working with my 
office network, fixed some bugs in the version of xlock originally 
supplied with the distribution, got X configured and set up to my liking, 
and then I started playing with the kernel source. 

Each and every one of the above experiences has been put to use in that 
most important of daily tasks called "making a living". The experience I 
have gained with my Linux system has put me steps ahead of the rest of 
the folks working with me, because when something goes wrong, it's 
usually me who finds the answer, simply because my experience with Linux 
has given me a basic idea of where to look.

So, to all of you out there, I say hack away. You never know when some 
tidbit you learn by playing with Linux in your spare time is going to add 
a little more to that next bonus check!!

Regards,
Mike G.
[email-masked]

------------------------------

From: [email-masked]
Subject: 1.7MB+ format help wanted...
Date: Tue, 6 Sep 1994 23:49:06 GMT

        I would like information on how to set the /etc/fdprm file
to hold the correct formats for the 1.7mb and 1.9mb disks (and any other
high-density formats).  I'm using Slackware 2.0.0 and Linux kernel 1.0.9.

        I'd like to see the parameters posted to the group, along with
any other info related (e.g. reliability) on this topic.

        Thanks!

        - Chad Page

------------------------------

Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.help
From: [email-masked] (Steve B.)
Subject: Re: Yggdrasil Sum94 CD
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 1994 00:06:16 GMT

: Is there any way to recover from this or should I just write it off and buy a 
: new one?  I heard rumors that Yggdrasil has a Fall94 release out but have not 
: been able to find out any info on it.

If the scratches aren't too deep you can find polish for it.  Try a local 
HIGH-end stereo store.  As for Yggdrasil Fall 94, last I heard was it 
would start shipping around the end of this month.
-- 
 /--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
 | <[email-masked]> on the InterNet|     I Think,                        |
 | <Stephen P Berg> in Aurora, Co.    |     Therefore I Am,                 |
 | <SSgt> on the IRC                  |     I Think?!                       |
 | <The Roadster Man> on the BBS's    |                                     |
 |                                    |                                     |
 |         Just another damn roadhog on the Information Super-Highway       |
 \--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Rick Kelly)
Subject: Re: If Linux passes X/Opens Spec 1170, will it become a true Unix?
Reply-To: [email-masked] (Rick Kelly)
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 1994 04:45:00 GMT

Alan Cox ([email-masked]) wrote:
: In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Maxim Spivak) writes:
: >In UniForum's UniNews July 20,1994 issue there's and article on X/Open's 
: >UNIX branding. This got me thinking--if Linux would pass this branding, 
: >would it become a full-fledged _official_ Unix, on par with SunOS or 
: >HP/UX or whatever? 

: Correct as I understand it unless there is some requirement for the code
: to be derived from the AT&T code...

Unless things have changed wildly....

One can have their OS certified as passing the SVID test suite without
using a single line of AT&T code.

: >So the question is--how close is Linux to conformance to Spec 1170? Would 
: >it be a Good Thing(tm) for Linux to become a "true" Unix? Would it cost 
: >major money to be branded, and if yes, is it worth raising that kind of 
: >money somehow?

: It would cost a lot and include royalties according to the X/open blurb I
: saw.

Yes, I bet the "UNIX Inside" stickers are expensive.

-- 

Rick Kelly  [email-masked]  [email-masked]

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Stephen Harris)
Subject: Re: Newest kernel version to fix memory problems...
Date: Tue, 6 Sep 1994 21:58:58 GMT

Gabe Krupa ([email-masked]) wrote:

: At one point, 11 mb worth of buffers were shown as being used and I thought
: that it had to do with playing audio cd's through my cdrom.  So I stopped
: doing that.  It didn't help.  So I unmounted all nfs file-systems.  Ditto.

: I'm stumped.  It seems that the kernel should return all alloced memory to the
: general memory pool after a process terminates even if that process never freed
: the memory itself.  So I tried mallocing a meg or so and exiting, but that did
: not seem to be the cause.

Effectively buffers ARE the general memory pool!

Any 'unused' memory in Linux is allocated to the buffer cache.  When a program
requires extra memory (eg you startup Emacs) then the cache is shrunk by
enough to allocate the required memory.

This has been discussed ad nauseum these past few weeks....
-- 

rgds
Stephen

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Chuck Lloyd)
Subject: SWT in Texas: Has anyone dealt with this firm?
Date: 7 Sep 1994 06:31:50 GMT

Hello,

I am considering purchasing a 486DX2/66 with at least SCSI-2
and possibly PCI. This firm seems to put together a nice system at
a good price. They also make sure it runs Linux.

Is this too good to be true? Has anyone out there done business
with this firm? How did it go? Are you pleased with your system 
and the company?

Thanks in advance      
__________________
Chuck Lloyd
[email-masked]

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Bob Kupiec)
Subject: Re: BOCA 8 port NIGHTMARE !!!
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 1994 01:01:32 GMT

In <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] writes:
>In comp.os.linux.misc, Rob Janssen ([email-masked]) wrote:
>> This card is not suitable for use with modems.  Get a 6-port ioAT66 instead.
>
>Or in other words: the Boca BB1004/1008 does not offer the necessary
>signal lines for modems. They lack DTR, DCD and friends.

The Boca 2by4 (4S/2P) does support modems and works well.  Only bad
this is that each port requires it's own IRQ.

-- 
Bob Kupiec   (N3MML)        Phone: 1-609-897-7319      JvNCnet (GES, Inc.)
Network Operations          -or- : 1-800-35-TIGER      3 Independence Way
Email: [email-masked]       Fax : 1-609-897-7310      Princeton, NJ 08540

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Joe Buck)
Crossposted-To: gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Re: Linux is a GNU system and the DWARF support
Date: 7 Sep 1994 05:52:31 GMT

[email-masked] (H.J. Lu) writes:
>I still think the commercial softwares should be encouraged under
>Linux. There are places for everyone under Linux. The kernel, the C
>library and other basic components should remain free. The user can make
>choices on the commercial applications.

Certainly.  And RMS and MIB have also said that commercial/binary-only
stuff will be allowed on the Hurd.

Note, however, that crt0.S could have used the "as a special exception"
copyright used by the stuff in libgcc.a: the file itself is under the
GPL, but as a special exception, applications built with gcc and linked
to it don't fall under the GPL.  This is how the FSF and Cygnus folk
have been addressing the issue of key files that always have to be
linked in.

-- 
-- Joe Buck     <[email-masked]>
Posting from but not speaking for Synopsys, Inc.
***** Stamp out junk e-mail spamming!  If someone sends you a junk e-mail
***** ad just because you posted in comp.foo, boycott their company.

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (David Edwards)
Subject: Linux for HP/Apollo?
Date: Tue, 6 Sep 1994 22:07:51 GMT

Question for the Linux/68K folks... Was porting Linux to the earlier
Apollo systems (the 68K based ones...) ever considered? Having seen
a couple adds for "DN3500 w/ 32M ram / 170M HD, 19" color monitor, etc.
etc. etc. $400 obo", and wanting to reclaim my '486 from mail/news
spooling duty, I made the (semi?) logical leap, and wanted to know
if anyone else has attempted this type of thing before.

                                        Later!
                                        David
--
____________________________________________________________________
David Edwards   ||  I will not do it, in my car, I will not speak ||
U of MO, Rolla  || for UMR.  I would not, could not in a plane, I ||
[email-masked]     || would not, could not on a train. I will not    || 
                || speak for UMR, I will not do it, Sam you are.  ||  
                ====================================================

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Pete Ehlke)
Subject: Re: Reminiscence...
Date: 6 Sep 1994 21:48:02 -0400

[email-masked] (Matthew Donadio) writes:

>I just got done reading hlu's post about Linux being a GNU system, so
>I decided that it is about time for another post about the good old
>days.  I've been using Linux since 0.12 (Jan 92) and it's amazing what
>it has become.

>Do you remember...

>...when the only choice when getting a distribution was getting the root 
>       disk first, or the boot disk first?
>...alt.os.linux?
>...comp.os.linux?

Oh, you bet. How 'bout the BIG news that MGR would be coming out?

... no ps. Just hit ^printScreen and get a dump of the process tables.

the good old days...

______________________________________________________________________________
But how could we know when I was young             | Pete Ehlke
All the changes that were to come?                 | [email-masked]
All the photos in the wallets on the battlefield   |
And now the terror of the scientific sun?          |
              -The Clash, "Something about England"|

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Michael O'Reilly)
Subject: Re: Reminiscence...
Date: 7 Sep 1994 10:06:51 +0800

Matthew Donadio ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I just got done reading hlu's post about Linux being a GNU system, so
: I decided that it is about time for another post about the good old
: days.  I've been using Linux since 0.12 (Jan 92) and it's amazing what
: it has become.

: Do you remember...
[ .. ]
: ...sectors 508 and 509?  

Ah hah! Thats bytes 508 + 509 of the first sector in the kernel.. :)

: ...Linus said 1.0 would be out by Christmas 92? :)

Heh. and when he made the leap from 0.13 --> 0.95 in the expectation
that there'd only be a few more kernels. and the 0.99.a-z series. :)

: ...when compiling the kernel on a 4MB 386sx took 13 minutes ?

When swapping was implemented, and demand paging.. :)
Dynamic disk cache sizing..
When someone who is remaing nameless due to modesty pointed out that
searching a bit array for a free page is probably less efficent than
taking the first free page of the free page list... :)

: ...when introducing the VFS broke infrequent used binaries like bash and ls ?

That was the readdir() changeover.. :)

: ...signal/noise ratio on alt.os.linux was >> 1

Ahh. The good ol' days. When you could read ALL the newsgroup, and
still have time to eat. When you needed minix to uuse linux, as linux
could create it's own filesystem yet (that was 0.11 I think).

Michael.
-- 
Michael O'Reilly @ iiNet Technologies, Internet Service providers.
Voice (09) 307 1183, Fax (09) 307 8414. Email [email-masked]
GCS d? au- a- v* c++ UL++++ L+++ E po--(+) b+++ D++ h* r++ u+
         e+ m+ s+++/--- !n h-- f? g+ w t-- y+ 

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Harald Milz)
Subject: Re: 525MB streamer that wouldn't backup 300MB: SOLVED!
Reply-To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 1994 08:50:18 GMT

In comp.os.linux.admin, Eelco H. Essenberg ([email-masked]) wrote:
> That sort of gave the game away: the tapes I had were labelled "DC6525", but were
> in fact DC6150's... I got myself another tape, a 3M DC6525 and lo and behold: 523MB
> on a single tape...

Oops. Which brand were those mislabeled tapes?

-- 
Signs of crime: screaming or cries for help.
                -- from the Brown Security Crime Prevention Pamphlet
-- 
Harald Milz ([email-masked])      WWW: http://www.ix.de/editors/hm.html
iX Multiuser Multitasking Magazine      phone +49 (511) 53 52-377
Helstorfer Str. 7, D-30625 Hannover     fax   +49 (511) 53 52-378
Opinions stated herein are my own, not necessarily my employer's.

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Alan Cox)
Subject: Re: CAP for Linux?
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 1994 09:27:58 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Dave Platt) writes:
>Phase 2 (which is what most organizations are using these days) will be
>a more difficult capability to implement.  It requires a consistent
>method of persuading the Ethernet interface to receive multicasts.  A
>fair number of the current Linux ethercard drivers do not yet support
>multicasting, and [as far as I can tell] there is no consistent kernel
>interface for registering with the network in order to receive arbitrary
>packets (e.g. there's no equivalent to the Berkeley packet filter).

The multicasting is in almost all drivers (although not always to best of
ability) but there is no user side interface to use it to its full
currently. Its the dev->set_multicast_list() function.

BPF can be found in tcpdump as a usermode library. BPF is a performance
issue however as it requires promisc mode. It's built on the SOCK_PACKET
interface that allows you to receive specific protocols or all packets
depending on your desire. The libpacket.c in DOSEMU is a library for using
it and DOSEMU's virtual packet driver for Novell is a fine example of how
it works.

Alan
-- 
  ..-----------,,----------------------------,,----------------------------,,
 // Alan Cox  //  [email-masked]   //  GW4PTS@GB7SWN.#45.GBR.EU  //
 ``----------'`----------------------------'`----------------------------''

------------------------------

From: [email-masked] (Ian Jackson)
Subject: *** PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE POSTING *** (misc-2.07)
Date: 7 Sep 1994 04:03:26 -0600

Please do not post questions to comp.os.linux.misc - read on for details of
which groups you should read and post to.

Please do not crosspost anything between different groups of the comp.os.linux
hierarchy.  See Matt Welsh's introduction to the hierarchy, posted weekly.

If you have a question about Linux you should get and read the Linux Frequently
Asked Questions with Answers list from sunsite.unc.edu, in /pub/Linux/docs, or
from another Linux FTP site.  It is also posted periodically to c.o.l.announce.

In particular, read the question `You still haven't answered my question!'
The FAQ will refer you to the Linux HOWTOs (more detailed descriptions of
particular topics) found in the HOWTO directory in the same place.

Then you should consider posting to comp.os.linux.help - not
comp.os.linux.misc.

Note that X Windows related questions should go to comp.windows.x.i386unix, and
that non-Linux-specific Unix questions should go to comp.unix.questions.
Please read the FAQs for these groups before posting - look on rtfm.mit.edu in
/pub/usenet/news.answers/Intel-Unix-X-faq and .../unix-faq.

Only if you have a posting that is not more appropriate for one of the other
Linux groups - ie it is not a question, not about the future development of
Linux, not an announcement or bug report and not about system administration -
should you post to comp.os.linux.misc.

Comments on this posting are welcomed - please email me !
--
Ian Jackson  <[email-masked]>  (urgent email: [email-masked])
2 Lexington Close, Cambridge, CB4 3LS, England;  phone: +44 223 64238

------------------------------

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End of Linux-Misc Digest
******************************