"Linux Gazette...making Linux just a little more fun!"

Date: Sun, 01 Nov 1998 21:08:28 -0800
From: Ted,
Subject: printing issues as users

I have the following problem that nobody seems to give me a good answer to. If I print as root, everything is good. If I try to print as a user I get "lpr: connect error, permission denied" "jobs queued, but daemon could not be started'

This is under Red hat 5.1. Any tips ?

--
Ted Brockwood

Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1998 19:34:49 GMT
FROM:
SUBJECT: Help Wanted!

I have a PII (350MHz) running with an AGP ATI 3DRage graphics card (which works fine) and a Sound Blaster 16 PnP (which also works fine). But, I I can't get my internal SupraExpress 56k modem to work.

I have set the port (cua2 - COM3 in Windows) to IRQ11 (as it is under Mr. Gates' OS) and the memory but it won't work. I tried changing the modem initialization strings and still nothing. Minicom says that there is no connection (!?).

If someone can help me, I would be most grateful as I want to use Netscape under X because I want to use less of Windows because it's no good and expensive and hey, who likes expensive stuff eh?

Thanks for your time

--
Richard Hodges

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 11:47:43 +0100 From: Carlo Vinante,
Subject: K6-2 Troubles on Linux

First I would thanks all the people and Linux Gazette who answered me in a my previous mail.

I've another request to do now ..... that is :

I've upgraded my system from a K5 @ 133 MHz to a K6-2 3D @ 266 MHz processor ... and, as wrote on the Linux HOWTOs "... with the older version of K6 we have to disabled the cache memory ... ".

So, my fault was that I didn't read the HOWTO prior to buy the new processor, but I'm asking to myself if "... is really a K6-2 an "older" version of K6 family ... " ?

The system runs anyway, but is a 'little slow' :-( Is the cache disabling the only way to fix this problem ? If not, which kind of K6, I can 'safely' use ?

Thanks in advance to all the Linux people. Have Fun :)

--
Carlo Vinante

Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 12:51:31 +0530
From: Prakash Advani,
Subject: Questions

I'm interested in setting up Sendmail so that it routes mail over the Internet for users who are not on the system.

What I have done is setup a Web site and a Linux server on my Intranet. Both have the same domain name. I can download mail and distribute it internally using fetchmail and procmail. I can also send mails to users on the Internet as well as users within the network.

What I would like Sendmail to do is check if the user is a valid user on the system. If so it should deliver the mail internally, otherwise it should route the mail over the Internet.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

--
Prakash

Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 19:01:02 +0000
From: Roberto Urban,
Subject: Help Wanted - Installation On Single Floppy

My problem seems to be very simple yet I am struggling to solve it. I am trying to have a very basic installation of Linux on a single 1.44MB floppy disk and I cannot find any documents on how to do that.

My goal is to have just one floppy with the kernel, TCP/IP, network driver for 3COM PCMCIA card, Telnet daemon, so I could demonstrate our RF products (which have a wireless Ethernet interface - 802.11 in case you are interested) with just a laptop PC and this floppy. I have found several suggestions on how to create a compressed image on a diskette but the problem is how to create and install a _working_ system on the same diskette, either through a RAM disk or an unused partition. The distribution I am currently using is Slackware 3.5.

I would appreciate every help in this matter.

--
Roberto Urban

Date: Sat, 07 Nov 1998 13:01:39 +0100
From: Bob Cloninger,
Subject: Dual HP Ethernet 10/100VG

These are PCI controllers that seem to have some ISA characteristics. Everything I found said multiple PCI controllers could share a single driver, but that apparently isn't the case for this controller. I was never able to force the probe for the second card.

The first two (alias) lines were added by the X-Windows configuration, and I added the two (options) lines to /etc/conf.modules.

 alias eth0 hp100
 alias eth1 hp100
 options eth0 -o hp100-0
 options eth1 -o hp100-1

I'm an experienced system administrator, but new to Linux. Is this something I overlooked in the documentation or web sites?

--
Bob Cloninger

Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 13:45:44 +0100
From: Tony Grant,
Subject: ISDN on Linux

I am looking for help from a person who has an ISDN connection running on Red Hat 5.1, 2.0.35, Intel (K6 -2) with USR sportster internal card. I have managed to run ISDN on both S.u.S.E. and Red Hat but since I have upgraded my machines from P166 to AMD K6-2 300 MHz it doesn't work anymore...

--
Tony Grant

Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 15:33:18 -0500
From: terrence.yurejchu,
Subject: So How do I get the most from Linux

I have made an extensive, and personal (money-wise) commitment to Microsoft and Windows and ... (from MS). I can say I am not entirely pleased, but then I began in the days of CP/M and never enjoyed the MS flavor to it. I like the idea of Unix/Linux but I do have all this software that is for the MSWin platform.

1. Do I have to give it all up?
2. I know that Sun had/(have) a software that enabled Unix to run MSWin software, anything like that available for Linux?

(There is a project called WINE that allows you to run some Windows software on Linux. Unfortunately, it's way behind. However, Corel seems to be backing getting it more up to date so this may change soon. Also, you can set up your computer to run both Windows and Linux using LILO to pick which operating system to run when you log on, or you can network the two systems using Samba. So no need to give up anything. --Editor)

Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 15:56:27 -0700 (MST)
From: Michael J. Hammel,
Subject: Re: graphics for disabled

In a previous message, Pierre LAURIER says:
I'm just a new user of Linux, without too much time to consider learning it. I'm just having a quick question : Do you know of specific developments that have been made on X environments (KDE, GNOME or others) that are giving specific features for visually impaired people.

No, I don't know of anything like this thats specifically planned for the desktop designs.

- control of the pointer device with the keyboard

You can do that now if you use the IBM "mouse" - the little post thats placed right in the keyboard. But that depends on your definition of "control". If what you're really looking for is to use the tab key, for example, to move from application to application then you can already do that with some window managers. Then the applications need to have proper traversal configuration (done in the source code, not from the user's perspective) to allow movement of keyboard focus within the application.

- customizing the pointer with any kind of shape, color...etc

Doable, but I don't know to what level KDE or GNOME supports this. It would have to be done in the Window Manager in order for it to be applicable to all applications.

- features that help retrieve the cursor on the screen (key stroke, blinking etc...)

I take it you mean "find it" - make it stand out visually so you can tell where its at. Again, this would be a function of the window manager. None of them currently do anything like this. At least not that I know of.

- instant zooming of the screen (by function key for example)

This would be a function of the X server, not the window manager or GNOME or KDE. None of the X servers have a "zoom" per se, but they all support on the fly resolution switching via the keyboard.

- changing screen color/ resolution etc on the fly

Resolution switching can be done with CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE with the Xi Graphics server. I think XFree86 does the same. But with either you have to configure the server properly for this to work properly. I don't use this feature so couldn't explain how its done.

By "changing color" I take it to mean the color of the background and/or borders/frames around windows. This would be a function of the window manager. CDE (a commercial environment that uses the Motif Window Manager, aka mwm) supports this. I don't think any other window managers support it just yet but they might.

and I'm just here mentioning feature for disabled people, not for blind ones. But one way or the other the IT community needs to remember that computer can be a fantastic tool also for these peoples.

True. The problem is finding someone who both understands what the issues are and has an interest in doing the work (or organizing the work to be done, either by the OSS community or by commercial vendors).

I'm sorry I was taking this time, if you're not a person that can help here, just pass along this message to anyone that could help.

I'll forward this reply to the Linux Gazette. They'll probably post it and maybe someone with better information than I will contact you.

--
Michael J. Hammel

Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 07:33:32 -0800
From: Sergio E. Martinez,
Subject: article idea

I'm just writing in with an idea for a quick article. I've been using the GNOME desktop. I'm a relative Linux newbie though, and I think that many of your less experienced readers could probably benefit from a short article about window managers. These are some things I currently don't quite understand:

1. Terminology: The differences (if any) among a GUI, a window manager, a desktop, and an interface. How do they differ from X windows?
2. Do all window managers (like GNOME or KDE or FVWM95) run on top of X windows?
3. What exactly does it mean for an application to be GNOME or KDE aware? What happens if it's not? Can you still run it?
4. What exactly do the GTK+ (for GNOME) or Troll (for KDE) libraries do?
5. How does the history of Linux (or UNIX) window managers compare to that of say, the desktop given to Win98/95 users? How, specifically, does Microsoft limit consumer's choices by giving them just one kind of desktop, supposedly one designed for ease of use?
6. What's happening with Common Desktop Environment? Is it correct that it's not widely adopted among Linux users because it's a resource hog, or not open source?

--
Sergio E. Martinez

Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 08:52:09 +0200
From: Volkan Kenaroglu,
Subject: I couldn't install my sound card :)

I am new on using Linux. Recently installed Debian 1.3 on my system both at work and home. But I couldn't install my sound-card (Opti-931) even though it says Debian 1.3 support the card. Actually during the installation it did not ask me if I've sound card on my computer. Nor dit it detect. :( Please help me.

--
Volkan

Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 14:27:43 +0800
From:
Subject: whether Xircom is supported?

I install Red Hat5.1 in notebook computer which has Xircom card,but in Red Had5.1,no Xircom driver, I want to known whether Red Hat5.2 supports this card.

Thanks!

Date: Mon, 09 Nov 1998 17:06:47 +1300
From: Maximum Internet,
Subject: PPP Linux list

We unsubscribed to the PPP Linux list but are still receiving the mail even though we received a reply saying that our unsubscribing was successful. What do we do? Thank you

Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 09:56:16 +0100 (MET)
From: Gregor Gerstmann (s590039),
Subject: Linking

I would appreciate, if somebody would write something about linking separately translated Fortran and C programs (don't ask me why), with

1. main in Fortran
2. main in C.

--
Gregor

Date: Sun, 29 Nov 1998 14:52:05 +0000
From: "Dicer",
Subject: Help wanted: ATX Powerdown

How is it possible to shutdown my atx-motherboard under linux instead of doing a reboot or halt? Any sources or programs known?

--
Felix Knecht

Date: Sun, 1 Nov 1998 20:05:53 -0500
From: Ed Roper,
Subject: Securing your system?

Regarding the article in the Nov 1998 issue of Linux Gazette, entitled "Securing Your System": What are you guys doing in the editing dept.? Since when did "TELNET" read the .rhosts file? One can accept this typo if it appeared maybe once, but it occurred several times. This is perhaps one of the worst cases of misinformation I have ever seen in a computer-related article.

(Sorry about that. Perhaps you don't realize but there are no "guys in the editing" department. Articles are posted as they come without fee or warranty. If there is a mistake, someone usually lets us know, as you have, and we print the correcting letter. You are the only one who wrote about this particular article. Thanks. --Editor)

Date: Mon, 02 Nov 1998 12:07:52 -0800
From: Dave Stevens,
Subject: Dan Helfman

I am a computer dealer with a strong interest in Unix as an operating system, in Linux as a very good Unix implementation, and a regular reader of the Linux Gazette web site. In the November issue at www.linuxgazette.com is a reference to a series of postings at http://www.nerdherd.net/oppression/9810/ucla.shtml.

These postings detail an issue that has arisen with Mr. Dan Helfman's use of your residence network facilities. Not having any other information, I am proceeding on the assumption that the statements made there are accurate.

If, indeed, they are accurate, I am afraid they portray UCLA's administration in a damn poor light. Arbitrariness, secretiveness, powermongering and really outstanding stupidity seem to characterize the administration's motives and actions, while Mr. Helfman appears to have conducted himself with both taste and restraint. I am a university person myself and I must say I had rather hoped the kind of bullshit I had to deal with in my own student days had been improved on in the intervening decades.

How unfortunate that UCLA has learned nothing.

You ought to restore a network connection to Mr. Helfman immediately and tender him a public apology now.

If my information is wrong or some reasonable solution has developed, no-one would be happier than I.

Dave Stevens

Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 13:28:59 +0100
From: Francois Heizmann,
Subject: Comments for improvements?

In the main page you're requesting "great" ideas for improvements...

Well ! I'm sad to say you did a perfect job... :-)

Please keep on going that way.

Cheers,
Francois Heizmann

Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 22:51:52 -0700
From: Evelyn Mitchell,
Subject: Linux Demonstration at Park Meadows CompUSA

This afternoon, Kevin Cullis, Business Account Manager at the Denver Park Meadows CompUSA, graciously invited several Northern Colorado Linux advocates and consultants to help him set up a demonstration Linux system.

Attending were Lynn Danielson of CLUE, George Sowards, Brent Beerman, Fran Schneider, Alan Robertson of the High Availability Linux Project, and Sean Reifchneider and I of tummy.com, and Pete who has been advocating Linux to Kevin for several years.

Kevin started out describing some of the opportunities he sees for Linux in small and home offices, and was quite enthusiastic about using Linux as a tool to leverage information in Intranets, Internets, and Extranets (VPNs). We discussed the strengths and weaknesses of Linux as a desktop machine, particularly the different style of administration required between Windows or Macintoshes and Linux, and the ways in which the Linux community, particularly Wine, is moving closer to achieving binary compatibility with Wintel applications. We also discussed how reliability is the biggest selling factor for those power users who are sick of the Blue Screen of Death.

We installed Red Hat 5.2 using server mode as a fresh install first, and Kevin was absolutely delighted with how simple it was. Three questions and 20 minutes.

While the applications were loading for Red Hat, Sean hooked up the machine we brought loaded with Red Hat 5.2, KDE, Enlightenment and Applix. Kevin was very impressed with KDE, I suspect because he was expecting a much different interface. He could see selling a KDE system to someone who had only used Windows or Macintoshes without any problem.

We then installed Caldera 1.3 on the first machine, as a dual boot. The installation was only slightly more complicated than the Red Hat server mode.

This is only the beginning of the journey, though. Lynn Danielson will be guiding Kevin through the basics of administering and demonstrating these systems. On December 10th many of the participants today will be meeting again at the Boulder Linux Users Group Mini-Expo to get a look a much broader range of Linux applications.

As Sean said, a good Saturday of advocacy.

Evelyn Mitchell

Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 11:06:59 +0000
From: Harry Drummond,
Subject: re: Linux easy/not easy/not ready/ready YIKES

I have a lot of sympathy with Tim Gray's remarks on the intelligence of the user, but (inevitably) I also have reservations.

I'm not a computer professional of any kind, but I bought a BBC computer way back in 1983 and taught myself to program. I then learned two other flavors of Basic, then QuickBasic, and currently Delphi for a hobby application I've been selling since 1989. I also taught myself HTML (and taught others afterwards). And while I haven't yet got to grips with Linux because the latest version of my application is due out again, I have the two versions of Linux recently distributed on UK magazines and I'm at least 90% confident of installing it. The other 10% will be the challenge.

But in common with many users, I apply the maxim "when all else fails read the manual" (ironic when I write a manual for my own application). As a result, I have spent months programming things that I then learned could have been done much more simply *if I'd only known the command.* Well, at the time I didn't! And the very wealth of material can be a hindrance if you cannot yet slot all the bits into the right place in your mind. It's also enormously frustrating to work with manuals, etc. (when you *do* read them!), that gloss over the particular point that causes trouble. In some cases, the problem is more imaginary than real - but it's real enough to the beginner until he/she cracks it.

I work in a University Library where we do our best to get students using computers. Some need only a hint, some will never understand more than a tiny fragment. But we've produced the briefest handouts we can (1 sheet of paper) and still had the student begging for help when the answer was plainly written in the handout clutched in their fingers. People commonly want people for help, not documents.

Finally, some people don't want education, they want to cut straight to the answers. If we're honest, we all do it at different times. I've got stacks of software that came on magazine discs. Unless they really fascinate me, the only ones likely to survive a five-minute exploration are those that convince me I can make them work with minimum effort. With me, as with many users, it isn't intelligence that's in question, it's commitment to the task in hand. And that determines whether the user is into exploration and education, or just picking up a work-ready tool for an hour.

I'll see you with my newbie questions shortly!

--
Harry Drummond.

Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 10:07:36 +0000
From: Harry Drummond,
Subject: Not Linux

I read your remarks on Jonathan Creek with interest, but appreciate them while you can. They only make about 6 episodes at a time, with (I think) two series in all so far. I suspect the concept was a one-off series to test the water and was successful enough to do more.

My wife and I (as ordinary viewers) are confidently looking forward to a third series in due course, but we've seen some very promising ideas survive only one series. Britain also has a large percentage of viewers who would quickly switch to soaps, game shows, or - if they stretched themselves - Dallas et al. That does tend to kill shows that have promise but need to build.

Things like Jonathan Creek, Morse and so forth are probably no more common on our screens than they are on yours. But you *are* right about beautiful people. Using 'ordinary' people has the downside of making the programmes look more ordinary to us, but more closely linked to reality as well. For viewers abroad, of course, there is always an exotic flavour as well - something the native (in any culture) usually misses.

Happy viewing!

Harry Drummond

Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 00:41:51 +0000
From: "I.P. Robson",
Subject: Link : Cheers..

I just want to say that's a really sexy link at the top of the index page... and even I can't miss it now... Hopefully I'll never forget to download an issue now..

And even though you already know I think you guys are the best, I have to tell you again....

Thanks :)
Pete Robson

Date: Mon, 30 Nov 1998 12:54:46 -0800
From: Geoffrey Dann,
Subject: Telnet vs Rlogin

In issue 34, article "Securing Your Linux Box", the author mentions TELNET using the .rhosts file. In the few systems I've used (BSD4, SunOs, Solaris, Linux), "rlogin" uses the .rhosts file, but "telnet" does not.

Other than that, great article! thanks..

--
Geoff

This page is maintained by the Editor of Linux Gazette,
Copyright © 1998 Specialized Systems Consultants, Inc.