Subject: Linux-Development Digest #857
From: Digestifier <Linux-Development-Request@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU>
To: Linux-Development@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU
Reply-To: Linux-Development@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU
Date:     Sat, 25 Jun 94 13:13:06 EDT

Linux-Development Digest #857, Volume #1         Sat, 25 Jun 94 13:13:06 EDT

Contents:
  Re: linux-1.1.20 breaks dosemu0.52 (Rob Janssen)
  Re: [Q] What about Amanda? (Neal Becker)
  Re: Filesystem semantics protecting meta data ... and users data (Roger B.A. Klorese)
  Re: computer science (Queenie)
  LOOK WHAT THEY DONE TO MY SCREEN -- 1.1.x synch bug (Sid Boyce)
  Q: Telnet: host lookup failed (Shawn Rhoads)
  Re: linux-1.1.20 breaks dosemu0.52 (Byron A Jeff)
  Re: [Q] What about Amanda? (Christian Bode)
  Linux Apr 94 2 CDs $22 (mc@maple.circa.ufl.edu)
  Re: Disk-compression for Linux (Joe Julian)
  Re: linux-1.1.20 breaks dosemu0.52 (lcvanveen@et.tudelft.nl)
  Re: Filesystem semantics protecting meta data ... and users data (Totally Lost)
  Re: STC: Call for Volunteers to write a clone of ScreamTracker 3 for Linux (Grant Edwards)
  Re: Solaris x86 disk = 82 = Linux swap (Tibor Polgar)
  Re: Hard disks limited to 16 heads? (Eric J. Schwertfeger)

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

From: rob@pe1chl.ampr.org (Rob Janssen)
Subject: Re: linux-1.1.20 breaks dosemu0.52
Reply-To: pe1chl@rabo.nl
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 1994 09:09:07 GMT

In <2ufv7m$ri@sun0.urz.uni-heidelberg.de> mrex@indigo0.urz.uni-heidelberg.de (Martin Rex) writes:

>Mike Heidt (heidt@mikey.jsc.nasa.gov) wrote:
>> I also had problems with dosemu0.52 and linux 1.0.20. Dosemu would report no
>> problems, then blank the screen and hang. I was using an ATI ultra 
>> mach 8 card. I replaced the mach 8 with an et4000 card and everything
>> works fine, so I conclude that the problem is in the video drvers. The
>> mach 8 was hanging during execution of the onboard bios. Turning graphics
>> off worked mostly, but no cursor. I would like to go back to the mach 8
>> if the problem ever gets fixed because it is faster in X windows. BTW, the
>> mach 8 worked fine in dosemu0.49.

>The reason your ATI Ultra was not working might be the video ports it
>is using.  I had the same problem with my ATI Graphics Ultra, so I enabled
>port debugging and traced what ports where accessed.  With the following
>line dosemu-0.52 and linux-1.1.19 works just as good as dosemu-0.49 did.

>ports  { 0x1ce 0x1cf 0x238 0x23b 0x23c 0x23f 0x9ae8 0x9ae9 0x9aee 0x9aef }

Actually, there is indeed a problem like that in the new dosemu.  On
an Olivetti M400-40 at work it just crashes the system when starting, no
matter what I do with ports, BIOS, etc.
The only way to get around that is to comment-out the "video" line in
the config file, causing it to just use stdin/stdout.  Of course there
are no attributes and colors anymore, then.
This worked okay in 0.49, just as in the original poster's case.

Rob
-- 
=========================================================================
| Rob Janssen                | AMPRnet:   rob@pe1chl.ampr.org           |
| e-mail: pe1chl@rabo.nl     | AX.25 BBS: PE1CHL@PI8UTR.#UTR.NLD.EU     |
=========================================================================

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

From: neal@ctd.comsat.com (Neal Becker)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.admin
Subject: Re: [Q] What about Amanda?
Date: 22 Jun 1994 20:09:19 GMT

BTW, I did the port of amanda to hpux.  Since hpux is very similar to
linux (both POSIX), you might be able to use hpux as a template.

Of course, both HPUX and LINUX provide similar BSD emulations, but I
recommend avoiding them when possible.

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

From: rogerk@unpc.queernet.org (Roger B.A. Klorese)
Crossposted-To: comp.benchmarks,comp.sys.sun.admin,comp.security.unix
Subject: Re: Filesystem semantics protecting meta data ... and users data
Date: 22 Jun 1994 10:57:34 -0700

In article <idletimeCrM8v4.Ex9@netcom.com>,
Totally Lost <idletime@netcom.com> wrote:
>With metadata sync writes the meta data always points to trash until the
>async write data block is flushed. This is a long window.

...unless you use a file system like VxFS, which supports block-clearing
before metadata update.

>With any meta data sync write filesystem the window is open nearly the
>entire time the file is being written - this is not a matter of badly-timed.

...Unless clears are done synchronously as well.
-- 
ROGER B.A. KLORESE                                          rogerk@QueerNet.ORG
2215-R Market Street #576         San Francisco, CA 94114       +1 415 ALL-ARFF
"There is only one real blasphemy: the refusal of joy."         -- Paul Rudnick

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

From: cairnss@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (Queenie)
Subject: Re: computer science
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 1994 10:41:18 GMT

adc@bach.coe.neu.edu (Albert D. Cahalan) writes:

>I would like to know what some of the Linux developers think of their
>jobs.  I am considering switching my major from electrical engineering
>to computer science.  What would be important to learn?  What might I
>end up doing?
>--

Is someone getting paid for Linux?  Sign me up too.  

Have you considered a nice middle-ground major
like electrical-computer engineering?

For a programming job (entry level)  you need to know C++
(in 1994.  By the time you get a degree everyone will be
using something else:  Murphy's Law), and
you need to be able to demonstrate your ability to handle 
>30,000 line projects.  Many companies look for a diverse
background, it's not enough to know C++ and UNIX, you should
be proficient in at least three (at least one that the interviewer
has never heard of, and two that he has) other operating systems
(MS-DOS doesn't count unless you are looking for a loser job).
I know of a company that supports 20 different Operating systems,
not to mention architectures, for their software.  They don't
hire anyone unless they can C++ Up/down/across/sideways in a
portable fashion.  Of course, you don't really need any of that.
You have to talk your way through the interview "Yeah I can
write 40,000 lines a day, no problem."  Once you have the job,
you need to learn how to operate a good internet News reader,
and remember how to log-in after the fifth Absolute-tonic.
" -- hic -- er, well the reason that the project is delayed, is
well,-- hic -- er, I don't know how they expect us to finish
anything on these 'slow' SPARC 10's."

You might end up killing your liver with booze, 
and wishing your hands didn't cramp so much.

A Happy CS major, works at Denny's, programs in her spare time,
and writes her best code for FREE.  Just remember "they don't pay me enough
to write GOOD code."

P.S. Yeah, so what if I'm jaded, I work on computers.

The opinions expressed above are not my opinions. 
My opinions are derived from AT&T source code.  In fact
you need a licence to read this letter.
 "UNIX is a trademark of AT&T."
-- 
carinsj@vampyre.colorado.edu         | What do 7, 11, and 438479857 have in
common?  Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to 'PRIMES, PO BOX 17986,
Boulder, CO 80308, for your official prime number.        Inquire within.

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

Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.help
From: szb50@ccc.amdahl.com (Sid Boyce)
Subject: LOOK WHAT THEY DONE TO MY SCREEN -- 1.1.x synch bug
Reply-To: szb50@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (Sid Boyce)
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 1994 12:48:31 GMT

       Above 1.1.12 I experienced problems with video no synching in X.
Alan (of net fame) told me to put in the clocks line in my Xconfig with
the actual clocks entered there, MAGIC, X syncs.## vm86 code alterations
offered as cause. ##
       Switch back to a VC and sync is gone. dosemu locks out keyboard
(keybint on). Problem persists right throughout up to 1.1.21.
       Using TSENG ET4000 w/1Meg and a Shamrock 14" SVGA monitor.
Thanks to anyone who can shed light on how to cure this problem with
loss of sync going back to VC mode, X is always OK, VC initially OK
unless you run dosemu.
Regards
Sid......G3VBV ........ Amdahl(UK) ............

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

Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.help
From: shawn@eng.tridom.com (Shawn Rhoads)
Subject: Q: Telnet: host lookup failed
Reply-To: shawn@eng.tridom.com
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 1994 20:18:14 GMT

Howdy,

Here's a problem I've been unable to solve with the man pages and
playing around for a couple of days:

I get host lookup errors with telnet when I am not the super user.
Generally everything works great when I am root, but as soon as I
log in as a regular user, my telnet host lookup (named?) doesn't
work.

If I specify the IP address, telnet works fine, it's just the name
lookup that does not work.  Ping DOES work however, so it leads me
to think it is something with the telnet or named setup or file
permissions but I cannot figure it out.

If you could e-mail me your response as well as post it in the
newsgroups, I would appreciate it.  (Our admin randomlly clears
all the newsgroups and I miss messages sometimes.)

Thanks!

- Shawn Rhoads

=================================================================
Shawn Rhoads                       Internet: shawn@eng.tridom.com
Atlanta, GA                         Fidonet: 133/904
=================================================================



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

From: byron@gemini.cc.gatech.edu (Byron A Jeff)
Subject: Re: linux-1.1.20 breaks dosemu0.52
Date: 24 Jun 1994 02:19:45 GMT

In article <em550.13.2E095A24@halls1.cc.monash.edu.au>,
Damian LETTIE <em550@halls1.cc.monash.edu.au> wrote:
->> I also am seeing a strange 'feature' in dosemu0.52, though it is under
->> 1.1.19.  After a clean compile, I try to run in a vt.  It goes as far as
->> saying that no errors were detected parsing the config file and then just
->> hangs.  Is this possibly due to rawkey on?
-
-I recently installed dosemu0.52 using my 1.0.8 kernel: same problem as
-you described above.  I managed to fix it, but the only thing I can put
-it down to was recompiling the kernel.  I'd previously removed the 
-'System V IPC' option (in the hope of slightly smaller and faster
-kernel), but reinserted it this time.  Dosemu now works, but I still
-have no idea if this had anything to do with it.  Can somebody describe
-what 'System V IPC' does?

Stands for System V Inter-Process-Communication. It's a suite of shared
memory tools that allows for fast shared memory based communication between
processes. DosEmu uses it to talk between the keyboard handler and the
emulator. A must if you're running DOSEMU.

Hope this helps,

BAJ
-- 
---
Another random extraction from the mental bit stream of...
Byron A. Jeff - PhD student operating in parallel - And Using Linux!
Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA 30332   Internet: byron@cc.gatech.edu

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

From: marvin@tornado.oche.de (Christian Bode)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.admin
Subject: Re: [Q] What about Amanda?
Date: 22 Jun 1994 07:45:00 +0200

Hi

In article <2u85p0$tsl@serra.unipi.it>,
Gioacchino La_vecchia <gio@cli.di.unipi.it> wrote:
>Anybody working with amanda on linux systems?
>
>(amanda is the popular multi-backup client/server program)
>
>                                       gio

Yes, I did a rudimental hack, do let amanda use gnutar rather than dump.
It works quite fine. If you want to have the sources, just let me know.

Regards
 
   Marvin

-- 
  _ _ _                     |   Christian Bode, Aachen, FRG
 ' ) ) )              ,     |   marvin@tornado.oche.de
  / / / __  __  . .  , __   |   bode@pool.informatik.rwth-aachen.de
 / ' (_(_/_/ (_(__)_/_/ /   |                  
============================+==================================================
            Don't ask me ! It only would depress me !

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

From: mc@maple.circa.ufl.edu
Subject: Linux Apr 94 2 CDs $22
Date: 25 Jun 1994 14:38:04 GMT
Reply-To: mc@maple.circa.ufl.edu

Hi. I bought a bunch of these for friends, and some dont want
them anymore. These sare the INfoMagic 2 CD Set of the Apr 94
snapshot of all the sites/X etc. etc. I'd like to get $22 + shipping.
for them. If your interested please mail me.

linux rules!

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

From: jjulian@cyberspace.com (Joe Julian)
Subject: Re: Disk-compression for Linux
Date: 21 Jun 1994 23:14:58 -0700

>Prices are WELL under $1/MB these days.  Also, with the PROVEN unreliability...

The biggest thing that causes unreliablity in MS-DOG compressed "filesystems"
is the "random non-integrated power intrrupter" or "user" for short.  If they'd
keep their mits off that switch until they've sat at the prompt and waited for 
smartdrive, or whatever buffer utility they're using to purge, there wouldn't
be have the problems with lost data.  The other half would be greatly reduced
if after they *do* anialate their computers attempt to save thier data, they
would run chkdsk or scandisk or whatever utility they're supposed to use for
their compression tecnique.

Just throwing in my $10.00 worth (inflation),
Joe (I'm tired of fixing those stupid problems) Julian

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

From: lcvanveen@et.tudelft.nl
Subject: Re: linux-1.1.20 breaks dosemu0.52
Date: 22 Jun 94 08:36:44 +0200

In article <81264.73.772178337@novell1.rz.fht-mannheim.de>, 81264@novell1.rz.fht-mannheim.de (RAINER SCHIELE INFORMATIK) writes:
> Hello
> 
> Yesterday i compiled dossemu0.52. When i start it, i can not enter more then
> one keystroke. My display locks then up. Using rawkey off, give me the 
> chance to switch to another vt and kill the process. The Problem is mentioned
> in the HOWTO(keybint on), but this must be another mistake. When using 
> linux-1.1.19 dosemu0.52 runs.
> 
> Rainer
I've compiled dosemu 0.52 under 1.1.19 and went over to 1.1.20
without a hitch. Dosemu works great with me!
Maybe it's your BIOS that's don't the unexpected.
Martijn.

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

Crossposted-To: comp.benchmarks,comp.sys.sun.admin,comp.security.unix
From: idletime@netcom.com (Totally Lost)
Subject: Re: Filesystem semantics protecting meta data ... and users data
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 1994 19:05:46 GMT

In article <1994Jun23.125941.9777@uk.ac.swan.pyr>,
Alan Cox <iiitac@uk.ac.swan.pyr> wrote:
>In article <2u9u2e$8e8@unpc.queernet.org> rogerk@unpc.queernet.org (Roger B.A. Klorese) writes:
>>In article <idletimeCrM8v4.Ex9@netcom.com>,
>>Totally Lost <idletime@netcom.com> wrote:
>>>With metadata sync writes the meta data always points to trash until the
>>>async write data block is flushed. This is a long window.
>>
>>...unless you use a file system like VxFS, which supports block-clearing
>>before metadata update.
>>
>>>With any meta data sync write filesystem the window is open nearly the
>>>entire time the file is being written - this is not a matter of badly-timed.
>>
>>...Unless clears are done synchronously as well.
>
>I beg to differ. If each block has a timestamp you know whether it is pre or
>post inode update. This avoids the need to clear synchronously.
>
>Alan

If clearing is done sync it takes 3 IO's instead of one ... cleared data block,
sync metadata, Data Block for each allocation. This is much greater than
a series of  ordered async data blocks followed by the referencing metadata
... slightly over one average in the sequential case VS three.

The Sync clear and indirect block updates will be a huge performance loss.
While the clear addresses the security issue at a huge cost, it still leaves
the file at risk of being corrupted with with zero data at a crash rather than
a short EOF.

Timestamp algorthms have similar problems by having to maintain two additional
sync writes instead of just a clear ... or the log updates have to be
strictly ordered in relation to each other and other file data ... if you
do strict ordering, then why not just strictly order metadata/filedata?

John





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

From: grante@reddwarf.rosemount.com (Grant Edwards)
Subject: Re: STC: Call for Volunteers to write a clone of ScreamTracker 3 for Linux
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 1994 21:52:17 GMT

Daniel L. Marks (dlm40629@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu) wrote:

[much stuff]

:       For STC I am writing Objective C classes to turn the NCURSES
: library into a event-driven windowing system.  I have also stolen the
: code from the "selection" program and created a SerialMouse class so
: that STC will have mouse support.  The CursesManager class sets up
: NCURSES, including the color, and opens the mouse device.

I take that this will be a character based interface rather than an
X11 application?  I would be more interested in working on an X based
application -- but that's just me.


--
Grant Edwards                                 |Yow!  FOOLED you!  Absorb EGO
Rosemount Inc.                                |SHATTERING impulse rays,
                                              |polyester poltroon!!
grante@rosemount.com                          |

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

From: tlp00@mtlyell.spg.amdahl.com (Tibor Polgar)
Subject: Re: Solaris x86 disk = 82 = Linux swap
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 1994 21:33:51 GMT

In article <1994Jun21.103840.4770@uk.ac.swan.pyr> iiitac@uk.ac.swan.pyr (Alan Cox) writes:
> In article <TLP00.94Jun20140423@mtlyell.spg.amdahl.com> tlp00@mtlyell.spg.amdahl.com (Tibor Polgar) writes:
>> This may be known, but in case it isn't.  Linux has defined filesystem type 82 as 
>> linux swap.  This same filesystem type is used by Solaris to define UFS.  Now since 
>> i assume Sun won't change their number, will Linux?  Do i report this problem as a 
>> kernel bug or what?

> There is nothing you can do about any of these numbers. The are assigned almost
> at random with no formal authority. 

> A tip however:
>       Linux only uses the partition types in an advisory way, eg some of
> the install programs use it. So you can install Linux and use a different
> partition type. Now try that in Solaris ;-)

Thank you all for your insights, especially the "linux doesn't care
anyway". Unfortunately the Solaris install program does!  If you have a swap
(82) as a primary partition, it will suggest to use it.  I haven't tried
defining a Solaris "82" and a Linux swap "82" to see what confusions that will
bring. as of now, both are happly saying out of each others way except that LILO
now dies whenever i try to install a new boot setup.  Good thing i have a
working copy installed.  someday i'll have to shot the "opps".

-- 
Tibor Polgar
tlp00@spg.amdahl.com, Amdahl Corp, ph.(408) 944-3500

-- all disclaimers apply  --

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

From: eric@pandora.Las-Vegas.NV.US (Eric J. Schwertfeger)
Subject: Re: Hard disks limited to 16 heads?
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 1994 00:58:38 GMT

Bill C. Riemers (bcr@k9.via.term.none) wrote:
: In article <Crr5LF.Awo@sci.kun.nl> pieterh@sci.kun.nl (Peter Herweijer) writes:

:    onno@stack.urc.tue.nl (Onno Hovers) writes:


:    This is not a valid configuration for an IDE drive.  No doubt your
:    BIOS is doing some translation magic here.

: Actually, I've yet to see a harddrive with 32 heads.  I don't think
: they make them...  Normally when someone claims they have 32 heads,
: its because that is what thier BIOS said, but thier BIOS is wrong.
: If anyone comes across a real drive that has more than 16 heads, I'm
: sure there would be more trouble convincing Linus to remove this
: restriction.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 16-head limit just a "sanity check"?
I seem to remember someone posting a patch to get around this already.

:     >> than 16 heads and cannot use the drive. I then reduced the heads to 16
:     >> and doubled the cylinders to 1028. [...]
:     >> So, back to the initial problem, why does the kernel (hd.c) limit the number
:     >> of heads to 16?

: The per fact that this worked, tells me you don't have 32 heads.  If
: you did this wouldn't work!!!

Ummm... IDE auto-translation can do wierd things.  I've set up IDE drives so
that they thought they had fewer heads than they actually did, without
loosing storage space (Hey, I was bored, and had to kill a few hours at work
one day :-)  So while your conclusion is probably correct (I don't know of
any IDE drives made now with more than 4 heads that are 540Meg or less), I
disagree with your reasoning.

:     >There is a standard called "enhanced IDE" that should solve those
:     >problems.

:    Yes.  No bullshit, no physical and logical geometry hassles, just
:    Linear Block Addressing (LBA).

: No I believe enhanced IDE still only allows 16 heads.  But more than
: 1024 cylinders are allowed.  As I started out saying, I've yet to
: come across a real harddrive that actually has more than 16 heads.

I agree, physically, but not *LOGICALLY*.

:    Having said that, I'm not sure what Linux' limits for IDE geometry
:    actually are---maybe a kernel wizard can enlighten us.  But I'm
:    positive that it can go beyond 1024 cylinders.

The only limits are this:  16 heads, 63 sectors, and I believe 65535
cylinders (might be 4096).  The caveats are

        1)  Lilo has to exist below the 1024 cyl. limit.
        2)  Since Lilo uses the bios to load the kernel, the kernel must
also be below the limit.
        3)  Due to limits in the partition table, your last partition must
start below the limit.

For a while my only hard disk had 1170 cylinders, so I have verified all of
this (except for the upper limit on cylinders).


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


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