Subject: Linux-Misc Digest #225
From: Digestifier <Linux-Misc-Request@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU>
To: Linux-Misc@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU
Reply-To: Linux-Misc@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU
Date:     Tue, 7 Jun 94 00:13:09 EDT

Linux-Misc Digest #225, Volume #2                 Tue, 7 Jun 94 00:13:09 EDT

Contents:
  Re: Writing code at run-time (Andrew Derry)
  Re: Help with VLB SCSI Card (Juergen Fischer)
  Re: [Q] Has Fractint been ported? (Ulf Bartelt)
  Configure Network ("M.C. Wai")
  Looking for Linux BBS Software (Christoph Lameter)
  Re: Latest in PC WEEK (May 30 Editorial) (Jonathan A Buzzard)
  Re: [emergency] How to use virtual console in X (Steve Horsley)
  Linux on 486/100?  P4? (Clay Luther)
  Re: Using CD-ROM recorder with Linux (Luke M Kaven)
  Re: future of Unixware (Jim Balson)
  Fintronic USA (Chad Kissinger)
  Re: Linux vs *BSD (new twist) (Leigh Hart)
  RARP under Linux (MATTHEW TIPPETT)

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

Crossposted-To: rec.games.programmer,alt.uu.comp.os.linux.questions,aus.computers.linux,comp.os.linux,alt.msdos.programmer,comp.os.msdos.programmer
From: derry@beaufort.sfu.ca (Andrew Derry)
Subject: Re: Writing code at run-time
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 23:28:32 GMT

iiitac@uk.ac.swan.pyr (Alan Cox) writes:

>1) will not work the way you want - you can't go off writing self modifying
>code or you'll get attacked by cache problems - especially on the newer chips.

You probably know more about this sort of thing than I do, but at
least from the '486 programmers reference (12.2.3 - Self-modifying Code):

     A write to an instruction in the cache will modify it in both
     cache and memory, but if the instruction was prefetched before
     the write, the old version of the instruction could be the one
     executed.  To prevent this, flush the instruction prefetch unit
     by coding a jump instruction immediately after any write that
     modifies an instruction. 

So at least on the '486 (don't have a Pentium reference, sorry), it's
not that one _can't_ do such things, but more that one has to be aware
of what's going on and deal with it appropriately.

Cheers

--
Andrew Derry - derry@sfu.ca

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

From: fischer@server.et-inf.fho-emden.de (Juergen Fischer)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.help
Subject: Re: Help with VLB SCSI Card
Date: 6 Jun 1994 22:42:35 +0200

In <1994Jun6.183931.28791@llyene.jpl.nasa.gov> bendi@kilroy.jpl.nasa.gov (David Bendrihem) writes:

>Howdy, 
> 
>     I have a VLB Adaptec 152x Compatible SCSI Card that is hooked up to my
>SCSI Hard Drive.  I tried to install Linux prior to reading in the scsi.howto
>file that VLB SCSI cards aren't supported due to timing problems. 
>     Has anyone come up with a driver to counter this problem? If so, could
>you email me as to how I might obtain this driver? Thanks in advance. 

This information is outdatet.  A bugfixed driver is in the distribution
kernel since 1.0.5.   You should be able to solve your problem by
simply updating.


Juergen

-- 
 Juergen Fischer                       cs student @ Fachhochschule Ostfriesland
 Schulstrasse 18                      Fachbereich Elektrotechnik und Informatik 
 26506 Norden (Germany)                                   26723 Emden (Germany)
  +49-4931-168199 / fischer@server.et-inf.fho-emden.de / fido: 2:2426/1010.14

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

From: stub@pce60.rz.tu-clausthal.de (Ulf Bartelt)
Subject: Re: [Q] Has Fractint been ported?
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 20:48:56 GMT

las@light-house.uucp wrote:
: : I was just wondering if it had been ported, yet, or indeed if it's
: : possible.  Sorry to waste bandwidth for my curiosity,

:  Under Unix, it is called Xfractint and you can get  it from
:  nic.funet.fi:/pub/OS/Linux/extra/xfractint1.2.tar.gz

ftp.tu-clausthal.de:/pub/unix/graphic/xfractint-2.03.tar.Z

Works fine on my linux... ;-)

--
Ulf Bartelt | 2:2437/120.666@fidonet.org | stub@zaphod.in.tu-clausthal.de
            |                            | stub@linux.rz.tu-clausthal.de

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

From: "M.C. Wai" <R15892@PACCVM.corp.mot.com>
Subject: Configure Network
Date: 6 Jun 1994 22:03:41 -0400
Reply-To: R15892@PACCVM.corp.mot.com

  I have problem to configure my 3c509 network card to my linux system.
The following is the letter I previously send and the problem still
can't be solved.
  Hope that any experts can help me!!!!!

|  There was a question about how to recognize my 3c509 network card from
|my Linux system and I get a great help from Ptomblin. First of all I have
.....
|
|He replies that:-
|> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
|>
|> Further, I already try to use ipconfig to check whether it can detect
|> my network card or not. The result is unknown interface. Is it due to
|> my 3C509 network card that doesn't supported by LGX version Linux?
|> In fact, my kernel is 0.99.
|
|This is because you have not configured the kernel to recognize your network
|card.  You are going to have to rebuild it.
|
|Log in to the machine as root.  Make sure you have a boot disk handy in case
|something goes wrong.
|cd /usr/src/linux
|make config
|You'll have to answer a whole bunch of questions about what you want, and
|what you don't want.  Make sure you answer 'y' to TCP/IP networking, and
|3c509 support.
|make depend
|make
|mv /vmlinuz /vmlinuz.old
|mv zImage /vmlinuz
|/etc/lilo/install
|reboot
|
|If you did everything right, it should recognize your ethernet card when it
|boots.  If you did something wrong, it might not boot right, in which case
|you'll have to boot with your boot floppy, and move the old kernel back into
|place.
|
|
|--
|Paul Tomblin, Head - Automation Design Group.
|Gandalf Canada Limited
|This is not an official statement of Gandalf, or of Vicki Robinson.
|"Hello, this is Linus Torvalds, and I pronounce Linux as Linux"
|------------------------End of Forwarded Letter -------------------------
|
|  I already tried to use Ptomblin suggested method to rebuild the kernel,
|but something got wrong. Something I don't know how to do and something
|error displayed, the following is summarized what I encountered:-
|
|1) I can't find '/vmlinuz'. I already use /vmlinux instead of it.
|2) I can't find 'zImage' to rename it to /vmlinux (/vmlinuz).
|3) when I do 'make' after 'make depend', the following error displayed:-
|
|   ...
|   pcsp.c: In function 'pcsp_init':
|   pcsp.c:65:'SND_MAJOR' undeclared (first use this function)
|   pcsp.c:65:(Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
|   pcsp.c:65: for each function it appear in.)
|   make[3]: *** [pcsp.o] Error 1
|   Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux/kernel/ ...'
|   ...                                       ^^^
|                      (I omitted, if you need I can show you)
|My configuration is as follows:-
|-486DX with 16M RAM
|-Yggdrasil LGX Fall 1993 version, Linux 0.99.13 kernel
|-SCSI 1740 controller
|-200MB external harddisk
|-3c509 network card
|-Sony CD531
|-Use floppy disk to boot the system up (I don't intend to use LILO as
| my boot loader because Linux is installed in D drive of external
| harddisk and can't be boot up if my external harddisk is removed)
|
|  Further, I tried to read /usr/src/linux/README for any advice. I found
|that several advices is different to Ptomblin's suggested.
|The document said:-
|1) use 'make zImage' to build a compressed kernel.
|2) use 'make zdisk' to make a boot disk.
|3) 'linux/tools/zSystem' is a compressed kernel and 'linux/tools/system'
|   is uncompressed kernel.
|
|All of above I have tried and looked, the result is as follows:-
|For 1) Just like error listed above and still can't find zImage for
|       '/vmlinux' replacement.
|2) Floppy disk drive haven't light up and operate, nothing was done on
|   floppy.
|3) Both files can't find in named directory.
|
|What can I do know? Maybe I don't know where the kernel is built and make
|the replacement to '/vmlinux'.
|Further, I want to know there are any command to make the boot disk after
|I build the kernel.



Regards,
MC Wai

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

From: Christoph.Lameter@f961.n102.z1.fidonet.org (Christoph Lameter)
Subject: Looking for Linux BBS Software
Date: 6 Jun 1994 09:20:54 -0700

Soeren M Soerries wrote in a message to All:

 SMS> #-------------------------------------
 SMS> I'm trying to find out if there is an ftp-site that has the
 SMS> current ix/MBox release.  In case there isn't, mail requests
 SMS> for the source to my address.  I will then build a packet of
 SMS> the newest sources and all patches I can get, and mail it to
 SMS> you all who are interested. I guess it will be 400 to 500 K
 SMS> ... =)

You can get the current release from
ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de:/pub/comp/usenet/comp.sources.misc/mbox

It is 240K. But after looking at the package I am quite hesitant of using
it. Nothing for regular users.

#! rnews 1657
From: Christoph.Lameter@f961.n102.z1.fidonet.org (Christoph Lameter)
Path: mcws!FUsenetToss
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc
Subject: Looking for Linux BBS Software
Message-ID: <770913893.AA03755@mcws.fidonet.org>
Date: Mon, 06 Jun 1994 07:32:28 -0800
X-FTN-To: Volker Schuermann

Volker Schuermann wrote in a message to All:

 VS> From: Volker Schuermann <Volker.Schuermann@unnet.wupper.DE>
 VS> Organization: THE UNDERGROUND NETWORK (BBS: +49 202 462114 /
 VS> 4660234) 

Hallo Volker, wenn du schon mal hier verfuegbar bist....

 VS> In article <2saqvs$7n9@bbs.dsnet.com>,
 VS>             System Administrator writes:

>     : > : 1)  RIP graphics

 VS> Is there a special communication software in the market, I
 VS> haven't heard of yet, which allows to work with RIP
 VS> graphics?

RIP graphics one of the newest features of BBSes in the US. Mustang with
their Wildcat BBS initiated it and they have also published free terminal
software (RIPTERM) to be used when calling a BBS that supports RIPTERM.

I doubt that MBOX could make any use of these features with the current user
interface.

I have tested MBOX 2.1 and I found the user interface very confusing. There
is no menu for the new user and calling up the help function gives a big
list of available functions. My users are barely computer literate. I cannot
dare to offer them such an interface. Is there something that could be done
about it?
I really like the other features that you offer like the integration with
usenet, cdrom access etc.

Any display that my users get MUST include a menu of available options that
guide them in the simplest way possible through the usage of the BBS.

#! rnews 812
From: Christoph.Lameter@f961.n102.z1.fidonet.org (Christoph Lameter)
Path: mcws!FUsenetToss
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc
Subject: Reasonable BBS for LINUX
Message-ID: <770913893.AA03756@mcws.fidonet.org>
Date: Mon, 06 Jun 1994 07:40:13 -0800
X-FTN-To: all

I am currently running MAXIMUS under FrontDoor and I would like to get LINUX
running. But I need a replacement for Maximus. The requirements that I have
are not that hard:

1) Easy User Interface (ANSI Color would be nice)
2) Integration with UUCP and USENET. 
3) A good facility for Brownsing and Upload/Download of Files.

I have tried PBBS and MBOX 2.1. PBBS has a good simple user interface but
does not allow UUCP and USENET. MBOX 2.1 has good features but the user
interface is unusable. The current version 2.1 is also buggy under Linux
1.1.18.


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

From: phyjab1@phyd4c4.caledonia.hw.ac.uk (Jonathan A Buzzard)
Subject: Re: Latest in PC WEEK (May 30 Editorial)
Reply-To: phyjab1@phyd4c4.caledonia.hw.ac.uk (Jonathan A Buzzard)
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 21:05:35 GMT


--

>Now the trick is to somehow get the Wabi stuff under the GPL  :)

Just a copy of all the implemented Windows API functions in the form of a library would probably be easier, and more likely (it would also speed the developement of Wine up enormously).

JAB.

===============================================================================
Jonathan A. Buzzard,              
Physics Department,           Email:-
Heriot-Watt University,            phyjab1@caledonia.hw.ac.uk   InterNet
Edinburgh. EH14 4AS                phyjab1@uk.ac.hw.clust       JANET
United Kingdom.

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

Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.help,comp.os.linux.admin
From: steve@rigel.demon.co.uk (Steve Horsley)
Subject: Re: [emergency] How to use virtual console in X
Reply-To: steve@rigel.demon.co.uk
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 21:15:58 +0000

Use <Alt><F7>, the first non-tty virtual console.

-- 
  Steve Horsley                                    steve@rigel.demon.co.uk

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

From: clay@cool.vortech.com (Clay Luther)
Subject: Linux on 486/100?  P4?
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 18:06:07 GMT

We are looking at purchasing some inexpensive, but quick, servers.  I am
currently running (and pleased with) Linux on a 486/33.  However, I would like
to know if anyone has had success at running Linux on a 486/100 (I would
expect everything ok) or a P4 (I don't know what to expect here).

Thanks!

--
Clay Luther                              clay@cool.khis.com
Unucks Software Engineer                 Kodak Health Imaging Systems

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

From: lmk6@crux1.cit.cornell.edu (Luke M Kaven)
Subject: Re: Using CD-ROM recorder with Linux
Date: 6 Jun 1994 22:12:01 GMT

davidh@wimsey.com writes:


>Nah, there ARE cd-rom recording systems that DO work under Unix variants, 
>specifically Sun based systems. Whether Linux is up to the task may be another 
>matter, but in theory, with the proper hardware ( I think Micropolis makes 
>drives specifically tailored towards this with some snazzy caching built in) 
>and good drivers, I feel it could be done. But, no, I won't undertake it! 8)

>davidh@wimsey.com

We just ordered a Phillips CD-recorder from DataDisc which they
supply with a Micropolis 2210AV disk.  This is the disk I think
you were referring to.  We would much rather use Linux for this
operation, so if anyone has success with staging ISO9660 file systems
to a CD-R machine, I would love to hear about it.

Luke Kaven
Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine
Rutgers University

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

From: crbalsn@axpo5.sdrc.com (Jim Balson)
Crossposted-To: comp.unix.unixware,comp.os.linux
Subject: Re: future of Unixware
Date: 6 Jun 94 22:45:18 GMT
Reply-To: crbalsn@axpo5.sdrc.com (Jim Balson)


>In article <8449@heimdall.sdrc.com> balson@world.std.com (Jim Balson) writes:
>> 
>>      Well, heres my $0.02 cents worth on the future of Unixware.
>> 
>> 
>> ***** Competing with other Unix's on the desktop:
>> 
>>      Despite Novell's desktop non-strategy, I think as far as Unix OS's
>> on the dektop, Unixware will come out the winner becasue of the pricing. But,
>> even though I think the pricing is great, it's still wrong. Novell should
>> provide a pricing structure such that a complete Unix runtime system is
>> available for roughly $100. Then the price of the SDK should increase to the
>> 200-300 range. Thats my opinion. With a complete Unix system for $100, I think
>> you may see more trying it out at that price point. 
>
>Of course, with Linux you can get a complete Unix system for $40, with
>an hourly support fee.  This includes a SDK, networking, etc.  For
>that $40, you can install it on as many computers as you want, let
>employees take it home, give it to your friends, etc.
>
>
>Oh, sure, Linux doesn't do everything that UW does.  Lots of stuff is
>still basically beta software or incomplete.  The support given by
>Yggdrasil or Trans-Ameritech is not up to the quality of Novells.
>Linux doesn't run very many commercial packages, and the ones that it
>does run are mostly DOS programs under its primitive DOS Emulator.
>
>That stuff is a given.

        [Nice sales pitch]

        Don't waste your breath trying to sell me on Linux, I have already used
Esix, which offers everything Linux is striving for, but with an SVR4 kernel.
After seeing Unixware, I can never go back to using Esix or anything similar.
Besides, we were discussing Unixware, not Linux.

        But, Wayne, Linux is not complete at $40.00. In case you haven't
noticed, Motif is missing. Linux System Labs will sell you Motif for, ah, 
$175.00. plus the $40.00 you claim you can get Linux for , and thats a 
whopping $215.00 for Linux (shipping not included). With Unixware at $280.00, 
I know which I would rather have! 


>The thing that UW now has to compete with is "Does the added
>functionality of UW over Linux worth $200+ to me?"  For a large number
>of people, the answer is clearly "No".  Novell can either greatly
>increase the functionality of UW, or greatly cut the price.  Neither
>of these is going to be easy to do.


[Since my last post, I took the time to price Motif for Linux]

        Ok, re-doing my super complex chart here, I see that:

        Linux                           Unixware
        =====                           ========        

        $ 40.00 OS                      $190.00 (OS)
        $175.00 Motif (run + dev)       $ 89.00 (SDK)
        -------                         -------
        $215.00                         $277.00

        So, with a price difference of exactly $62.00, I think the real
question that should be asked is "Does saving $62.00 really justify me
not using Unixware?". :-) Your last hope in arguing that Linux is more cost
effective than Unixware is somehow obtaining a royalty free Motif from the
OSF or writing your own Motif. Neither of these is going to be easy to do. :-)


>
>On the other hand, there are probably _more_ Linux users than all the
>SVR4 users combined.  Heck, there may well be more people running
>Linux than any other version of Unix out there, including Xenix,
>SunOS, SCO, etc.  Yggdrasil alone sold more CD's than Novell sold
>copies UW over the last 6 months, and you can bet that a vast majority
>of Linux users didn't get their copy from Yggdrasil.

        I prefer to argue about facts I can back up one way or thge other.
Don't make claims such as this without proof.



Jim
balson@world.std.com



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

From: kissingc@endives.eng.sematech.org (Chad Kissinger)
Subject: Fintronic USA
Date: 6 Jun 1994 17:37:54 GMT

Has anybody bought a preconfigured Linux system from Fintronic USA?
I'm interested in any experience you can relate.  Are they prompt in
their service and do they offer much support?  Where you happy with
the quality of the computer you received?  etc.   

                        Thanks in Advance

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

From: hart@apanix.apana.org.au (Leigh Hart)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.386bsd.misc
Subject: Re: Linux vs *BSD (new twist)
Date: 6 Jun 94 11:09:27 GMT

peter@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM (Peter da Silva) writes:

>-- Peter, who first used UNIX on an 11/70 that supported 65 users in 2MB RAM,
>   and still supports Xenix systems that'll run 10 users in 1MB.

-- Leigh, who first used UNIX on an 11/34 that supported 12 users in 128k RAM,
   and still runs FreeBSD on a 386sx-16/6mb :-)
--
                                 Leigh Hart
                               C/- PO Box 758
                          North Adelaide  SA  5006
 hart@eppie.apana.org.au  hart@apanix.apana.org.au  hart@cleese.apana.org.au

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

From: 9208033h@levels.unisa.edu.au (MATTHEW TIPPETT)
Subject: RARP under Linux
Date: 6 Jun 94 21:56:02 +0930

Hi....

Sorry About the Previous Message with no Title...(If it got out)..

Anyway I was wondering what support there is for RARP under linux.

It is needed so that a machine can booted and get it's IP address from
a server, and hence fill in the blanks for the network code.

Email Replies Only Please...

Matt

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


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