Linux Gazette MailBag LG #29

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

## The Mailbag! Write the Gazette at gazette@ssc.com | ### Contents: Help Wanted -- Article Ideas General Mail

### Help Wanted -- Article Ideas

Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 13:39:17 -0700
From: Michael Vanecek, webmaster@mjv.com
Subject: Blender

I'd be tickled pink if one of your writers/Linux gurus would take a peek at the new 3D development package called Blender and write about it. Info can be found at:

http://www.neogeo.nl/blender.html

It's still in beta, but appears to be a sharp product and will appeal to us graphic artists looking for new tools for Linux.

Thanks, Mike

Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 16:35:41 -0600
From: Phil Reardon, pcr@pcrt.com
Subject: Article Ideas

I think a lot of people would be interested in an article on Linux related posters, which would have good eye appeal and provide a resource to the community for ordering these collectibles. Someone would have to locate all of them first, however.

Date: Sat, 02 May 1998 15:48:04 -0700
From: "Joseph Mugerwa", joe.jtm@mailcity.com
Subject: Sound card with radio on it

I am intending to install Red Hat 5.0 to my 486: PC and my question is that I have a ISA sound card (SF16-FMI) with radio on it, it's 100% SB compatible,and has a IDE connection on it and it's not PnP will it be able to work and in particular the radio please help I enjoy listening to radio

Joseph

Date: Mon, 04 May 1998 21:08:35 -0700
From: slappy, slappy@pcisys.ne
Subject: Best Linux Motherboard

Hi. I recently bought a Tyan Turbo AT S1571 motherboard to run my Red Hat Linux www server on. The keyboard freaks out when I attempt to install Linux. No BIOS update is available. Do you have any suggestions as to what motherboard/chip set combinations work well with Linux? I have searched and found only generic information, I'm looking for something a bit more specific. Intel, ABit, Asus, DFI, SuperMicro??? I'm planning on using a 233MHz MMX Pentium.

Slappy (slappy@pcisys.net)

Date: Wed, 06 May 1998 12:49:23 +0800
From: Guan Yang, guan@wk.dk
Subject: Permissions problem

After I have tried the 'su' command, all permissions for user accounts seem to be gone (Slackware 3.4). When it try to login with a normal user account, if says that I don't have permission to execute /bin/bash. I have checked, and bash is world readable and world executable.

Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 12:46:47 +0200 (MEST)
From: Thomas Hotz, bombur@uni-koblenz.de
Subject: Help wanted! - PS/2-Intellimouse

I have just bought a Microsoft Intellimouse, because I thought it was a good choice if you must use Windows and can use Linux. The Mouse is connected to the PS/2-Mouseport. Here is my problem: I want to use the wheel-button as the middle button in X, but in xf86config I only have the choice between IntelliMouse or PS/2Mouse, there is no combination of both. PS/2Mouse will enable the mouse, but the wheelbutton is not recognized, the other way the movements of the mouse are not correctly recognized, e.g. I cant move the pointer through the middle of the screen. Anybody got a solution for this?

Thomas Hotz

Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 18:32:20 +0000 (UTC)
From: Christopher Butler, chrisb@sandy.force9.co.uk
Subject: Printer

I have here an Epson Stylus COLOR 400 printer, and I was wondering if I can get one of these beasts to print graphics in Linux (it only does text atm).

I've got Aladdin Ghostscript 3.33 (4/10/1995) currently installed, but setting that up was a mystery to me.

Pointers to HOWTOs would also be welcomed :-)

Chris Butler

Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 12:12:16 -0400 (EDT) From: Randy Shaver, randy@gconn.net
Subject: BJ-200e

I am having a very difficult time setting up my Cannon BJ-200e, has anyone been able to configure Linux correctly to print from this?

Randy Shaver

Date: Fri, 15 May 1998 17:42:00 +0000
From: Patrick Leung, wt.leung@student.unsw.edu.au
Subject: Compilation Error with Red Hat 5.0 on Cyrix CPU

I'm using a Cyrix 6x86 P150+ Machine with 80MB RAM. Everything when I compile stuff with the gcc compiler (2.7.2.3) that come with RH5.0, I get the error message like "cc1 internal error,signal 11". I know this is a bug with Cyrix CPU but does anyone know how to fix it? Please tell me.

Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 19:06:55 +0100
From: Andrew Crook, Andrew@andycrook.demon.co.uk
Subject: X and list probs

I have noticed a real problem with X eg that the fonts listing in Netscape and MANY APPS the list goes off the screen and many can not be seen how can i stop this problem?

Date: Wed, 27 May 1998 11:20:26 +0800
From: "Felix", felix@omen.com.au
Subject: definitions

Let me introduce myself, I am Felix. I am _totally_ new to not just Linux but computers in general. I have had a computer for the last ....two years, and in all that time was restricted to the limitations Windows puts on me. This is because , like many users, I started with the program that came with my setup. Windows is _great_ for someone who knows _nothing_ of computers. It is all point and click accessible. But like anyone who uses a computer for a while, I have come to realize that Windows is not the be all and end all of my possibilities. Now I want more. Since I got on the Net, I have realized this and found Linux. I am in the process of browsing Linux for a grounding in the unfamiliar world of Linux. It is ................most enlightening.

One 'problem' I have encountered is strong, complete definitions of terms. If I post a list of terms I have heard in the new groups and ask for explanations, I get many replies { the Linux community is amazingly tolerant of newbies, and help most unselfishly!} but the common thread running through them is that each explanation is slightly different to the next. While I realize that some of the answers I get are subject specific, some definitions seem to vary from application to application, even from distribution to distribution. Again, I realize that each distribution may focus on different capabilities of applications.

What I want to know is this: Is there a book, magazine, net site or whatever that lists in dictionary form properties and definitions of Linux?

Thank you, Felix

> (Good books include Linux in a Nutshell from O'Reilly and Linux for Dummies Quick Reference from IDG. While it is not specifically for Linux, I find UNIX: The Open System's Dictionary from Resolution Business press quite useful. --Editor)

Date: Wed, 27 May 1998 01:42:02 +0900
From: Maximo Ramos, ramos@nuri.net
Subject: Deception about Linux

I wonder why I find so often in many home pages about Linux that it will run fine in a 386 with 8 MB RAM, JA! Keep in mind that novice end users (like me) who are trying to escape from Windows 95 by trying something else, confuse Linux with the X Window System. Did you try to run Linux and XFree86 in such a machine? Tell people the truth! Is anyone using X Windows in a 14 inch monitor? It's ugly! Today I paid the bill to buy a 17 inch monitor, ouch!!!! Again, tell people the truth when you talk about hardware requirements to run Linux and X.

Of course, in some home pages they say that if you want to run the X Window System you need a "little bit" more hardware, but what is exactly "a little bit"? Come on!

Why am I writing this? Because I own a 486DX2 with 32MB of RAM, and I said myself : Hey, if Linux runs fine in a 386 with 8 MB of RAM, running Linux in my computer will feel like having a Pentium! But that is not the true. X works good but more slowly than Windows 95, even the Internet is slower, incredible!

So, I request one thing, tell the people (end users) on which hardware Linux will run fast (with X Windows included); in my case, I have to buy a new computer, at least a Pentium II 233 MHz. I thought MS Windows was the only OS hungry resource.

Well, one more thing, any tips to improve the speed of my Internet Connection?

What is the difference between having the PPP support as a module or included in the kernel? Which is more recommendable?

Anyone has successful installed ICQ for JAVA? When I download some libraries, which one should I choose? static or dynamic? How do I know what is the correspondent to my system? By the way, It is Red Hat Linux 5.0. My video card is Cirrus Logic clgd5426 with 1 MB.

Talking about e-mails, I heard about sendmail and so on, but I use Netscape for Linux to send and receive e-mails, Which one is better? Is sendmail only for servers?

Please, do I have to buy a new computer anyway?

cheers, Desperado

Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 04:04:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: arunk@m-net.arbornet.org
Subject: Serial line overrun

When I'm downloading on one virtual console and doing something else on another (especially accessing the hard disk) I get the message 'cua1 1 input overrub(s). Why does this happen? What should I do to stop this? Please help me. Thanks.

Date: Sun, 31 May 1998 21:28:53 +0100
From: Martin Cannell martin@cannell.prestel.co.uk
Subject: Linux

Hi, a great magazine.

A bit advanced for me though. Do you know where to get an idea about how to install Linux?

> (Try the Linux Installation HOWTO by Eric Raymond: http://www.ssc.com/linux/LDP/HOWTO/Installation-HOWTO.html. In fact you might want to search around the LDP (Linux Documentation Project) for other things of interest to newbies. You might also want to check out some of the earlier issues of Linux Gazette and our semi-regular column "Clueless at the Prompt" by Mike List. --Editor)

### General Mail

Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 08:03:52 +0000
From: Chris Fischer, protek@brigadoon.com
Subject: BusLogic Support for Linux

This is just a little FYI for anyone interested in the web page for Linux BusLogic support.

http://www.dandelion.com/Linux/BusLogic.html

Chris

Date: Fri, 01 May 1998 09:14:06 +0000
From: Lars Hamren, hamren@sdu.se
Subject: Web Speed

Your home page just took me 45 seconds to load, mainly due to the nice but far too large gifs. I think that the following holds:

- A lot of Linux users are accessing the gazette via modem.
- The typical Linux user is not impressed by a fancy surface, but would rather have fast loading pages.

Lars

Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 12:02:54 -0400
From: "Tim Gray", timgray@lambdanet.com
Subject: Article on home networking.

There is one part of the home networking article I strongly disagree with.

"The software and hardware for networking can be expensive."

10baseT network cards sell for about $14.00USD that work well with Linux.. even less if you want the holy grail of a card with actual jumpers on it! A hub - 8 port will cost you a whole $60.00USD Buy the cheapest you can get your hands on... this will be plenty for a home network.

Now the software...... it comes with your Linux distribution, and win95 has it built in.... So my network at home...

4 PC's Win95, 2 servers, 1 router, Full-time Internet connection...... Less than $300.00 total to network it, including a 1000' spool of category 5 cable and a huge bag of connectors. and the wall plates were 1.95 each (Cat 3 I don't need 100baseT capability) Oh yes, one expensive part.. the connector crimper.... it cost 29.95USD one weekend of running wire and a week of fighting with windows and VOILA! home network!

Yes you can get more expensive stuff..... You can spend thousands on a hub.. or even more on a switch (A glorified hub) especially if you want that gleaming white box that says Cisco networking on it... but it wont work any better than the 60 dollar blue thing that has Chinese writing on it, not in a home environment. No networking your house is not expensive, it's dirt cheap!

BTW, my servers and router are all Linux machines that were built from "junk" computers that were given to me or found in a corporate garbage dumpster!

Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 17:43:04 +0200 (CEST)
From: Rob van der Putten, rob@sput.sput.dsl.nl
Subject: Modeline for TV

Though I have been using Linux for since 1.2.8, I still discover something new every week or so. Yesterday I discovered the online version of the Linux Gazette and was pleasantly surprised to read the following:

> I have shamelessly stolen this from USENET, because I feel this excellent information should appear within the Linux Gazette. I hope the original author don't mind. :-) From: Rob van der Putten

I don't mind at all. I just wanted to say that I wrote a html page about it: http://www.sput.dsl.nl/~rob/tv-x.html

Regards, Rob

Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 02:05:22 +0800
From: "Kevin Ng", kng@HK.Super.NET
Subject: Swap problem solved! Thanks...

Dear Linux fans,
I'd like to say thanks to all who have responded and offered help to the swap problem. A number of you reminded me that I had to do a mkswap before I can enable the swap space with swapon.And now my system is running smoothly, with occasional swap. Once again thanks to you all. Linux peer support is excellent.

Kevin

Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 00:37:34 -0500
From: Todd Myers, tmyers@autobahn.mb.ca
Subject: good article

I just read the article "Marketing Linux" by Jim Schweizer and agree with his points on this subject. Being involved with microcomputers for the last 12-14 years I've noticed that each successful platform has at least one 'killer app' that launched it onto people's desktops...VisiCalc -> AppleII, DTP -> Mac, Office Suites -> Windows.

It appears that Linux has ,at present, 2 killer apps to use for it's launch point...Apache and Samba. Since Linux is, at present, better poised in a server role, these 2 apps are beginning to gain Linux it's recognition. The only thing that will keep Linux off the desktop is the lack of a standard GUI. Though this will change as this is dissected and dealt with with the amazing collaboration efforts that I have witnessed with other Linux-related issues in the past 12 months.

Later, Todd

Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 18:40:48 +0100 (WET DST)
From: 40334022 Dani Pardo Portas, dp4022@speedy.udg.es
Subject: Proprietary formats

I just can't stop being fascinated with Issue 18, The Answer Guy where the editor talks about proprietary formats. Even now, I often think about the issue of word processors and proprietary formats (BTW, I've started learning lout :).

And now that there is so much interesting talk about philosophy of computers and programming, I'd just like to point everyone interested to LG-issue 18:

http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue18/lg_answer18.html (users and mounted disks)

Date: Mon, 04 May 1998 14:44:50 -0500
From: Clive Bittlestone, clyvb@asic.sc.ti.com
Subject: Linux in EDA - hot news topic

Just in case you had not already heard, Linux vs NT is a hot item in my area of the CAE/CAD industry. Integrated System Design magazine had a strawman poll last month, and based on the overwhelming response,is organizing a public forum during DAC-week [a big industry conference].

http://www.isdmag.com/linuxvsnt.html

From what I can tell, NT is being touted as the next OS on PC's [vs solaris/Ultrix/hp-os etc] Some engineers don't like that and there is some form of pushback.

There is quite a buzz amongst the Linux users I work with. We hope this will encourage CAD-Vendors to support Linux !!

These are my own opinions, and not those of Texas Instruments.

Regards, Clive Bittlestone

Date: Sat, 09 May 1998 03:38:17 -0700
From: Jim Dennis, jimd@starshine.org
Subject: Open Letter Re: Linux on Dell Hardware

To: Mr. Michael Dell, CEO, Dell Computers cc: T.R. Reid Re: Linux on Dell Hardware

Dear Mr. Dell,

Please forward this to members of your marketing staff.

It is with great disappointment that I read comments by one of your representatives, a Mr. T. R. Reid to the effect that "none of Dell's customers" use Linux (*).

This is patently untrue. I have personally administered a number of Linux servers that were running on Dell Dimension desktops. I have also often recommended them to my clients, despite the fact that your company offers no option to unbundle software from the system (software which is utterly useless for my applications).

Obviously my advice was misguided. I clearly have failed in my duty, as a consumer, to provide you with proper feedback --- and this as resulted in a gross display of ignorance regarding the needs and preferences of your customers (at least the ones I represent).

Forthwith I'm retracting all recommendation of your products from all Starshine's customers where the intent is to use the system under Linux. I maintain a list of smaller hardware companies which do provide Linux, FreeBSD, and other alternatives to meet the needs of their customers.

I'll be recommending VAResearch, PromoX, Telenet, SWT, Apache Systems, Microway, and many others until you offer your customers a choice in the software that's bundled with your systems. I personally consider it a pity since your hardware has never required any special tweaks or considerations to run with any distribution of Linux or FreeBSD that I've ever installed on it.

This will be posted to a few Linux and FreeBSD venues as an open letter so that you can be provided with *honest* feedback from real customers. Hopefully with the co-operation from other interested parties we can overcome this regrettable failure in communication. You're comments have underscored the need for consumers every where to make their requirements and preferences known --- and we must no longer simply accept the "extra" and unwanted components that our vendors foist on us.

It is time to just say "No!" to software that we'll simply be replacing.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. My apologies for not providing this feedback sooner.

(*) The precise quote was:

"I haven't been able to find any examples of customers requesting Linux"

... and it can be read at:

http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/inwo/0427/310649.html

--
Jim Dennis, consulting@starshine.org
Proprietor, Starshine Technical Services: http://www.starshine.org/

Published in Linux Gazette Issue 29, June 1998

##### This page written and maintained by the Editor of Linux Gazette, gazette@ssc.com
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