Subject: Linux-Misc Digest #199
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, 12 Oct 93 10:13:32 EDT

Linux-Misc Digest #199, Volume #1                Tue, 12 Oct 93 10:13:32 EDT

Contents:
  Re: NEW, faster version of e2fsck available (Patrik Larking)
  Re: [ANSWER] Re: Why only compressed kernels? (Tim Smith)
  Re: Personal info about Linus (Mika Jalava)
  Re: SCSI adapter for linux? (Jon Luckey)
  Re: [ANSWER] Re: Why only compressed kernels? (Jon Luckey)
  Linux Magazine - from the publisher! (Derek Jones)
  Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries (Al Longyear)
  Wordwrap filter (Matt McLeod)
  Re: Wordwrap filter (Matt McLeod)
  help on virtual consoles.. (Chiew Min Phay)
  *** PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE POSTING *** (misc-2.05) (Ian Jackson)
  Re: Bogomip (Joost Helberg)
  Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries (Hannu Kotipalo)
  Please help!! need sysinstall syntax for install from HD (David Hawks)
  Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries (Mark A. Davis)
  Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries (Mark A. Davis)
  Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries (Mark A. Davis)
  BBS code for Linux -- YAPP (Stephen Opal)

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

From: d9patrik@dtek.chalmers.se (Patrik Larking)
Subject: Re: NEW, faster version of e2fsck available
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 06:44:08 GMT

tytso@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Theodore Ts'o) writes:

>I've uploaded a new, improved version of e2fsck to tsx-11.mit.edu.  It
>can be found in /pub/linux/ALPHA/ext2fs/new-e2fsck.Oct-11.tar.gz.

I found it but I couldnt get it, the permissions seemes to be set wrong.

Patrik Larking

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

From: tzs@stein3.u.washington.edu (Tim Smith)
Subject: Re: [ANSWER] Re: Why only compressed kernels?
Date: 12 Oct 1993 07:38:12 GMT

Stephen Tweedie <sct@dcs.ed.ac.uk> wrote:
>You got it in one.  The kernel boot image, plus LILO and the initial
>kernel page tables, have all got to fit into this 640K limit.  If you

Why?

--Tim Smith

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

From: mjalava@ahti.hut.fi (Mika Jalava)
Subject: Re: Personal info about Linus
Date: 12 Oct 1993 08:50:34 GMT

In article <WIDENIUS.93Oct12031851@polva.helsinki.fi>,
Risto Widenius <widenius@polva.helsinki.fi> wrote:
>Linus is currently about 22 years and 7 months young.  He speaks
>Swedish, English, Finnish (badly :), and a bit of Latin.

Actually his Finnish is quite good, that must have been just a joke...

        Mika


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

From: luckey@rtfm.mlb.fl.us (Jon Luckey)
Subject: Re: SCSI adapter for linux?
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 03:46:30 GMT

stolz@Informatik.TU-Muenchen.DE (Eckehard Stolz) writes:

[ quoted scsi problem histories deleted ]

>I read in the german "C'T" (a monthly computer magazin) about a test of the
>1542C, where they told they had problems with some Unix's and accused the 1542C
>to be the cause for this problems. 

>A few issues later, they said it was because of wire problems ! It seemed, that
>this controller is very picky about the SCSI-wires !

>I don't know exactly the text anymore, but if you were interested, please email
>me, I will look up for the issue and the text of this articles.

I have seen references to 1542C's being picky about their cabling.

But I also seem to recall a post on comp.periphs.scsi from an adaptec
person about how they made a small mod to thier board, that went outside
the SCSI specs, and the problem went away.

This post was 2-4 weeks ago, and my site doesn't keep postings back
that far.  Anyone else recall, or can repost this?


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

From: luckey@rtfm.mlb.fl.us (Jon Luckey)
Subject: Re: [ANSWER] Re: Why only compressed kernels?
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 03:57:28 GMT

sct@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Stephen Tweedie) writes:

>In article <CEqGEI.D1L@dcs.ed.ac.uk>,
>st@epcc.ed.ac.uk (Scott Telford) writes:

>> I've just upgraded from 0.99.10 to 0.99.13 and I notice that
>> uncompressed kernels are no longer supported in the kernel Makefile. I
>> can see compressed kernels are very handy for boot floppies, but why
>> have uncompressed kernels been dropped altogether, especially as it
>> prevents you from doing things like "strings /vmlinux" etc.? Is the
>> kernel size getting too close to the 640k limit? Can somebody
>> enlighten me?

>You got it in one.  The kernel boot image, plus LILO and the initial
>kernel page tables, have all got to fit into this 640K limit.  If you
>compile a kernel with networking, SCSI and a few filesystems, you will
>exceed this limit by quite a large margin.  Ever since 0.99pl10 or so
>(when the new networking went into the kernel), it has been very easy
>to generate kernels so large that they wouldn't boot unless
>compressed, so Linus (quite rightly) decided that it would be easier
>just to make all kernels compressed.  It saves a lot of grief.

Gee, I was just fooling with this tonight.  I found if you strip off
about the first 0x3c40 bytes, up to where there is the byte sequence
0x1f 0x8b, you can take the resulting file and decode it thru gzip, and
get a file you can look thru for strings.  gzip will complain about
trash at the end, but seems to work besides that.

Your milage may vary.

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

From: derek@aivru.sheffield.ac.uk (Derek Jones)
Subject: Linux Magazine - from the publisher!
Date: 12 Oct 1993 05:42:39 -0400
Reply-To: derek@aivru.sheffield.ac.uk (Derek Jones)


Folks,

at the risk of shouting too loudly above the heads in the crowd, - perhaps 
we could all stop arguing about what format it will / won't be on / in and 
submit articles. Some points that have been raised which I shall answer:

1.) Postscript.

  As someone pointed out, - if you don't have X11 you can use gs's vga 
  mode. I haven't tried that but I will. You can also print from gs to an 
  epson compatible printer. The latter I have tried and it works.
  
2.) Hard copy.

  It is possible to produce your own hard copy to leaf through even if you 
  don't have a postscript or laserjet printer. See 1.)
  
3.) Hard copy II (sounds like a good title for a film about publishing 8-)

  If the magazine gets going, and there is a good chance of monetary 
  subscription I *shall* produce a snail-mailable hardcopy. But not yet.
  
4.) I *may* consider a floppy copy for those who don't have an email 
address. Please put your hands up. S'funny, don't see anyone.... 8-)

  Seriously, I will do this I think if people write to me.

5.) I am sorry, I am not going to learn TeX just to get this magazine out.  

I am offering a service to the community which could have a presentable, 
printable, viewable, readable (I hope), content-rich magazine out possibly by 
the middle of next month if copy comes in to achieve that goal. I fully 
expect to learn TeX eventually, (I have been working with UN*X for years, I 
am a hardened troff hacker, I teach three different courses on UN*X in use, 
management and network programming, I have a wife and child. Time is 
limi....)

8-)

Can I ask that the public debate on what format etc be directed to me. I 
have answered personally all those who have taken the trouble to do so, 
(three addresses have bounced, - if that's you, sorry, consider this a 
personal answer in lieu.)

What is more important is that:

  linux-mag-submissions@aivru.sheffield.ac.uk
  
is awaiting your input...

kind regards to all.

Derek.
--
Derek Jones.
System Manager.
A.I. Vision Research Unit, Sheffield University, Western Bank,
Sheffield.  S10 2TN. U.K.                                          
Tel: (+44) (0)742 826551  email:  D.G.Jones@aivru.sheffield.ac.uk
FAX: (+44) (0)742 766515


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

From: longyear@server1.sii.com (Al Longyear)
Subject: Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries
Date: 10 Oct 1993 22:48:38 GMT

Highlander (tabaer@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu) wrote:

> COFF combatibility seems to be the only thing on Mr. Davis's mind these
> days. :) Is anyone actually working on this, or did the short epiphany after
> the ELF compat. thing came out this summer do everyone in?

The ELF loader is a part of the standard kernel source release.

I would not presume to speak for Mr Davis, however, there is a COFF loader
for Linux. (I wrote it.) It is in the testing stage.

Well, actually, I believe that the loader works. It is the other "pieces"
which are being merged into the "uniform whole" before it can be fully
released to alpha level status.

We are able to execute programs which do not use shared libraries. The
use of shared libraries is still questionable (see below).

Having COFF, by itself, is very much like having a.out. It is a binary
format for storing the executable. COFF is probably no better than a.out
nor ELF when it comes to storing the executable. Where COFF and ELF have
advantages (atleast in the code file) is the auxiliary information which
may be attached; such as the libraries, procedures, etc.

The real work going on is not in the COFF area. It is in the Intel Binary
Compatability Specification, version 2 (IBSC2) area. That is to allow
Linux to nativly execute IBSC2 programs. These programs have an executable
format stored in COFF for earlier systems and ELF for the later versions.

IBSC2 requires new shared libraries.
  Most are being addressed and are nearly complete.

IBSC2 requires new structures for the various stat() functions, etc.
IBSC2 uses new system call numbers.
IBSC2 uses different ioctl numbers.
IBSC2 uses new error numbers.
  For these issues, a piece of code, an IBSC2 emulator, is being added to
the Linux kernel should you wish it. It will perform the translations as
needed on the input arguments, call the Linux function, and then translate
the output structures and error numbers. The result will be a the exact
eqivalent of an IBSC2 Linux kernel.

  The emulator is still missing some pieces. Those are still pending.

Some utilities would be nice to recognize COFF and ELF formats.
  Those are still pending.

If you wish further information on this project or would be kind enough to
help, please join us on the linux-activists mailing list (IBSC2 channel). I,
and others, would certanly welcome your assistance. There is much work to be
done.

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

From: matt@krikkit1.apana.org.au (Matt McLeod)
Subject: Wordwrap filter
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1993 21:48:10 GMT


OK, so this isn't Linux specific.  But this is the only Un*x hierachy I
get :-)

Just looking for a filter that will take text from stdin, wordwrap it, and
send it out to stdout.

Sorry if this is a "standard" filter - I haven't been able to find it.

Matt

-- 
                Matt McLeod     (matt@krikkit1.apana.org.au)
    Sysop, Krikkit One Public Access Unix, +61 49 423565 (11pm-7am AEST)
             "Hey Rocky!  Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!"

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

From: matt@krikkit1.apana.org.au (Matt McLeod)
Subject: Re: Wordwrap filter
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1993 21:53:44 GMT

Sorry...  Silly me.  Of course, fold -s is what I want...

:-)

Matt

-- 
                Matt McLeod     (matt@krikkit1.apana.org.au)
    Sysop, Krikkit One Public Access Unix, +61 49 423565 (11pm-7am AEST)
             "Hey Rocky!  Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!"

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

From: cmp@solomon.technet.sg (Chiew Min Phay)
Subject: help on virtual consoles..
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 10:07:24 GMT

Hi netters,

I've successfully installed SLS 1.0.2 and just started using linux.
I've two questions on virtual consoles, hope someone can help:
1. when I switch to another vc, the screen become messed up and I need
   to execute "reset" to clear the mess. How can I fix this. ( I'm
   using WD Paradise accelerator card.)
2. noticed that I need to login separately in each of the vc to use
   them, is there any way I can just login once and have access to
   all the vc(s)?
Thank you in advance.

--
Min-Phay Chiew 
cmp@solomon.technet.sg
Information Communication Institute of Singapore
Tel:+65-4600588 (work)

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

From: ijackson@nyx.cs.du.edu (Ian Jackson)
Subject: *** PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE POSTING *** (misc-2.05)
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 10:03:01 GMT

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

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.

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  <ijackson@nyx.cs.du.edu>  (urgent email: iwj10@phx.cam.ac.uk)
2 Lexington Close, Cambridge, CB4 3LS, England;  phone: +44 223 64238

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

From: jhelberg@nlsun8.oracle.nl (Joost Helberg)
Subject: Re: Bogomip
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 08:02:30 GMT

In article <1993Oct11.143817@cs.utwente.nl> bonne@cs.utwente.nl (Bonne van Dijk) writes:
   In article <JHELBERG.93Oct11132717@nlsun8.oracle.nl>, jhelberg@nlsun8.oracle.nl (Joost Helberg) writes:
   |> In article <CEKz9D.MC@scrum.greenie.muc.de> root@scrum.greenie.muc.de writes:
   |>    choltje@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Christian Holtje) writes:
   |> 
   |>    >>>>>>Two more datapoints:
   |>    >>>>>>486DX-33 -----> 16.5 bogomips
   |>    >>>>>>486DLC-33 -----> 11.2 bogomips   (Cyrix cross between 386 and 486)
   |>    >>>>>386DX-25  --> 3.91 BogoMips(tm).
   |>    >>>>386DX-33/387DX-33 --> 6.03 BogoMips(tm)
   |>    >>> 486DX66/2 --> 34.06 BogoMips (tm)
   |>    >>386DX40   ---> 6.99 BogoMips (tm)
   |>    >486DX50/2  ---> 25.0 BogoMips (tm)
   |>    486SX25  ---> 12.24 BogoMips (tm)
   |> 386-20 --> 1.67 BogoMips (tm)
   386DX40 8Mb --> 7.29 BogoMips
Sorry, typo, `386-20 --> 1.67 BogoMips (tm)' should be
3.67 of course
--
   Joost Helberg                              Rijnzathe 6
   jhelberg@oracle.nl                         NL-3454 PV De Meern
   jhelberg@nl.oracle.com                     The Netherlands

   Oracle Europe BV                           Product Line Development  
   Phone: +31 3406 94211                      Fax:   +31 3406 65609

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

From: nite@phoenix.oulu.fi (Hannu Kotipalo)
Subject: Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 10:50:02 GMT

Andrew R. Tefft (teffta@cs690-3.erie.ge.com) wrote:
: In article <GTHAKER.93Oct8101007@trantor.atl.ge.com> gthaker@atl.ge.com (Gautam H. Thaker) writes:
: >
: >I for one and somewhat disappointed that the count is still so low. I 
: >had heard estimates that there are about 250,000 users of Linux!!
: 
: I'm suprised that over 2000 people have bothered to respond.

Well, if we (linux community) want some commercial support, we must have
some numbers to show. Nobody will support an OS with 2000 users. SO YOU
BETTER SEND YOUR MAIL!


: 
: Andy Tefft               - new, expanded .sig -     teffta@cs690-3.erie.ge.com

Nite

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

From: hawks@seq.uncwil.edu (David Hawks)
Subject: Please help!! need sysinstall syntax for install from HD
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 12:59:27 GMT

I am very eager to get started, I mean really started.  I have read the
FAQs and readme's, did I miss one?  I am installing the latesting version
of SLS from tsx-11.mit.edu, pub/linux/packages/SLS/a*, b*, c* and x*.
I have two disk drives.  The primary drive(master drive) is an MSDOS drive.
The second drive( slave drive ) is my linux drive.  After installing
the --> a <-- disks there is /dev/hda1(msdos) and /dev/hdb1(linux), 
/dev/hdb2(linux swap).  I have the b, c, and x files on the msdos drive in
the directory C:\INSTALL\B*..X*\*.tgz.  Even with a couple examples of
sysinstall in the FAQs and READMEs I see no exact example that will work.
I didn't see an example where they used sysinstall to install from another
harddrive.  I even managed to mount the msdos drive as a partition and
was able to look at the files on that drive.  All I need is the proper
syntax for sysinstall so I can get my linux files off my msdos drive.
I desperately would like to get the b, c and x disks installed as soon
as possible.  Do you know the syntax?  I would love to hear from you!
Everything else is working fine but I can't do much with just the a
disks installed.

-- DaviD at hawks@seq.cms.uncwil.edu hawks_dw@wl.corning.com


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

From: mark@taylor.uucp (Mark A. Davis)
Subject: Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 12:36:23 GMT

longyear@server1.sii.com (Al Longyear) writes:

>The ELF loader is a part of the standard kernel source release.

>I would not presume to speak for Mr Davis, however, there is a COFF loader
>for Linux. (I wrote it.) It is in the testing stage.

[Lots of jucy info deleted]

Thank you for the clarification of the binary standards.  I did oversimplify
things too much by just using the word COFF. COFF/IBSC would have been better.
I am sure many, including myself, found it to be very interesting and useful.

-- 
  /--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
  | Mark A. Davis    | Lake Taylor Hospital | Norfolk, VA (804)-461-5001x431 |
  | Sys.Administrator|  Computer Services   | mark@taylor.wyvern.com   .uucp |
  \--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

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

From: mark@taylor.uucp (Mark A. Davis)
Subject: Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 12:44:25 GMT

jfd0@aber.ac.uk (Julian Francis Day) writes:

>Mark A. Davis (mark@taylor.uucp) wrote:
>: ....  For example:  a Unix version of WordPerfect
>: will support X-Windows, ASCII terminals, multiuser applications, many devices,
>: many spooling systems, has system administration tools, knows about file
>: permissions, etc, etc, etc.   The MS-"DOS" version of WordPerfect, even running
>: under Unix, will be very much a resource hog, not multiuser knowledgable,
>: and run into countless other problems making it all but useless except in a
>: single-user, console only environment.

>I won't argue with what you say about WP for DOS, but if WP for unix is as
>bad as WP for VMS *anything* is better. It is a processor hog, X support is
>naff, sysadmin tools are naff where they exist is extremely buggy (I found
>(and reported at least 20)).

Although this is TERRIBLY off the subject at hand......

The text version of WP for Unix is VERY stable and robust.  There is no
other Unix wordprocessor which can hold a candle to it.  We have been using
WP for a long, long time; WP Corp has been a Long-Term supporter of Unix
software.  Their new 5.1 version for Unix includes an X-Windows version.
This is their very first attempt at any X software.  The *X VERSION* can be
somewhat slow and resource hoggish.  I also reported many bugs.  Many, if not
not most of the bugs, were corrected in the first interim release.  They
still have work to do on the *X VERSION* however.  Even so, another release
is planned.  And even in its current state, it is one of the most powerful
and flexible wordprocessors available for X-windows under Unix.

Please keep in mind that when you buy WP5.1 for Unix, you get two totally
separate versions: text and graphics (and the text version even supports
graphics preview and editing on Wyse-160 terminals and such).

-- 
  /--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
  | Mark A. Davis    | Lake Taylor Hospital | Norfolk, VA (804)-461-5001x431 |
  | Sys.Administrator|  Computer Services   | mark@taylor.wyvern.com   .uucp |
  \--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

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

From: mark@taylor.uucp (Mark A. Davis)
Subject: Re: Linux counter passes 2000 entries
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1993 12:55:15 GMT

dan@archimedes.lance.colostate.edu () writes:


>|> Yes, commercial software availablity.
>|> 
>|> ------> COFF/SCO/ISC compatibility,  ELF/Unixware compatibility,
>|>         MS-"Windows" (WINE) capabilities.
>|> 
>|> I would have several uses for Linux IF it could run existing commercial
>|> Unix software such as WordPerfect, Lotus, Aster*x, ClockWise, Codelink,
>|> Mlink, Grammatik, AOM, Foxbase, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc....
>|> 
>|> For now, it stays at home :( 


>Has anyone contacted these companies & asked them to consider developing their
>product for linux?  I imagine they would laugh, until a few thousand signatures
>on a petition requesting such a thing presented itself.  Think its possible?

A few thousand people calling them still won't do much.  Even if they expected
1% of Linuxers to buy their product (and 1% of any market can be very
high), it would probably still not be worth it to them.  They are used to
the HUGE SCO/ISC/V.4 markets:  Markets where the Unix offerings are not
constantly changing.  

This is why I posted my blurb in the first place.  I am trying to slap some
Linuxers back to reality!  Let's change to be quietly and transparently
SCO/ISC/V.4 rather than trying to change the rest of the world!

-- 
  /--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
  | Mark A. Davis    | Lake Taylor Hospital | Norfolk, VA (804)-461-5001x431 |
  | Sys.Administrator|  Computer Services   | mark@taylor.wyvern.com   .uucp |
  \--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

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

From: sno@umcc.umcc.umich.edu (Stephen Opal)
Subject: BBS code for Linux -- YAPP
Date: 12 Oct 1993 09:44:20 -0400

I previously stated that there was a Picospan clone that had been ported
to Linux.  This program is called YAPP.  I have gotten the author's
permission to announce the location it can be ftp'd from.  That
*temporary* site and location is:

acme.etsu.edu (192.43.199.22) in /lpmud/armidale/bbs1.11.tar.Z

This is not the latest version, as YAPP continues to have bugs worked
out in an intensive BSDI environment called M-net.  It is "mostly" stable
(no unexpected crashes or core dumps), but does have a few internal flaws
that continue to be worked out.

Please note that I tried to compile it on my 0.99.13 Kernel with gcc 2.4.5
but had compiler errors, so it may need some massaging.

-- 
Stephen N. Opal      sno@umcc.umich.edu

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


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