Subject: Linux-Misc Digest #427
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, 14 Dec 93 09:13:33 EST

Linux-Misc Digest #427, Volume #1                Tue, 14 Dec 93 09:13:33 EST

Contents:
  Summary: Hams and Linux (Phil Hughes LJ Editor)
  Re: Any visual debuggers ? (Eckehard Stolz)
  Xlogout (Jesper Honig Spring)
  Re: What's the Linux WWW site? (Bob Crosson)

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

From: phil@fylz.com (Phil Hughes LJ Editor)
Subject: Summary: Hams and Linux
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1993 01:18:35 GMT


A couple of weeks ago I posted the following to the
Usenet newsgroup comp.os.linux.misc. 

>I am the editor of Linux Journal, a paper magazine that will
>be covering the Linux scene.  In my correspondence with people
>about writing articles for LJ I have seen an amazing number of
>ham calls.  Being a ham myself (WA6SWR) I was just wondering
>how many of "us" are hams.
>
>If you are a ham, let me know and maybe include a short blurb
>about how/why you got involved in Linux.  I think it could be
>intersting.  I will post a summary and might even include the
>info in an upcoming issue of Linux Journal.

Rather than try to draw any conclusions I have decided to just
post what people said.  I think hams will find it interesting.
Note that in the ham tradition I edited the signatures so
they consist of the person's first name and ham call unless
they didn't give me a call.  Then I include the full name.

Assuming there are no objections (and enough space) I plan to reprint
this in the March issue of Linux Journal. I think it helps tie
Linux into another community.  One who has traditionally been
on the leading edge of both technology and spending as little
money as possible. :-)

Any hams out there doing "ham stuff" with Linux and want to write
an article about it for Linux Journal?

---

The SLS/slackware distributions have basically given me a 
UNIX/X workstation at home...wish my 486 was as fast
as the Indigo on campus though. :-)

I've been using Linux for over a year on a Gateway. I just now
have some time to try hacking on some programs for the radio.

Most of the time I'm on 80/20 meter PACTOR. I almost have a 
PACSAT station working (still need a preamp and a few other
odds-and-ends).

I think Linux would work great for automating satellite uploads and
downloads, tracking, etc.
-phil AD4FH

---

Well, this comes to you from host w4bzl.concert.net at the end of a quite
productive SLIP link.  Of course this host at home runs linux.
AT CONCERT we have at least two other hams that run linux with their
calls as their hostname.  I'll leave it to them to respond.
-joe W4BZL

---

I'm a ham too, N5SNN down in Austin, TX

How I got involved? Well that's because our lab has too many junks
(or goodies in ham word), that made me just buy a used 486 motherboard
and a new 486sx/25 to start a unix-pc using Linux.

Why? To replace the NOS-box that I use for ausgw (austin's packet-internet
gateway) with a better system. 

My linux is now 100% on the Internet (it's under my lab desk at campus),
runs gopher server, anon ftp, and uucp-internet gateway (private).

-Paulus N5SNN
 
---

Add me in there too.  BTW, I started useing Linux about 6 months
before becomeing a HAM.  Part of the reason for becomeing a HAM was
the large number of them involved with Linux.  ;)

-Jim KD4PPG

---

I am VK4BSB. Packet mail to VK4BSB@VK4ZGQ.BNE.QLD.AUS.OC

-Serge VK4BSB

---

 Who, ME?
 I've been a netnews reader since the Great Renaming.
 I decided it was time to start working with the 'blood & guts'
 of a Unix.....

-David WB8FOZ

---

I got interested in Linux last year when Algorithm magazine published
a quick blurb about the freely distributed Unix clone and how great
it was. I wasn't able to start playing with it until this past August
when I upgraded my old XT to a 486. Unfortunately, that also corresponded
to my starting a PhD program, so I haven't had much time to play with
Linux, outside of installing SLS 1.03 and wondering how to patch what
doesn't work!

-Chris N0OQT

---

I am:  Jim Graham, N5IAL /4.  I've been a general-class since '86.
I live on Okaloosa Island, in Ft. Walton Beach, FL (NW FL).  I
started looking at Linux in mid-1992 as part of my (then) ongoing
search for a UNIX that would run (read, would actually work) on my
386 at home.  I finally got a tape drive, which made the installation
much simpler, and a memory upgrade to make Linux happier, and installed
0.99 PL6 very early this year.  Needless to say, my search for a UNIX
system for my machine has ended.

Oh, I'm also the author of KAMterm, which is a shareware host mode
terminal program for Kantronics TNCs.  It currently runs only under dos
(and some dos emulators, I'm told), but I'm working on porting it over
to Linux (don't hold your breath---due to all of the things that are
going on right now, and the fact that very few people have contacted
me about KAMterm in the last couple of months, I'm not spending a whole
lot of time on it at the moment...and the port wouldn't be a quick
thing to do even if I were).  Of course, there are other issues involved
with a Linux port, such as the fact that KAMterm is shareware, not
freeware, and so on (I need the KAMterm money to pay bills).

-Jim N5IAL/4

---

I use Linux because I want to run a Unix system at home. I'm one of
those 'sick' people who like the punishment that Unix systems hurl
onto their operators. I hope to working with packet radio, as I ma
a avid packeteer. I understand that there is a version of NOS out for
Linux, but have not found it yet. Know where? I also know KB9CTJ here
running it too. Were working together on this. I hate MSDOS too.

- Chuck WO9K

---

I use SunOS 4.1.3 at work and don't particularly fancy DOS or
DOS/Windows.  Linux is an excellent OS for learning how to admin
Unix, as the SLS distribution comes complete with lots of 
configuration problems.  That is the configuration for lots of
the programs provided with SLS are incomplete or wrong, but 
close enough that it is better, and more realistic, than course
examples.  I will be almost upset if the next distribution has
all of the problems fixed, as requested by so many flames, because
I would have chosen a fixed version had I the opportunity and
not learned nearly as much.

All the applications that I need for home are available on Linux
and the VC's are great.  386sx/16 with wait states *really* bogs
running X.  I am waiting for something in c.o.l.a to brag about
an excellent TNC interface prog/doc set before I buy one and learn
about the real-ether network.

-Alan VE3ALO

---

FWIW, I'm not a ham, although I am studying to become one next year. At this
moment I'm using the CB for packet radio. [Don't panic -- Peter is in
the Netherlands where aparently you can do anything with CB as long
as the radio is type approved.]

At this moment Linux is one of the most promising systems for hams. At this
moment several versions of NOS have been ported to Linux, like Wampes and JNOS.
The big advantage is that these versions don't suffer from severe lack of
memory like most of the MS-DOS versions. And for the future, Linux will have
the AX.25 protocol in the kernel. The normal UNIX socket interface will allow
easy program development. It is also rumoured that FBB will be ported to Linux
when the AX.25 support is built in.

Groetjes,
Peter Busser

---

I am WA8USA.  I use LINUX on a laptop I have for work (image and digital
signal processing).  I went to LINUX because of the large number of public
domain programs that are included in distributions (or are easily built)
and because the availability of source is helpful in solving problems.

-Bob WA8USA
                                
---

I am a ham (ve3ich) and am active in Linux, but the reasons have
little to do with amateur radio. I suspect that the type of person who
is interested in amateur radio would likely be interested in Linux:
doing something technical that is new and state-of-the-art at a
low-cost.

I've used Unix at work for a number of years, and had various
microcomputers at home. It was a dream of mine to be able to afford a
machine at home that had the hardware and software capabilities of a
Unix workstation. Just over a year ago I bought a PC specifically for
the purpose of running Linux. I learned more about Unix in the first 3
months of using Linux that in 5 years of experience with commercial
Unix workstations. I now find myself wishing that the $10,000 Sun
workstation that I use at work had more of the capabilities of the
$1,800 Linux PC at home.

-Jeff VE3ICH

---

Well, there's my wife N2VIS (Carolyn Carrock) and me N2RDI... 

I'm more a Unix admin geek type that got into Amateur Radio than a
ham that got into Unix...

My wife dared me to take the test at the Trenton Computer Festival after
hearing me say I could pass it...

If you're looking for writers -- I was a Unix instructor for Pyramid 
Technology and a former newspaper editor and reporter...

I'm looking forward to subscribing... and reading every article in
LJ.

My last project -- idasendmail on Linux with pathalias routing.

My next project - 99.14 kernel and making a linux SVR4 lookalike
with all new scripts and the /sbin directory structure.

-Bill N2RDI

---

My call is KF6VB, I've been a ham since 1970.  Ham radio got me into
electronics, electronics got me into software, software got me into a
nice career .  But it all started with ham radio.  

I got into Linux about a year ago, around version 95pl7, I think.  Linux
offered me a way to learn about unix without spending big $$$.   Also,
it allowed me to upgrade my home UUCP node to a much more powerful
environment than what DOS supported.

Four years ago,  I got my jollies on the radio, talking to people all over
the world.  Now propogation is in the toilet, and I get the same jollies
with uucp, email, and News.

I've also been a student of the Russian language most of my life, and
in the past few years I took two trips to Moscow.  The first one was pre-Linux,
in 1988.  Then I visited radio amateurs.  I  have pictures of Yours Truly
 at the operating console of the Moscow Radio Club.

The second trip was last December;  no radio buddies this time, just 
people I met through the email.  I took the complete latest SLS
distribution with me, and seeded Moscow with Linux!  At that time, 
people there had heard of it, but never seen it.  Even while I was there,
I could see it spreading exponentially:  people borrowed my diskettes,
copied them and gave them to other people, who copied them....

Right now, I am trying to get the Ka9q networking program running on
my 99pl9 system.  If I am successful, I will be able to integrate the
amateur and landline email worlds at one console.  So if I say "mail 
wa6xxx@ampr.org" the system would automatically squirt it out the TNC
instead of the phone line.  Also, since the Linux box runs 24 hours a 
day, I would be able to offer routing to my friends, run an on-the-air
ftp site, etc, etc....

I too, have noticed the multitudes of hams on the linux groups;  what's
more, I have seen more and more mention of Linux on the ham groups.
In my mind, hams have two main characteristics: 

      * They like to communicate
      * They like to play with gadgets.

A Linux box is both a powerful communications platform and a really
neat gadget!  What ham could resist?

-Jerry KF6VB

1 more.  And soon to be a real US HAM (N5something) - I passed
the Tech exam some time ago.

: If you are a ham, let me know and maybe include a short blurb
: about how/why you got involved in Linux.  I think it could be
: intersting.  I will post a summary and might even include the
: info in an upcoming issue of Linux Journal.

I am also doing an AX.25/NETROM layer in NET-2.

-Fred N. van Kempen

---

I'm a radio amateur, and a LINUX user. My computer is not (yet)
connected to packet radio, but once I get around to buy my own rig,
instead of just using the radio club's (SK5EU) gear, it sure will
be. Sadly, TCP/IP on packet seems to be virtually unknown here in
Sweden.. :-(

-Ture SM5UUO

---

Phil, I'm N4HHE and saw your request to hear from Linux Hams in the mail-
archive on tsx-11.mit.edu. Don't know what kind of information you are looking 
for. I use Linux for "recreational computing." When I work (as an electrical 
engineer) my choice is Macintosh. Been Unix'ing for over 5 years, usually as 
the system administrator, and always made sure I had a Macintosh that I could 
use for login. A couple of years ago I "ran" a 12 machine Silicon Graphics 
installation from a 512k Mac. Lots of fun.

Currently experimenting with TCP/IP over amateur radio. WAMPES has been 
running at my home for the last couple of weeks. See some people gripe about 
the lack of Linux documentation, they need to try WAMPES and *really* learn 
about lack of documentation.

-David N4HHE

---

I'm a ham and I have used Linux since May 1992 I think.  I just can't remember
where I heard of Linux first, but I followed the development of Linux from 
November 1991 (or maybe December).  First by listening to reports by others, 
from 23. January I started to 'finger' Linus' account to get the latest news 
about the state of Linux.  As I said above, in May 1992 (or was it April? Hmm,
not easy to remember.. :-) I started to actually use it, after having followed 
the mailing list for some weeks, enough to feel confident about how to install
it and so on.  I'm not using Linux for any ham-related stuff, one of the 
reasons is that I don't have a PC at home (I'm using Linux in my job only).

Tor LA1RHA

---

N3PFP.  I'm essentially inactive, I only bothered to get license because I was
planning on trying out packet radio.  I passed the written tests up to
advanced before I ran out of testing/checking time that day, but I've never
done the code tests (and probably couldn't break 10wpm at my peak).

... still looking for a cheap, short-range 56k-1Mbs packet radio setup.

-Donald N3PFP

---

I am a ham, WB4ARV, but I only use linux at work. I at least have been 
working on it when I have time. I have been pulled to another project 
and have been unable to work on it for the last couple of months.

I also have been working on the depca cards for the ethernet so that has
slowed me down alot. If I ever get it working good I think I will try
to use it at home. I am not into packet at the moment but I may if I 
switch to linux.

-Joe WB4ARV

---

Alright, I'll bite! ;)

While in college, I started to dream of having my very own
"unix box" to hack on for endless hours. The thought of being
able to do this *and* get to participate in the evolution of
a new OS was really exciting to me, and remains so to this day,
a couple years later!

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I have been able to
learn *so* much more about unix and PCs in general because of the
decision to run Linux on my own computer. I have been able to contribute
to portions of the OS in 1992 and early 1993, in the form of initial ports
of network clients, a BBS package, and several X Windows games. I also
established a free Linux-oriented BBS in late 1992 which continues to
flourish and present new learning opportunities.

Ham Radio entered the equation this year, when I decided to once again
obtain a license, this time Technician. I operated CW as a novice at the tender
age of nine years - fifth grade, and now enjoy 2 meter rag-chewing, packet
radio and *maybe*, CW. Someday. When I get around to it again. ;)  A small
group of experimenters in the Bay Area are architecting a high speed
packet network. It uses 256 Kbps modems designed by a fellow at
Stanford, and protocols by a friend (Cliff Skolnick N1DPH) and myself.
Mike Cheponis (K3MC) is the mastermind behind the project. A mailing
list is set up on my machine (list is called "speed-freaks" - send mail
to listserv@hip-hop.sbay.org with "help" in the body for info).

It's coming along, albeit slowly, and we're experimenting with some low-speed
stuff right now. My Linux system talks to a 286 DOS box (running KA9Q) over
ethernet, and from there out onto the local TCP/IP network; the
286 functions as a router, and allows access to network services
on my Linux box from the ampr-net. Cliff and I are eagerly awaiting
the release of the Linux AX25 drivers to try out and possibly integrate
into our network software.

Hope you enjoyed reading this response to your post. I look forward to
hearing other Linux-using ham operators' stories as well!

-Dave KE6AJC

---

Actually, the number of technical "netters" in *any* field who are hams is
rather amazing.

++Brandon (JNOS Linux port, and if I ever get time I'll finish up some
enhancements to XSat that make it almost worth using)
--... ...--   -.. .   -.- ..-. ---.. -. ....   ...-.-
[in English, 73 de KF8NH -- boy is morse code hard to read like that]

---

Hi.  I am also a ham (WQ3S).  I recently started running Linux because I wanted
a REAL multitasking OS for my computer.  I was already familiar with UNIX, so
I found Linux to be an ideal choice for my needs.

-Andrew WQ3S

---

I got into Linux because I wanted a real Unix and it was free, and nowdays
its free and better. I'm currently running a public access Linux box via
AX.25 and WAMPES (much hacked). 

- Alan Cox

---

Well, count me in.  I've been keen on Unix from the git-go, but it
always seemed to be out of my reach for hobby use until Coherent.
When Linux reached ~pl12, I jumped in; never looked back.  

One of these days RSN, I hope to start using Linux for some ham 
applications, but that's somewhere down in the queue.  OTOH, it
seems that I'm having so much fun dinking with Linux that the 
ham gear is gathering quite a coat of dust.  

-John N4VU

---

Finally, my story. I have been a ham since 1960. My interests
have always been experimentation including building a remote base
station when I was still in high school. I have worked with computers
since college graduation, Unix since 1980 and Linux for about a year.
I got involved in Linux because it looks real and I want to help support
it.  When I get some free time I want to get back into being a
ham experimenter -- with Linux and packet.

-Phil WA6SWR

Thanks to all who responded.
-- 
Phil Hughes, Editor, Linux Journal, P.O. Box 85867, Seattle, WA 98145-1867 USA
E-mail: phil@fylz.com   Phone: +1 206 524 8338 FAX: +1 206 526 0803

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

From: stolz@Informatik.TU-Muenchen.DE (Eckehard Stolz)
Subject: Re: Any visual debuggers ?
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 12:27:40 GMT


In article <2eaijg$k9f@news.acns.nwu.edu>, dennis@cauchy.math.nwu.edu (Dennis Director) writes:
|> It really hurts me to say this, but after a few
|> years of being forced to live in the DOS world,
|> I got spoiled by using Microsoft/Borland type
|> visual symbolic debuggers for C developement.
|> 
|> Now that I am back to Unix (Linux), I find gdb
|> excellent as it is, slow to use compared to
|> fancy debuggers available in the DOS world.
|> 
|> Is there anything like this for X, even already
|> working on Linux?  How about a Tk something?
|> Thanks for any assitance,  dennis@math.nwu.edu
|> 
|> 
My absolute favorit is the UPS debugger for Linux ! It has
a completly graphical user interface and is VERY intuitive !

You can find the sources in any X11/contrib/clients directory
of a main X11 mirroring site (for example 
ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen  in /pub/comp/X11/contrib/clients/ups)

and the patch for Linux at any sunsite-mirror in the devel-directory

Try it, it's worth it !

cu

Eckehard

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

From: spring@diku.dk (Jesper Honig Spring)
Subject: Xlogout
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 13:47:09 GMT

Hello,

Where can I find the source code or a Linux-compiled version of
xlogout


Thanks in advance

please also email me.


-- 
===============================================================================
     jesper honig spring                    department of computer science 
         spring@diku.dk                    university of copenhagen, denmark  
===============================================================================

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

From: crosson@cam.nist.gov (Bob Crosson)
Subject: Re: What's the Linux WWW site?
Date: 14 Dec 93 13:41:02 GMT

In article <1993Dec14.064941.186396@zeus.aix.calpoly.edu>, jemenake@trumpet.aix.calpoly.edu (Joe Emenaker) writes:
|> A friend of mine came across a cool looking WWW site devoted to Linux,
|> but we lost the address. Anyone know where it is?

http://topquark.cecer.army.mil/

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


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