Linux-Misc Digest #254, Volume #20 Tue, 18 May 99 21:13:07 EDT
Contents:
Re: In defence of UNIX man pages ("D. Vrabel")
SB Live under RH6.0? ("Ted D")
libstdc++2.9 (siz)
Re: FIXED(?): Staroffice/glibc problem (Mordechai T. Abzug)
printing right papersize with wrong driver (benjamin)
Re: netscape + java (Hans Wolters)
Re: A Capitalists view of freedom
creating RH 6.0 CD - Part II ("Bob Cunius")
Procmail From header configuration? (MIKEHOLLOWAY)
Re: GNU has the sweet smell of Freedom of expression (Chris Costello)
Re: What happened to fdformat ("Cameron Spitzer")
Re: NT the best web platform? (TRG Software : Tim Greer)
Re: Ken Thompson on Linux (Sitaram Chamarty)
What's wrong with this kernel??? ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Re: Syquest (Grant Guenther)
Re: [?] problem w/ TeX under RH 6.0 (John Fulton)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "D. Vrabel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: In defence of UNIX man pages
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 19:58:13 +0100
On 18 May 1999, Johan Kullstam wrote:
> "Matt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>=20
> > I'm a university student who in order to share an opinion requires an
> > "experts" opinion to back up my point of view. If you are an expert, p=
lease
> > read on.
> >=20
> > Our task is to criticise the UNIX man pages and rewrite our selected ma=
n
> > page topics for a novice user.
> > The following is an extract from my report which I am planning to inclu=
de,
> > but I will require an "experts" opinion to back me up. If you agree wi=
th
> > what I have written below or have something to add to my 'defensive
> > criticism of the UNIX man pages, I would appreciate an e-mail.
> >=20
> > I'm still working on the wording and grammar so please excuse.
> >=20
> > "The UNIX man page format is similar to that used to describe most comm=
and
> > line operating system commands. This format was acceptable not long ag=
o, as
> > a majority of computer users would have been using ms-DOS and would
> > therefore have a fair understanding of command line operating system
> > documentation.
> >=20
> > The post ms-DOS generation of users have been lured into a world which =
uses
> > =93point and click=94 to control a computer. Most will have never
>=20
> ^^^^ ^^^^
>=20
> ack! microsoft's own brain damaged char encoding in action.
>=20
> > been exposed
> > to a command line operating system. New graphical operating systems su=
ch as
> > MS-Windows have become very popular with a vast majority of the compute=
r
> > population. The skills of reading command line documentation have been
> > lost, so if a novice user is placed in command line environment confusi=
on
> > abounds.
>=20
> windows help files are about the most unhelpful help system i've ever
> used. does anyone manage to find anything useful in them? imho it's
> the crappy content and bad organization more than the format itself.
>=20
> > It is because of a strong swing to graphical operating systems that the=
UNIX
> > man pages are both unfamiliar and difficult for novice users to underst=
and,
> > not because they were poorly written."
>=20
> imho unix man pages are bad for novices because they contain no
> examples.
>=20
> man pages are good for someone who is familiar with the command
> but wants to know what option does what.
>=20
> they are also poorly cross-referenced with other pages (compare eg
> html docs to the see also list). complicated commands/programs like
> bash have horribly long man pages, which, due to their linear nature,
> can be hard to sift through to find anything (if you can search, it's
> fine, but what if you don't really know what to call it....)
>=20
> info might be good but the reader leaves a bit to be desired.
info docs are better printed out after generating the PostScript files
from the texinfo source. I personally find any online documentation hard
to read so I print it out.
David
--=20
David Vrabel
Engineering Undergraduate at University of Cambridge, UK.
------------------------------
From: "Ted D" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: SB Live under RH6.0?
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 01:34:48 +0200
Anyone got this working?
I have tried a numerous of options w. the driver from Creative..
Can you explain step-by-step what you did to get it working?
Thanks,
Ted
------------------------------
From: siz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: libstdc++2.9
Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 18:45:29 -0400
I am trying to install the rpms of octave-2.0.14. I am being told that I =
have
unsatisfied dependencies on libstdc++2.9. I can't seem to find this anywh=
ere for
my RH5.2 distribution. What now?
Thanks.
------------------------------
Subject: Re: FIXED(?): Staroffice/glibc problem
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Mordechai T. Abzug)
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 04:39:11 GMT
In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
"drub" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> spake thusly:
> I dont seem to get an error but it echos just
> :oldglibc:E::bin::/usr/i386-glibc20-linux/lib/ld-wrapper:
> when I run /etc/rc.d/rc.binfmt
The line that starts "echo" got split into two parts in his post.
Merge that line with the line right after it, that starts with a ">".
- Morty
------------------------------
From: benjamin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: printing right papersize with wrong driver
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 23:05:39 +0200
Hello ;
I am runing Linux Red Hat 5.1 and upgraded the kernel to 2.2.4
I am using a printer with a driver a little different, and i have some
problems to configure the papersize.
I have a HPDeskjet870C and i use the driver HPLaserjet.
The problem is that the page bottom margin is 3cm and no less. So i
can't print below the line, 3 cm before the real bottom of my A4-sized
paper. (This is not a software problem since the words are cut on this
line, if i try to oblige the the software -LaTeX- to print below dead
line)
Thank you for helping.
Benjamin.
Runing Linux Kernel 2.2.4
e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Hans Wolters)
Subject: Re: netscape + java
Date: 18 May 1999 22:31:04 GMT
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Daniel Kollar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> found a keyboard
and wrote the following ....
>Since Redhat-6.0 Netscape crashes with a bus error when it tries to
>start a java applet. This happens with the shipped version 4.51, but
>also with the version 4.08 which worked without problems on my
>redhat-5.2 system.
Try to find out if they shipped a libc version (supported) of Netscape. If
so then download the unsupported version (glibc) and your problem should be
fixed.
Regards Hans
--
22 Linux Search Engines in one applet
http://home.gelrevision.nl/~h.wolter/
Linux Links/CMI8330 Soundpro HOWTO
http://home.gelrevision.nl/~h.wolter/linux.htm
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ()
Crossposted-To: comp.os.ms-windows.advocacy,comp.os.linux.advocacy,gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Re: A Capitalists view of freedom
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 16:08:25 -0700
On 19 May 1999 00:02:53 +0200, David Kastrup
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>George MacDonald <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
>> Mr Barry P Macmahon wrote:
>> >
>> > A little aside from the previous discussion. I have always been taught
>> > that for every freedom one takes advantage of, you infringe on someone
>> > elses freedom.
>>
>> I think you are confusing freedom with resources. If you are in a
>> world of constrained resources, then you will only ever be able to
>> aquire a certain percentage(unless you eliminate all others).
>>
>> How does my freedom to bear arms in any way limit your freedom to do
>> likewise?
>
>Not at all. It however limits my freedom in failing reasonably safe
>when on the street because I know that millions of idiots get handed
>over loaded weapons at a drool. Having an own weapon in ones pocket
You likely don't live anywhere near the kind of neighborhood
where you would actually have to worry. All of your 'fear'
is just elitist posturing.
[deletia]
Although, gun owners could stand to be required to
pass military marksmanship tests.
--
Microsoft subjected the world to DOS until 1995. |||
A little spite is more than justified. / | \
In search of sane PPP Docs? Try http://penguin.lvcm.com
------------------------------
From: "Bob Cunius" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: creating RH 6.0 CD - Part II
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 19:38:25 -0400
hi,
Earlier i posted a message asking how to make a bootable linux cd from
files off of the internet from withing Win 98. I was having problems
getting the linux install program to reckognize the cd. From the responses
to my posting i was able to get linux to recognize the cd. I created a Rock
Ridge format iso image file using the windows port of mkisofs. However i
still cannot get linux to install. It now fails in the second stage of the
loader. Here is the error code the linux install program gave me: error in
exec of second stage loader :-(
error: No such file or directory
After that message it just hangs. I tried installing straight from the hd
and it gets past that stage of the install.
When i created the iso file from mkisofs i typed in the following
command line:
mkisofs -o ./redhat.iso -a -r -T /downloads/redhat6.0/i386
(i386 being the root directory i downloaded off of ftp.redhat.com)
(I also had tried using the -f option)
The burning program i used was easy cd creator 3.50b from adaptec.
Thanks for all the help again,
Bob
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (MIKEHOLLOWAY)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.network
Subject: Procmail From header configuration?
Date: 18 May 1999 16:00:18 PDT
I've installed Redhat 5.2 linux, which apparently installs procmail. I'm
trying to figure out how I can get my ISP e-mail address displayed on the
message when I send mail out over my dial-up connection. The Pine
configuration file apparently has no affect on this. I can't find a
.procmailrc, which I suppose means I have to make it. I can find no
information on how to make one, and how to configure default headers. Can
someone point me in the right direction?
Thanks,
Mike Holloway
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Chris Costello)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.ms-windows.advocacy,comp.os.linux.advocacy,gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Re: GNU has the sweet smell of Freedom of expression
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 22:59:04 GMT
In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, George MacDonald wrote:
> Likewise the only valid software is what you pay for.
FreeBSD is invalid? It runs the busiest FTP server in the
world but it's invalid? Explain that.
--
Chris Costello
This BBS is ancient. Some say from the echocene.
------------------------------
From: "Cameron Spitzer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: linux.debian.user,linux.redhat.misc,comp.os.linux.hardware
Subject: Re: What happened to fdformat
Date: 19 May 1999 00:00:26 GMT
In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
Paul Payne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
>> I know this sounds stupid, but I used to think that you can low-level
>> format a floppy in Linux using "fdformat". Well, on my Debian system
>> this is what I get:
>> ----------------------------------
>> histria ~ # fdformat
>> bash: fdformat: command not found
It's been replaced by superformat(1).
>Type, without quotes, "mke2fs /dev/fd0", if you want an ext2 format
You can only write a file system ("high level format" in MS-DOS terms)
if the medium is already formatted ("low level format" in MS-DOS terms).
mke2fs will write a file system on formatted media, but it will
not format the media.
>floppy. Don't know how to get a ms-dos format.
With mformat or mkdosfs. Or, take a formatted diskette and zero it
out
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/fd0u1440 count=1440
and use a legal copy of MS-DOS to "format" it, then grab an image of it
gzip -9 < /dev/fd0u1440 > /var/spool/msfloppy.gz
Then you can make legal clones of it for game launching disks:
gzip -dc /var/spool/msfloppy.gz > /dev/fd0u1440
These will work with those stupid games that look for a Microsoft MBR.
Or, launch the DOS emulator and see if it can "format" the diskette.
Recent Debian ahd Red Hat have come with a working preinstalled
DOSEMU (using FreeDOS and OpenDOS) which you invoke with the "dos"
command.
>If your floppy is not the
>first floppy you will sub the zero with the right number, ie 1 for the
>second floppy. Paul
>
The /dev/fd0 device only works with diskettes that are already formatted.
The correct device for formatting "drive A:" as a 3.5" 1.44MB diskette is
/dev/fd0u1440, or /dev/fd0H1440 on Red Hat.
See /usr/src/linux/Documentation/devices.txt. (You *did* install
kernel source, didn't you?)
HTH
Cameron
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 17:02:15 -0700
From: TRG Software : Tim Greer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Crossposted-To: comp.infosystems.www.servers.unix,comp.os.linux.advocacy
Subject: Re: NT the best web platform?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> Did any of your guys look at the webbechmark posted by PC
> magazine?Below is the URL
> http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/stories/reviews/0,6755,2256617,00.html
Did you hear about the "Windows defeats Unix platforms in every test and
medium!"? Posted in the Feb. issue of 'Windows Monthly'.
> In this, it stated that NT4 and IIS is the best web platform today,
In who's opinion? And for what? ASP applications?
> with "Leading performance, excellent programmability and wideest variety
> of third party addons".
Add-ons that cost you THOUSANDS! Act today! How much is MySQL on
Windows? And how much is it for Linux (for example)? Let's see, a few
hundred dollars, or FREE. How much is Linux? How much is Windows? How
much are most things for most Unix variants? How much are most things
for Windows versions?
> Contraray to common belive, it says IIS
> outperformances other webserver(apache, netscape enterprise server) when
> load increased!!
With that applications, and tested by whom? And moreover, what was the
Unix system running, and what was the Windows system running? What was
each CPU and RAM and how was each set up? I would bet the Windows system
was tweaked in a wonderful manner, but the Unix? Did they have the top
Unix systems and sys admins tweak the Unix boxes in the same way they
got the top Windows sys admins to tweak the Windows box?
> At the end of this article, it goes on to explain that, IIS's leading
> performance(can you believe it???)
No, I don't. But I do admit with all those "dummy" plug-ins/add-ons,
etc. (the one's that cost the hundreds and/or thousands of $$$) so all
the E-commerce servers that have MS Access and other "you don't need to
teach your employees how to program or think" type interfaces do make a
difference. That's understandable from a business point of view, saves
you money for training, but it's made up for in the cost of the addons
to your business's systems and how much you're paying for things on an
NT server, as opposed to not paying as much to use similar tools on a
Unix, but not have a drag-n-drop dummy interface.
> Then how come
> the crappy IIS outperforms my beloved Apache?
It doesn't. How any ISP's (real one's) run NT, and how many run Unix?
There's a reason.
> Is it true to some extent
> or is it just another FUD???
The word for today, is "FUD". :-)
--
Regards,
Tim Greer: [EMAIL PROTECTED] / [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Chat Base: http://www.chatbase.com | 250,000+ hits daily Worldwide!
TRG Software: http://www.linkworm.com | CGI scripting in Perl/C, etc.
Unix/NT/Novell Administration, Security, Web Design, ASP, SQL, etc.
Freelance Programming & Consulting, Musician, Martial Arts, Sciences.
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Sitaram Chamarty)
Subject: Re: Ken Thompson on Linux
Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 10:39:09 GMT
On Wed, 12 May 1999 07:51:55 +0100, Rob Fisher
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>Planet Online, who host Freeserve, Britain's most heavily subscribed
>ISP) and the general concensus seems to be moving away from Linux. It's
moving away to what? just curious...
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: What's wrong with this kernel???
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 06:49:59 GMT
I am having the worst time getting kernel 2.2 7 to work. I've done
everything that is supposed to be done(in reference to the Kernel-HOWTO
and other various sources) but the thing will not boot. The make process
went fine, with a few obstacles, but no errors were detected. I copied
the zImage and System.map into the directory that LILO uses to boot and
edited /etc/lilo.conf accordingly. When I try to boot the kernel I get
the following messages:
request_module[block-major-3]: Root fs not mounted
VFS: Cannot open root device 03:0a or ttyp(3,10)
Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 03:0a or ttyp(3,10)
I've compiled and patched a kernel before but this is the first time
I've ever seen this occur. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
-Ben
--== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==--
---Share what you know. Learn what you don't.---
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Grant Guenther)
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.hardware,alt.so.linux,linux.redhat.misc
Subject: Re: Syquest
Date: 18 May 1999 23:40:12 GMT
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Tue, 18 May 1999 00:13:29 -0500, MIke borden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>does anyone know how to actually get the syquest to work. I have
>compiled it into the kernel. I now just need to know how to mount it and
>get the driver to work. It would be easy if I only had one device on the
>parellel port but I also have a printer.
Please visit http://www.torque.net/parport/ and if nothing there helps,
join the linux-parport mailing list and post a query with some more
information about what device you have and how it fails.
==========================================================================
Grant R. Guenther [EMAIL PROTECTED]
==========================================================================
------------------------------
From: John Fulton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [?] problem w/ TeX under RH 6.0
Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 12:23:45 +1000
Francisco,
We had the same problem with a machine that we upgraded from 5.2. Machines that had
new installations worked fine. Our solution was to uninstall all the tex related
rpm's and
reinstall them.
After that everything worked fine.
John
--
John Fulton Defence Air
Phone: +61 3 9626 7307 Science Operations
Fax: +61 3 9626 7093 Technology & Simulation
http://lucifer.latrobe.edu.au/~fulton Organisation Centre
------------------------------
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End of Linux-Misc Digest
******************************
