Chris, You all the questions concern my Windows NT and Linux binaries, therefore I would try to answer them.
> I'll use this as a cue. I have been sort of following all the great work > everyone has been doing. Here are two scenarios that I've recently > encountered. I figure if these are dealt with, we've got a solid delivery > system. > > (1) I have a client new to openDX but excited about it. He wants to buy an > intel laptop and install openDX. He would be happy to install > Linux on same > if that is better. Assume he's not a system weenie (cause he isn't). Is > there a document, or can one be created, that would be a step by step > recipe for installing opendx under NT and/or a recipe for installing Linux > (specific to the Linux flavor), then openDX under Linux, suitable for use > by a newbie? > > Don't react by saying if he doesn't know what he's doing, he shouldn't be > doing it. Ummm... I would not say that he should not be using DX if he does not know how to use it. Everyone should be welcome to learn. Not all of us are gurus. The Linux binaries (particularly binaries for Red Hat Linux 6.1 and higher) are very stable. Windows NT/9x version are not really so stable to recommend you customers depend on them. I should put a step-by-step documents for Linux and Windows, in the near future. I had been supoorting OpenDX in my spare time. My job duties are supervising Computational Chemistry projects and High Throughput Screening Databases. As of yet OpenDx is not used much in any of those projects, except for vsiualizing Chemistry Moelcualr Models. Putting a good document needs time and currently I lack it ;-). I have to give a couple of invited talks at couple of Univesities this month, which make the life more busy. Therefore, I may start working on writing a step-by-step README for Linux and Wintel platforms next month, earliest. In the meantime, I would be glad to answer specific question. > (2) I have another client who is trying unsuccessfully to install > openDX on > NT, using the commercial 3.1.4 version. For some reason they don't seem to > be able to use the public key. They keep getting 5-min trial version > startup. I read Nancy's note a week ago, but I'm not sure if she meant the > key broke only on Feb 29 or is now broken completely. Can anyone tell me? > (I know we've only got 3 weeks left on it anyway). Actually the rial Keys from DX sites do not work on my NT 4.0 SP 6a. It also do not work on Windows 2000. I tried them yesterday. All of the binaries do a coredump on Windows 2000 - yes I replaced the older DLLs with newer DLs from Exceed 6.2, as suggested on DX website. > > I figure if they are having this much trouble installing the commercial > version, they may not be able to get openDX for NT running either, so > again, a nice clear doc on getting it up and running is needed. > They are in > a position (unlike some others) to purchase Exceed if that is still > required. I'm confused at this point about what build of openDX requires > (works with) which Exceed flavor, so I assume the README would explain all > this clearly. Oh, and what Cygwin build is needed. A Cygwin CD 1.0 verson from http://www.cygnus.com/cygwin. I do not use the GPL'ed Net Releases for 2 reasons. First, Net Relases of Cygwin forces the Open Source project code to be GPL'ed only, which is OpenDX is not. CD Relase of Cygwin can be used with any Open Source project, GPL or non-GPL. Second the CD Release is much more stable and has beter socket functionalities. > > Maybe we should approach Exceed about a deal for openDX customers...? There some serious issues with Exceed 6.2. Exceed started shiping the MOTIF and X libs with version 6.2, which are so-called Cygwin compatible. In my hands they are nothing but a litle crap. Exceed restrict distributing hclXm.dll (which a MOTIF DLL) without obtaining a written License from Hummingbird Inc. I assume written license means to pay roalty and definitely I cannot do that. If you are interested, please contact Hummingbird for details and if they provide you a writen statement that hclXm.dll can be distributed with OpenDx, I will give the binaries. Exceed recommends to use Static libs instaed of MOTIF dlls to avoid licensing issues. The HCLXmst.lib has so many "multiple defined referneces and undefined references problems," that it cannot be used at all. I reported this to Hummingbird a week after they released Exceed 6.2, which 3 months now. They decided to ignore my mail. Compiling OpendX with Microsoft VC++ and EXceed 6.2 activates the License checking. DX license code had been disabled for all Operating Systems, EXCEPT Windows. If you compile OpenDx with Microsoft Visual C, it activates License Key check in Windows Registry System. I pointed it a few times and I am not sure why Windows License code was left intact in OpenDX? regards Suhaib > > So in summary, docs needed: > Installing openDX on NT > Required software, versions, costs if any, where to acquire > Tips on building the basic system configuration required for openDX > Known problems with other software, graphics cards that > work/don't work, etc. > > Installing openDX under Linux > Specific Linux flavor instructions > Tips on building..... > Known problems..... (as above) > > This may be more than a quick touchup of the existing docs, or maybe that > is all that is needed. I'm also not volunteering Dave T. to do all this! I > hope other people will participate. I will be happy to test the > WinNT docs, > and client 1 above would be grateful if the Linux recipe existed. > Obviously > client 2 will need the NT stuff soon as well. > > Thanks! > > Chris Pelkie > Vice President/Scientific Visualization Producer > Conceptual Reality Presentations, Inc. > 30 West Meadow Drive > Ithaca, NY 14850 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > (607) 257-8335 or (607) 254-8794 >
