1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
|
<!--startcut ==========================================================-->
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<title>Linux Gazette MailBag LG #28</title>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#A000A0"
ALINK="#FF0000">
<!--endcut ============================================================-->
<H4>"Linux Gazette...<I>making Linux just a little more fun!</I>"</H4>
<HR>
<center>
<table width="100%" cellpadding=7><tr><td>
<H2><a NAME="mail"><IMG SRC="../gx/mailbox.gif" ALIGN=MIDDLE ALT=" ">
The Mailbag!</a> </H2>
Write the Gazette at <A HREF="mailto:gazette@ssc.com"> gazette@ssc.com</A>
</td><td>
<H3>Contents:</H3>
<ul>
<li><a HREF="./lg_mail28.html#help">Help Wanted -- Article Ideas</a>
<li><a HREF="./lg_mail28.html#gen">General Mail</a>
</ul>
</td></tr></table>
</center>
<a name="help"></a>
<p><hr><p>
<!-- =================================================================== -->
<center><H3><font color="maroon">Help Wanted -- Article Ideas</font></H3></center>
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 23:13:13 +0200<BR>
From: Tomas Valusek, <A
HREF="mailto:tvalusek@vs.inext.cz">tvalusek@vs.inext.cz </A> <BR>
Subject: MIDI on Linux
<P>
I'm trying to understand how is MIDI supported on Linux. Can you write a
detailed article about it?
<P>
Tomas Valusek
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Thu, 02 Apr 1998 15:59:18 +0800<BR>
From: Kevin Ng, <A HREF="mailto:kng@HK.Super.NET">kng@HK.Super.NET</A> <BR>
Subject: <B>Patch troubleshooting</B>
<P>
It is common nowadays for s/w to be delivered in form of patches, which
makes sense in terms of saving network bandwidth and time.
However, as a end user, when somehow a patch fails, I don't know what do
do, except email to the original author.
<P>
I'd therefore like to see an article describing patches, i.e.,
<ul>
<li>what are they for ?
<li>How to apply one ?
<li>How to create one ?
<li>How to check integrity of s/w patch
<li>what to do if the patch gives you errors ?
</ul>
Kevin (from Hong Kong)
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 16:51:09 -0800<BR>
From: Nate Daiger, <A HREF="mailto:daiger@newdream.net">daiger@newdream.net</A> <BR>
Subject: <B>HELP--Utility for changing NTFS partition sizes</B>
<P>
I want to dynamically change my NTFS partition to install Linux, but can
only find resizing utilities for FAT. If no such utility exists, is there a
way to install Linux on an NTFS partition?
<P>
Nate Daiger
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 22:33:39 -0500<BR>
From: Ahmad Faiz, <A
HREF="mailto:AFAIZ@cstp.umkc.edu">AFAIZ@cstp.umkc.edu </A> <BR>
Subject: <B>Printing with Linux</B>
<P>
I'm running Red Hat 5.0 on my machine, and I've just bought a HP DeskJet
722C printer, but I couldn't get it to work. I asked around on the IRC
channels, and so far everyone has answered that Linux does not support
it - is it a windows-only printer?
<P>
If so, is it possible to write a driver for it? or does anyone know of
where I can get my hands on the driver (if it's already been written, of
course). I would love to try and write one, but unfortunately I'm new to
Linux and to programming.
<P>
any help would be appreciated...thanks!
<P>
Faiz
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 16:00:19 -0500 (EST)<BR>
From: Nordic Boy, <A
HREF="mailto:jklaas@cs.albany.edu">jklaas@cs.albany.edu </A> <BR>
Subject: <B>SysV init for Slackware</B>
<P>
I am wondering if someone out there knows of a package to change
Slackware's BSDish inittab (and rc.d/rc.*) files to a SysV type structure
with separate rc.d.0, rc.d.1, etc inits. I am asking because I recently
installed KDE and I really like it and I was thinking of using the SysV
init editor that comes with it, but it would be nice to have something to
start with rather than starting from scratch.
<P>
Thanks,
<P>
James Klaas
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Thu, 02 Apr 1998 16:03:00 +0800<BR>
From: Kevin Ng, <A HREF="mailto:kng@HK.Super.NET">kng@HK.Super.NET </A>
<BR>
Subject: <B>How to enable swapping</B>
<P>
My machine, which is a Pentium Pro with 64MB memory, reports no swap
space being used. In procinfo, it always report 0K swap space.
<P>
I did a fdisk on /dev/hda and verified that a 64MB partition of type
Linux swap (83) is actually there.
<P>
So why is the swap never being used ?
<P>
Kevin
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 1998 09:35:37 +0200 (CEST)<BR>
From: K. Nikolaj Berntsen, <A
HREF="mailto:berntsen@bkm.dtu.dk">berntsen@bkm.dtu.dk </A> <BR>
Subject: <B>finite elements programs for Linux</B>
<P>
At the department where I am sitting they are planning to buy a PC-bar,
and they intend to put NT on the machines. I would benefit from them
putting Linux on them, since I could then use them for simulations
overnight.
<P>
I started talking to the ones buying it and my arguments stopped, when
they said that one reason for using NT was that they should be running
finite elements programs on them and that the frontier for those programs
was now on the windows platform. I don't know s... about that, so I am
looking for info; should I accept their arguments or is it that he just
does not know what can be gotten for Linux? Commercial Finite Element
Method (FEM) programs are also in the searchlight!
<P>
Happy Computing, Nikolaj
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1998 13:42:35 -0700<BR>
From: Peter D'Souza, <A HREF="mailto:dsouza@panix.com">dsouza@panix.com</A>
<BR>
Subject: <B>Btrieve Port?</B>
<P>
Our company runs two major apps using a Btrieve database. I was
wondering if anybody has ported either Btrieve server or client to
Linux. It is an extremely fast database (and highly underrated too)
which would be excellent if ported to Linux. I'm not too sure if the
developers of our Btrieve applications would move to Linux, but if I
could test a Linux-based solution with sample datasets, perhaps they'd
be more amenable to the idea of moving to a Linux platform (as an
alternative, at least).
<P>
Peter D'Souza
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 11:12:53 +0200<BR>
From: Denny Åberg, <A HREF="mailto:Denny@ele.kth.se">Denny@ele.kth.se</A>
<BR>
<P>
Hi, I'm tired of starting my X-session with 'startx -- -bpp 16'
to get 16 biplanes instead of the default 8. How do I get xdm
to run with 16 bpp? If I use it now, it starts X with 8bpp on my
Red Hat 5 installation.
<P>
cheers,<BR>
Denny Åberg, Sweden
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 17:18:11 +0000<BR>
From: pheret, <A HREF="mailto:pheret@linex.com">pheret@linex.com</A>
<BR>
Subject: <B>floppy problems</B>
<P>
Hi there. Okay, i don't know if this is a floppy problem, or what,
but here goes.
<P>
I am able to mount my diskette, but when I try to copy something from
the disk to my hard drive I get this error:
<PRE>
floppy0: disk absent or changed during operation
end_request: I/O error, dev 02:00, sector 1
bread in fat_access failed
cp: <file name>: I/O error
</PRE>
Is this because it is mounted umsdos? Should I mount it something
else?
<P>
I am running Linux 2.0.0 on an AST ascentia950n. I only have my basic
system right now because I can't get my floppies to copy! arrgh.
<P>
anyhow, if you can help me, could you please send suggestions to
pheret@linex.com? Thanks!
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 17:53:47 +0200<BR>
From: <A HREF="mailto:letromb@tin.it">letromb@tin.it</A> <BR>
Subject: <B>cd rom</B>
<P>
Hello.I have the Linux Slackware 2.0.30 Walnut Creek.I installed it on a
Pentium 200 MMX
with a 24x CD-ROM.
During the installation I had to write "ramdisk hdd=cdrom" for reading the
CD-ROM, but after
the installation Linux doesn't see the CD-ROM.
I have an atapi CD-ROM, and when I tried to compile my kernel another time,
I saw that atapi
is the default !!! So I don't understand where is the problem .
What can I do ?
<P>
Thank you for your reply,<BR>
Leonardo
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 13:45:54 +0000<BR>
From: Jason Powell, <A
HREF="mailto:jay@Lauren.dyn.ml.org">jay@Lauren.dyn.ml.org </A> <BR>
Subject: <B>Red Hat Linux 5</B>
<P>
Anyone know when Red Hat Linux 5.1 is coming out? I'm running a severely
modified version of 5.0 now, and needless to say it stinks. I can't
compile anything that uses sockets because of broken headers. Suffice to
say, I find it to be quite an annoyance.
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 16:02:09 +0200<BR>
From: Lambert van Eijck, <A
HREF="mailto:eijck@iri.tudelft.nl">eijck@iri.tudelft.nl </A> <BR>
<P>
I'm having a problem with my menus in X.
I can access all menus (by mouse), but the items of those menus which
are WITHIN a "X-box" are not selectable, somehow.
The menus I'm talking about are menus like the 'vt fonts', 'main
options' and 'vt options' in the Xterm.
Or the 'file' and 'page' menu of Ghostscript.
<P>
If anyone has a suggestion on why I can select the menu but not menu
item, please send me a mail.
I'm using Debian 1.3.
<P>
Lambert van Eijck
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 13:12:53 +0800<BR>
From: Guan Yang, <A HREF="mailto:guan@wk.dk">guan@wk.dk</A> <BR>
Subject: <B>How do I set up XDM?</B>
<P>
I have heard that one can login to Linux via XDM. How is this done?
Also, I have also heard that you can get a Linux penguin at boottime or
something like that. Tell!
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 1998 14:42:28 +0200<BR>
From: Ola Ekdahl, <A HREF="mailto:ola.ekdahl@swipnet.se">
ola.ekdahl@swipnet.se</A> <BR>
Subject: <B>Modem</B>
<P>
I am a real Linux newbie and I wonder how do I configure my modem. It's
a sportster flash modem.
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 17:01:59 -0700 <BR>
From: tng, <A HREF="mailto:tng@sosweb.com">tng@sosweb.com</A> <BR>
Subject: <B>getting ppp-2.3.3 to work</B>
<P>
Anyway I finally decided to migrate to linux kernel 2.1.94 mainly
because of the .94 indicates that they are almost ready for the next
stable release...
<P>
The problem I have is ppp 2.3.3 I downloaded is read the README
compiled the required parts and installed flawlessly...Now I CANNOT
conect to my ISP.. They are running a linux network with redhat 5 for
web hosting and slakeware controling the raid and passwords. I'm
running slackware. (redhat would crash every couple days wipeing out my
harddisk...got tired of rebuilding my system...got real good at backups
: ) )
<P>
the ppp-2.2 I was using I had to use the +ua <file> switch where file
contained the username and password for upap auth. after upgrading this
swich was no longer available so I simply added it to my
/etc/ppp/pap-secretes file:
<PRE>
username * password
</PRE>
this didn't work. So, I tried the following:
<PRE>
localhost * username:password
* * username:password
</PRE>
My ISP hangs up on me. I changed the order of the fields every which
way I could thing of but nothing worked. I would like to get my linux
box back on the net because of better transfer times and a more stable
environment. (linux connected at 33.6 and windoz connects and 24.# with
the same serial settings modem init etc.)
<P>
Please help...I hate to downgrade after houres of work upgrading.
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 1998 10:31:14 +0800<BR>
From: Stephen Lee, <A
HREF="mailto:sljm@pobox.org.sg">sljm@pobox.org.sg</A><BR>
Subject: <B>Help Slackware</B>
<P>
I am running Slackware 3.2 and I want my machine to have a name like
stephen.merlin.com when people dial into my machine using PPP or Slip
(My idea is to run some sort of a intranet BBS with poeple dialing in
using Dial-up networking and people can telnet in) but apart from
setting /etc/hostname do I need to run "named" perhaps you can have a
article on how to set up this type of service.
<a name="gen"></a>
<P> <hr> <P>
<!-- =================================================================== -->
<center><H3><font color="maroon">General Mail</font></H3></center>
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Wed, 01 Apr 1998 09:45:11 -0600<BR>
From: Mike Hammel, <A
HREF="mailto:mjhammel@graphics-muse.org">mjhammel@graphics-muse.org </A> <BR>
To: STunney@ahcpr.gov <BR>
Subject: <B>grammer sites?</B>
<P>
You recently wrote to the Linux Gazette to express your aggravation
about the use of apostrophes and the world "alot" in many articles and
letters. You are correct - both of these are misused often in email,
even more so in general email not destined for an online magazine.
I often find myself trying to reword a sentence to not use "alot", and
am aggravated with myself for having used it so often I can't think of
more proper wording! You also mentioned that there were online
dictionaries available. My only problem with your letter was you didn't
mention where these could be found. If you have a few references, a
follow up letter to the Gazette would be grealy appreciated. I know I
often have need for a dictionary and a theasaurus in my own writings.
Although I have one of each, they are pocket editions and somewhat
limited. I realize I could look for references via Yahoo or other
online search engines, but I thought since you had mentioned their
existance you might already have the references.
<P>
Thanks. <BR>
Michael J. Hammel, The Graphics Muse
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Wed, 01 Apr 1998 11:55:05 +0100<BR>
From: John Hartnup, <A HREF="mailto:slim@ladle.demon.co.uk">
slim@ladle.demon.co.uk</A> <BR>
Subject: <B>Regular Expressions</B>
<P>
Great April issue. Thanks.
<P>
The further reading section for the Regular Expressions in C++ section
misses out the *excellent* O'Reilly book <I>Mastering Regular
Expressions</I>.
<P>
I suspect that most people, like me before I read the book, don't
realise the sheer power behind regexs. It's revloutionised my coding
methods (especially in Perl!).
<P>
John
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 19:51:30 -0500 (EST)<BR>
From: Casimer P. Zakrzewski, <A HREF="mailto:zak@acadia.net">
zak@acadia.net</A> <BR>
Subject: <B>IBM 8514 Monitor and X</B>
<P>
I hope you have the space to publish all of this letter. I would certainly
appreciate it if you did.
Back in the Feb 98 issue of LG, my request for help with installing X on the
old IBM monitor I have was published, and I received a number of replies,
from all over the world as you'll see. I wish to thank:
<PRE>
Corey G. <chds652@BOTCC.COM>;
Todd Jamison <jamison@littonos.com>;
"War Hound" <warhound@worldnet.att.net>;
Justin Dossey <dossey@ou.edu>;
Martin Vermeer <mv@fgi.fi>;
Alexy Yurchenko <ayurchen@bell.aispbu.spb.su>;
Robert Reid <reid@astro.utoronto.ca>; and,
Miss Valarie Frizzle
</PRE>
Many advised using 'xvidtune' to get the proper settings, and a couple
advised me to get RH5.0. I only got around to trying out anything about two
weeks ago.
<P>
Now this may come in handy for anyone else with a monitor like mine. It was
so simple it was foolish. First, I couldn't find 'xvidtune' after
reinstalling RH4.2, so I figured I'd play around with the X configuration.
If I blew the monitor, well.....
<P>
In the RH installation, when I got to the selection of monitors, I bit the
bullet and selected 'custom'. A new menu came up, and guess what? In it
was a listing for an 'IBM 8514 or compatible'. (As the younger people say
today, I said "Duh?") I kind of figured my monitor was as compatible as it
could get!
<P>
After I clicked on that and popped in what freqs I knew, X worked perfectly.
Which is a nice end to the tale, but doesn't address the problem.
The problem was that I was afraid to (as Ms. Frizzle says) 'Take chances;
get messy.' I was too happy webbing along in the Win95 world. To newbies
like me out there, all I can say is: do just that. I advise having a
notebook and pen handy at all times, though, to write down anything you
change and where you changed it.
<P>
Does RTFM sound familiar? Do that, too. A lot. Linux can be confusing,
especially when you're trying to do something supposedly simple like
installing PPP (I'm *still* working on that) and at different web sites you
find three or four different ways to do that, and none seem to work in your
case.
<P>
That's when you take chances and get messy. And you may well (as I've had
to do), hit the big RESET button when it's a total SNAFU, and maybe have to
reinstall. Breaks of the game. And that's where the notebook you've been
writing all your changes comes in very handy. If you try to keep it all in
your head, the kumpewter will win every time.
<P>
In addition, there is a lot of help from off-line sources, like library book
sales. Last year, for example, I picked up an 'outdated' SAMS book
entitled, "X Window System Programming". That was before I even thought
about putting together another 'puter - over eight years from touching a
keyboard. I may never use it; but it only cost $.50.
Local gurus; if you're lucky enough to have them, be subtle in your approach
to them. Like, 'Uh, gee, you can really get your (whatever it is) really
whipping up a storm. Mine kinda...', and let it drag out. Ten years ago
when I was a supposed 'guru', that *always* got me going. And I learned
from a guy who had a really modern system back in the '80s, so I got one
just like it.
<P>
When you say, "TRASH-80", you better smile, pardner! Mod-1, no less. 4K RAM.
Damn thing could do just about anything.
<P>
Your ISP may or may not be a help, but try it. Where I am, when I walked in
to sign up and the word Linux passed my lips, I thought they'd hang balls of
garlic around their necks.
<P>
But if you want to do it, you will. I still don't have PPP on Linux, for
example, so under Win95, if I find something tempting on the web, I still
download it. It can always be put on a disk, if necessary - say you don't
have a dos mount - and then tarred to your Linux partitiion.
<P>
But write it down; write it all down.
<P>
That's all I have to say, except I again all those who sent me help.
That's what Linux is all about anyway, isn't it.
<P>
PS: I hope I was correct in the above to please the English purists. If
not: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maximum culpa.
<P>
Zak
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 14:30:29 -0600 (MDT)<BR>
From: Dale K. Hawkins, <A HREF="mailto:dhawkins@teton.Mines.EDU">
dhawkins@teton.Mines.EDU </A> <BR>
Subject: <B>Bazaar ISP...</B>
<P>
Hello, I was wondering if anyone has ever considered the idea of a bazaar
model for running an ISP. By a Bazaar model, I of caurse refer to the
infamous Cathedral vs. Bazaar model for software development. So what do
I really mean. I mean an ISP by the people for the people. I have found
that most ISP's are very restrictive in how things are run, i.e., many of
the interesting utilities are strictly off limits. For example, I was
recently trying to setup cvs to work as a server. The normal way to do
this is by adding a line to inetd.conf. However, being only a "user" on
my ISP, I had no way to accomplish this. So I though of a more complex
way to set this up, but that method require the use of crontab. Again
this service is not available to Joe User.
<P>
I am very aware of the obvious security issues, but surely there must be a
way to improve the situation in someway. I cannot but think about rms
(Richard Stallman) and some of his lestures on the evils of a sysadmin and
thinking, "how true". But how can one deal with the open system issue,
while still maintain a certain level of system security. I would be very
pleased to see this erupt into a deep and lengthy thread somewhere. Just
my 2 cents.
<P>
-Dale
<P> <HR> <P>
<!--====================================================================-->
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1998 21:12:00 +0100<BR>
From: William Chesters, <A HREF="mailto:williamc@dai.ed.ac.uk">
williamc@dai.ed.ac.uk</A> <BR>
Subject: <B>Linux is not ready for the desktop</B>
<P>
David Wagle ("Evangelism: A Unix Bigot and Linux Advocate's Spewings",
Linux Gazette #27) points out some good reasons why converting people
to Linux can be harder than we expect.
<P>
But he seems to shy away from the natural conclusion. It is not
currently possible to put together a setup which makes it possible for
people to do normal day-to-day work and simple admin without serious
trouble---whether or not they care about abandoning their existing
Windows software. Ergo, Linux is simply not, in all conscience, a
suitable platform for unsupported users who just want to get their
jobs done.
<P>
It very nearly is. I run the maximally friendly Linux installation
with Red Hat, linuxconf, KDE, Netscape and Word Perfect; my experience
is that intelligent non-Unix users can manage fine 90% of the time.
The remaining problems are very obvious, but here there are anyway
spelt out in order of seriousness:
<UL>
<LI> Few of the heavyweight GUI apps and tools mentioned above work
reliably: they suffer at least as many bugs and crashes as
their Windows equivalents (KDE, of course, is still in beta).
While on the other hand ...
<LI> ... The classic Unix applications (emacs, tex <I>etc.</I>) are
rock steady; but they are not wonderful enough, outside certain
narrow (generally academic) domains, to offset the difficulty
and crankiness which everyone freely admits they exhibit.
<LI> The GUI tools cannot handle all day-to-day tasks; and
to achieve the best coverage, you have to use
tools from several different stables, which is
confusing---especially when they interact poorly with each
other.
<LI> Some classes of desktop application simply do not exist for
Linux at any price, or are far inferior to their Windows
counterparts. Try getting something to typeset music.
<LI> Nothing even attempts to achieve the kind of effortless
networking which Windows users take for granted. (Don't
flame me---go and try Windows.)
<LI> The underlying OS does have a few bugs, minor perhaps, but
nevertheless showstoppers for unsupported users. "Just stop
lpd, remove the lp kernel module, modprobe it again and restart
lpd" is not what they want to hear.
</UL>
Yes, progress over the last year or two has been breathtaking. The
developer community has shown itself capable of coming up with really
lovely utilities and tools for non-initiates, and it no longer seems
implausible that Linux will soon develop into something that rivals NT
for ease of use. But in the mean time, proposing Linux to anyone not
already conversant with Unix is tantamount to suggesting a new hobby:
one with tangible rewards, to be sure, but let's admit that's what it
is. Linux is <B>not</B> ready for the desktop.
<P> <hr> <P>
<!--================================================================-->
<center>Published in <i>Linux Gazette</i> Issue 28, May 1998</center>
<!--====================================================================-->
<P> <hr> <P>
<A HREF="./lg_toc28.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/indexnew.gif" ALT="[ TABLE OF
CONTENTS ]"></A>
<A HREF="../index.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/homenew.gif" ALT="[ FRONT
PAGE ]"></A>
<A HREF="./lg_tips28.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/fwd.gif" ALT=" Next "></A>
<P>
<h5>This page written and maintained by the Editor of <I>Linux Gazette</I>,
<A HREF="mailto: gazette@ssc.com">gazette@ssc.com</A><BR>
Copyright © 1998 Specialized Systems Consultants, Inc. </H5>
<P>
<!--startcut ==========================================================-->
</body> </html>
<!--endcut ============================================================-->
|
