From: pmacdona@sol.UVic.CA (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS: A Free Linux Distribution
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 92 22:13:30 GMT
Forgive if this is a repost, Pnews hung on my last send :-)
Linux is already available from a distribution service (commercial
found at the end since none of you will want to use it anyways).
What I am looking for is an FTP admin (Jim W. , you listening?)
to allow the upload it (about 17Meg) to your archive.
Also about a dozen burly (in hacker terms this means
you are more likely to say "the following patch..." than "why don't
you...") volunteers to excercise and criticise it. Respond via mail
please.
This distribution is different primarily because it has an initial
install program which does everything except fdisk and mkfs,
it breaks everything into packages, which can be
stored on DOS floppies, meaning disk images don't have to be posted
(except for the boot and utils disks), and because it has a menu
driven sysadmin program.
Also a primary goal was to try to stem the tide of postings
due to misconfigured systems.
Following is the readme file from the distribution.
===================================================================
Here is release .96c of the SoftLanding Linux System (SLS),
which is NOT just an image dump of someones Unix system.
Instead its primary purposes are:
0) provide an initial installation program (for the quesy).
1) utilities compiled to use minimal disk space.
2) provide a reasonably complete/integrated U*ix system.
3) provide a means to install and uninstall packages.
4) permit partial installations for small disk configs.
5) add a menu driven, extensible system administration.
6) take the hassle out of collecting and setting up a system.
7) give non internet users access to Linux (dist service).
In particular, the menu interface allows the users to see
what commands would be executed if an option was selected,
so that Unix newbies who use it, don't have to always stay
newbies (this was my big complaint about DELL, ISC, etc).
In some ways, however, this release is more a framework than
a finished product in that much more can be added to the menus.
So be forewarned.
This distribution is freely available if you have internet
access, or an obliging friend with access to it.
The distribution is made up of 15 disks, only the first two of
which are not DOS formatted floppies. Each disk contains about
1100K of stuff. You can, however, get a pretty complete system with
just disk 1-4, or if you already have linux up, just disks 3 and 4.
There are several reasons for using DOS formatted
floppies for for distribution:
1) it is easier for first time users to download/bootstrap
2) it is easier to post/view/maintain/change the distribution.
3) users can take just the parts from each disk they want.
4) DOS diskcopy can be used to backup all but disks 1 and 2.
This is a binary mostly distribution (except for the kernel), and
is broken into 2 parts: base (10 disks) and X (5 disks).
Highlights of the base are: gcc/g++, emacs, kermit, elm/mail/uucp,
gdb, sc (spreadsheet), man pages, groff, elvis, zip/zoo/lh and menu.
Highlights of X are: X, programmers libs, 75 dpi fonts, games (spider,
tetris, xvier, chess, othello, xeyes, etc) and utilities like xmag,
xmenu, xcolormap, and gwm.
Utilities < 40K are linked -N (in most cases) to eliminate the
header, so much disk space is saved. Disk usage is as follows:
Minimal base system: 3 Meg
Full base system: 16 Meg
Full base system + X11: 27 Meg
An auto installation utility is provided which does all the work
after the user does an fdisk and mkfs. Installation begins with
doinstall /dev/hd?
which installs some or all software onto the hard drive, generates a
new boot disk, and then asks the user to reboot to use the hard disk.
This should be more or less fool proof :-).
Other configurations are easily obtainable, by using the sysinstall
utility to install and uninstall selected packages.
The SLS system is available, primarily for non-netters from:
Softlanding Software
910 Lodge Ave.
Victoria, B.C., Canada
V8X-3A8
(604) 360-0188
for $3.25/disk US ($4.00/disk Canadian) copying charge.
See Softlanding for a gentle touch down from a DOS bailout.
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 92 21:52:16 GMT
Ok, SLS is now available at tsx-11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/SLS.
But since it totals about 17 Meg or so, I caution all but
the most zealous against obtaining it. Basically just
testers please.
The reason I am posting and not mailing just the testers, is
that I am away on maternity, my machine has been toasted for
me so that I have no mail access. Good timing eh? So just
post test results please, since I can not receive your mail
right now.
If all goes ok, after a week or so, other FTP sites could
pick it up. It should be pretty apparent by then what the
collective opinion is.
BTW: If there are any comments about other software that should
be added, please let me know. I insist upon keeping it to 15 disks
for now, but there is still some room left (not much though).
But, if you just want to bitch about how it should contain
the source tree, or should have all the alpha kernels and
tcpip alpha, etc, please consider using 386BSD. The goal of SLS
is to maintain a balance between small and featureful, with
an emphasis on the former.
Peter.
From: davidsen@ariel.crd.GE.COM (william E Davidsen)
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: 15 Aug 92 22:48:05 GMT
Reply-To: davidsen@crd.ge.com (bill davidsen)
In article <1992Aug15.215216.18073@sol.UVic.CA>,
pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald) writes:
| BTW: If there are any comments about other software that should
| be added, please let me know. I insist upon keeping it to 15 disks
| for now, but there is still some room left (not much though).
| But, if you just want to bitch about how it should contain
| the source tree, or should have all the alpha kernels and
| tcpip alpha, etc, please consider using 386BSD. The goal of SLS
| is to maintain a balance between small and featureful, with
| an emphasis on the former.
I'm sorry you consider it bitching, but I /do/ think that the source
tree should be included, because the GPL requires that it be made
available. That's why I'm not distributing disks myself.
I would suggest that you break this into sections, like SCO (only not at
$1500/section) of install, base utils, extended utils, X, games, gcc,
and source.
I was not upset when you stated your prices, although lots of others
seemed to be. You are entitled by the GPL to charge whatever the market
will bear. I /am/ upset that you seem to be violating the GPL in your
distribution, and I hope others will be, too. You are welcome to
consider this a "bitch about how it should contain the source tree"
should you desire. I consider it "let's all play by the rules."
--
bill davidsen, GE Corp. R&D Center; Box 8; Schenectady NY 12345
I admit that when I was in school I wrote COBOL. But I didn't compile.
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 92 02:36:34 GMT
In article <1992Aug15.224805.26718@crd.ge.com>
davidsen@crd.ge.com (bill davidsen) writes:
>In article <1992Aug15.215216.18073@sol.UVic.CA>,
>pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald) writes:
>
>| BTW: If there are any comments about other software that should
>| be added, please let me know. I insist upon keeping it to 15 disks
>| for now, but there is still some room left (not much though).
>| But, if you just want to bitch about how it should contain
>| the source tree, or should have all the alpha kernels and
>| tcpip alpha, etc, please consider using 386BSD. The goal of SLS
>| is to maintain a balance between small and featureful, with
>| an emphasis on the former.
>
>I'm sorry you consider it bitching, but I /do/ think that the source
>tree should be included, because the GPL requires that it be made
>available. That's why I'm not distributing disks myself.
According to this, everyone who posts a binary, without the full source,
is guilty. That includes GCC and X11.
>
>I would suggest that you break this into sections, like SCO (only not at
>$1500/section) of install, base utils, extended utils, X, games, gcc,
>and source.
Be my guest.
>
>I was not upset when you stated your prices, although lots of others
>seemed to be. You are entitled by the GPL to charge whatever the market
>will bear. I /am/ upset that you seem to be violating the GPL in your
>distribution, and I hope others will be, too. You are welcome to
>consider this a "bitch about how it should contain the source tree"
>should you desire. I consider it "let's all play by the rules."
>
Perhaps my use of the word "bitch" was inappropriate. I sometimes
get a little fatigued at how often people confuse criticism with
contributing.
Please go back and (re)read my first SLS posting. In it I clearly
state that Softlanding will make C source available as per GPL, but that
they discouraged it. However, I expect few to want it because it would
be horrendously large.
You also seem to have erroneously assumed that I have such a source
tree in my possession. If so, it is incorrect. SLS is a composite
of binaries that were posted (MCC, MJ, X11, and many miscellaneous) plus a
a pile I compiled. As I told Ted, Softlanding will not, I repeat NOT
charge for any software/scripts/configurations it develops. It charges
only for copy service. If you find the stated price unacceptable,
then please excercise your free market right to go elsewhere.
To be clear, I have not, and will not, volunteer to set up a
centrally administered source tree for Linux. Although I am not denying
that there may be some merit to it, I just don't have the time (do you?).
Instead, I did something that wasn't all that difficult (collect binaries,
integrate and write a few scripts), but that can potentially benefit
a large # of people by saving them the hassle of building their own system.
Plus hopefully, traffic on the newsgroup due to misconfigured systems, may
be reduced.
But all of this I said in my first SLS post. Please go back and read it,
particularly the goals section.
If you want the source tree so bad, I suggest you either go to 386BSD or
you do it yourself. I am a little taken aback, however, at your trying
to use the GPL to bully me into doing it. I haven't the time. But
I weighed what I could do, that would, in my opinion, benefit the
Linux community maximally. I didn't really expect everyone would agree
with that.
BTW: The Softlanding Distribution has one primary goal. To remedy the
fact that Linux is not visible outside of electronic networks. The hope
is to generate enough revenue to support advertising. If it makes money
beyond that, then the owner of Softlanding (no, it is not me), will be
pleased. But I doubt personally that there will be enough demand to do that.
>--
>bill davidsen, GE Corp. R&D Center; Box 8; Schenectady NY 12345
> I admit that when I was in school I wrote COBOL. But I didn't compile.
From: tytso@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Theodore Ts'o)
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Reply-To: tytso@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Theodore Ts'o)
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 23:13:00 GMT
From: rhodesia@wixer.cactus.org (Felix S. Gallo)
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 92 18:41:15 GMT
How 'available' will it be, considering the next paragraph in which
you say that you don't actually have the source yourself? If I buy
your distribution, will you then, at no extra cost, send me the
source? Didn't think so.
>You also seem to have erroneously assumed that I have such a source
>tree in my possession.....
Ahem. The GPL does not state that you have to have and distribute a
source *tree*. It merely states that you have to make the *sources*
available. Do you understand the difference?
The GPL also does not require that you send the sources at no extra
cost, if they weren't included in the distribution. It states that you
must provide them *at cost*. You should read the GPL before you you
start flaming about it. Peter has fulfilled this requirement.
I imagine he has the individual source packages which were posted by the
authors who made the original binary distributions, and that's what he's
making available. He probably hasn't recompiled the binaries to make
sure they match the sources 100%, and is instead relying on the original
posters to make sure this is the case.
Do you have a problem with that? After all, I do the same thing on
tsx-11, one of the major FTP sites for Linux in the U.S. I have
neither the time nor inclination to make sure the posted sources and
binaries match up. I hope you don't have a problem with it, because I
have NO intention of changing what I do just because some juvenile
flamer starts whining about what other people should do with their
donations of their time.
Now, will you all get off Peter's back? He's doing the Linux community a
great service, and all he is getting is flames. Sheesh!
- Ted
From: rhodesia@wixer.cactus.org (Felix S. Gallo)
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Reply-To: rhodesia@wixer.UUCP (Felix S. Gallo)
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 92 18:41:15 GMT
pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald) writes:
>
>Please go back and (re)read my first SLS posting. In it I clearly
>state that Softlanding will make C source available as per GPL, but that
>they discouraged it. However, I expect few to want it because it would
>be horrendously large.
How 'available' will it be, considering the next paragraph in which
you say that you don't actually have the source yourself? If I buy
your distribution, will you then, at no extra cost, send me the
source? Didn't think so.
>
>You also seem to have erroneously assumed that I have such a source
>tree in my possession. If so, it is incorrect. SLS is a composite
>of binaries that were posted (MCC, MJ, X11, and many miscellaneous) plus a
>a pile I compiled. As I told Ted, Softlanding will not, I repeat NOT
>charge for any software/scripts/configurations it develops. It charges
>only for copy service. If you find the stated price unacceptable,
>then please excercise your free market right to go elsewhere.
>
>To be clear, I have not, and will not, volunteer to set up a
>centrally administered source tree for Linux. Although I am not denying
>that there may be some merit to it, I just don't have the time (do you?).
If you don't have time to comply with the GPL, then you're in the
wrong business.
>Instead, I did something that wasn't all that difficult [...]
If it isn't all that difficult, then why are you balking at providing
a (very easy to put together) source tree? If you want to make money
by distributing the software, you have to obey the rules which the
software was written under. Your laziness is no excuse.
>If you want the source tree so bad, I suggest you either go to 386BSD or
>you do it yourself. I am a little taken aback, however, at your trying
>to use the GPL to bully me into doing it. I haven't the time. But
>I weighed what I could do, that would, in my opinion, benefit the
>Linux community maximally. I didn't really expect everyone would agree
>with that.
Again, your laziness is no excuse. If you don't have the time to do
the job right, then don't do it -- you're not doing us or anyone else
any favors.
>BTW: The Softlanding Distribution has one primary goal. To remedy the
>fact that Linux is not visible outside of electronic networks. The hope
>is to generate enough revenue to support advertising. If it makes money
>beyond that, then the owner of Softlanding (no, it is not me), will be
>pleased. But I doubt personally that there will be enough demand to do that.
From: jwinstea@fenris.claremont.edu (Jim Winstead Jr.)
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: 16 Aug 92 23:18:07 GMT
In article < 1992Aug16.184115.27017@wixer.cactus.org>
rhodesia@wixer.UUCP (Felix S. Gallo) writes:
>pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald) writes:
>>
>>Please go back and (re)read my first SLS posting. In it I clearly
>>state that Softlanding will make C source available as per GPL, but that
>>they discouraged it. However, I expect few to want it because it would
>>be horrendously large.
>
>How 'available' will it be, considering the next paragraph in which
>you say that you don't actually have the source yourself? If I buy
>your distribution, will you then, at no extra cost, send me the
>source? Didn't think so.
First off, go read the GPL - you might learn something. Then read the
excellent observations someone (I forget who) posted today - it was
worth reading, made valid points, and wasn't just someone going off
half-cocked. Guess what I think of your post?
>>To be clear, I have not, and will not, volunteer to set up a
>>centrally administered source tree for Linux. Although I am not denying
>>that there may be some merit to it, I just don't have the time (do you?).
>
>If you don't have time to comply with the GPL, then you're in the
>wrong business.
Mr. Macdonald does not have to 'set up a centrally administered source
tree for Linux' to hold true to the terms of the GPL. You are making
a completely baseless attack - he has said he will make available
source, if requested, charging only for distribution costs. That is
all the GPL requires him to do.
>>Instead, I did something that wasn't all that difficult [...]
>
>If it isn't all that difficult, then why are you balking at providing
>a (very easy to put together) source tree? If you want to make money
>by distributing the software, you have to obey the rules which the
>software was written under. Your laziness is no excuse.
Putting together a source tree and a binary distribution are worlds
apart - have you done either? The GPL (the 'rules') do not require him
to make available a complete source tree - only the source to the
programs which he distributes as part of his SLS release, as requested
by someone who has purchased the package from SLS.
Please, don't even consider responding until you know what you are
talking about in terms of what SLS is responsible for doing, and then
I expect you won't want to post - what SLS is doing is perfectly
legal, *as long as they make available source for GNU/Copylefted
products at distribution cost for the next three years*, which Peter
Macdonald has said he will do (i.e. make sure is done). SLS is not
even required to do that for various X stuff.
(Yes, this is mildly inflammatory, but this discussion really is
getting out of hand. Also, I apologize if my distinctions between
Peter Macdonald and SLS aren't clear - they are separate entities.)
--
+ Jim Winstead Jr. (CSci '95)
| Harvey Mudd College, WIBSTR
| jwinstea@jarthur.Claremont.EDU
+ or jwinstea@fenris.Claremont.EDU
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 92 23:57:04 GMT
In article <1992Aug16.184115.27017@wixer.cactus.org>
rhodesia@wixer.UUCP (Felix S. Gallo) writes:
>pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald) writes:
>>
>>Please go back and (re)read my first SLS posting. In it I clearly
>>state that Softlanding will make C source available as per GPL, but that
>>they discouraged it. However, I expect few to want it because it would
>>be horrendously large.
>
>How 'available' will it be, considering the next paragraph in which
See below
>you say that you don't actually have the source yourself? If I buy
>your distribution, will you then, at no extra cost, send me the
>source? Didn't think so.
>>
>>You also seem to have erroneously assumed that I have such a source
>>tree in my possession. If so, it is incorrect. SLS is a composite
>>of binaries that were posted (MCC, MJ, X11, and many miscellaneous) plus a
>>a pile I compiled. As I told Ted, Softlanding will not, I repeat NOT
>>charge for any software/scripts/configurations it develops. It charges
>>only for copy service. If you find the stated price unacceptable,
>>then please excercise your free market right to go elsewhere.
>>
>>To be clear, I have not, and will not, volunteer to set up a
>>centrally administered source tree for Linux. Although I am not denying
>>that there may be some merit to it, I just don't have the time (do you?).
>
>If you don't have time to comply with the GPL, then you're in the
>wrong business.
>
>>Instead, I did something that wasn't all that difficult [...]
>
>If it isn't all that difficult, then why are you balking at providing
>a (very easy to put together) source tree? If you want to make money
>by distributing the software, you have to obey the rules which the
>software was written under. Your laziness is no excuse.
>
>>If you want the source tree so bad, I suggest you either go to 386BSD or
>>you do it yourself. I am a little taken aback, however, at your trying
>>to use the GPL to bully me into doing it. I haven't the time. But
>>I weighed what I could do, that would, in my opinion, benefit the
>>Linux community maximally. I didn't really expect everyone would agree
>>with that.
>
>Again, your laziness is no excuse. If you don't have the time to do
>the job right, then don't do it -- you're not doing us or anyone else
>any favors.
>
>>BTW: The Softlanding Distribution has one primary goal. To remedy the
>>fact that Linux is not visible outside of electronic networks. The hope
>>is to generate enough revenue to support advertising. If it makes money
>>beyond that, then the owner of Softlanding (no, it is not me), will be
>>pleased. But I doubt personally that there will be enough demand to do that.
>
It will not be available at all. Softlanding is withdrawing the distribution
service, and since no copies have been distributed as yet, none will
be hurt. I will let the internet lawyers and philosophers hack out
amongst, themselves what is "the right thing to do". Leave me out of
it. I have no time to deal with "contributors" like the above.
I only work on Linux out of a joy of hacking, not due to some
imagined heinous capitalistic bent. But SLS is still available via ftp.
So, as before, if you have any constructive suggestions, not already
put forth, I would be pleased to hear them.
From: fortony@sonne.cso.uiuc.edu
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: 17 Aug 92 02:01:14 GMT
jwinstea@fenris.claremont.edu (Jim Winstead Jr.) writes:
>First off, go read the GPL - you might learn something. Then read the
>excellent observations someone (I forget who) posted today - it was
>worth reading, made valid points, and wasn't just someone going off
>half-cocked. Guess what I think of your post?
Let me guess -- you didn't like it? Actually, the first thing I read
was the GPL, where it says that the source, in machine-readable form,
has to be made available to the person to whom the binaries are
distributed. This fellow representing SLS said that he didn't have
the sources, and that the package was composed of, quote, binaries
pulled off the net.
I wasn't flaming him for not delivering gilt-edged parchments with
every binary distribution set. I was flaming him for clearly having
no intention to deliver the source. How can he, if he doesn't have it?
>Mr. Macdonald does not have to 'set up a centrally administered source
>tree for Linux' to hold true to the terms of the GPL. You are making
>a completely baseless attack - he has said he will make available
>source, if requested, charging only for distribution costs. That is
>all the GPL requires him to do.
Again, please read the post to which I was replying. You cut it out
of your followup, but it did contain lines to the effect that he did
_not_have_the_source_. It is required that he have the source, if
he plans to distribute it under the GPL. Sorry you misunderstood.
>Putting together a source tree and a binary distribution are worlds
>apart - have you done either? The GPL (the 'rules') do not require him
>to make available a complete source tree - only the source to the
>programs which he distributes as part of his SLS release, as requested
>by someone who has purchased the package from SLS.
Yes, I've put together source trees and binary distributions before.
Again, please read his post before drawing judgements about my reply
to his post. It might help you understand what I'm talking about.
Also, I never demanded that Peter Macdonald put together a full
source tree, or implied that it was necessary under the GPL. I know
it's easy and fun to flame, but flame me when I'm actually *wrong*,
please.
>(Yes, this is mildly inflammatory, but this discussion really is
>getting out of hand. Also, I apologize if my distinctions between
>Peter Macdonald and SLS aren't clear - they are separate entities.)
(same proviso)
>--
> + Jim Winstead Jr. (CSci '95)
> | Harvey Mudd College, WIBSTR
> | jwinstea@jarthur.Claremont.EDU
> + or jwinstea@fenris.Claremont.EDU
--
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
Felix Sebastian Ortony fortony@murphy.gis.uiuc.edu
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 04:25:29 GMT
I am going to kick myself for contributing to perpetuating this farce,
but I am weak with amazement.
In article <fortony.714016874@murphy> fortony@sonne.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
>jwinstea@fenris.claremont.edu (Jim Winstead Jr.) writes:
>
>>First off, go read the GPL - you might learn something. Then read the
>>excellent observations someone (I forget who) posted today - it was
>>worth reading, made valid points, and wasn't just someone going off
>>half-cocked. Guess what I think of your post?
>
>Let me guess -- you didn't like it? Actually, the first thing I read
>was the GPL, where it says that the source, in machine-readable form,
>has to be made available to the person to whom the binaries are
>distributed. This fellow representing SLS said that he didn't have
>the sources, and that the package was composed of, quote, binaries
>pulled off the net.
I thought I said I didn't have the source tree. From the original:
* Please go back and (re)read my first SLS posting. In it I clearly
* state that Softlanding will make C source available as per GPL, but that
* they discouraged it. However, I expect few to want it because it would
* be horrendously large.
* You also seem to have erroneously assumed that I have such a source
* tree in my possession. If so, it is incorrect. SLS is a composite
* of binaries that were posted (MCC, MJ, X11, and many miscellaneous) plus a
* a pile I compiled. As I told Ted, Softlanding will not, I repeat NOT
"source tree" != "source". So if you had of asked for
the source to bash, ok, but if you asked for the "source
tree", tough. That I believe complies with the letter of
the GPL.
>
>I wasn't flaming him for not delivering gilt-edged parchments with
>every binary distribution set. I was flaming him for clearly having
>no intention to deliver the source. How can he, if he doesn't have it?
>
>>Mr. Macdonald does not have to 'set up a centrally administered source
>>tree for Linux' to hold true to the terms of the GPL. You are making
>>a completely baseless attack - he has said he will make available
>>source, if requested, charging only for distribution costs. That is
>>all the GPL requires him to do.
>
>Again, please read the post to which I was replying. You cut it out
>of your followup, but it did contain lines to the effect that he did
Ha. Haaaa. Haaaa Haaaaa. Boy talk about the pot calling the kettle
black. In your retort to my post, you cut out most sections of my
original post. But never mind that.
What I want to know is: do you work for AT&T or something. It seems
that you (and others) are deliberately attempting to thwart the
spirit of Linux availability, while masquarading it as a concern
for the "rights of the Linux Community". The intent was to make Linux
easy to use, powerful, and widely available. How is what you are doing,
helping that.
Anyways, for now, distribution via Softlanding is suspended, because
it (you) is getting in the way of developing and testing SLS, which
is after all my primary goal. And I suggest that in future you
read a post 3-4 times before you reply/flame it, and include the
entire original if so. Your image is somewhat tarnished it seems in
the eyes of "real" Linux contributors.
From: fortony@sonne.cso.uiuc.edu
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 07:22:40 GMT
pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald) writes:
>I am going to kick myself for contributing to perpetuating this farce,
>but I am weak with amazement.
sigh.
>I thought I said I didn't have the source tree. From the original:
>* Please go back and (re)read my first SLS posting. In it I clearly
>* state that Softlanding will make C source available as per GPL, but that
>* they discouraged it. However, I expect few to want it because it would
>* be horrendously large.
>
>* You also seem to have erroneously assumed that I have such a source
>* tree in my possession. If so, it is incorrect. SLS is a composite
>* of binaries that were posted (MCC, MJ, X11, and many miscellaneous) plus a
>* a pile I compiled. As I told Ted, Softlanding will not, I repeat NOT
>"source tree" != "source". So if you had of asked for
>the source to bash, ok, but if you asked for the "source
>tree", tough. That I believe complies with the letter of
>the GPL.
From the above article you posted: "SLS is a composite of binaries
that were posted [...] plus a pile I compiled."
From this description of what you were providing, plus the non-occurrence
of the GPL or any subset thereof in the SLS distribution (according to
some other netter, I have not checked myself), plus the hazy distinction
between 'source' and a 'source tree' (if you don't have a source tree,
where and how are you keeping source?), it seems perfectly clear to me
that you don't have what it takes to fulfil the GPL.
If you simply misstated, and forgot to include notice to your distributees
to the effect that source is available, and do in fact have the source code
to the relevant software and will keep it for three years,
*that's*just*great*. I'll throw you a party of one and scribble your
name in my personal book of good guys. I wrote my original post because
all of the factual evidence was against you. *Please* prove me wrong!
*Tell* us you've got the source and will provide notice with every copy
of the GPL binaries. I'd love to be incorrect on this one.
>Ha. Haaaa. Haaaa Haaaaa. Boy talk about the pot calling the kettle
>black. In your retort to my post, you cut out most sections of my
>original post. But never mind that.
That's because they were irrelevant.
>What I want to know is: do you work for AT&T or something. [..]
No, why, are you hiring? :)
> It seems
>that you (and others) are deliberately attempting to thwart the
>spirit of Linux availability, while masquarading it as a concern
>for the "rights of the Linux Community". [...]
That sounds like a conspiracy theory to me. Look, the GPL is a
binding document that happens to be a whole lot more important
to some people than linux is. It has goals and effects which
could profoundly change the nature of programming and programs
all over the world. But it can only do these things if it's
obeyed conscientiously. I suspect that you're disobeying the
GPL in order to get Linux out easier, and in doing so going
against your own spirit of free software availability. It
certainly isn't 'good for linux' to walk all over the license
for the software which makes it usable.
> The intent was to make Linux
>easy to use, powerful, and widely available. How is what you are doing,
>helping that.
The intent of the GPL is to make software (not just Linux) easy to
use, powerful, widely available, instructional and modifiable. Is
it the case that what you are doing is threatening that?
>Anyways, for now, distribution via Softlanding is suspended, because
>it (you) is getting in the way of developing and testing SLS, which
>is after all my primary goal. And I suggest that in future you
>read a post 3-4 times before you reply/flame it, and include the
>entire original if so. Your image is somewhat tarnished it seems in
>the eyes of "real" Linux contributors.
Image doesn't matter if you've got a cause. Instead of being
petulant and stopping all production because someone pointed out
that you appear to be in violation of the GPL, why don't you
simply answer the following questions:
1) Are you aware that the GPL contains provisions for the recipient
of a program to receive full source code of that program in machine
readable form? If so, do you currently deliver notification to
recipients of the SLS package that they can get the source code?
2) Do you have the source code to all programs delivered in the
SLS package which are covered under the GPL? Do you currently
deliver this source code to people requesting it?
I hope that the answer to these questions is yes. If it is, there
will undoubtedly be nobody happier than me; I'm the fella who's
gotten over 20 completely illiterate mail messages from people who
have about as much sense of reality and morals as your standard
moray eel on this subject, and I definitely want to receive no more.
ObHumor: one of them said everyone at MIT was "a fag anyway".
Errr, well, okay...:)
--
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
Felix Sebastian Ortony fortony@murphy.gis.uiuc.edu
From: jliddle@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Jean Liddle)
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 08:19:45 GMT
In article <1992Aug17.042529.17518@sol.UVic.CA>
pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald) writes:
>I am going to kick myself for contributing to perpetuating this farce,
>but I am weak with amazement.
>
Me sentiments exactly. I've restrained myself to only one post on this
subject, but ...
>
>Anyways, for now, distribution via Softlanding is suspended, because
>it (you) is getting in the way of developing and testing SLS, which
>is after all my primary goal. And I suggest that in future you
This is indeed unfortunate. Please reconsider. I will lose internet
access in the not-to-distant future, and will want to avail myself of
your services. Your release sounds like a good one -- I was planning
on downloading it this week and maybe making it available here. :(
As for my personal opinion, I would be delighted to see linux become
widespread enough that commercial developers might consider porting
applications to linux. Being able to get SimCity for X under linux
would be extremely cool. For this to ever happen, a service such as
yours will be needed to fill a valuable distribution niche. But then,
there are probably those who would scream bloody murder if anyone
actually tried to (gasp!) sell software which runs under linux.
oh well, all the best.
Jean.
--
Jean Liddle | == Bill Clinton for President ==
Computer Science, Illinois State University |
e-mail: jliddle@ilstu.edu | - Carol Mosley Braun for Senat -
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: Re: SLS: now available (for testers)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 17:18:51 GMT
In article <1992Aug17.081945.18039@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu>
jliddle@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Jean Liddle) writes:
>In article <1992Aug17.042529.17518@sol.UVic.CA>
>pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald) writes:
>>I am going to kick myself for contributing to perpetuating this farce,
>>but I am weak with amazement.
>>
>
>Me sentiments exactly. I've restrained myself to only one post on this
>subject, but ...
>>
>>Anyways, for now, distribution via Softlanding is suspended, because
>>it (you) is getting in the way of developing and testing SLS, which
>>is after all my primary goal. And I suggest that in future you
>
>This is indeed unfortunate. Please reconsider. I will lose internet
I have already reconsidered, and now find that I let the vocal minority
(who's speed of response was stunning) hold sway where it should not.
Therefore, Softlanding will distribute SLS, as before.
To that end, I would urge recompiling with 2.2.2d of large packages
like Gdb and groff, using -jump. If it works as expected, then it will
be possible to distribute updates that are just the new libs, and the
new kernels. It would also be nice to consolidate the fonts from
the different packages like X11 and TeX.
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: Who can use SLS
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 92 16:04:57 GMT
People are starting to ask if SLS can be used for various and
sundry purposes, such as redistribution or selling. Since I
didn't state so in the README, let me clear the air here. Anybody
can use SLS for anything they want (except restricting others
of course). In short, the same rules that apply to the Linux
kernel, apply to SLS. If you wish to sell it for $5,000.00
(support extra) and can find someone to buy it, you are free
to do so. If you wish to siphon it through to Bullitin (sp?)
boards or Fidonet, by all means. After all, SLS is designed
to save people the agonizing task of collecting and integrating
a system themselves. And it is hoped it will catapult it
to greater availability.
Peter
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS update
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 92 02:06:35 GMT
A new README, 1.Z and some misc files in 3/ has been uploaded to
tsx-11.mit.edu. The new bootimage has an improved install script
which allows for things like installing from the B: drive. Disk3
now contains a copy of the readme, plus the boot_b.exe and boot_b.doc
files, so that SLS can now be installed from the B: drive, yes, even
the boot. It also correctly sets the /lib/libm.a libhard.2.2.2 if
you tell it you have a 387.
Following is the readme file. Hopefully, it answers some of the
plethora of questions I have been getting, but can not answer
because mail is broken on my workstation.
FTP site administrators: I guess it is ok to mirror or download
it to your site now. Good Luck, and hope some find it usefull.
Peter.
=====================================================
SLS (Softlanding Linux System) Copywrite 1992, Softlanding Software.
Here is release .96c of the SoftLanding Linux System (SLS),
which is NOT just an image dump of someones Unix system.
This distribution is freely available if you have internet
access, or an obliging friend with access to it.
PRIMARY PURPOSES:
0) provide an initial installation program (for the queasy).
1) utilities compiled to use minimal disk space.
2) provide a reasonably complete/integrated U*ix system.
3) provide a means to install and uninstall packages.
4) permit partial installations for small disk configs.
5) add a menu driven, extensible system administration.
6) take the hassle out of collecting and setting up a system.
7) give non internet users access to Linux.
In particular, the menu interface allows the users to see what
commands (using "v") would be executed if an option was selected,
so that Unix newbies who use it, don't have to always stay
newbies (this was my big complaint about DELL, ISC, etc).
In some ways, however, this release is more a framework than
a finished product in that much more can be added to the menus.
So be forewarned.
There are several reasons for using DOS formatted
floppies for for distribution:
1) it is easier for first time users to download/bootstrap
2) it is easier to view/maintain/change the distribution.
3) users can take just the parts from each disk they want.
4) DOS diskcopy can be used to backup all but disks 1 and 2.
In future, when bmap support comes to DOS FS, a look will
be taken at putting disks 1 and 2 on DOS formatted floppies
as well, so that replication of the system using just DOS
diskcopy is feasable.
DISTRIBUTION CONTENTS:
SLS is a binary mostly distribution (except for the kernel), and
is broken into 2 parts: base (10 disks) and X (5 disks).
Highlights of the base are: gcc/g++, emacs, kermit, elm/mail/uucp,
gdb, sc (spreadsheet), man pages, groff, elvis, zip/zoo/lh and menu.
Highlights of X are: X, programmers libs, 75 dpi fonts, games (spider,
tetris, xvier, chess, othello, xeyes, etc) and utilities like xmag,
xmenu, xcolormap, and gwm.
Utilities < 40K are linked -N (in most cases) to eliminate the
header, so much disk space is saved. Disk usage is as follows:
Minimal base system: 6 Meg
Full base system: 20 Meg
Full base system + X11: 30 Meg
Other combinations are easily obtainable, by using the sysinstall
utility to install and uninstall selected packages. The next release
will have better documentation, jump tables (hopefully) and a more
complete and flexible installation utility.
In brief, the disks contain the following:
disk1: Boot and Ramdisk FS image.
disk2: Utilities disk.
disk3: Contains the base system, minus the /usr/bin directory.
disk4: Contains the base systems /usr/bin/ directory.
disk5: Contains the kernel source code, and the GNU debugger Gdb.
disk6: Contains the base systems man pages and uucp (for mail).
disk7: Contains the gcc compiler and libs.
disk8: Contains the GNU C++ compiler and grof utils.
disk9: Contains mail, grof and include files.
disk10: Contains emacs.
disk11: Contains the base X-windows system. You will need at least this
and X386 from xextr1.1 to run X-windows.
disk12: Contains the X386 server and some games and things.
disk13: Contains the programmers libraries etc, for compiling X programs.
disk14: Contains the 75 Dot/inch fonts for X.
disk15: Contains gwm (Generic Window Manager) which can emulate Motif and others.
INSTALLATION:
The distribution is made up of 15 disks, only the first two of
which are not DOS formatted floppies. Each disk contains about
1100K of stuff. You can, however, get a pretty complete system with
just disk 1-4, or if you already have linux up, just disks 3 and 4.
You may want to get just 1-4 first and do a minimal install, just
to get a feel for the system.
First thing, write protect all disks, as the install process doesn't
need to write to any distribution disk. After that just boot with
Disk1 in drive A: (or drive B: if using the boot_b method below).
When prompted, replace with Disk2 (the utilities disk) as requested
by the menu.
Once the utilities disk is mounted, you will need to use fdisk, and
then mkfs on the selected partition (see the next section). Once
that is done you can just type:
doinstall /dev/PART
where PART is the disk partition you created with fdisk, and you
should be off to the races. The auto installation utility "doinstall"
does all of the remaining work of installing some or all software onto
the hard drive, and generating a new boot disk. It then asks you to
reboot to start using Linux from the hard disk. The questions
"doinstall" asks are pretty straightforward, and should be more or
less fool resistant :-).
USING FDISK AND MKFS:
Before you can install Linux on your hard drive, you must partition your
drive, and put a file system on it. Roughly, this entails:
- Create a Linux/Minix partition with "fdisk" on your hard drive and reboot.
- Make a file system on the partition with "mkfs".
- Use "doinstall /dev/PART", where PART is your partition, to start
the installation. For example "doinstall /dev/hda2".
This last step will ask you to put a formatted floppy in the drive
so that BOOT DISK can be prepared for you, so have one ready ahead of time.
When the installation is complete, and you reboot from this floppy, you
will be using Linux from your hard drive.
Before you begin, however, you may wish to type "menu" and browse the
Instructions submenu. But make sure you exit "menu" before you start
the install process. You can also print files from there using "P",
or you can use "cat README > /dev/lp1" or "cat README > /dev/lp2".
Your first task after the base install is done, should be to make backup
copies of all of your disks (Look in the "User Commands" menu).
Even before you begin the install, you can use DOS diskcopy to
create backup of disk 3-15, or all but the first two disks.
In fact, you should make sure all disks are write protected first,
before you start the installation.
**************** EXAMPLE PARTITIONING PROCEDURE **************************
/# fdisk
Command (m for help): n
Command action
e extended
p primary partition (1-4)
p
Partition number (1-4): 2
First cylinder (500-977): 500
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (500-977): 977
Command (m for help): t
Partition number (1-4): 1
Hex code (type L to list codes): 81
Command (m for help): v
Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/hda: 5 heads, 17 sectors, 977 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 85 * 512 bytes
Device Boot Begin Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 1 1 499 20000 4 DOS
/dev/hda2 1 1 7 30000 81 Linux/MINIX
Command (m for help): w
reboot now before doing anything else
/#
...<after the reboot>
/# mkfs /dev/hda2 30000
/# doinstall /dev/hda2
**************** END OF EXAMPLE PARTITIONING PROCEDURE *******************
BOOTING FROM DRIVE B:
If your boot drive is a different format than your floppies (ie, one
is 5 1/4 and the other is 3 1/2), and you have a drive B: then do the
following, which allows booting from the B: drive:
1 - Boot up Dos
2 - Put Disk3 in drive B:
3 - Put a blank formatted disk in A:
4 - Type b:\boot_b #if this fails, read B:boot_b.doc
5 - Remove Disk3 and put Disk1 in drive B:
6 - Reboot
DOWNLOADING:
If obtaining via FTP, just use rawwrite.exe to write 1 and 2 to
floppy. Rawwrite.exe is available in tsx-11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/INSTALL.
Download all files in each subdir to a DOS (or Linux) formatted disks,
and you are ready to go. The kernel is 96c, slightly modified to
try all FS types when none is specified on a mount, so install will
work either way. In future, I will probably eliminate this and just
have the install script try all types.
AVAILABILITY:
The SLS system is also available, primarily for non-netters from:
Softlanding Software
910 Lodge Ave.
Victoria, B.C., Canada
V8X-3A8
(604) 360-0188
for $3.25/disk US ($4.00/disk Canadian) copying charge,
for 5 1/4 format. Add $1/disk for 3 1/2 format. Add GST (7%)
and PST/SST as applicable, plus $10.00 S&H. Prices are subject
to change without notice. Sources are available on a component
by components, as requested basis, for the same
distribution fees as above. There will be NO update disks
from Softlanding for this version, but starting, probably,
with the next version when jump tables and >64 processes is
available, a 2-3 disk update issue will be looked at.
Notice: There is no warranty with this product, either expressed
or implied. Use at your own risk. Softlanding is not liable or
responsible for damage or loss incurred or resulting from the use
or misuse of this product, and it's responsibility is limited to
providing copies of disks. Softlanding charges only for the copy
service, not the content. The content is made freely distributable
at no charge, subject to the following restrictions.
RESTRICTIONS:
Please read the file COPYING which outlines the GNU copying
restrictions. The linux kernel is copywrite Linux B. Torvalds.
Various other copywrites apply, but the upshot is that you
may do whatever you like with SLS, except restrict others
in any way from doing likewise, and you must leave all copywrites
intact, and you can not misrepresent or take credit for others work.
SELLING SLS:
SELLING SLS:
Softlanding has no objection to SLS being resold, but it does
have a request. Softlanding asks that if you do resell SLS,
that you also offer customer support to your clients. That is,
Softlanding would ideally be the only source of the unsupported
SLS distribution, or the clearing house for new versions, with
other resellers adding value in the way of support (and
most likely, price). Softlanding, however, intends to make
no effort to enforce or coerce this policy. It is only a
request.
See Softlanding for a gentle touch down from a DOS bailout.
Peter.
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS: don't laugh now but...
Date: 26 Aug 92 03:40:05 GMT
My attempt to make available a Linux distribution that even someone
who has never even used Unix before could install, almost succeeded.
I just got a call from a neophyte who wanted to know what to type
at the login prompt, after he had install all 30 Megs of SLS on his
hard drive. So for the record, login as "root".
A few other questions: If you see login in mincom, maybe you have
ttys1 turned on for login in /etc/inittab?
When downloading SLS, you *MUST* get the "disk*" files, because
they ensure that you follow the install sequence :-).
I am trying to upload ghostscript to disk 15 of SLS. No fonts other
than ugly are supplied. Those are available from prep.ai.mit.edu,
or on another 6 disks, on which TeX has been collected, but I don't
know when I will be able to upload those cause I am having modem
problems or something.
That will bring SLS to 21 disks, but I want to add Interviews
though not till after the next GCC/X11 release that uses
jump tables and 3GB procs. Thus SLS will probably settle out at
26 or so disks for a total system. That's the bad news. The good
news is that it will allow DTP with TeX, xdvi, Ghostscript and Idraw.
And that should be upgradable with just shared libs and a kernel.
Hopefully, this (and source) will form a core for a CDROM,
although it is not clear that everyone will want to spend the
~$400.00 (??) or so buy a player and the CD. Maybe though.
What is still missing is a simple database package with a commandline
user interface ala DB3. Any suggestions.
Anyways, in the mean time, I am waiting for the next GCC so that I can
start building the next (and, with jump tables, hopefully last) system.
Then efforts can be concentrated upon system shakedown.
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS on scsi
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 16:26:14 GMT
SLS 96c install is designed only for Minix FS, since Ext
is beta and changing. Thus the install script does a
mount -t minix. You could try editing doinstall, but
your basically on your own, unless you want to use
Minix FS.
PS. my address if pmacdona@sanjuan.uvic.ca
From: Peter MacDonald <pmacdona@tadpole.bcsc.gov.bc.ca>
Subject: impending SLS update notice
Reply-To: pmacdona@tadpole.bcsc.gov.bc.ca
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1992 15:04:23 GMT
The new release of SLS (0.98) will be out by next Tuesday Sept 29 or so.
There will be two major changes in the structure of the release.
First, language support is beefed up by including the Pascal and Fortran
translators. They seem to work, since a simple Basic interpreter that
was written in Pascal is included as well. Also found ins SLS .98, due
to popular demand, is perl, albeit with two tests still failing. If
someone has fixed this, please let me know.
The second major change is in the packaging. Some of the larger packages
will be broken out into smaller packages, to facilitate updating. This
will primarily involve disk 2-4. In particular, the following packages
are added/broken out:
- shared libs
- bootimage/ps
- kernel source
- the /dev directory
- the menus and system admin shells
Also, the install process is changed into a two step process: install
base, and reboot and install remainder (if desired) from the hard drive.
The previous release let you "install all" from the ram disk/boot disk,
but that meant that the install script had to be on the boot disk/ram disk.
This made it hard to change or modify the install procedure, both for
myself, and the recipients.
There will also be a CHANGES file which will track changes to the
distribution, so that users can download just the components that have
changed. This was just not practical before jump tables, because each
new shlib release invalidated the entire SLS release. Of course, you
could always look at the dates on the uploads to achieve the same thing,
but perhaps BBS's won't have that luxury.
Finally, I will be putting my name on this release :-)
Peter.
pmacdona@sanjuan.uvic.ca
From: Peter MacDonald <pmacdona@tadpole.bcsc.gov.bc.ca>
Subject: New SLS is on tsx-11.mit.edu
Reply-To: pmacdona@tadpole.bcsc.gov.bc.ca
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 22:37:11 GMT
I have uploaded SLS .98 to tsx-11.mit.edu. Currently there are 18
disks, but more will be coming. I note that the root disk is 1204K?
Let me know if it is a problem. Later, after a few have tested it,
I will post a more complete announcement.
More stuff, like gwm, ftp/telnet, etc, will be coming, but now SLS
is designed to expanded and updated. You can just read the HISTORY
file to find what has changed, so remember the date you download please.
Peter.
From: Peter MacDonald <pmacdona@tadpole.bcsc.gov.bc.ca>
Subject: SLS update
Reply-To: pmacdona@tadpole.bcsc.gov.bc.ca
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 03:15:45 GMT
There will be a significant upgrade to SLS posted tomorrow. It takes the
kernel to .98p1 as well as fixing most of the problems posted (permissions
notably). Note that most of the problems resulted from people pressuring
me to release SLS *now*. But take heart, the HISTORY file will allow
you to just download the files that have changed, or download just the new
files and Zfix.taz which fixes permissions on most things.
Please observe that one of the most important skills in using Linux is
patience. No one is deliberately withholding features, rather either
all of the technical problems have not been solved, or/and features have
not yet left beta and been integrated into the kernel. Similarly with
the distributions, it is a monumental task to coordinate it all. Sometimes
you have to spend an hour adding some feature that is not in SLS yet, simply
because I do not have enough hours in the day. If you want to help,
add it yourself to SLS, and upload it, and I will add it if it works.
Just follow the instructions ins THEORY.SLS.
Peter
pmacdona@sanjuan.uvic.ca
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS update
Date: 17 Nov 92 18:21:24 GMT
Here it is:
Peter
pmacdona@sanjuan.uvic.ca
=======================================================================
FAQ AND LATEST UPGRADE NOTICE
=================================================================
The latest upgrade of SLS is now available. Primarily this is an
upgrade to .98p5, but also fixes a number of configuration and
permission problems as well as replacing a few broken binaries.
TCP/IP is also now compiled in the kernel, by default.
Patch level 5 was chosen because PL 4 needed a pretty large patch
which never became official, to fix a partition swapping bug.
Apparently, PL 5 breaks some binaries. The only one in SLS that
I have seen a problem with is "sc" the text spreadsheet. But
since that is an old version that I don't like and want to replace,
I am proceeding. Also, this will allow others to help locate
any other problem areas. So, make sure you keep a copy of the
previous kernel.
I also had to add a couple of disks. Disk "a5" gives the base
distribution a little more room. And disk "x8" is to take
the "IV" images for "doc" and "idraw".
Here is the excerpt form the HISTORY file:
> 921113: z?fix.taz: Get all the z?fix.taz files: fix more permissions,
> replace shutdown and put them all in /usr/bin, rm /usr/bin/lilo
> add real yacc, a man that uses the new fstat, a working xlock,
> fix the X11 fonts (speedo not compressed, misc and 75dpi are).
> b2/emacs.taz: New version of emacs for 98p4+ with NR_FILES=255.
> b2/lilo.taz: the real lilo, version 5. Look in /usr/src/lilo.
> b5/man2.taz: section 2 manpages + a new whatis ~300 lines long.
> x8/*: New IV images idraw and doc. Works, but slow if no 387.
> a1: New boot disk for 98p5, new sysinstall lets mount /usr, etc.
> a2: New root disk for 98p5, new /Image with TCP/IP, ps/top/free.
> b4/lx98p5.taz: Source for kernel.
Note that this version of SLS has a kernel patch, /usr/src/ramvga.cdif,
which, among other things, allows the setting of the default bootup
video-mode, without recompiling, using the "rdev -s" command. See
the FAQ, or use "rdev -help" for more details. The source for this
modified rdev.c is included in /usr/src.
There were a number of problems with the SLS 98p1 that are hopefully solved.
One such was the X11 fonts. The new X server allowed compressed fonts, and
when I initially released it, I just tar/compressed the already compressed
fonts, which caused them to grow by 25-40%. Yuck. This meant some of
the 'x' series disks were unnecessarily full. This was unacceptable for
Softlanding, who distributes SLS and requires reasonable disk usage.
Eventually, I wrote a script which would compress them upon install.
But I ran into troubles. So now they should be fixed, and you should
note that only the misc and 75dpi fonts should be compressed. One
consequence of this is that sysinstall now also handles plain .tar files
as well as .taz files. But a new side effect is the "/users/*.tar not
found" message. Just ignore it.
Also note that in the interest of preventing ftp storms, the version of
SLS that appears on the internet, is not quite the same as the version
distributed by Softlanding. Softlanding regularly gets a whole new
version which has the changes integrated. But the updates to the
Internet version are tailored to minimize the amount that has to
be downloaded to become current. That is why bugs manage to
creep in on me. I am not installing and testing the Internet version,
although, functionally, it should be quite close to the Softlanding one.
So, why am I telling you this? After the next period of stability (few
changes to SLS), I will be uploading the Softlanding version of SLS
to tsx-11.mit.edu. There will be plenty of warning for all to make
sure that you have synced your SLS to the current one. After the upload,
some of the file names will have moved or changed disks, and the z?fix.taz
files will be gone. But you will not need to download this version. It
is only intended to sync the two, and make administration (read: my life)
a lot easier.
SLS FAQ
==============================================================================
Q: Why do I get "shell-init failed"?
A: chmod a+rx /
Q: Why do I get "can not find fixed font"
A: Look in /usr/lib/X11/fonts. Do the fonts.dir and fonts.alias = the fonts
there?
Q: How do I get my C++ program to compile small (ie. without "-static")
A: Use "-nojump", but be aware that it will break when a new shared lib goes in.
Q: Why doesn't makewhatis work?
A: Because the man pages are compressed.
Q: Why do is see "magic match failed" on disk a3?
A: Ignore it it is normal. Sysinstall has to switch from Minix to Dos disks
at a3.
Q: Why do I see "no bmap support" when installing disks?
A: Ignore it it is normal. Dos disks generate this message when mounted.
Q: Why won't the install recognize my disks.
A: Perhaps you have a bad disk, a hardware problem, the download failed or
something else. Some versions of DOS don't seem to like linux. Try
formatting disks on someone elses DOS. Really, you are on your own here.
What I want done, is have the file mounting patches added to a Linux system,
and then store the Images to SLS, with mountings to also access their
contents (someday). Meanwhile. bon chance.
Q: How do I upgrade SLS
A: If from .96, you don't. You must re-install from scratch. Otherwise,
read the HISTORY file and download just the needed files manually.
Q: What version of X11 does SLS use?
A: XFree 1.0. Version 1.1 had some reports of strange behaviour, so no-go.
But, it does use shared libs.
Q: Can I install from the Hard drive?
A: Yes. Even from a Dos HD, but you can't use "doinstall". It goes like:
"sysinstall -instsrc /user -instroot /root -all"
Q: How can I set the video-mode automatically when booting?
A: Use "rdev -v /dev/fd0 1" to simulate typing '1', etc. (-1 sets default vga,
-3 set ask). Try "rdev -help" for more info.
Q: I have only 2Meg of ram, and don't want TCP/IP in the kernel?
A: copy the boot disk, and then use "rdev -r /dev/fd0 0; rdev /dev/fd0
/dev/hda2" to use it as your boot disk. Use the rdev on the HD.
Q: How do I get TCP/IP working?
A: In progress.
==============================================================================
SLS (SOFTLANDING LINUX SYSTEM)
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to release .98p5 of SLS (SoftLanding Linux System). Linux is a
free 386 unix like operating system similar to System V, and developed
by Linus Torvalds, plus a few hundred big hearted programmers on the
Internet. SLS is NOT just an image dump of some ones Unix system.
Instead it is a distribution whose primary purposes are:
0) provide an initial installation program (for the queasy).
1) utilities compiled to use minimal disk space.
2) provide a reasonably complete/integrated U*ix system.
3) provide a means to install and uninstall packages.
4) permit partial installations for small disk configs.
5) add a menu driven, extensible system administration.
6) take the hassle out of collecting and setting up a system.
7) give non internet users access to Linux.
8) provide a distribution that can be easily updated.
SLS contains 400-500 utilities designed to provide a relatively
complete computer operating system for the sophisticated user. It
includes programs for compression, text processing, communications,
Xwindowing system, program development (Assembler, C, C++, Fortran,
Pascal, Lisp, and Perl), mail, spreadsheets, and word-processing. Also
supported are DOS files, a DOS emulator, SCSI, CDROMs, and TCP/IP. A
387 coprocessor is emulated by the kernel if you don't have one. Full
source code for the kernel is also provided with SLS.
The development environment includes libraries for unix and Xwindows, a
debugger that does full screen (via emacs) with support for core dumps.
Shared libraries make the most miserly use of RAM and disk space. FAQ and
Manual pages document most of the Linux utilities. SLS requires at least
9 Meg of disk for the minimal install. 50 Meg or more is required for the
full system (not including TeX or Interviews). You will need at least 2
Meg of RAM, 4 meg if you want to compile programs, and 8 Meg to run
Xwindows. Note that sometimes you can get by with less, but usually with
noticeable performance limitations.
============================================================================
INSTALLATION
Before you can install Linux on your hard drive, you must partition your
drive, and put a file system on it. Roughly, this entails:
- Write protect all disks (do or die).
- Boot Linux from disk a1, mounting the root disk (disk a2).
- Create a Linux/Minix partition with "fdisk" on your hard drive and reboot.
- Make a file system on the partition with "mkfs" (or "mkefs", see below).
- Use "doinstall /dev/PART": PART is your partition (eg "doinstall /dev/hda2"
or "doinstall /dev/hda2 /dev/hda3 /usr /dev/hdb1 /usr/spool" if you wish to
have multiple partitions, with say /usr on a different partition.
Also "doinstall" will execute the script "doinst.sh" if it is found on PART.
The final step will ask you to put a formatted floppy in the drive so the
BOOT DISK can be prepared for you. Have one ready ahead of time. When the
installation is complete, and you reboot from this floppy, you will be using
Linux from your hard drive. Later, you may wish to play with /usr/src/lilo
to boot from your harddrive. Note that if you have less than 4 Meg of RAM,
you will need to make and activate a 4 Meg swap partition, prior to installation.
For example, using /dev/hda3 for swap: "mkswap /dev/hda3 4096; swapon /dev/hda3"
Before you begin, however, you may wish to type "menu" and browse the
Instructions sub menu. But make sure you exit "menu" before you start the
install process. You can also print files from there using "P", or you can
use "cat README > /dev/lp1" or "cat README > /dev/lp2".
Your first task after the base install is done, should be to make backup
copies of all of your disks (Look in the "User Commands" menu). In fact,
you should make sure all disks are write protected before you start the
installation. After the install, you can log on as "root". Later, you may
install interviews with: "sysinstall -series i" Note, although you can use
the Extended FS type, it is not recommended (read as not tested), and is
subject to change.
============================================================================
EXAMPLE PARTITIONING PROCEDURE
... Put disk a1 in drive A: and reboot computer, then put disk a2 in the
... floppy drive you will be doing the install from (usually A: as well).
/# fdisk
Command (m for help): n
Command action
e extended
p primary partition (1-4)
p
Partition number (1-4): 2
First cylinder (500-977): 500
Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (500-977): 977
Command (m for help): t
Partition number (1-4): 1
Hex code (type L to list codes): 81
Command (m for help): v
Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/hda: 5 heads, 17 sectors, 977 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 85 * 512 bytes
Device Boot Begin Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 1 1 499 20000 4 DOS
/dev/hda2 1 1 7 30000 81 Linux/MINIX
Command (m for help): w
reboot now before doing anything else
/#
...<after the reboot>
/# mkfs /dev/hda2 30000
/# doinstall /dev/hda2
... Follow prompts, and insert disks as requested, then login as root.
============================================================================
ADDITIONAL SLS INFORMATION
A menu interface allows the user to see what commands would be executed if
an option was selected. Unix newbies who use SLS don't have to always stay
newbies. SLS is a binary mostly distribution (except for the kernel), and is
broken into multiple parts, or series, each of which is denoted by a letter
followed by the disk number as follows:
a1-aN: The minimal base system
b1-bN: Base system extras, like man pages, emacs etc.
c1-cN: The compiler(s), gcc/g++/p2c/f2c
x1-xN: The X-windows distribution
i1-iN: Interviews (doc and idraw)
t1-tN: TeX (document processing)
This scheme allows new disks to be added to the distribution without
changing the disk numbering. Also, the sysinstall program doesn't have to
be changed when new disks are added as the last disk is marked by the
presence of the file "install.end". And when interviews is added, say as
a new series "i", it can be installed with:
sysinstall -series i
Highlights of the base are: gcc/g++, emacs, kermit, elm/mail/uucp, gdb, sc
(spreadsheet), man pages, groff, elvis, zip/zoo/lh and menu. Highlights of
X are: X, programmers libs, 75 dpi fonts, games (spider, tetris, xvier,
chess, othello, xeyes, etc) and utilities like xmag, xmenu, xcolormap and
ghostscript. Approximate usage is as follows:
Tiny base system: 9 Meg (Series 'a')
Main base system: 25 Meg (Series 'a', 'b' and 'c')
Main base system + X11: 45 Meg (Series 'a', 'b', 'c' and 'x')
============================================================================
LINUX SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Linux supports multiple VC's (virtual consoles). You can switch from one
to the other using the "LEFT-ALT-FN" keys. The right ALT key will not work.
The console in linux more or less emulates a VT100. So you can usually
just use kermit to do your remote logins (even while doing the install :-).
If you have a color monitor, you can even use color using the "setterm"
utility, or just execute the "/etc/startcons" script to have all VC's set
to default values. If your screen gets garbled, you can use "reset".
Up arrow recalls previous commands. Use the "man" command to read the
Linux manual pages, and the "man -k X" to list commands with the keyword
"X" in the command description. The system editor is "vi" but you might
find "joe" easier to learn.
Never just power off your Linux system. Instead type "sync", wait a sec,
then powerdown or reboot. If your disk gets in trouble (or every
couple of weeks anyways) you may wish to run "fsck -av PART" where PART
is your partition, to try to fix any problems.
Dos files can be accessed in one of two ways. The first uses the mtools
commands (mdir, mcopy, mtype, ...). The file "/etc/mtools" may need
some tweeking, especially if you use mformat. The second method is to
mount the dos disk/partition onto a directory. eg:
mount -t msdos /dev/fd0 /user
Swapping can be set up of size SIZE, to a partition or to a file using:
mkswap file SIZE
swapon file
Linux can be booted without the floppy using /usr/src/lilo. Important
directories include:
"/etc" - System configuration information
"/usr/src" - Miscellaneous packages.
"/usr/X386/*" - Xwindows stuff
============================================================================
CONFIGURING X-WINDOWS
Getting X-windows to run on your PC can sometimes be a bit of a sobering
experience, mostly because there are so many types of video cards for the PC.
Linux X11 supports only VGA type video cards, but there are so many types of
VGA's that only certain ones are fully supported. SLS comes with two Xwindows
servers. The full color one, X386, supports some or all ET300, ET400, PVGA1,
GVGA, Trident, and ATI plus. Others may or may not work.
The other server, X386mono, should work with virtually any VGA card, but only
in monochrome mode. Accordingly, it also uses less memory, and should be
faster than the color one. But of course it doesn't look as nice.
The bulk of the Xwindows configuration information is stored in the directory
"/usr/X386/lib/X11/". In particular, the file "Xconfig" defines the timings
for the monitor and the video card. Setting up the monochrome server is pretty
straightforward.
cd /usr/X386/bin/
mv -i X386 X386color # don't overwrite old one
mv X386mono X386
cd /usr/X386/lib/X11/
mv -i Xconfig Xconfig.color # don't overwrite old one
mv Xconfig.mono Xconfig
Now you just have to edit Xconfig to set the mouse device and type "startx".
Setting up the color server is similar, except that usually, you need to
figure out the clock timings to put in Xconfig. README.modegen explains
how you can use the spreadsheet to figure out your clock timings based upon
your monitor specifications. More information can be found in the directory
/usr/X386/lib/X11. But be prepared to fiddle.
============================================================================
AVAILABILITY
SLS is available from the address below for a $3.25/disk US ($4.00/disk
Canadian) copying charge. Add $1.00/disk for 3 1/2" disks, and $10.00 for
shipping and handling. Mail payment, either cheque or money order,
in advance, to Softlanding. Because people keep asking about prices,
Softlanding has provided this commonly ordered configurations price sheet:
NAME #DISKS SERIES 5 1/4 DISKS 3 1/2 DISKS
============================================================================
TINY 4 a US $23.00 (CDN $26.00) US $27.00 (CDN $30.00)
BASE 13 a,b,c US $52.25 (CDN $62.00) US $65.25 (CDN $75.00)
MAIN 21 a,b,c,x,i US $78.25 (CDN $94.00) US $99.25 (CDN $115.00)
FULL 26 a,b,c,x,i,t US $95.50 (CDN $114.00) US $120.50 (CDN $140.00)
Softlanding Software
910 Lodge Ave.
Victoria, B.C., Canada
V8X-3A8
(604) 360-0188
See Softlanding for a gentle touch down from a DOS bailout.
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS update: nfs and shadow password support
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 92 01:31:30 GMT
The latest update to SLS is now available on tsx-11.mit.edu.
As usual, some of the packages had to be moved, and a new disk
was added, but such are the hazards of maintaining a floppy dist.
The other thing is YACRA (Yet Another Cd Rom Announcement), sortof.
See below if you are interested. But back to the business at hand...
UPGRADING
==================================================================
The kernel, which is still .98p5, with lots of patches, is now
compiled with the code-segment-write detection
just printing an error message. This lets uucp work again.
Also the usr/include soft link fail message should be fixed.
921203: a2/image.taz: new boot /Image with nfs client/server.
a2/shlibs.taz: just add a hard link to ~ftp/lib/libc.so.4.
a3/base.taz: new getty, fixed some perms/directory probs.
a4/bin.taz: replaced login with shadow login.
b1/tcpip.taz: Networking stuff at last. Pretty complete too.
b4/shadow.taz: shadow passwd stuff, network means vulnerability.
b4/lxpatchs.taz: kernel patches for networking/nfs.
Note that this release has the unpleasant task of having to mess with the
base or 'a' series, because of the passwd and getty change. The new passwd
stuff is essential because Linux is rapidly becoming "Internetable" Also,
disk a1 was given the new sysinstall script to eliminate the "*.tar not found"
error message. No need to download it just for that though. As a matter of
fact, most people should consider just downloading "tcpip.taz", "shadow.taz",
and disk a2 (to get image.taz). Then just dd /Image to disk, and use
"rdev /dev/fd0 /dev/hd??" to create a boot disk.
DESCRIPTION
==================================================================
This release has the TCP/IP and NFS stuff, such as it is, and passwd
support now uses the shadow passwd stuff. Also getty_ps. The name
server is setup with local name "softland". NFS client and server
(readonly) work. You can test with "mount softland:/home/user1 /mnt".
Note that I have only been able to test in loopback mode though.
Ftp has been setup (yes, even anonymous ftp has been configured, so
disable it if you like), and rsh and rcp work, but rlogin isn't there.
and talk isn't talking yet. The list of contributors is long and
disappears somewhere off into the mists. I won't even try to mention
any names (like Rick, Ed and Ross), because there are so many.
Anyways, I am not the best person to have configured the TCP stuff, since
I haven't configured too many IP boxes before. Not properly
anyways. But as the perpetrator of SLS, it has fallen to me to try
to assuage the rising cries of "how do I configure the tcp stuff..."
Just finding and compiling this stuff was quite an adventure.
If you want to compile the kernel again, to use this stuff, you will
need to apply at least patches /usr/src/patches/*, plus fix mm/memory.c
codeseg write to use printk instead of signal.
To generate new nameserver files from your /etc/inet/hosts file, just
edit hosts and use the mkhosts script, which just calls hostcvt.
Note: if you misconfigure your named tables, you will likely see
reboots when you telnet, ftp, rpcinfo. Nice huh? Lucky thing that
super users never make mistakes though.
Telnet and ftp are working, and you should note that anonymous ftp can be
enabled in /etc/ftpuser. See the manpages.
Shadow password support is now the standard in SLS, and ftpd has been hacked
to support it, and to support long (16 char) passwords. The stupid error
messages you see when logging on as root, come from syslogd, and
can be elminated using "rm /dev/log; syslgd >& /dev/null&"
or to a file. The real "syslogd" utility has yet to be made to work
properly under Linux. I compiled this into the IP and Shadow
stuff because they are invaluable in problem determination.
Without them, I would not have been able to get this working.
YACRA
==================================================================
I am attempting to collect and configure the source for SLS into
Make ready form, and then to make it available on tape. Subsequently
Softlanding wants to put it on CD Rom. The format there will be to,
allow development, without having to copy it to the hard drive.
Possibly, most of SLS may be able to run from the CD, but more important
is it will allow you to generate floppy distributions from it quickly and
easily for easy redistribution, but obviously some work has to be
done to the kernel to allow this. In other words, like the current SLS,
a primary purpose is to allow easy redistribution and easy updating
(well I try anyways) and for most of us, that means (shudder) floppies.
More, I don't want to say now, except that it will probably not appear
until late January/February timeframe.
pmacdona@sanjuan.uvic.ca
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS update: shadow passwd enhancement
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 92 23:08:08 GMT
Well I fixed the problems with the shadowing of groups, so that is now
standard. Also now you can use the Linux kernel support for multiple
concurrent groups. I will try to get the fixes off to the author
of shadow passwd as soon as I can.
I now feel that SLS is secure, and if anyone can find a way to circumvent
the security, from a non superuser account, please let me know. People
are now free to be as paranoid as they want (network wise of course,
since computer security with physical proximity is impossible).
Also, a sysinstall is in a4/menus.taz, to fix most posted problems.
Find attached, after the excerpt from the HISTORY file, the FAQ, which
I am finding many posted questions still in ignorance of.
Peter.
921204: a4/menus.taz: the newest sysinstall.
b4/shadow.taz: now shadows groups, and handles multi concurrent groups.
==============================================================
SLS FAQ
==============================================================================
Q: Why doesn't ???? work.
A: First read the man pages on ???? and look in this FAQ :-) and the readme.
Relevant manpages can be located using "man -k ????".
Q: Why do I get "shell-init failed"?
A: chmod a+rx /
Q: Why do I get "can not find fixed font"
A: Look in /usr/lib/X11/fonts. Do the fonts.dir and fonts.alias = the fonts
there?
Q: How do I get my C++ program to compile small (ie. without "-static")
A: Use "-nojump", but be aware that it will break when a new shared lib goes in.
Q: Why doesn't makewhatis work?
A: Because the man pages are compressed.
Q: Why do is see "magic match failed" on disk a3?
A: Ignore it it is normal. Sysinstall has to switch from Minix to Dos disks
at a3.
Q: Why do I see "no bmap support" when installing disks?
A: Ignore it it is normal. Dos disks generate this message when mounted.
Q: Why won't the install recognize my disks.
A: Perhaps you have a bad disk, a hardware problem, the download failed or
something else. Some versions of DOS don't seem to like linux. Try
formatting disks on someone elses DOS. Really, you are on your own here.
What I want done, is have the file mounting patches added to a Linux system,
and then store the Images to SLS, with mountings to also access their
contents (someday). Meanwhile. bon chance.
Q: How do I upgrade SLS
A: If from .96, you don't. You must re-install from scratch. Otherwise,
read the HISTORY file and download just the needed files manually.
Q: What version of X11 does SLS use?
A: XFree 1.0. Version 1.1 had some reports of strange behaviour, so no-go.
But, it does use shared libs.
Q: Can I install from the Hard drive?
A: Yes. Even from a Dos HD, but you can't use "doinstall". It goes like:
"sysinstall -instsrc /user -instroot /root -all"
Q: How can I set the video-mode automatically when booting?
A: Use "rdev -v /dev/fd0 1" to simulate typing '1', etc. (-1 sets default vga,
-3 set ask). Try "rdev -help" for more info.
Q: I have only 2Meg of ram, and don't want TCP/IP in the kernel?
A: copy the boot disk, and then use "rdev -r /dev/fd0 0; rdev /dev/fd0
/dev/hda2" to use it as your boot disk. Use the rdev on the HD.
Q: How do I get TCP/IP or NFS working?
A: Get SLS .98p5 92/12/03 or later.
Q: How come "mdir a:" don't recognize my 3.5 A: drive?
A: Edit /etc/mtools.
Q: Why does "sysinstall -special t" not work or, why the "*.tar" not found
messages, or why do I get "can't write to disk" on installations?
A: Get the new a4/menus.taz. It has a new sysinstall, that uses "-series".
==============================================================================
From: pmacdona@sanjuan (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS update pending
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 92 01:13:22 GMT
This weekend I will be updating SLS, so please avoid
downloading this Sunday morning (PST). Primarily, this will be
the addition of mailpak (thanks to Vince), but also the fonts
for Ghostscript plus the afm fonts for Doc. Note that this
allows for the use of GS plus DOC to do real professional
WYSIWYG composition (at last), all the way to the printer.
This adds a few more disks, so that the 'b' series now has
eight disks, and SLS (including TeX) now totals 29. Very
shortly, it is hoped that X11 will be upgraded to jump
tables libs. Hopefully, IV after that (at which time the
IV libs and the like will be included, and maybe 3.1 will be
out).
So there will be yet another big upgrade after this one, but hopefully,
that will be the last major one, and SLS will level off around the
30-32 disk mark. Pretty hefty, but pretty complete (well, a nice
balance between complete and lean).
One last thing: Before the X11 is rebuilt and re-released, I want
to look at recompiling just the device specific stuff into a shared
library that the X Server can use. Hopefully, then different shared
libs can be linked to /lib/libXdevice implement different types of
servers. This will let SLS distribute multiples servers without
having to store the rest of the server image. Could some kind
soul please mail me where I can get the source for just the vga
devices, etc, so I can play with this, or establish why it can't be
done?
Thanks
Peter
pmacdona@sanjuan.uvic.ca
From: sanjuan!pmacdona@sol.UVic.CA (Peter MacDonald)
Subject: SLS update: .99 kernel
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 03:00:53 GMT
I was so impressed with the .99 kernel, that I have already upgraded
SLS to it. Just get SLS/a2 and "sysinstall -install /user/image.taz" it.
It may take Ted a bit to get the .99 source and change the symlink.
Be patient (don't you get tired of hearing that: give it ALL to me
right NOW!).
I am not upgrading the boot disk as yet, but let me know if the old
one causes problems (SCSI?). The kernel has grown another 30K or so
so until/if loadable devices show up, I may have to be a little conservative
on the boot disk upgrades. Maybe I could try rebuilding the kernel
without FP-EMU. Do bash/tar/compress et al need FP?
Peter
pmacdona@sanjuan.uvic.ca