"Linux Gazette...making Linux just a little more fun!"

Answers to these questions should be sent directly to the e-mail address of the inquirer with or without a copy to gazette@ssc.com. Answers that are copied to LG will be printed in the next issue in the Tips column.

Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 14:21:44 -0700
From: jason@anemone.tenhand.com
Subject: You to can be a secret agent

I need help in setting up web kiosks for a free-net I'll be setting up in rural Nicaragua this September. When I took on the job, I didn't have a day job at a startup company. Now I do, and I haven't had any time to actually do the programming. What I need is help writing 2-3 system and mail admin programs with a cgi front end. The tools should be in PHP3 & or perl, and be set up so they can easily be localized. I'm willing to pay for the work, and the final web kiosk distribution will be released under a combination GPL/artistic license.

An example of what I need done is to have a cgi for sneakernet delivery of mail. The CGI should scan a list of qmail maildirs, figure out which ones have mail & provide a list to the user. The user can then click on a link, and the maildir will be re-delivered to a new maildir on floppy disk. The script needs to be able to handle checking for floppy/ formatting floppy/ spanning the maildir accross multiple floppies.

I can be reached at myles@tenhand.com, or at +1 (206) 399-9668.
myles

Date: Fri, 02 Jul 1999 11:06:14 -0700
From: Victor Richardson <darkmoebius@earthlink.net>
Subject: Linux server, Mac & Win clients

Recently, I acquired the job(pro bono) of consolodating a small(12 clients) non-profit's networks. Currently, they have two seperate networks, one using Appletalk with 7 Macs sharing a printer and the other NT 4.0 w/ 4 PC's and 2 Powermacs doing file and printer sharing. All the CLients have seperate dial-up internet accounts except one PC which has a cable modem(don't ask me why they don't all use it). I suspect the former tech pushed them into NT w/o informing them of the need and cost for Microsoft Outlook and Exchange.

I would like to consolodate them onto a single linux server doing email/file/printer sharing and connect theough a shared DSL line. I purchased Red Hat 6.0 for the task. Unfortunately, I have never used Linux before so when it scomes to altering config files I get lost. I have read alot of How-to's on setting up Samba and Netatalk seperately, but never have come accross an article about setting them up together. Is ther fine tuning invovled to get them to work together? Is there a simple answer to this with walk through help? Also, they all currently use Netscape browser, what software should I use to transfer email internally and externally?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Victor

Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 19:31:07 -0700
From: "Todd & Missy" <tmjenn@earthlink.net>
Subject:

I have used and installed windows for years and decided to try Redhat because I hear good things about it but i can't get it to install. I can't get the harddrive right to get it to install I have tried everything but I just can't get the partition right so it will let me install it. I am about to give up but I will give it one more shot if I can please get some help. You can e-mail me at goodtogo45@hotmail.com I run windows98 have a amd300 and a 3 gig harddrive thanks Todd

Date: Sat, 03 Jul 1999 17:44:38 +0800
From: wei <cyberwei@ms12.url.com.tw>
Subject: search for some software !

Dear sir :
Sorry to bother you ! I am a rookie in linux system and now I have a project to do .

It need a software to plot gray-scale plot of geographic data to present the 3-D data!

I have tried pgplot 5.2 etc., but I can't compile it correctly ! Could you introduce me a appropriate software to do this ? Thanks a lot ! Cheers !

Wei

Date: Sat, 03 Jul 1999 17:55:42 +0000
From: Wolfrider <wolfrdr@famvid.com>
Subject: Request for Ethernet on Linux instructions

Currently I have two computers; one I would like to set up to use as a squid proxy server connected to Internet via modem.

I have tried using direct-connect twisted pair as well as a cheap 5-port hub and can't get telnet or ping to work, although both devices now ' ifconfig ' Ok.

I couldn't find anything in LG related to Ethernet / TCP/IP setup; could someone write a step-by-step on this or point me to something I've missed? (I've checked some of the HOWTOs.) Thanks in advance

--
==WolfriderV6, VROC #59(R)

Date: Sun, 04 Jul 1999 23:48:12 -0500
From: vwbuggy@viagrafix.net (Steve Hatheway)
Subject: Linux

Hi my name is Steve from Tulsa Ok.

Iam sick of windows 95, 98 and Gates, and the way he has control of every thing makes me sick. If he had a good product I might feel different. At first I could not under stand how he has control of the market with a piece of junk, but now I know why. I know, and alot of other people know that UNIX is a very good system. Not every body knows that Linux is a newer Versions of UNIX made for PC's. And with more investigation you find out there is about twenty different brands of Linux all looking like they are better than each other.

Which one is the best, who is biggest, who has been around longest, who has the most support, who is the most stable, I think REDHAT is maybe? Then every brand has several Versions out there , with in a small time frame ,to many too choose from, why some many versions. That tells me that the early Versions must be bad to have to make a new one so quick. Then you find alot of patches for different brands, and versions ? (I don't mean to sound bad, but which one do I use.) I think every body would like a stable and fast system with the least amount of overhead that has alot of support and programs will run on then bye bye windows95,98,??. It seems like to me that all the Linux people are after each other instead of windows95,98,?? Then there is Freebsd that says they are best because they dont have all the bugs.

I am so confused that maybe I should stay with windows 95,98,?? and install and time delay relay to cycle the power to it every hour, so it can reboot like it wants to. Please tell me more about Linux like. Who has the most support, whos is most stable, bottom line the best one?

Thanks for your time. Steve

Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 19:17:16 +0100
From: "Edward Andrews" <EAndrews@aldreth.free-online.co.uk>
Subject: Setting up mouse

I've just installed Red Hat 6.0 Linux and cannot configure my mouse. Mouseconfig cannot find my mouse when probing for a mouse and trying to set it up as a generic or a microsoft compatible mouse does not work either. The mouse works under Windows as a standard serial mouse using COM1, but does not work as a Microsoft compatible mouse using dev/ttyS0. The setserial command reports that the dev/ttyS0 port uses the same IRQ and addresses as COM1 uses under windows.

Any ideas?

Edward Andrews EAndrews@aldreth.free-online.co.uk

Date: Thu, 08 Jul 1999 08:35:11 +0200
From: jan johnsen <janjohnsen@get2net.dk>
Subject: gcc will not work !!

With my red hat 6.0 , just installed, I can not get the gcc to work. When I have downloaded a program, and what to run ./configure the test goes allrigt just until it gets to gcc - it finds gcc but the it writes something lig ' gcc not working - can not make exec."...

I have installed both gcc, egcs, egcs++ and egcs......

Anyone know if its a problem with red hat 6.0 or is it the programs

Jan Johnsen
Denmark

Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 18:01:12 +1000
From: "Jeremy OHara" <Jeremy.OHara@petos.com.au>
Subject: Need as much info on how to Setup a dial-in server

Hi all

I was wonder if anyone could have me? I was wonder if anyone could give me as much info on how to setup a dial-in server? I'm planing to setup a Dial-in server An ISP.

Thanking you
Jeremy OHara

Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 12:23:55 +0200
From: "F. Biondi" <biondif@creso.off-on.it>
Subject: E-mail receiving question

Hello. When I try to receive an e-mail via POP3 server by Netscape Communicator, it doesn't show any error message but it doesn't find anything and tells that there are no messagges on the server. However, when I try using Windows98 (by OutLook), all the messages are found.

Obviusly, out going e-mails work fine. Can you help me?

(I am using Linux Red Hat 6.0, with kernel version 2.2.5)

Filippo Biondi (Italy)
biondif@creso.off-on.it

Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 02:40:45 -0000
From: "denver" <revned@gis.net>
Subject: Installing a linux workstation onto a Windows based LAN that uses DCHP

I am having problems adding a linux workstation onto a LAN that is all windows based and uses a Windows NT server as the DCHP Server. Every time I boot up the machine, the linux workstation gives me this error saying that eth0 was unable to find it's address or basicly it cannot connect to the network. It would be nice if someone can either tell me step by step on how to setup the linux workstation or give me a link(s) to documents that can help me solve this problem.

Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 23:24:04 -0700
From: cc246 <cc246@gateway.net>
Subject: How to access and download printer software

I need help with my HP 882C, I can not print MSDOS work.

Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 10:32:51 +1000
From: Andrew H Edmonds <40009722@snetbr.cpg.com.au>
Subject: Linux on Notebook.

I hope someone has some advice...
I am looking to buy a Pent 90 or higher, Notebook that has an internal CD-Rom drive, so that I can load OpenLinux Caldera 2.2, which I have just instaled on my desktop.

I am a student in Brisbane Australia, learning Basic Microcomputing.

Can anyone recomend a brand or model of notebook, I have been to the Linux on Laptop page 'Texas site' but none look any more appealing or stable than the others.

Thanks,
Andrew H Edmonds

Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 05:13:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: Markus Laumann <basikx@yahoo.com>
Subject: windows inside linux

Dear Whoeveryouare,

I'm trying to find someone who knows how to run windows 98 inside linux. I've seen it before, but I can't seem to find it when I want to. If you could point me in a direction and kick, I would be very thankful.

Markus

Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 12:32:32 -0400
From: "Michael A. Lurie" <the_one@mindspring.com>
Subject: ppp connection

I have an internesting problem. I have configured ezppp, kppp, and gnome-ppp to connect to my mindspring account, and all three seem to be doing so just fine. However, when I startup netscape or any other internet application, I can't access the internet. It just sits there trying to lookup the host. No error message. No nothing. I am completely stumped. Any help would be appreciated.

Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 12:32:32 -0400
From: "Michael A. Lurie" <the_one@mindspring.com>
Subject: ppp connection

I have an interesting problem. I have configured ezppp, kppp, and gnome-ppp to connect to my mindspring account, and all three seem to be doing so just fine. However, when I startup netscape or any other internet application, I can't access the internet. It just sits there trying to lookup the host. No error message. No nothing. I am completely stumped. Any help would be appreciated.

Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 07:13:15 -0500
From: "Brian B." <ixnay@warp9.lagnet.hb>
Subject: setting up mail for a home network.

Ok either there is an error in this article or Im a complete dolt

I went step for step through tis article but my outgoing mail is not getting my return address changed from my local domain to my isp email account.

I keep getting a sender domain non-existent error from my isps mailserver.

any help would be appreciated
Brian B.

Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 12:43:35 -0700
From: Helen Carley <HelenC@shoretel.com>
Subject: Archives

How do I get to them? I'm looking for the original article on multi-threading. Thanks!

[http://www.linuxgazette.com contains links to all the back issues. A link to the search engine is near the middle of the page.

There is also a page containing the table of contents for all issues at http://www.linuxgazette.com/lg_index.html. Here you can use your browser's Find dialog to search for titles or authors.

The article "Thoughts on multi-threading" was in issue #15 (March 1997). -Ed.]

Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1999 15:36:09 +1000
From: "Danny Ross" <dross@netspace.net.au>
Subject: Missing Mouse

I've just installed Linux (6.0) and during the installation I specified a PS2 mouse type. However, the first time (and every time since) I logged into the system and received my Login box, the mouse doesn't move. I have a dual boot system (Win 98) and the mouse works fine in everything but Linux. I have searched through the FAQs and tried booting with bmouse=3D3 at the LILO prompt but to no avail. I think I know which file I need to edit to configure the mouse, but how do I get to the Linux files without a mouse?

Anybody got any ideas?
Danny Ross

Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1999 22:05:41 +0700
From: Ruangvith Tantibhaedhyangkul <ruangvith@linuxfan.com>
Subject: It's all in a Linux's works.

Dear Linuxinans,

I'm having a couple of problems using Linux. My system is now Mandrake 6.0, which is claimed to be 99% compatible with RedHat 6.0.

1. How should I edit my /etc/fstab so that regular users, including mysef in a non-root role, can read and 'write' a dos partition? My current setting is '/dev/hda2 /dos vfat user,suid,rw,exec,dev 0 0' . It apparently doesn't work.
2. I got a 'drive shift' phenomenon. First, I installed Linux in a Windows 98 system, a single hard drive system. It contains 2 partitions for the fat c: for the Windows itself, and d: for data files. When I use other 2 partitions for Linux, one for / and the other for swap, it went well. No matter what distro it was. Then I wanted to try separated partitions for /, /usr and /home. Of course, it intruded the 'no more than 4 partitions' rule. So I had to use an extended partition and a number of logical partitions. When it came to Linux, it worked fine. The system recognized all /dev/hdax well. But when I boot it into Windows, my drives go crazy. The c: is still in place, but the d: turn out to be an 'invalid media', with an e: containg the same data as the old d: instead. The worst thing is that I have to press 'a' to abort the d: reading every boot time. How can I get rid of this drive shifting?

Thanks for your help.

Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 12:00:00 +0100
From: "Andrew Mott" <andrew.mott@geharris.co.uk>
Subject: setting up a dial-in box

I'm looking to set up a dial-in box for use at work and I was wondering if anyone would be able to answer a couple of my questions.

1. Do either of Red Hat 6.0 or S.u.S.E. supply utilities allowing you to modify the partitioning of your disk after installation?
2. Can you easily integrate a linux system with an existing file system?
3. Do any of the distributions mentioned above have any known security issues when using PPP.
4. And finally, which distribution currently has the largest market share (just interested for future reference).

If anyone can help I'd be very grateful.
Cheers,
Andrew Mott

[Yes, all distributions allow you to repartition your disk after installation. However, you can't delete a partition without losing the data in it (except maybe with third-party "resize-in-place" utilities). Linux requires a separate partition except in the case of the now-obscure UMSDOS filesystem. I have not heard of any problems with PPP security. Market share changes quickly, but people's perceptions of it don't change quite so fast. So whatever anybody tells you now will change in six months.

Red Hat has for years been consideredthe biggest by far . However, SuSE now claims to be roughly the same size as RH, both in terms of sales and employees. Caldera has traditionally been much smaller, but have been very successful with their current 2.2 release, in part because RH raised its price and so for the first time, Caldera is actually cheaper than Red Hat.

After years of there being only three major distributions (RH, Debian and Slackware), suddenly distros are exploding from the seams. SuSE made it big in the US last year. Caldera and TurboLinux this year are now seen by many as "major" distributions. (Especially since TurboLinux is outselling Win98 and MacOS in Japan right now.) I'm still not sure what to think about Linux-Mandrake: we'll see whether it gathers long-term momentum.

Distributions keep moving up and down the latter, and they will continue to do so.

Delving into more ancient history, Slackware was the biggest distro before Red Hat, and SLS before Slackware. Each became the biggest because it was perceived as easier to install, more bug-free, and better supported than the previous standard.

Disclaimers: I haven't listed non-Intel platforms (MkLinux) because I don't know enough about them. These opinions are solely my own and what I remember from news stories. If anybody has hard-and-fast numbers about the relative market share of several distributions, and how they've evolved send them in and let us Gazette readers know. -Ed.]

Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1999 22:59:37 -0400
From: "MK" <mkrygier@softhome.net>
Subject: I have an Interesting Network problem...an NT SERVER!!!

Dear Linux Geniuses!

I was wondering if you could help me and my school solve out linux/Nt networking headache.

The school is running a NT4.0 server that has four network cards that are connected to hubs that are located in the school. its IP is 10.15.16.1 and the other cards IP's are 10.15.64.1, 10.15.48.1, 10.15.32.1, etc. The Nt server acts as a gateway for traffic from these subnets. We are all using DHCP assigned addresses but I reserved one for the linux box 10.15.64.7. What I can ping is 10.15.16.1 the Server and the computers on the subnets because I passed this route command "route add default gw 10.15.16.1" and the it goes! The Ntserver is connected to another server running WinProxy and it has 2 network cards, this computer handles the internet. I cannot ping It! It's address is 10.15.0.1 the windowz boxes on the subnets can but I cant! (dont worry my DNSes are set and everything) this Proxybox is a router to the net it's other Ethernet card is connected to the net (complex 100mbit stuff, not important) it's IP is 10.15.88.1. I need to figure out how to set my route in linux to be able to ping the ProxyBox and then travel to the internet. Can you offer any advice? Also the Proxybox is running WinProxy for web and ftp transfers...do I have to worry about it? any thing that I am required to set?

I am using RedHat 5.2 with kernel 2.0.36 and an eepro100 network card on a pentium pro.

Thank-you in advance!
Michael Krygier
Jr. Unix network admin wannabe

Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 10:20:10 +0200
From: Laurent Mulot <Laurent.Mulot@anp.lip6.fr>
Subject: Could you solve my problem, too?

This is not a suggestion, nor a comment so I don't know if you'll answer me. Let's try anyway.

I'd like to truncate a 3MB file so that I can put it on floppy disks. The file is already compressed. Is there a Linux instruction or a software that can do such a thing ?

I can also present it that way : I suggest you could explain how to truncate a file (just kidding)

thanks in advance
Laurent

Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 06:07:21 -0400 (EDT)
From: sandeep kohli <fuhrer6mill@yahoo.com>
Subject: VERY BIG PROBLEM with Video Card

Hello there,

i am sandeep from india and i have recently Bought a azza MainBoard with Built in Sound Card (Avance Logic 120) and Video Card (SiS-530(but chip is SiS-5595 (AGP with shared Ram ))) there is a very big problem Linux couldnot recognise the VRAM� on the shared Sdram MOdule originally allocated by Award Bios.

The sound card also was not recognised by the new Linux 6.0 version but by 5.2v ver of Red Hat it was recognised as Sound Blaster not as my original card as u guys have bveen doing great work i thought that u would be able to

solve my problem or direct me to those who can
thankiing u guys. u r really doing a great work!
bye�
My email address is fuhrer6mill@yahoo.com
(i am calling from a cafe so please do not reply to any other e mail address than given above(fuhrer6mill@yahoo.com)

Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 18:17:16 CST
From: Jim Bradley <jbradley@msc.net>
Subject: DNS on the fly???

I have my laptop configured to plug into the network of my employer. At home, I plug my laptop into my home network, and dial out from another machine setup for dial on demand. Unfortunately, if it takes forever waiting for the two timeouts when trying to connect to the employer's DNS servers from home, and if I change the DNS order, it takes just as long for the timeout error when attempting to connect to my ISP's DNS from my employer's network. Is there an easy way to change the DNS servers when needed? It's easy enough to change IP addresses with the ifconfig command, is there a similar means for changing the DNS? Or, should I just bite the bullet and setup BIND on the laptop?

Jim Bradley -- Maryville, MO USA (jbradley@msc.net)

Date: 22 Jul 1999 21:40:02 -0700
From: <murad@123india.com>
Subject: Re : Problem installing StarOffice

Hi, I am really sorry if this mail has reached the wrong plcae, but I desparately need help. I have installed Red Hat Linux 6.0 ( Kernel 2.2.5-15 ). I am unable to install StarOffice 5 Personal Edition. I have followed all the steps given for StarOffice installation. I have a file named 'libc.so.6' in my '/lib' directory which is a link to 'libc-2.1.1.so' in the same directory. When I run the ./setup for the StarOffice installation it gives an error saying that the installation requires glibc2.0.7 ( which is available on the CD ). So I copy this lot of library files in to the '/lib' directory. After that when ./setup is run, it accesses the CDROM for around 5 seconds, then the hard disk for 10 seconds and then it just comes back to the prompt, without ANY error message. I am really frustrated with this. Be my saviour and answer my query. I f you are not the right person to answer the query, atleast guide me by pointing me to the right person.

Thanx & Regards,
Murad Wagh

Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 10:15:01 -0500
From: "Tom Trucco" <ttrucco@orchardpro.com>
Subject: help

I recently installed RedHat 6.0 on an Intel box so I could inexpensively test Apple's QuickTime Streaming Server. The installation of RedHat went smoothly and seems to be working quite well on the box (a consumer Compaq Presario). I downloaded QTSS, configured it and proceeded to run it. It worked immediately. I am having a problem that I would like to know if any others have had. I can directly access a streaming movie using its true file name but I can't get it if I use the name of the reference movie. I should be able to access the reference movie and have the server and the QuickTime plug-in on the client machine negotiate the correct version of the movie to serve based on the client's QT plug-in's "Connection Speed" setting. Based on the setting, the server chooses the appropriate movie for the bandwidth and serves it up.

That is how it is supposed to work. When I attempt to connect using the reference movie the client connects and then reports "415 - Unsupported Media Type". Does anyone have a clue what is happening?

Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 17:29:34 +0200
From: "werner duplessis" <wdplessis@yebo.co.za>
Subject: newbie userMIME-Version: 1.0

i am trying to configure my video card need a driver thats compatible for a sis 5598 or i need to download it from somewhere? please help

Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 12:59:40 EDT
From: TLA9904@aol.com
Subject: trying to load hp 722c into windows 98..

I had a friend install my new copy of windows 98 after he cleaned off everything and started with a clean hard drive..... it took everything but the printer setup... it keeps saying I have problem 10.... I am not even good at any of this.... what can I do... or dooing wrong....

[Since this is a Linux ezine, we usually don't publish questions about other operating systems. I'm running this one because the number of non-Linux questions coming in has not been enough to warrant concern. But please, find appropriate forums for your questions. -Ed.]

Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 15:54:37 -0500
From: Randy Copeland <ccu@ipa.net>
Subject: Websites with free downloads!

I am running Windows 95 on my good computer which is a Pentium 100. But I have an old 486 DX4 in another bedroom that nobody uses and I ask my dad if I could run Linux on it. I have searched for a couple of days and still can not find a website that I can get a free download from. The computer tech guy at my dads store thinks that I might have to start with UNIX and then go to Linux if I can't find a site that has a free download. I would greatly appreciate it if you would e-mail me back with a couple of websites if you know of any! E-mail it to me at mhs-trainer@excite.com.

Thanks for the help.
Richard

[Debian is a totally free version of Linux made by volunteers. It is available via FTP, and more importantly, the installation program supports FTP-via-PPP modem installs. See www.debian.org, "Installation Instructions" and "Download FTP". Choose the "stable" version; "unstable" is a pre-release.

HOWEVER, if you've never used Linux or Unix before, $50 spent for the distribution of your choice with a good reference manual and tech support is well worth it, especially if you have a newer PC to run it on, because it will be much easier to install and you'll be able to take full advantage of Linux's capabilities.

On the other hand, if the 486 is the only computer available and it has no CD-ROM, FTP'ing a distribution may be your only choice. Install a small number of packages at first, and then gradually add more. -Ed.]

Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 21:08:47 +0800
From: kaoc@ever.com.tw
Subject: Booting problem (can't mount root fs)

There's two situation: One: If click when LILO shows up.... My Redhat 6.0 can boot correctly without trouble at all.......

The other: If I clicked nothing when LILO showed up, and let LILO select Linux to boot automatically by default... My Redhat always goes dead while it is trying to mount root fs. The problem message is as following: VFS: Cannot open root device 00:30 Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 00:30

Does anybody have the same trouble as I ? and Pls, help me to solve the problem.

Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 10:09:30 -0400
From: Mark Cohen <mcohen@androiddomestix.com>
Subject: ASCII to Speech?

I am looking for voice recognition software for a LINUX slackware system. Also software and hardware for a video camera.

Thank You,
Mark Cohen

Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 17:09:14 +0200
From: "jac" <jac@speedcom.es>
Subject: Problems with my compiler

Hello, my question is about the g++ compiler.I want to know if is able to link files that use templates and then aren't included in the main program (they are in different files, and only the header files are in the main program). I have try as:

	gcc main.cxx libro.cxx
	* main: #incude "libro.h"...
	* libro.cxx: #include "libro.h"...=20

Juan J.Alejandro (jac@speedcom.es) Girona (Spain)

Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 15:30:38 -0500 (CDT)
From: jwang@CS.UH.EDU (John I-Chung Wang)
Subject: Redhat 6.0 on a Sharp Widenote

I've recently installed Redhat 6.0 on a Sharp Widenote after swapping the factory 1 GB drive for a more suitable 6.4 GB drive purchased over the web.

[Part of this letter was a self-answered question regarding video modes, so I put it in the 2 Cent Tips section. -Ed]

... Now if I can just get my ppp to my MCI ISP account (which was sold to Cable and Wireless and is now being sold to Prodigy) working. They appear to do some sort of Challenge Response Authentication in addition to the usual CHAP ie.: there's a prompt of "(IH08011)" (number changes session to session) which seems to be a combined login identity request and password challenge which is then followed by the prompt "password" which presumably requests the password transformed by the number in the first prompt. If I set the pap-secrets or chap-secrets file then pppd expects to have established a ppp connection in which to encapsulate the authentication protocols but I seem to get this challenge in a prompt before ppp starts up so I suspect it's not just the regular CHAP. Note a generic MSDUN has no problems with the prompt, but of course M$ doesn't have any useful documentation about what they are doing. Any ideas? I'll probably solve the problem by switching ISP's but if anyone has the answer, I'd like to hear it.

Regards,
John

Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1999 21:40:11 +1200 (NZST)
From: Eric Gillespie <viking@flying-brick.caverock.net.nz>
Subject: Ghostscript 5.10

Hi. I am having problems with my current installation of ghostscript.

I have a 9-pin dot-matrix Epson FX800 which worked fine under ghostscript 3.33 but now refuses to work under 5.10. I also have an Olivetti JP170 monochrome inkjet in the same position. I have checked the versions of files installed, and everything seems correct, but I cannot understand how the ghostscript writers have added my printer into the uniprint driver.

All the help files I have come across describe help for a 3.33-based installation, and I haven't found much specifically for 5.10. Even some of the files supplied with 5.10 still refer to files that were around in 3.33! These files aren't around any more (at least I can't find them).

If you have any ghostscript experience, could you please help with a walk-through on how to print a page on my dot-matrix printer under ghostscript 5.10? I would be very appreciative.

Also, thanks to the AnswerGuy for explaining in issue 42/43 about library conflicts - it explained some possible conflicts I had in my system, and I have repaired some (but not all) of my problems as a result.

By the way, to Heather and the team, thanks for continuing to put out a great e-zine. It's well worth the download 8-).

[Jim and Heather put in countless volunteer hours into The Answer Guy column and certainly deserve a round of applause. Send them an email of thanks at linux-questions-only@ssc.com. -Ed.]

Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 09:23:32 +0900
From: Info <info@duri.net>
Subject: Re: Help me!

Hi, Gazette:

I am installing frontpage98 extentions on my Linux Server(Redhat5.2a). Installing root web was successful, but the problem occurred when I install virtual web. When I use the previous version of Linux(Redhat5.1), there was no problem. The list of virtual webs appeared, and I could select one of them. But now, the list shows infinitely like following.

...
11014) virtwebs11014
11015) virtwebs11015
11016) virtwebs11016
11017) virtwebs11017
11018) virtwebs11018
11019) virtwebs11019
11020) virtwebs11020...

Please help me. Can you tell me what the problem is?
Thank you.

Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 20:38:39 +0000
From: Benjamin Smith <bens@saber.net>
Subject: Suggestion for a column

It seems that most of the mail you get seems to be somebody with some kind of problem. while I guess it's to be expected, it sure makes for boring reading.

Anyway, I think it might be a good idea to pick an application field, say, Word Processing, or perhaps communication clients, (ICQ clones, perhaps) or stuff like that.

Review products with a fairly standard configuration, and rate the applications on useability, stability, features, easy of installation, etc. Perhaps even go so far as to have an editors choice?

It would certainly get my rapt attention, and it's something you'll find in just about every computer magazine worth any salt.

-Benjamin Smith

Fri, 30 Jul 1999 09:59:10 -0400
From: "Michael Z." <michaelz@alphasoftware.com>
Subject: Retro Computing: User Friendly BBS

UserFriendly is a nice little site devoted to an online comic strip documenting some of the nuerotic characteristics of the Unix community.

While they have their own site www.userfriendly.org with all of the usual amenities, someone there has decided to do some "retro computing".

Someone found BBS software that runs under Linux, and has setup an old style BBS that you log onto via telnet. (T1 line, 64 lines max) Text or ansi interface, game doors (Trade Wars, for example [!]), etc., with lots of new stuff Coming Real Soon Now (tm).

Apparently this has struck some sort of chord, because they have had hundreds of new users on the first day, with lots of people mentioning how much they miss this stuff, etc. People who ran one line or two line BBSs in the old days two or three or four years ago. Looks like this is going to be very popular once the word gets out....

[NOTE, they have just sailed past 1000 users signed up after a day and a half, and still cruising strong]

For a quick link, check out bbs.ufies.org. You have to have a telnet client to actually log onto the BBS at telnet://bbs.ufies.org

compared to the old neighborhood BBSs I knew just a few years back, this is mind bogling....

There are so many people there who seem to miss the old style BBSs...

i'm amazed....
Michael Zawistowski
If builders built buildings the way programmers write programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would have destroyed civilization.

From: webmaster@taclug.org

My name is Berry Sizemore and I am a member of Tacoma Linux Users Group (TACLUG). Our organization is going to participate in the international Linux Demo Day Project. ["Tacoma" is Tacoma, Washington, USA. -Ed.]

"The purpose of the Linux Demo Day project is to provide a concurrent worldwide demonstration of the Linux Operation System to the "average" consumer who may only have heard of Linux but has never seen it, and to those that are not even aware that there is an alternative to running a Microsoft operating system."

We are reaching out to our community partners and businesses that may have an interest in sponsoring the event. For general information about the event, please point your browser to http://www.linuxdemo.org/ . We are currently seeking a location for our event and exposure by the local press. We are eager to promote Linux friendly businesses and organizations in exchange for promotion of our organization and events. The likely location for our demonstration will be in a high profile mall, local community center or school.

We plan a Linux installation workshop, a chess competition, a Quake competition and a tour of the XWindows interface. We are also going to answer the community's questions about the operating system and promote our organization as a resource for budding Linux professionals and hobbyists.

If your company can in some way help us raise the awareness of Linux Demo Day, find or offer a location for, or promote the event please contact me at: webmaster@taclug.org

Thank you!
Berry Sizemore
Webmaster of TACLUG
webmaster@taclug.org

Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 17:32:46 -0500
From: "bob hamilton" <mail@bobh.to>
Subject: Linux

I have tried all three available versions of LINUX and can get none of them installed. REDHAT will recognize the mouse but not the video (SIS6326 AGP); SUSE won't even start; I cannot figure out what it wants in the way of disk-formatting; Caldera just will not boot. I have a Pentium III 450 mH; 128 Meg RAM; and 8.4 gig disk... LINUX ain't something "Slick Willie" GATES is going to lose any sleep over...

Bob Hamilton; Mail@bobh.to www.bobh.to

Date: Sat, 03 Jul 1999 15:24:44 +0000
From: Moritz Bunkus <m.bunkus@tu-bs.de>
Subject: X-Anim etc.

Hello. Quite good article about playing video files. Just one remark.

You said you weren't able to find videos which xanim wasn't able to play. Unfortunately one rather popular movie, the second Star Wars - Episode 1 trailer, comes in Quicktime format and uses a Sorensen codec which is not supported by xanim.

--
Moritz Bunkus

Date: Sun, 4 Jul 1999 17:43:07 +0200
From: Ian Carr-de Avelon <ian@emit.pl>
Subject: Bench marks

in lg 43 Jim Dennis writes:

Interestingly the term benchmark probably stems from physical "marks" (scratches or grooves), in work benches used by woodworkers and other craftsmen to provide handy measurements for their productions.

I don't think so. To me the Bench Mark is the "Broad Arrow" stamp used as the symbol of the British Courts ("Queen's Bench") and the crown. This is most familiar in old British films where convicts are shown in clothing with bench marks on the cloth. The bench mark is also found on many buildings in the British Isles (and probably the commonwealth?). These bench marks have a line above them and are miade by Ordenance Survey (now a company, but previousl part of the Army).

The height of the line above sea level is known to an acuracy of less than 1mm. They are points from which measurements are made during map making and building works, and would have had a role similar to GPS in the modern millitery has Britain been invaded after the Ordenance Survey was started at the begining of the Napoleonic Wars.

Yours
Ian

Date: Mon, 05 Jul 1999 00:43:04 +0200
From: Thomas H <thomas@snt.nu>
Subject: Your question in LinuxGazette

Hi Ian!
These are my personal experiences with Linux - and how easy/hard it is to learn using it.

If I compare Linux to OS/2 or Windows, it's much more command-based. This can make it a bit harder to use in the beginning.

Especially to _configure_ different things in Linux can be difficult. So my conclusion is that you'll have to have some patience when learning Linux. I have heard that Caldera should be the easiest Linux distribution to install (I'm using SuSE so I haven't tried it myself.

However, I think that when more and more "normal" (i e non-technical people) start using Linux we'll see a shift towards a more user-friendly Linux. And there seems to be a really friendly atmosphere on the Internet where you can get high-quality Linux help

Yours,
Thomas H?jemo, Sweden

Date: Mon, 05 Jul 1999 07:34:58 -0400
From: "P. Garrison" <pgarris1@twcny.rr.com>
Subject: Moving to Linux

Good day.

One thing I know that's been a bit of a barrier to people moving to Linux are applications that they're using written in a Microsoft development package and threfore, of course, using all Windows-relevant functions, calls, etc. If Linux is to move off the server and on to the desktop, in my opinion, functional development apps that can start with Microsoft based code, translate it to an XWindows GUI, and then run the programs under Linux. A tall order, I admit, but necessary to move the small ISV's and the people who use their programs over to the Linux camp. Otherwise it's going to be stuck like OS/2 was - sometimes the same software, but versions that were always feature-poor compared to their Win 'cousins.'

Something to think about.

Best,
P. Garrison

Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1999 19:14:46 -0600 (MDT)
From: Michal Jaegermann <michal@ellpspace.math.ualberta.ca>
Subject: Kickstart Examples

Mark,
two aside comments to your article "Mark's Kickstart Examples" from issue 43 of Linux Gazette.

You write:

It would be nice if someone were to help make it so you can create a script which would automate the commands for fdisk. Perhaps there is and I just don't know about it.

There is really no need for that as for years there exists 'sfdisk' (probably short for "scriptable fdisk" :-). It is a part of util-linux package although Red Hat apparently only recently started to include binaries in their rpm archives. Sources were there "for always".

It has somewhat spartan user interface, although in some situations is very capable and I used it interactively without any problems. It is also very simple to script, to embed that into "disk cloning" scripts, and unbeatable in that. Its documentation includes examples of such usage. I have seen once in Linux Journal somebody bragging that they fed fdisk commands from stdin (doable but scary :-) to automate mass disk partitioning and I was always scratching my head why they work so hard. A reluctance to peek into docs, I guess.

I have no idea how to shoehorn that into kickstart operations without modifying the installation program itself. The later is always possible as Red Hat supplies all sources for installation utilities on their CDs.

I also have an impression that your Perl script at the bottom of the article tries hard, but not entirely correct, to emulate the following command:

rpm --queryformat '%{NAME}\n' -qp /home/ftp/RedHat60/RedHat/RPMS/*.rpm

Beside this list which you are after is basically ready in RedHat/base/comps on CD.

If you wonder what tags you can use in a format try to type 'rpm --querytags'; even 'rpm --help' says so. :-)

Regards,
Michal

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