615 lines
23 KiB
HTML
615 lines
23 KiB
HTML
<!--startcut ==========================================================-->
|
|
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
|
|
<HTML>
|
|
<HEAD>
|
|
<title>Linux Gazette MailBag Issue #24</title>
|
|
</HEAD>
|
|
|
|
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#A000A0"
|
|
ALINK="#FF0000">
|
|
<!--endcut ============================================================-->
|
|
<H4>"Linux Gazette...<I>making Linux just a little more
|
|
fun!</I>"</H4>
|
|
|
|
<HR>
|
|
<center>
|
|
<table width="100%" cellpadding=7><tr><td>
|
|
<H2><a NAME="mail"><IMG SRC="../gx/mailbox.gif" ALIGN=MIDDLE ALT=" ">
|
|
The Mailbag!</a> </H2>
|
|
Write the Gazette at <A HREF="mailto:gazette@ssc.com"> gazette@ssc.com</A>
|
|
</td><td>
|
|
<H3>Contents:</H3>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li><a HREF="./lg_mail24.html#help">Help Wanted -- Article Ideas</a>
|
|
<li><a HREF="./lg_mail24.html#gen">General Mail</a>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
</td></tr></table>
|
|
</center>
|
|
|
|
<a name="help"></a>
|
|
<p><hr><p>
|
|
<!-- ===================================================================
|
|
-->
|
|
<center><H3> Help Wanted -- Article Ideas </H3></center>
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 14:08:24 +0000<br>
|
|
From: David Stern <a
|
|
href="mailto:kotsya@mailhost2.cac.washington.edu">kotsya@mailhost2.cac.washington.edu</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Help Wanted -- Article Ideas
|
|
<p>
|
|
I'm at that point in my Linux development where I'm comfortable with
|
|
the basics, and am venturing out to learn and discover the myriad of
|
|
alternatives which exist. While I appreciate the many alternatives, it
|
|
can be difficult for someone with little experience to decide which
|
|
MUA, MTA, proxy..is most suitable. When each individual must
|
|
personally begin anew to evaluate the field, unnecessary repetion of
|
|
efforts results and often a selection is made based on incomplete
|
|
information. When the user later discovers a more suitable
|
|
alternative, and possibly later another, a glutton of inefficiency
|
|
results.
|
|
<p>
|
|
On that note, I'd like to suggest "head-to-head" comparision articles
|
|
of similar programs. A chart with columns and rows which represent the
|
|
programs and the features would be invaluable for Linux users ranging
|
|
from completely new to advanced, thus I would consider that a
|
|
necessity. Optionally, different recognitions may be given for
|
|
exceptional achievement. Notes on individual programs or categories,
|
|
and a brief summary would probably be required.
|
|
<p>
|
|
If thorough analytical evaluations were performed, this may exceed the
|
|
resources and other imposed limitations of Linux Gazzette, but I'm not
|
|
asking for that much depth. I'm just looking for a cursory examination
|
|
of programs with a comparison of features in a "side-by-side" format.
|
|
<p>
|
|
While I appreciate the reviews of individual programs, and enjoy the
|
|
deeper attention which can be given, there is an ever-increasing number
|
|
of alternatives available to the Linux user, and summary comparisons of
|
|
programs is now a very real need, and the importance will only increase
|
|
with time.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Please consider adding a side by side summary comparison of programs
|
|
feature article. I think this would not only make Linux Gazzette
|
|
better than it already is, but also expand the readership. Thanks and
|
|
sincerely,
|
|
<p>
|
|
David Stern
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 08:35:04<br>
|
|
From: Erwin Penders <a
|
|
href="mailto:ependers@cobweb.nl">ependers@cobweb.nl</a><br>
|
|
Subject: passwd shadow convert problem
|
|
<p>
|
|
I am running RedHat 4.2 with normal passwords since a couple
|
|
of month's. Now i read the shadow-password howto and i
|
|
wanted this also to work on my system. After reading the manual
|
|
i went to a 'blank' redhat system with a couple of users and i
|
|
ran /usr/sbin/pwconv5 and the shadow was up and running fine.
|
|
BUT on another system (same as the first) but with a lot more
|
|
users the pwconv5 runs but won't stop. It makes an empty shadow
|
|
file and i have to kill pwconv5 because it isn't doing anything.
|
|
<p>
|
|
I then copied the passwd file from the second to the first system
|
|
and tried on the first system... and the same problem.. no shadow.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Can anybody tell me what i do wrong !?
|
|
<p>
|
|
Thanks everybody.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Erwin Penders
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 01:39:51<br>
|
|
From: Manish Oberoi <a
|
|
href="mailto:oberoi@coeibm.rutgers.edu">oberoi@coeibm.rutgers.edu</a><br>
|
|
Subject: printing problems
|
|
<p>
|
|
Anyone that can help me. I'd love to hear it. I try running the lpr,
|
|
but everytime I get no name for local machine. How do I set this and/or
|
|
what is the problem.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Manish Oberoi
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 20:33:38 -0800<br>
|
|
From: Nolan Zak <a href="mailto:nzak@uniserve.com">nzak@uniserve.com</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Help Wanted!
|
|
<p>
|
|
I'm running RH 4.2 with kernel 2.0.30 on an Intel P90, I've only been at
|
|
this for a couple weeks so go easy on me if this is a stupid question. :)
|
|
<p>
|
|
I'm trying to get ppp to working for dialing into my ISP, but no matter
|
|
what I do it disconnects.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Here's a small description of what is going on:
|
|
I set up /dev/modem --> /dev/cua1 and enabled full permissions on both.
|
|
Set the jumpers on my modem for com2, irq3.
|
|
Ran setserial to setup the proper device settings.
|
|
Re-compiled the kernel for ppp.
|
|
checked my modem init strings.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Now, no matter what I use (minicom, shell scripts, netcfg), the chat script
|
|
goes through the proper procedure and starts up ppp on the server side,
|
|
passes control to pppd, which connects ppp0 <--> /dev/modem, and after
|
|
that, the modem hangs up (within about 2 seconds).
|
|
<p>
|
|
I've tried all kinds of command line args to pppd, with no luck. Can
|
|
anyone help me out here?
|
|
<p>
|
|
Later,
|
|
Nolan
|
|
<p>
|
|
My webpage--> http://users.uniserve.com/~nzak/welcome.htm
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 22:20:54 -0500<br>
|
|
From: "atm" <a href="mailto:atm@dapa.com">atm@dapa.com</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Linux and routing
|
|
<p>
|
|
I have heard that you can connect a LAN to the internet via just 1
|
|
assigned IP address. This is what I am planning on doing, however, I do
|
|
not know how one would go about doing it, and I would like to ask you if
|
|
you could do an article about it. <i>(Any takers among our readers?
|
|
--Editor)</i>
|
|
<p>
|
|
I plan on getting a cable modem soon, so the bandwidth would be pretty
|
|
high, so that is why I have decided to try to make this connection
|
|
provide for my whole house via a LAN connection in my home. What I have
|
|
read is that you could use the private IPs, meaning the 10.x.x.x or so,
|
|
192.168.x.x and some others for the IP of the LAN and have these connect
|
|
to some box (the LINUX box?) that would provide its connection to the
|
|
internet to the inside LAN connected to the box. Is the problem that
|
|
you would have to route the assigned address to the private IPs for the
|
|
LAN use. I have also read that this would slow down the connection a
|
|
bit or something, but that is a price I am willing to pay. So, the
|
|
summary of the question is how would I be able to connect many computers
|
|
to the internet via just 1 assigned IP address? I would like to be able
|
|
to do it using my LINUX box connected to the internet via cable modem,
|
|
and to my LAN via an Ethernet link. Any help is much appreciated,
|
|
thanks.
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 10:41:54 +0000<br>
|
|
From: John Fisher <a
|
|
href="mailto:john@Atropos.apana.org.au">john@Atropos.apana.org.au</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Of Mouse and Men (no Cheese)
|
|
<p>
|
|
A very new boy to all this I am :-)
|
|
<p>
|
|
Problem--
|
|
<p>
|
|
Using a 486 pc & Slackware I'm unable to use my mouse due to this
|
|
error:
|
|
<p>
|
|
Too many symbolic links encountered /dev/console
|
|
<p>
|
|
Would very much apprecaite some help.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Regards
|
|
<p>
|
|
John Fisher
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 09:23:14 -0500<br>
|
|
From: <a
|
|
href="mailto:Wenhao_Meng@dadebehring.com">Wenhao_Meng@dadebehring.com</a><br>
|
|
Subject: try to use a 386 computer
|
|
<p>
|
|
I am new in the Linux world. How new? I am so new that I have just ordered
|
|
a Redhat release 5.0. Though this is a new world I am very glad I am one of
|
|
you, the Linux lovers.
|
|
<p>
|
|
I used to have a 386 25 MHz computer. Not long time ago I bought a Pentium
|
|
200 MHz computer. Since then I have not played with 386. Is there any easy
|
|
and economical way to connect the 386 to the Pentinum computer where I will
|
|
install the Release 5.0. If so, what I can do with it or at lease what I
|
|
can learn from it.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Thank you very much. Waiting for talking to you.
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 08:44:15 -0700<br>
|
|
From: Doug Milligan <a href="mailto:doug@nwrks.com">doug@nwrks.com</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Help Wanted: RedHat 5.0 sound
|
|
<p>
|
|
Have installed RedHat 5.0 and configured the sound card using sndconfig.
|
|
All went well and I heard the demo sound bite of Linus. However, I have
|
|
never heard another sound since. When browsing web sites with sound, no
|
|
audio is played. Anyone have any ideas?
|
|
<p>
|
|
Doug Milligan
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 1997 12:45:29 -0800 (PST)<br>
|
|
From: karl rossing <a
|
|
href="mailto:unixb0y@yahoo.com">unixb0y@yahoo.com</a><br>
|
|
Subject: LINUX AS A PDT
|
|
<p>
|
|
I was wondering if it is possble to get windows 95/NT to authenticate
|
|
to LINUX (using nis or nis+). I'm really getting tired of adding
|
|
accounts on the nt boxes for the linux boxes (for smb)...Is there any
|
|
commercial software availible?
|
|
<p>
|
|
I know of d-sync [http://www.m-tech.ab.ca/psynch/index.html]
|
|
and NSGINA
|
|
[http://www.dcs.qmw.ac.uk/~williams/]
|
|
which seems a bit of work to setup...
|
|
<p>
|
|
I'm not really looking for passwd syncronisation, i'd like to
|
|
consolidate it to the linux box, because the users use both linux/95/nt.
|
|
<p>
|
|
nuff said
|
|
<p>
|
|
Thanks,<br>
|
|
Karl Rossing
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 1998 23:54:37 +0100<BR>
|
|
From: Gabriele Giansante <A
|
|
HREF="mailto:gvgsoft@madnet.it">gvgsoft@madnet.it</A> <BR>
|
|
Subject: Perl and HTML
|
|
<P>
|
|
please pardon me for my bad english.
|
|
I need help for one exam in my university. I have to do a script CGI in
|
|
Perl and I have to recall with HTML. I have done all. Perl compile
|
|
without errors the script but when I run the HTML page and choose the
|
|
link to the script, I obtain only a list of script. Why is it? I put in
|
|
the Perl script the line #!/usr/local/bin/perl. I know this is used to
|
|
indicate the Perl compiler. I work on Linux RedHat 4.1 trying to execute
|
|
the script with browser ARENA and NETSCAPE.
|
|
I enjoy if you can help me.
|
|
I see Linux Gazette now the first time and like it because I find many
|
|
help on my questions. Pardon my english and
|
|
Thank you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<a name="gen"></a>
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<!--===================================================================-->
|
|
<center><H3> General Mail </H3></center>
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 1997 11:15:36 PST<br>
|
|
From: Marty Leisner <a
|
|
href="mailto:leisner@sdsp.mc.xerox.com">leisner@sdsp.mc.xerox.com</a><br>
|
|
Subject: some requests
|
|
<p>
|
|
When including more than a few lines of code, include a link
|
|
to the code (i.e. the original source files).
|
|
<p>
|
|
In issue 22, I had problems with the line breaks cutting and
|
|
pasting a program from netscape into a window, saving and
|
|
recompiling.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Marty
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 13:36:05 -0600 (CST)<br>
|
|
From: Justin Dossey <a href="mailto:dossey@ou.edu">dossey@ou.edu</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Help for trival problems
|
|
<p>
|
|
I notice that a lot of people write the Gazette with fairly trivial
|
|
problems that are difficult to solve via non-interactive media
|
|
(email). I'd like to remind some and inform others of the Linux
|
|
Internet Support Cooperative. An excerpt from the LISC home page
|
|
(http://www.linpeople.org) says:
|
|
<p>
|
|
"Since 1994, a small and somewhat foolish group of Linux system users
|
|
and administrators have been giving free technical support for Linux
|
|
under the name LinPeople, on Internet Relay Chat (IRC). With Linux
|
|
being a free operating system, it only seemed appropriate to provide a
|
|
free means of supporting it.Since 1994, a small and somewhat foolish
|
|
group of Linux system users and administrators have been giving free
|
|
technical support for Linux under the name LinPeople, on Internet
|
|
Relay Chat (IRC). With Linux being a free operating system, it only
|
|
seemed appropriate to provide a free means of supporting it."
|
|
<p>
|
|
It sometimes seems to linux users with problems that no one is
|
|
interested in helping them. They post to news and don't get a reply,
|
|
they send email to the Gazette and feel ignored. When you have a
|
|
problem, especially if you suspect that others might have the same,
|
|
try LISC. With most internet-connected Linux boxen, it's just a
|
|
matter of typing:
|
|
<p>
|
|
ircii irc.linpeople.org
|
|
/join #linpeople
|
|
<p>
|
|
and then asking the question.
|
|
<p>
|
|
The people at LISC will do what they can to solve your problem,
|
|
teaching you about Linux at the same time.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Justin Dossey
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 06:35:00 -0500 (EST)<br>
|
|
From: Benjmin Lee Adamson <a
|
|
href="mailto:ladamson@itd.nrl.navy.mil">ladamson@itd.nrl.navy.mil</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Ah... Goodstuff...
|
|
<p>
|
|
I just found the Linux Gazette... I haven't read all of them yet, but I
|
|
really dig what I've found so far... :)
|
|
<p>
|
|
Really really really really goodstuff. :)
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 01:03:04 +0100<br>
|
|
From: Diego Cortassa <a
|
|
href="mailto:cortassa.diego@usa.net">cortassa.diego@usa.net</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Netscape Hidden tips:w
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
I saw Ivan Griffin's 'Netscape Hidden "Easter Eggs"' tip on Linux Gazette
|
|
Issue 23 and I've got one more cool special URL:
|
|
<p>
|
|
about:mozilla
|
|
<p>
|
|
Read the message and take a look to the N animation while downloading a web
|
|
page ! :-)
|
|
<p>
|
|
P.S.
|
|
Linux Gazette is GREAT !!!!!!!!!
|
|
<p>
|
|
Diego Cortassa
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 1997 06:13:59 -0700<br>
|
|
From: Sengan Baring-Gould <a
|
|
href="mailto:senganb@cyrix.com">senganb@cyrix.com</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Loading times
|
|
<p>
|
|
Hi,
|
|
<p>
|
|
Thanks for the great work at linuxgazette.com.
|
|
I'd like to suggest an improvement: that the loading
|
|
does not get paused while the massive Linux Gazette
|
|
banner at the top of the page gets loaded... it's a pain
|
|
on a slow link.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Thanks
|
|
<p>
|
|
Sengan
|
|
<p>
|
|
<blockquote><i>(You might try turning off the display of graphical images
|
|
using your browser. Alternatively, you can wait a short while and then stop
|
|
the loading. Although the graphics may be incomplete, the text should be
|
|
there. --Editor)</i></blockquote>
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 1997 20:03:32 +0100<br>
|
|
From: Ingo Oeser <a
|
|
href="mailto:ioe@informatik.tu-chemnitz.de">ioe@informatik.tu-chemnitz.de</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Kewl new cover image
|
|
<p>
|
|
The subject just says what I would like to tell you: The cover image
|
|
(the one with "Linux Gazette" inside) really looks great!
|
|
<p>
|
|
cu<br>
|
|
Ingo
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 09:52:10 -0500 (EST)<br>
|
|
From: Kragen Sittler <a
|
|
href="mailto:sittler@erim-int.com">sittler@erim-int.com</a><br>
|
|
Subject: http://www.operasoftware.com/alt_os.html
|
|
<p>
|
|
Using WinNT at work, I discovered this fabulous browser called Opera.
|
|
It's the fastest web browser I've ever used, including Lynx, but has most
|
|
of the features I want from Netscape. Also, it's fairly small -- right
|
|
now, my Opera process is under 5000K, even though it has six fairly heavy
|
|
web-pages open, and the download size just grew over one megabyte.
|
|
<p>
|
|
They're doing this funky pledge-drive thing where they ask people to
|
|
promise to buy copies of Opera for $35 for other platforms -- Mac, Be,
|
|
OS/2, and Linux -- before they've started developing Opera for those
|
|
platforms. They say they haven't gotten much support from the Linux
|
|
community -- perhaps it's because not many people have heard of them?
|
|
<p>
|
|
(I learned about Opera from Borland's web pages, btw.)
|
|
<p>
|
|
Kragen
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 20:37:26 +0530<br>
|
|
From: Sudhir Krishnan <a
|
|
href="mailto:sudhir@kaveri.tifr.res.in">sudhir@kaveri.tifr.res.in</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Can I help you?
|
|
<p>
|
|
I have been using Linux for more than
|
|
a year now. There's no other OS that fascinates me more than Linux! I
|
|
have been programming in Linux using gcc. I have made my own text editor
|
|
for Linux, with various modes for emulating emacs, vi and turbo c
|
|
editor keystrokes. Also there are modes for C, C++ and Pascal programs
|
|
so that the keywords are highlighted. My home page's location is:
|
|
<p>
|
|
<a
|
|
href="http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/9147/">http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/9147/</a>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Here I have an entire page dedicated to Linux tips and help, meant for
|
|
the Linux newbie. There are sections regarding
|
|
PPP configuration, kernel compilation, installation and partitioning
|
|
etc. Please let me know if any of these could be
|
|
of help in any way.
|
|
<p>
|
|
regards,<br>
|
|
- sud -
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 14:23:26 PST<br>
|
|
From: Marty Leisner <a
|
|
href="mailto:leisner@sdsp.mc.xerox.com">leisner@sdsp.mc.xerox.com</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Troff/Tex debate
|
|
<p>
|
|
I read Andrew Young's (aty@mintaka.sdsu.edu) letter in December,
|
|
then read Larry Ayers Issue 22 column...
|
|
<p>
|
|
I take issue with two of Larry's statements:
|
|
"Groff is the epitome of the non-user-friendly and cryptic unix
|
|
command-line tool."
|
|
Larry also says:
|
|
"Learning to use Groff on a Linux system might be an uphill battle, though Linux software developers must have
|
|
learned enough of it at one time or other, as most programs come with Groff-tagged man-page files. Groff's
|
|
apparent opacity and difficulty make LaTeX look easy in contrast!"
|
|
<p>
|
|
I'm not sure LaTeX is an improvement in these areas. I've used troff
|
|
for over 10 years and recently started to use LaTeX
|
|
(in fact, many
|
|
times LaTeX is far more obscure then troff). And there are a
|
|
few features in LaTeX I miss (like:
|
|
<pre>
|
|
.sy stat \n(.F | fgrep Change >change.time
|
|
.so change.time
|
|
.sy rm change.time
|
|
</pre>
|
|
to get the document time into the document (as opposed to the "TeX"
|
|
time, or having to manually change the date, which is invariably wrong.
|
|
I have a makefile which puts this in a file, then includes the file)
|
|
<p>
|
|
The biggest problem is the lack of reference materials for troff.
|
|
I've used Unix Text Processing (Dougherty/O'Reilly) which
|
|
Andrew mentions...I've never seen or heard of the other book...
|
|
<p>
|
|
There are some references for troff/pic/indexing tools on:
|
|
http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/cstr.html (including the one mentioned later)
|
|
There are also good papers on troff in:
|
|
4.4BSD User's Supplementary Documents (I'm not sure
|
|
which ones can be redistributed and which ones are only in the
|
|
book).
|
|
<p>
|
|
FYI, from Eric Raymond's online jargon file:
|
|
:troff:: /T'rof/ or /trof/ /n./ [Unix] The gray
|
|
eminence of Unix text processing; a formatting and phototypesetting
|
|
program, written originally in PDP-11 assembler and then in
|
|
barely-structured early C by the late Joseph Ossanna, modeled after
|
|
the earlier ROFF which was in turn modeled after Multics' RUNOFF by
|
|
Jerome Saltzer (*that* name came from the expression "to run
|
|
off a copy"). A companion program, {nroff}, formats output for
|
|
terminals and line printers.
|
|
<p>
|
|
In 1979, Brian Kernighan modified troff so that it could drive
|
|
phototypesetters other than the Graphic Systems CAT. His paper
|
|
describing that work ("A Typesetter-independent troff," AT&T CSTR
|
|
#97) explains troff's durability. After discussing the program's
|
|
"obvious deficiencies -- a rebarbative input syntax, mysterious
|
|
and undocumented properties in some areas, and a voracious appetite
|
|
for computer resources" and noting the ugliness and extreme
|
|
hairiness of the code and internals, Kernighan concludes:
|
|
<p>
|
|
<blockquote>
|
|
None of these remarks should be taken as denigrating Ossanna's
|
|
accomplishment with TROFF. It has proven a remarkably robust
|
|
tool, taking unbelievable abuse from a variety of preprocessors
|
|
and being forced into uses that were never conceived of in the
|
|
original design, all with considerable grace under fire.
|
|
</blockquote>
|
|
The success of {{TeX}} and desktop publishing systems have
|
|
reduced `troff''s relative importance, but this tribute
|
|
perfectly captures the strengths that secured `troff' a place
|
|
in hacker folklore; indeed, it could be taken more generally as an
|
|
indication of those qualities of good programs that, in the long
|
|
run, hackers most admire.
|
|
<p>
|
|
marty
|
|
|
|
<P> <HR> <P>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/envelope.gif">
|
|
|
|
Date: Fri, 02 Jan 1998 15:33:15 +0100<br>
|
|
From: Wolfgang Laun <a href="mailto:Wolfgang Laun@aut.alcatel.at">Wolfgang
|
|
Laun@aut.alcatel.at</a><br>
|
|
Subject: Linux Gazette/GNU/Linux Benchmarking
|
|
<p>
|
|
A recent <i>LG</i> article by André Balsa on benchmarking provided interesting material to me.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Having a little experience with benchmarks myself (some of it while
|
|
checking optimizing efforts myself on a compiler) I have found
|
|
that caching on Intel CPUs can significantly distort results.
|
|
In the first part you mention that caching can be disabled via
|
|
the BIOS setup. If you write your own benchmarks (or have the source),
|
|
you could also consider using the pertaining CPU instructions, easily
|
|
inserted using gcc's _asm_. This could be used to keep caching up while
|
|
running the code you want to measure and to flush between cycles, in
|
|
order
|
|
not to "carry over" a cache bonus from the previous iteration.
|
|
<p>
|
|
Wolfgang
|
|
<p>
|
|
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<!--================================================================-->
|
|
<center>Published in Linux Gazette Issue 24, January 1998</center>
|
|
<!--====================================================================-->
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<A HREF="./index.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/indexnew.gif" ALT="[ TABLE OF
|
|
CONTENTS ]"></A>
|
|
<A HREF="../index.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/homenew.gif" ALT="[ FRONT
|
|
PAGE ]"></A>
|
|
<A HREF="./lg_tips24.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/fwd.gif" ALT=" Next "></A>
|
|
<P>
|
|
<h5>This page written and maintained by the Editor of <I>Linux Gazette</I>,
|
|
<A HREF="mailto: gazette@ssc.com">gazette@ssc.com</A><BR>
|
|
Copyright © 1998 Specialized Systems Consultants, Inc. </H5>
|
|
<P>
|
|
<!--startcut ==========================================================-->
|
|
</body> </html>
|
|
<!--endcut ============================================================-->
|
|
|