716 lines
26 KiB
HTML
716 lines
26 KiB
HTML
<!--startcut ==========================================================-->
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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
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<html>
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<head>
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<title>More 2 Cent Tips & Tricks LG #35</title>
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</head>
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<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#A000A0"
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ALINK="#FF0000">
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<!--endcut ============================================================-->
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<H4>"Linux Gazette...<I>making Linux just a little more fun!</I>"
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</H4>
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!-- QUICK TIPS SECTION ================================================== -->
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<center>
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<H1><A NAME="tips"><IMG ALIGN=MIDDLE ALT="" SRC="../gx/twocent.gif">
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More 2¢ Tips!</A></H1> <BR>
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Send Linux Tips and Tricks to <A HREF="mailto:gazette@ssc.com">
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gazette@ssc.com
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</A></center>
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<p><hr><p>
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<H3>Contents:</H3>
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<ul>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#trapp">
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NumLock - On at Startup
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#milmeister">
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Environment configuration using zsh
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#inder">
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XWindow servers for MS PCs
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#williams">
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Simultaneous color depths for X
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#kaufman">
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Netscape
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#jablecki">
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Hard Disk Duplication - Update
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#baldwin">
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Back Ups
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#young">
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ANSWER: Re: suggestion for Linux security feature
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#wood">
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ANSWER: Re: How to add disk space to Red Hat 5.1?
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#wood2">
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ANSWER: Re: Win95 peer-to-peer vs. Linux server running Samba
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#wood3">
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ANSWER: Re: Single IP Address & Many Servers. Possible?
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#pritzkau">
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ANSWER: Re: Help Modem+HP
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</a>
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<li><a HREF="./lg_tips35.html#irwin">
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ANSWER: Re: Suggestion for Linux security
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features
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</a>
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</ul>
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--================================================================-->
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<a name="trapp"></a>
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<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
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<font color="navy">NumLock - On at Startup</font>
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</H3>
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Date: Mon, 02 Nov 1998 09:37:58 -0500<BR>
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From: Brian Trapp, <A HREF="mailto:bmtrapp@acsu.buffalo.edu">
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bmtrapp@acsu.buffalo.edu</A>
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<P>
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Here's a 2 cent tip for others trying to turn NumLock on at startup (I'm
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using Red Hat 5.1, Linux 2.0.34)
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<P>
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Dennis van Dok wrote in to let us know there's a program called
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"setleds" that will handle this kind of activity. The "Linux FAQ"
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http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/faqs/section7.html#q_7_10 has this to say
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about how to set this up automatically.
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<blockquote> <font color="navy">
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Question 7.10. How do I get NUM LOCK to default to on ?<BR>
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Use the setleds program, for example (in /etc/rc.local or one of the /etc/rc.d/* files):
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<tt>for t in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8</tt><BR>
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<tt>do</tt><BR>
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<tt>setleds +num < /dev/tty$t > /dev/null</tt><BR>
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<tt>done</tt><BR>
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setleds is part of the KDB package (see Q7.9 `How do I remap my keyboard to
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UK, French, etc. ?').<BR>
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Alternatively, patch your kernel. You need to arrange for KBD_DEFLEDS to be
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defined to (1 << VC_NUMLOCK) when compiling
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drivers/char/keyboard.c.
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</font> </blockquote>
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Steve Head also wrote in saying he thought there was a setting in the
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X11 configuration file to change this, but I haven't had a chance to try that
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yet.
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<P>
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Again -- the Linux community comes through. Thanks to all who helped.
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<P>
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Brian Trapp
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--================================================================-->
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<a name="milmeister"></a>
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<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
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<font color="navy">Environment configuration using zsh</font>
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</H3>
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Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 02:27:39 +0100<BR>
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From: Gerard Milmeister, <A HREF="mailto:gemi@bluewin.ch">gemi@bluewin.ch</A>
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<P>
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It may happen that I want to use a software package which includes
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lots of binaries, sometimes even hundreds of them as is the case
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with BRLCAD. These packages live in their own directories, for example
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/usr/local/brlcad/bin, /usr/local/brlcad/lib etc. I don't want to cp,
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mv or ln the binaries in a common place like /usr/local/bin as they
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would clutter up these directories and, more important, name clashes
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can arise. Furthermore these packages require environment variables to
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be set, and it would be cumbersome to configure these in a personal
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.zshrc file.
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<P>
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The following method using zsh may help to quickly set up an
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environment appropriate for the specific package.
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<P>
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The idea is, that calling a script, e.g. brlcad_setup, living in a
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common place, will make a new instance of shell properly set up. Using
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zsh it is possible to modularize the configuration, such that it is
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possible build up a general configuration tool.
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<P>
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Example:<BR>
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In the directory /usr/local/brlcad I put the following shell script,
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linked into /usr/local/bin:
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<P>
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brlcad_setup:
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<PRE>
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#!/bin/sh
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export BRLCADHOME=3D/usr/local/brlcad # (*)
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export PATH=3D$BRLCADHOME/bin:$PATH # (*)
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export MANPATH=3D$BRLCADHOME/man # (*)
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export ZDOTDIR=3D/usr/local/lib/zsh # (**)
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export PSNAME=3Dbrlcad # (**)
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exec zsh # (1) (**)
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</PRE>
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In /usr/local/lib/zsh there is a replacement .zshenv file:
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<PRE>
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. ~HOME/.zshrc
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export PSLOCAL=3D$PSNAME:$PSLOCAL
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PS1="[$PSLOCAL%n]:%~:$"
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</PRE>
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This is called at (1) in place of the user's .zshenv and will set up
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the prompt, so that the user is able to see in what environment he
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works. The lines (*) are the customization for the particular
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package. The lines (**) can be used as a template for other
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configuration scripts, with PSNAME set to the name of the package. I
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have created scripts for gpm (Modula-2 compiler, name clash with the
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console mouse driver), brlcad and bmrt.
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<P>
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Example session:
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<PRE>
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[gemi]:~:$brlcad_setup =
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[brlcad:gemi]:~:$bmrt_setup =
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[bmrt:brlcad:gemi]:~:$gpm_setup =
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[gpm:bmrt:brlcad:gemi]:~:$exit
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[bmrt:brlcad:gemi]:~:$exit
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[brlcad:gemi]:~:$exit
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[gemi]:~:$
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</PRE>
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At each level, the PATH configuration and other environment variables
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are available for the packages displayed in the prompt, and will
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disappear as soon as a shell is exited.
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<P>
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--<BR>
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Gerard
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--================================================================-->
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<a name="inder"></a>
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<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
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<font color="navy">XWindow servers for MS PCs</font>
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</H3>
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Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 17:09:58 +1300<BR>
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From: Mark Inder, <A HREF="mailto:mark@tts.co.nz">mark@tts.co.nz</A>
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<P>
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A while ago I inquired about X Windows servers for PC's so that I could run
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my Linux GUI on my PC for administration etc..
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I got about 32 replies. Great support! I have summarized the replies
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here in case anybody else is interested.
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I tried the MI/X and VNC. I found MI/X tricky and not very solid, and VNC
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to be amazingly flexible. Try viewing your own desktop from another PC
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while viewing that PC's desktop.
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<P>
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Replies:<BR>
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<ul>
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<li>XAppeal from <A HREF="ftp://ftp.xtreme.it/pub/xappeal">
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ftp://ftp.xtreme.it/pub/xappeal</A>
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<li>There's a freeware X server at <A HREF="http://www.microimages.com/">
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http://www.microimages.com/</A>
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<li>$99 XwinPro, <A HREF="http://www.labf.com/">http://www.labf.com/</A>
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<li>StarNet Communications Corporation, <A HREF="http://www.starnet.com/">
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http://www.starnet.com/</A>
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<li>Yahoo has a Page that has links to various X servers (Mix and Starnet
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ones are listed here also):
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<A
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HREF="http://www.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Software/Platforms/X_Window_System/">
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http://www.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Software/Platforms/X_Window_System/</A>
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<li>try the list at <A
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HREF="http://www.rahul.net/kenton/xsites.html#XMicrosoft">
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http://www.rahul.net/kenton/xsites.html#XMicrosoft</A>
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<li>There are all kinds of shareware X servers for win32, take a look at
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<A HREF="http://www.winfiles.com/">http://www.winfiles.com</A> for a listing. The best server you'll probably find is
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Hummingbird Software's <B>eXceed</B>.
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<li>Try looking for a product called XWIN32, it's not shareware but it is
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quite cheap ( compared to exceed and the like ).
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<li>Try getting the demo X-Win32 from <A HREF="http://www.starnet.com/">
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http://www.starnet.com/</A>
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<li>Here you will find a lot of info about X:<BR>
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<A HREF="http://www.rahul.net/kenton/xsites.framed.html">
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http://www.rahul.net/kenton/xsites.framed.html</A>
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<li>Check <A HREF="http://www.starnet.com/">http://www.starnet.com/</A> and poke "Product Demos"
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</ul>
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--<BR>
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Mark Inder
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--================================================================-->
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<a name="williams"></a>
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<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
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<font color="navy">Simultaneous color depths for X</font>
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</H3>
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Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 16:47:34 -0500<BR>
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From: Adam Williams, <A HREF="mailto:awillia1@chuma.cas.usf.edu">
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awillia1@chuma.cas.usf.edu</A>
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<P>
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With this technique you can run several X servers simultaneously with
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different color depths. This comes in handy for interoperating programs
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that
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only support a few color depths or previewing
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images in different color depths, all without quitting the current
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session or so much as opening a Control Panel.
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<P>
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Create a startx file for every bit depth called startx8, startx16, or
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startx24. Give yourself execute permission on those.
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<P>
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In each startx file put the following, which is a slightly modified
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version of the
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default startx:
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<PRE>
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#!/bin/sh
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bindir=/usr/X11R6/bin
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userclientrc=$HOME/.xinitrc
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userserverrc=$HOME/.xserverrc
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sysclientrc=/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc
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sysserverrc=/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/xserverrc
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clientargs=""
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serverargs=""
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display=:0
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depth=8
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if [ -f $userclientrc ]; then
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clientargs=$userclientrc
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else if [ -f $sysclientrc ]; then
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clientargs=$sysclientrc
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fi
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fi
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if [ -f $userserverrc ]; then
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serverargs=$userserverrc
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else if [ -f $sysserverrc ]; then
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serverargs=$sysserverrc
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fi
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fi
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whoseargs="client"
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while [ "x$1" != "x" ]; do
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case "$1" in
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/''*|\.*) if [ "$whoseargs" = "client" ]; then
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clientargs="$1"
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else
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serverargs="$1"
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fi ;;
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--) whoseargs="server" ;;
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*) if [ "$whoseargs" = "client" ]; then
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clientargs="$clientargs $1"
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else
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serverargs="$serverargs $1"
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case "$1" in
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:[0-9]) display="$1" ;;
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esac
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fi ;;
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esac
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shift
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done
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serverargs="$serverargs $display -auth $HOME/.Xauthority -bpp $depth"
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mcookie=`mcookie`
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xauth add $display . $mcookie
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xauth add `hostname -f`$display . $mcookie
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echo "xinit $clientargs -- $serverargs"
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exec xinit $clientargs -- $serverargs
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</PRE>
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Change the display and depth variables to different numbers for every
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startx file.
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<P>
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For example:b4
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For an 8 bit server set depth=8 and display=:0<BR>
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For a 16 bit server set depth=16 and display=:1<BR>
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For a 24 bit server set depth=24 and display=:2<BR>
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<P>
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You can even have several startx files for the same bit depth as long
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as the display variables are different.
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<P>
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Now you can start up an 8 bit server with startx8. Open an xterm and
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type startx16 to get a 16 bit server without quitting the 8 bit
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server. You can switch between servers using the Ctrl-Alt-F keys.
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--================================================================-->
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<a name="kaufman"></a>
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<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
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<font color="navy">Netscape</font>
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</H3>
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Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 08:25:13 -0600<BR>
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From: Jim Kaufman, <A
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HREF="mailto:hsijmk@harmonic.com">hsijmk@harmonic.com</A>
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<P>
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You recently published the following tip:
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<blockquote> <font color="navy">
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Nevertheless, Netscape seems to create a directory nsmail in the user's
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home directory every time it starts and doesn't find it, even if mail is
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not used. This is annoying. Here's a trick which doesn't make this
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directory go away, but at least makes it invisible.
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</font> </blockquote>
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<blockquote> <font color="navy">
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I didn't find a GUI equivalent to change this setting so you have to do the
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following: <BR>
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Edit the file ~/.netscape/preferences.js and change all occurrences of
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'nsmail' to '.netscape'. The important thing here is, of course, the
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leading dot before 'netscape'.
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</font> </blockquote>
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<P>
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My recommendation is to edit ~/.netscape/preferences.js and change the
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occurrences of 'nsmail' to '~/Mail' That way, netscape can display mail if I
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choose, or I can use another mail reader (elm, mutt, pine, etc.) configured
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to use the same directory.
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<P>
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--<BR>
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James M. Kaufman
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--================================================================-->
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<a name="jablecki"></a>
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<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
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<font color="navy">Hard Disk Duplication - Update</font>
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</H3>
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Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 23:41:06 -0800<BR>
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From: Michael Jablecki, <A HREF="mailto:mcjablec@ucsd.edu">
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mcjablec@ucsd.edu</A>
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<P>
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The Ingot program did not work well for me. Power Quest has, IMHO, a
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superior product for less money -- drive image. Good stuff!
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<A HREF="http://www.powerquest.com/">http://www.powerquest.com</A>
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<P>
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--<BR>
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Michael
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--================================================================-->
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<a name="baldwin"></a>
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<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
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<font color="navy">Back Ups</font>
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</H3>
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Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1998 03:46:10 +0000<BR>
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From: Anthony Baldwin, <A HREF="mailto:ab@spkypc.demon.co.uk">
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ab@spkypc.demon.co.uk</A>
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<P>
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Here's my two cent tip:<BR>
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Disk space is relatively cheap, so why not buy a small drive
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say 500Meg which is used for holding just the root /lib /bin
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/sbin directories. Then setup a job to automatically back this
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up to another drive using "cp -ax" (and possibly pipe it through
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gzip and tar). This way when the unthinkable happens and you
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loose something vital, all you have to do is boot from floppy
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mount the 2 drives and do a copy.
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This has just saved my bacon while installing gnu-libc2
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<P>
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-- <BR>
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Anthony Baldwin
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--================================================================-->
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<H4><font color="maroon">
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Tips in the following section are answers to questions printed in the Mail
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Bag column of previous issues.
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</font></H4>
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<P> <hr> <P>
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<!--================================================================-->
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<a name="young"></a>
|
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<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
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ANSWER: <font color="navy">Re: suggestion for Linux security
|
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feature </font>
|
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</H3>
|
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<P>
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Date: Sun, 01 Nov 1998 01:10:10 -0700<BR>
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From: Warren Young, <A HREF="mailto:tangent@cyberport.com">
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tangent@cyberport.com</A>
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<P>
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In regards to a letter you wrote to the Linux Gazette:
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<blockquote> <font color="navy">
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A. only that user could access their own cache, cookies, pointer files,
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etc.
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</font> </blockquote>
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<P>
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I will first assume that you already have the computer basically
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secured: you are not logging in as "root" except to maintain the
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system, and the "regular user" account you are using does not
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have permission to write files to any other area of the hard disc
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than your own home directory. (I will ignore the "temporary"
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and other "public" directories.)
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<P>
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The first step is to set the security permissions on your home
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directory and its subdirectories. I won't go into the details
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here (that's best left to a good introductory Linux text), but
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you can have the system disallow other users from reading and/or
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listing the contents of your directories, as well as disallowing
|
|
write access. (Under Red Hat Linux 5.0, the default is to disallow
|
|
others _all_ access to your home directory, but subdirectories you
|
|
later create aren't protected in this way.) Do the same for your
|
|
existing files.
|
|
<P>
|
|
Next, learn to use the "umask" command. (This command is part of
|
|
your shell -- find out what your "login shell" is, and then read
|
|
its manual to find info about this command.) The umask command
|
|
sets the "default file permissions" for new files. For example,
|
|
you can make the system create new files and directories such that
|
|
only you can read them or write to them.
|
|
<P>
|
|
One other thing you should look into is an encrypting file system
|
|
driver. I seem to recall hearing of such a thing for Linux, but
|
|
I can't recall any details.
|
|
<blockquote> <font color="navy">
|
|
I do not know how deleted files could be safeguarded in this way
|
|
</font> </blockquote>
|
|
It's possible to patch the OS so that the "unlink()" system call
|
|
always overwrites the file with zeros or something before it
|
|
removes the file from the file system. That would make the system
|
|
run slower at times, but that might be a worthwhile tradeoff for
|
|
you. That should be a fairly easy change to make to the kernel,
|
|
given that the source code is available. If you don't know how
|
|
to do this and are unwilling to learn, try asking on the Net for
|
|
someone to do this for you. You can probably find someone who's
|
|
willing just because it's an interesting thing to do.
|
|
|
|
<blockquote> <font color="navy">
|
|
B. these files - the whole lot of them - could be scrubbed, wiped,
|
|
obliterated (that's why it's important for them to be in a
|
|
known and findable place) by their owner, without impairing the function
|
|
of the applications or the system, and without
|
|
disturbing similar such files for other users.
|
|
</font> </blockquote>
|
|
|
|
You list as criteria (to paraphrase) "without disturbing the system
|
|
for others", so the kernel idea above wouldn't work. Instead, you
|
|
would probably want a utility to do the same thing as the kernel
|
|
idea: overwrite the file (perhaps multiple times) with junk, and then
|
|
remove it. This, again, shouldn't be too hard to write, and I
|
|
wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't already exist. Such things
|
|
already exist for most other operating systems.... You could even
|
|
make it a fancy drag-and-drop X Windows application so you just drag
|
|
files to it like a Mac/Win95 "trash can" and it securely deletes the
|
|
file.
|
|
|
|
<blockquote> <font color="navy">
|
|
C. it would be nice too if there were a way to prevent the copying of
|
|
certain files, and that would include copying by backup
|
|
programs (for example, I'm a Mac user and we use Retrospect to back up
|
|
some of our Macintoshes; there's a feature to suppress the
|
|
backing up of a particular directory by having a special character (a
|
|
"bullet", or optn-8) at the beginning or end of the directory
|
|
name.) But if this could be an OS-level feature, it would be stronger.
|
|
</font> </blockquote>
|
|
|
|
This sort of feature does not belong in the operating system because
|
|
"backup" is not part of the operating system, it's an add-on. The
|
|
reason that it's an add-on is because you want to allow each
|
|
individual to choose their own backup solution based on their own
|
|
needs, desires and preferences. I may want to use the BRU backup
|
|
program, while another might prefer "afio", and a third person may
|
|
be a raving "tar" fan.
|
|
<P>
|
|
The point is, it's not part of the OS, so several different backup
|
|
programs have emerged, each with a different style and feature
|
|
list. The price of this freedom and flexibility is that a feature
|
|
like "don't back this file up" is something that each program will
|
|
implement differently. It can't be part of the OS under this
|
|
model, and I don't think we want to change this.
|
|
|
|
<blockquote> <font color="navy">
|
|
If I'm user X, and I want to get rid of my computer, or get rid of
|
|
everything that's mine on the computer, I should just be able to
|
|
delete all of my data files (and burn them or wipe them or otherwise
|
|
overwrite that area of the disk), which I can surely do
|
|
today. But in addition, I should know where to go to do the same thing
|
|
with whatever system level files might be out there,
|
|
currently unbeknownst to me, and be able to expunge them also, without
|
|
affecting anything for anyone else.
|
|
</font> </blockquote>
|
|
|
|
The safest method is to erase the hard disk with a "government
|
|
level wipe" program. Many of these exist for DOS -- you can create
|
|
a DOS disk for the sole purpose of booting up and wiping your system.
|
|
Then, install a fresh copy of the OS. This is the only way you can
|
|
be sure that everything sensitive is off of the machine.
|
|
<P>
|
|
The only other option is for you to learn where all of the
|
|
"individual configuration" files are kept -- that is, those files
|
|
that make your setup unique. Following the security suggestions
|
|
above can help, because then applications can't store something
|
|
where you can't find it -- the OS won't let it, and thus everything
|
|
is either under your home directory, or somewhere you put it as
|
|
"root". But, you may miss a file, so the "wipe the HD" is the only
|
|
foolproof method.
|
|
<P>
|
|
Good luck,<BR>
|
|
Warren -- http://www.cyberport.com/~tangent/
|
|
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<!--================================================================-->
|
|
|
|
<a name="wood"></a>
|
|
<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
|
|
ANSWER: <font color="navy">Re: How to add disk space to Red Hat 5.1?</font>
|
|
</H3>
|
|
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 20:43:35 -0800 (PST)<BR>
|
|
From: R Garth Wood, <A HREF="mailto:rgwood@peace.netnation.com">
|
|
rgwood@peace.netnation.com</A>
|
|
<PRE>
|
|
0 init 1
|
|
1 mount your drive on /mnt **(see below)
|
|
2 cp -dpR /usr /mnt
|
|
3 umount /mnt
|
|
4 mount your drive on /usr
|
|
5 init 2
|
|
6 rejoice
|
|
</PRE>
|
|
** recompile your kernel. make sure you have the options needed
|
|
in the HOWTO: <A
|
|
HREF="http://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/mini/ZIP-Drive">
|
|
http://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/mini/ZIP-Drive</A>
|
|
<P>
|
|
--<BR>
|
|
R Garth Wood
|
|
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<!--================================================================-->
|
|
|
|
<a name="wood2"></a>
|
|
<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
|
|
ANSWER: <font color="navy">Re: Win95 peer-to-peer vs. Linux server running
|
|
Samba</font>
|
|
</H3>
|
|
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 20:36:15 -0800 (PST)<BR>
|
|
From: R Garth Wood, <A HREF="mailto:rgwood@peace.netnation.com">
|
|
rgwood@peace.netnation.com</A>
|
|
<P>
|
|
The advantages are:
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>It won't go down
|
|
<li>You don't have to use a good machine
|
|
<li>you can print from UNIX as well
|
|
<li>you can do other things on it as well
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<P>
|
|
--<BR>
|
|
R Garth Wood
|
|
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<!--================================================================-->
|
|
|
|
<a name="wood3"></a>
|
|
<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
|
|
ANSWER: <font color="navy">Re: Single IP Address & Many Servers.
|
|
Possible?</font>
|
|
</H3>
|
|
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 20:27:50 -0800 (PST)<BR>
|
|
From: R Garth Wood, <A HREF="mailto:rgwood@peace.netnation.com">
|
|
rgwood@peace.netnation.com</A>
|
|
<P>
|
|
Look into the programs "redir" and "rinetd".
|
|
<P>
|
|
--<BR>
|
|
R Garth Wood
|
|
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<!--================================================================-->
|
|
|
|
<a name="pritzkau"></a>
|
|
<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
|
|
ANSWER: <font color="navy">Re: Help Modem+HP</font>
|
|
</H3>
|
|
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 03:24:36 -0800<BR>
|
|
From: "David P. Pritzkau", <A HREF="mailto:pritzkau@leland.Stanford.EDU">
|
|
pritzkau@leland.Stanford.EDU</A>
|
|
<P>
|
|
<blockquote> <font color="navy">
|
|
In issue 33 of the Linux Gazette you wrote:<BR>
|
|
I have already spent hours trying to fix my Supra336 PnP internal modem and my HP DeskJet 720C under Linux! The result is always the same, no
|
|
communication with the modem and no page printed on the HP printer! Could someone help me, I am close to abandon!
|
|
</font> </blockquote>
|
|
<P>
|
|
I've had the same problem with the HP820 printer. It turns out that the
|
|
'20 series printers use a protocol called PPA unlike the PCL protocols
|
|
that HP uses for its other printers. Basically Windows uses software to
|
|
print to these printers. Fortunately there's somebody out there who was
|
|
able to figure out some of that protocol (since HP isn't releasing any
|
|
info). This person created a PPA to PBM converter to allow printing
|
|
under Linux. Right now you can only print in black and white, but
|
|
that's better than nothing. If you are shopping for a printer and plan
|
|
to use Linux, you should avoid the '20 series HP printers like the
|
|
plague. Here's the URL where you can find more info about the converter
|
|
and download it. It comes with sample scripts to setup the printing.
|
|
Keep in mind that you must change the 'enscript' command in the scripts
|
|
to 'nenscript' because enscript is a commercial program. Also take out
|
|
the '-r' switch since 'nenscript' doesn't support it. Hope this helps.
|
|
<P>
|
|
<A HREF="http://www.rpi.edu/~normat/technical/ppa/index.html">
|
|
http://www.rpi.edu/~normat/technical/ppa/index.html</A>
|
|
<P>
|
|
--<BR>
|
|
David P. Pritzkau
|
|
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<!--================================================================-->
|
|
|
|
<a name="irwin"></a>
|
|
<H3><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="../gx/lil2cent.gif">
|
|
ANSWER: <font color="navy">Re: Suggestion for Linux security
|
|
features</font>
|
|
</H3>
|
|
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 11:17:18 +0100<BR>
|
|
From: Roger Irwin, <A HREF="mailto:irwin@mail.com">irwin@mail.com</A>
|
|
<P>
|
|
Linux already does most of what you said (example, netscape cache
|
|
cookie files are kept in a .netscape file in your home that cannot be
|
|
accessed by other users).
|
|
<P>
|
|
As for delete, this can easily be done by a user file that opens the
|
|
file for random access and writes x's everywhere before deleting. Have
|
|
seen such utilities around for virtually all platforms (as it only
|
|
requires ANSI C calls, you could easily write a command that compiles
|
|
onto any platform. It is slow, and could be slightly improved by being
|
|
done in kernel space. If you want to try, I suggest that you start by
|
|
reading Alessandro Rubini's book "Writing Linux Kernel Device Drivers".
|
|
This will give you an easy and gentle introduction to programming in
|
|
Kernel space. Once you have got the hang of that, you should read
|
|
through the documentation for the e2fs. Then implement a simple draft
|
|
version. Once you have it working, post it to the Linux Kernel
|
|
development mailing list, and the kernel hackers will guide you from
|
|
there.
|
|
<P>
|
|
DO NOT approach the kernel list with ideas you are thinking about doing.
|
|
It is not that they are unresponsive, but there are a lot of Linux users
|
|
and with a lot of ideas, they could easily be submerged. In order to
|
|
avoid time wasters, they are forced to adopt a 'first show me the code'
|
|
attitude. This is not a bad thing as when one starts to actually
|
|
implement something (rather than dream about it) you begin to realize
|
|
WHY it has not yet been done.
|
|
<P>
|
|
Once you actually have something, even a first draft that only vaguely
|
|
works, you will find kernel developers very responsive and helpful.
|
|
<P>
|
|
--<BR>
|
|
Roger
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<!--================================================================-->
|
|
<center>Published in <I>Linux Gazette</I> Issue 35, December 1998</center>
|
|
<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<!--================================================================-->
|
|
<A HREF="./index.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/indexnew.gif" ALT="[ TABLE OF
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ALT="[ FRONT PAGE ]"></A> <A HREF="./lg_mail35.html"><IMG SRC="../gx/back2.gif" ALT=" Back "></A>
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<P> <hr> <P>
|
|
<h5>This page 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>
|
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<P>
|
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|
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