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Contents:


News in General


 October Linux Journal

The October issue of Linux Journal will be hitting the newsstands September 11. The focus of this issue is Embedded Systems and we have feature articles on Active Badges, Communications Gateways and PIC Programming. Also included are a review of the Cobalt Cube, a Virginia Power update and an interview with Robert Dinse of Eskimo North. Check out the Table of Contents at http://www.linuxjournal.com/issue54/index.html. To subscribe to Linux Journal, go to http://www.linuxjournal.com/ljsubsorder.html.


 osi++counter is counting Operating Systems of the Internet

Responses from over 500,000 IP addresses have been collected and digested. Finally, the osi++counter web page went airborne.

If you want to check out how (or if ^) your favorite OS is doing, take a look at: http://members.tripod.com/~nzo/osi_counter/

During the next week, osi++counter will probably move to a site without advertising terror.

Enjoy!


 O'Reilly Releases Updated Edition of "High Performance Computing"

"High Performance Computing":

High Performance Computing, 2nd Edition
by Kevin Dowd & Charles Severance
July 1998
466 pages, 1-56592-312-X, $29.95 (US$)


 Linux Resources Wishlist

Many Linux users find themselves using a wonderful operating system, but are missing a few of the software packages that they know and love (or are just accustomed to).

Thus, the Linux Resources wish list is designed to provide the Linux Community with an easy way to tally a list of software and hardware that they would like to see ported to Linux. The results of this survey can be used when contacting vendors. Each vote submitted will be used to provide the proof that many vendors need to assure them that their product(s) have a market in the Linux OS.

What is listed on the Linux Wishlist site? Software: Programs from every aspect of computing. Hardware: Specific hardware that you would like to use with Linux.

How to vote or add a package to the Wishlist: http://www.linuxresources.com/wish/

Thank you!


 Linux Supported Web Page

The Cleveland Linux User Group (Cleveland, Ohio) has started a project to create a Linux Supported Web Page. Current guidelines for the web page can be found at http://intel.cleveland.lug.net/~mkovach/lswp.html

The purpose of this page will be to prompt companies that use, sell, prompt, support Linux. We will not be limiting this to just computer companies, but to any company. The idea stemmed from numerous discussions, but really comes from the loyality that Linux users seem to have.

For more information: Mat Kovach, mkovach@cleveland.lug.net, http://cleveland.lug.net/


 Linux Links

Los Alamos Supercomputer: http://www.lanl.gov/external/news/releases/archive/98-089.html

Interview with Caldera's Ransom Love: http://www.32bitsonline.com/

Linux Sound Applications: http://www.bright.net/~dlphilp/linux_soundapps.html

Open Source: http://www.opensource.org/

Installfest is free software: http://www.gv.kotnet.org/~kdf/installfest/

Project Independence: http://www.independence.seul.org/

Software for AccuView TV/Video based hardware: http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/cbagwell/accuview.html

For Linux programmers: http://www.linuxprogramming.com/

Monitor Configuration Help: http://www.netmaster.ca/LUG/monitor

Open Source Developer Day Press Release: oreilly.pr

Procmail and MS Windows Warning: procmail.pr

wxQT Proposal: http://Ballueder.home.ml.org/wxWindows/wxQt.html

Junger vs. Daley Cryptographic Sofware Case: crypto.html


 Mass Linux Installation

Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 14:44:07 -0700
On September 26th CLUE, the Canadian Linux Users Exchange, will perform a massive nation-wide installfest of Linux for any member of the public who shows up. This event is getting a lot of support and publicity. Details at http://global.proximity.on.ca/clue/

For more information:
Dave Stevens, dstevens@mail.bulkley.net


Software Announcements


 UPS Software Solutions for Linux

UPS monitoring and automatic shutdown software is available as a free download for use with Fenton uninterruptible power supplies.

The UPS software for Linux downloads and manuals are at:
ftp://megatec.com.tw/Rups2/UNIX/v3.01

The Fenton web site is at:
http://www.fentonups.com/index2.htm

For more information:
Fenton Technologies, Santa Ana, CA, http://www.fentonups.com


 Debian GNU/Linux ARM

The Debian GNU/Linux ARM distribution is a port of Debian to the ARM architecture and will run on Corel's NetWinder. Development will eventually target other ARM processors as well. The ARM port will likely be included in the next distribution of Debian.

Corel Computer Corp.'s NetWinder network computers are based on the powerful, scalable, open source Linux OS. They deliver the computing power, speed, and reliability needed for both end-user and server applications.

For more information: http://master.debian.org/~jim/netwinder.html


 Debian GNU/Linux 2.0 'Hamm-JP' Released

Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 11:43:39 -0400
The Debian JP Project has officially released Debian JP Packages for Debian GNU/Linux 2.0 'Hamm-JP' for the i386 and FM-TOWNS architectures.

Hamm-JP is a set of add-on packages for Debian GNU/Linux 2.0 'Hamm'. It completely conforms to the Debian Free Software Guidelines (DFSG), which guarantee Hamm-JP to be 100% free software.

It can be obtained from:

ftp://ftp.debian.or.jp/pub/linux/debian-jp/
ftp://debian.softagency.co.jp/pub/debian-jp/

For more information: http://www.debian.or.jp/Link.html
Nils Lohner, lohner@debian.org


 G5 Messaging

G5 Messaging is a new unified multimedia messaging development. In 1996, major players from both the vendor and user communities in the messaging industry, between them accounting for the supply of over 30% of inter-company messaging solutions world-wide, formed The G5 Messaging Forum. Since then, heavy investment has been made in developing the next generation messaging service.

The draft specification for a G5 messaging service - the Interoperability Agreement - was published on the Internet as an open discussion document last September. This prompted a world-wide response, SFS SOFTWARE's SITEFORUM. SFS SOFTWARE announces its free internet service SITEFORUM.COM. Make your website come alive with SFS SOFTWARE's SITEFORUM - the easiest and best way to get a discussion board for your website. Discuss your products, services, stocks, travel, jobs, news and technology. Create discussions around specific events and personalities. Link specific conferences to different sections of your web site, or specific content areas to related discussion groups. Join SITEFORUM.COM today and get your free internet discussion board for use on your website within minutes.


 SOLID Server 2.3 and JDBC Driver 2.3

Solid Information Technology, the maker of the award-winning data management product, announces the immediate availability of SOLID Server 2.3 and JDBC Driver 2.3, with the following highlights:


 nwclient

The nwclient is now included in several Caldera products. Each product has its own license agreement. The most recent products and the URLs for their license terms are:

At a high level, the terms include (but are not tlimited to) the following:
*the software is intended for use on one computer only
*the software may not be copied (except for back-up purposes)
*the software may not be distributed to others.


 0.4 KIllustrator 0.4

KIllustrator is a freely available vector-based drawing application for the K Desktop Environment, similiar to CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator. Features include different object types, tools for moving, various line styles and arrows, a multilevel undo/redo facility, a property editor, multi-window support with cut/copy/paste between the windows, zooming and snapping to grid, multilevel undo/redo, (network-transparent) drop support with the KDE filemanager, printing to PostScript (file or printer), preliminary WMF support, export to raster image formats (GIF, PNG, XPM) and Encapsulated Postscript and import of Xfig files.

The installation requires a working KDE 1.0, QT 1.40 as well as gcc-2.8.1 or egc-1.03. KIllustrator is tested on Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris.

For further information (screenshots, download) please consult the homepage at http://wwwiti.cx.uni-magdeburg.de/~sattler/killustrator.html. For questions, comments, and bug reports or contributions e-mail me at kus@iti.cs.uni-magdeburg.de.


 lde

Introducing the new version of lde, the Linux disk editor, for Minix/Linux partitions. It currently supports what were once the three most popular file systems under Linux: ext2fs, minix, and xiafs (there is also a "nofs" system under which lde will function as a binary editor). lde allows you to view and edit disk blocks as hex and/or ASCII, view/navigate directory entries, and view and edit formatted inodes. Most of the functions can be accessed using the program's curses interface or from the command line so that you can automate things with your own scripts. lde can also be used to recover files which may have been accidentally erased or just to poke around the file system to see what it's made of. I've included a short introduction to the Minix file system (just enough to get the ideas of blocks and inodes across to most people) and some docs on the ext2fs (mostly just data out of linux/ext2_fs.h formatted as tables to make wading through the disk blocks a little bit easier). If you aren't familiar with inode based file systems, you should have a look at those files before proceeding to the doc/UNERASE file, which details what I think you might try to recover a file. There is no tutorial, but there is a detailed man page. Look at docs/lde.man (or docs/lde.man.text) for information on running lde from the command line and using its ncurses interface. For more information on compiling, installing, or running lde for the first time, see INSTALL and INSTALL.LDE.

If you don't think the version you are using is new enough, you can check http;//www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/7731/lde.html.


 ImPress

ImPress allows you to create good quality documents using vector graphics. You can use ImPress within a web browser with the Tcl/Tk plugin. It's a reasonable desktop publishing and presentation tool in a small package designed for Linux and for integration with Ghostscript.

The GPL'd .03alpha release fixes many bugs and adds better web and presentation functionality. Check out http;//www.ntlug.org/~ccox/impress/index.html

Enjoy!


 The Xlogmaster

The Xlogmaster is a X11 program to allow comfortable and fast monitoring of all logfiles and every device that allows its status being read by cat (like the /proc devices).

It is a very useful tool for all programmers, system administrators, control freaks or people who just like to know exactly what's going on on their system. The program has been written under Linux but it should also compile on other UN*X systems.

Changes include the button of the active entry stays in PRELIGHT color, the Xlogmaster now uses real REGEX patterns, and the buttons can be hidden/shown now via middle mouse button. Features include filters to raise/lower/hide lines, filters to alert/notify/uniconify/execute on lines in logfiles (even background ones), audio notification for alert/notify/uniconify, TAIL mode (basically emulating a "tail -f file"), CAT mode (basically emulating a "cat file" in reglar intervals), scrolling back in the logs with a scrollbar (size of buffer adjustable by user), all defaults can be overridden by commandline, completely menu driven, fully customizable.

Primary Site: ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/

Homepage: http://www.gnu.org/software/xlogmaster/xlogmaster.html


 XFCE

XFCE is now a set of applications including a powerful Window Manager compatible with MWM(tm), OpenLook(tm), GNOME and KDE hints, a toolbar and a backdrop manager for X11. Unlike so many other X applications, XFCE is very easy to use and configure, thanks to menus, all mouse driven! Features pulldown menus with color icons, 3D widgets, etc. Visit at: HTTP://www.linux-kheops.com/pub/xfce/

XFCE is now available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian and Slovak!


 ObjectManual--Auto C++ to HTML, MIF & JAVA Documentation Generator

ObjectManual is a javadoc-like utility that extracts comments and relevant information from your C++/C programs and generates HTML pages from it. For a complete list of its features, download the technical paper on ObjectManual from our home page.

This release is a full release for Linux & WinNT platforms. Also, for Linux & WinNT platforms this release is *free* for *non-commercial* organizations & entities.

Please provide us with your valuable feedback at info@obsoft.com regarding ObjectManual. It will help us improve the quality, layout and future design of the software. All suggestions, comments are welcome.

ObjectSoftware, Inc., C++ Development & Testing Tools, 3519 Misty Meadow, Dallas, TX 75287, Phone: (214)-373-201 Fax: (972)-662-0827, E-mail: info@obsoft.com


 BurnIT-1.0

BurnIT is a JAVA front-end to cdrecord, mkisofs and cdda2wav. It makes it easy to burn CD's under Unix.

Changes since 0.6 include:

You can download BurnIT at:
http://sunsite.auc.dk/BurnIT/


 Softwerk

A new software "analogue" MIDI sequencer loosely based on the Doepfer Schaltwerk. You can read more at http://www.op.net/~pbd/softwerk.html


 cdrdao

cdrdao is a tool for writing audio CD-Rs in disc-at-once mode. Currently, only the Philips CDD2600 writer is supported, but it may work with other Philips writers, too. Contributions for other CD writers are welcome. Features include variable pre-gap length (down to zero), non-zero audio data in pre-gaps, control over sub-channel information like ISRC code, pre-emphasis, tracks may be composed of several audio files and support for audio CD copy.

http://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/utils/disk-management/


 GNU LilyPond - The Music Typesetter Version 1.0.0

LilyPond is the GNU Project music typesetter. This program can print beautiful sheet music from a music definition file. It can also play performances to a MIDI file.

LilyPond now includes a completely new music font: the Feta font. We were quite disappointed with available music fonts, so we rolled our own. We did our best to copy the best symbol designs available, and we think we've succeeded in doing so. We're proud of the result and hope you agree, so go check it out!


 aumix 1.10

aumix 1.10, a program for adjusting an audio mixer from the console, a terminal, the command line or scripts, has been uploaded. Changes since version 1.9 include:


 tk_Brief

tk_Brief is a graphical user interface for writing one or multiple letters using LaTeX and g-brief. It is located at http://krisralf.physik.uni-karlsruhelde/tk_Brief/


 FOX - a C++ based graphical user interface library (beta0.1.0)

Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 12:38:02 GMT
FOX is a C++ based library for development of graphical user interfaces. It supports XDND (drag and drop), as well as a rich set of widgets ranging from Buttons to TreeLists and Multiple Document Interface widgets. Programs written with FOX are small, since in most cases only a single line of C++ code is needed to create a new widget.

Main web page can be found at:

http://cyberia.cfdrc.com/FOX/fox.html

For more information:
jvz, jvz@cfdrc.com


Published in Linux Gazette Issue 32, September 1998


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