main July 2004

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73 participants
89 discussions

Coming down to earth
by Bryce Martin 16 Jul '04

16 Jul '04

Hello, I would like to extend the discussion about weekend trials or expositions of various equipment or software. I consider myself to be an ordinary modern linux user that struggles with the most basic problems of everyday useage. I don't want to list the most common difficulties that face the 'ordinary (none technical) user' because I don't know what they might be, but plugins for the very popular browsers konqueror and mozilla 1.7 could possibly be dealt with via the alug mailing list. I don't just mean refering users to a web site, which could be a good thing, but actually creating emails that show 'step by step' how to install a certain plugin or other task. Our top exponents of linux might enjoy writing these postings. Documentation relating to linux across the board is poor, in my opinion. Could we as a user group make a difference to this problem of documentation by helping with a (very loosely) structured education program that is conducted via the alug mailing list? The mailing list serves the really knowledgable linux users quite well in a conversational way, but now that linux is so much more mainstream, it would be nice to punctuate these savvy conversations with (possibly) regular(ish) instruction on the basics of linux. We could focus on the most basic configuration tasks via our mailing list to help NEW users of linux, and still enjoy the very stimulating discussions of experienced users. I would enjoy reading the unsolicited configurational instruction of an experienced user that was posted to the list on more BASIC topics. It could become normal practice. It can't hurt, but would take a little effort admittedly. Kind regards, Bryce. ___________________________________________________________ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - sooooo many all-new ways to express yourself http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

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External CD-RW for laptop?
by Ted.Harding＠nessie.mcc.ac.uk 16 Jul '04

16 Jul '04

Hi Folks, Has anyone any comments on possibilities for external CD-RW units for attaching to a laptop? DVD support is not needed, but if inevitable in order to have CD-RW then so be it. All I'm really interested in is writing CDs (there's already an internal CRDOM reader). I suppose USB is the way to go. One thing I'm (perhaps too theoretically) concerned about: To write a CD, the unit will need power which would be drawn from the laptop (unless the unit has an external power supply). Any known issues about this aspect of the matter? Might the laptop not be able to cope with the power demand? Any other issues? Total ignoramus here! Thanks, Ted. -------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding(a)nessie.mcc.ac.uk> Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 167 1972 Date: 15-Jul-04 Time: 13:46:05 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------

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Problem configuring procmail
by Ian Douglas 14 Jul '04

14 Jul '04

Hi Folks, I am having a bit of hassle configuring procmail. I have created a test user called tux and have confirmed I can send mail to him. I have then created a /home/tux/.procmailrc file containing: [tux@alice tux]$ cat .procmailrc VERBOSE=on MAILDIR=$HOME/mail PMDIR=$HOME/.procmail LOGFILE=$PMDIR/log INCLUDERC=$PMDIR/rc.testing I have also created a /home/tux/.procmail directory and created a rc.testing file in it containing: [tux@alice tux]$ cat ~/.procmail/rc.testing :0: * ^Subject:.*HOT SPAM.HOT I then created a /home/tux/.forward file (which I copied from a book and don't understand) containing: [tux@alice tux]$ cat ~/.forward "|IFS=' ' && exec /usr/bin/procmail -f || exec 75 tux" If however I try to send tux an email I get an error email back containing the following: ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors ----- "|IFS=' ' && exec /usr/bin/procmail -f || exec 75 tux" (expanded from: tux) ----- Transcript of session follows ----- sh: cannot use & in command 554 "|IFS=' ' && exec /usr/bin/procmail -f || exec 75 tux"... Service unavailable Do any ALUGers have any experience of configuring procmail and can help me suss out a correct ~/.forward file to invoke it? Ta muchly! Ian.

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Re: [ALUG] Aim & Purpose
by John Seago 13 Jul '04

13 Jul '04

On Tuesday 13 Jul 2004 00:17, MJ Ray <mjr(a)dsl.pipex.com> wrote: > > Do you think it is possible for you all to agree and define the AIM of > > ALUG and the PURPOSE of the aim. [...] > > From past experience: No. I would have to agree with Mark, however, I find ALUG to be a thing so wonderful, that I am trying to, either extend ALUG to the South into Essex, or to encourage those that I can find in the area to form an Essex LUG, so that they can enjoy an unstructured anarchic group with a common interest in GNU/Linux. Perhaps that is ALUG's aim, to be an unstructured, anarchic group with a common interest in GNU/linux, covering the Anglian area, with some of its members providing mailing list administration, a Library etc. -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Re: [ALUG] Red Hat 9 registration & apm command
by John Seago 13 Jul '04

13 Jul '04

"R.F.Jarvis" <robert.jarvis90(a)ntlworld.com> wrote: > Thanks Martyn, does this mean that the problem I have with the apm > command locking my computer cannot be resolved without the updates? > If I decide to try fedora does this overwrite redhat9? > Bearing in mind that I have a stand alone computer, (Dual boot with > Windows XP) that is only for personal use and wish only to become > familiar with a Linux OS. You may be better off with one of the other distributions in that case, I found Slackware to be a good choice for me. Have a look here: http://www.distrowatch.com/ and see if theres a distribution that suits your needs. Whatever you choose someone on this list will at least have an idea why X, Y, or Z 'does that' or 'doesn't do this', and be able if not to offer help, point you in the right direction. -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Red Hat 9 registration & apm command
by R.F.Jarvis 12 Jul '04

12 Jul '04

Can anyone help me to solve 2 problems I have with red hat 9? 1. I cannot register for updates. The first step (privacy statement) remains blank with the cursor showing busy. The next set of steps are filled in with the required information, but finishes with the error, problem registering user name. 2. If I use the apm command to suspend or standby, the screen shuts down then immediately turns itself back on, then the terminal window continually writes, root @ localhost root, until it is full. Then all programs do not respond,then eventually the whole screen is locked so the computer has to be turned off. Bob Jarvis. (New to Linux)

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Fw: [ALUG] Coming down to earth
by Keith Watson 12 Jul '04

12 Jul '04

Begin forwarded message: Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 20:43:53 +0100 From: Keith Watson <keith@watson> To: alug <main(a)lists.alug.org.uk> Cc: Syd Hancock <syd(a)toufol.com>, IanBell <ian(a)redtommo.com>, Graham Trott <gt(a)pobox.com> Subject: Re: [ALUG] Coming down to earth At 07:09 on Tue, 6 Jul 2004, Bryce Martin wrote: > Hello, > I would like to extend the discussion about weekend > trials or expositions of various equipment or > software. > I consider myself to be an ordinary modern linux user > that struggles with the most basic problems of > everyday useage. I don't want to list the most common > difficulties that face the 'ordinary (none technical) > user' because I don't know what they might be, but > plugins for the very popular browsers konqueror and > mozilla 1.7 could possibly be dealt with via the alug > mailing list. I don't just mean refering users to a > web site, which could be a good thing, but actually > creating emails that show 'step by step' how to > install a certain plugin or other task. Our top > exponents of linux might enjoy writing these postings. > Documentation relating to linux across the board is > poor, in my opinion. Could we as a user group make a > difference to this problem of documentation by helping > with a (very loosely) structured education program > that is conducted via the alug mailing list? The > mailing list serves the really knowledgable linux > users quite well in a conversational way, but now that > linux is so much more mainstream, it would be nice to > punctuate these savvy conversations with (possibly) > regular(ish) instruction on the basics of linux. We > could focus on the most basic configuration tasks via > our mailing list to help NEW users of linux, and still > enjoy the very stimulating discussions of experienced > users. > I would enjoy reading the unsolicited configurational > instruction of an experienced user that was posted to > the list on more BASIC topics. It could become normal > practice. > It can't hurt, but would take a little effort > admittedly. > Kind regards, > Bryce. > A bit late but Snap! I've been thinking along similar lines for a while now. I must say that with Linux I find that it's not the lack of info. that's a problem but the excess of info. To start with most pieces of software installed usually have a whole chunk of documentation (admittedly it can be patchy, but, IME, it's usually reasonably complete) and then there's the Linux Documentation Project that has tons of stuff and then there's loads of mailing lists like this that can be searched with Google. Often what's needed when you're just getting into something is quick concise answers to some of the basic problems i.e. how do I do a basic install/configure of this? or I installed that and now this is broke how do I fix it? (and some help in finding your way around the terminology) In mailing lists like this it's not always easy to indicate what you have under your belt already so that those who reply can pitch the answer at the right level. Perhaps a better way is for us to help ourselves by using the wiki pages and instead of HOWTOs adding our own HOWIDIDITS? What I was thinking is that whenever one of us, whatever our level of experience with GNU/Linux, tackles and resolves a problem, e.g installing a bit of hardware or configuring/upgrading a piece of software, we could add a wiki page with a short write up and appropriate links to other sources of info. we used. Not as formal or structured as a HOWTO perhaps just a simple log of steps taken and what happened, but I'm sure that over time it would contain useful hits and tips. I believe the wiki already has an area for this so what we need to do is get list members to use it. In this way everyone can usefully contribute. Regards, Keith -------------- See into life. Don't just look at it. - Anne Baxter Regards, Keith -------------- The saddest thing in the world is a person with sight but no vision. - Helen Keller

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Weekly IRC reminder
by Neill Newman 12 Jul '04

12 Jul '04

This is the automated ALUG IRC meeting reminder sent to remind you that there is an IRC meeting tonight (Monday) at 8.00pm. The meeting takes place on the irc server irc.alug.org.uk in the #alug channel. Most IRC clients should allow you to get there with the commands "/server irc.alug.org.uk" and "/join #alug". Popular IRC clients include tkirc, bitchx, xchat and EPIC on Unix, and Mirc under windows. Here are some links to help you get started with irc. Unix http://www.xchat.org/ http://freshmeat.net/ http://www.epicsol.org/ Windows http://www.mirc.com (loads of help with irc for newbies!)

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RE: [ALUG] Alug Library!
by Keith Watson 12 Jul '04

12 Jul '04

> From: Kirsten Naylor Sent: 10 July 2004 00:56 > > The library has grown unwieldy now, and too big to haul to > any meetings > really except Sunday afternoon meetings such as at Syleham (short > staggering distance from car boot to table top). (Thanks to everyone > who has donated books lately!) So I draw everyone's attention to > http://www.alug.org.uk/contrib/?LibraryBooklist which, now I > look at it, > ought to have ISBNs listed and a short description of each > book, to aid > people in making their selections. > > The idea is that those who would like books from the library > place their > requests with me or Adam (quinophex) and we will deliver to the next > meeting, whenever that may be. If you live outside the > Norwich area and > can't attend Norwich meetings, we'd appreciate it if you'd cover the > postage costs for us to post the book to you. > > Books can be returned, more or less at leisure (no time limit on the > loan as such, in practice six months is about the limit) in the same > fashion, or posted, or whatever as long as we get them back :) > > I will endeavour to get descriptions up as soon as possible. How about just linking back to the publishers site or Amazon or whatever? > > /Kirsten Regards, Keith ____________ Do not fear the arising of thoughts - only be concerned lest your awareness of them be tardy. - Zen Saying

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Horde webmail and proxies, any experience anyone?
by Chris Green 12 Jul '04

12 Jul '04

Does anyone here use Horde's webmail and know if there are any issues around using it on, for example, BT Broadband? My daughter is seeing some rather strange symptoms which might be explained by a proxy doing funny things when she looks at her mail using webmail. -- Chris Green (chris(a)areti.co.uk)

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