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midi music
by Stan Fraser 07 Jul '04

07 Jul '04

what are the best packages (similar to Cakewalk or Cubasis) for a wannabe "Disco Noise" composer. Best Regards Stan

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Wires Only Broadband Suggestions
by Nick Heppleston 07 Jul '04

07 Jul '04

I'll be moving back to Norwich this weekend and one of the first things on my to-do list is broadband. So, I'm looking for recommendations on wires only packages - I'm not particularly bothered about static/dynamic IP's although price might be a factor in the decision. Who do you recommend/wouldn't want to touch with a barge pole? Cheers, Nick ps. I'll also be attending the Norwich meetings from now on! -- Nick Heppleston 07989 581766 | nickheppleston(a)gmx.co.uk

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Meeting venue offered
by Karl Foley 07 Jul '04

07 Jul '04

Although I don't have time to organise a meeting I can make a venue available in Felixstowe for free. I've posted details on the Alug website at the URL Keith mentioned: http://www.alug.org.uk/contrib/?DemosOfferedDemosWanted This is our Learndirect centre that has all the infrastructure required, just bring your machines, organiser and members! ;-)

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BT Voyager 2000 Wireless ADSL
by Nick Daniels 07 Jul '04

07 Jul '04

Hi I sent a thank you on Mon, it appears to have been lost, > > On Saturday 03 July 2004 12:04, Nick Daniels wrote: > > > Hi > > > Has anybody had any success in configuring a BT Voyager 2000 > > > Wireless ADSL 113.16 using Suse 9.0 or 9.1 > > > Regards > > > Nick Daniels > > > > From memory it is either a Sagem or a Thompson/Alcatel under the BT > > badge. Have a look at usbview see what the vendor id is and report back. > > I just took a look online and it looks like the BT Voyager is an ethernet > router... In which case I would think that pointing a web-browser from a > Linux desktop at it would allow it to be configured, other than that the > original question is a bit vague. > > If the OP has one of these routers then I would suggest trying to connect > to it with a Linux box and seeing if it works, if they are asking if they > should buy one as they don't already have a router then they should ask > that instead :) Many thanks for all the replies I install Linux, f.o.c for anybody ( or attempt to show them how to) My nephew bought Suse 9.1 after last weeks IE fiasco. He has presented me with his machine specs: d.. Monitor: Philips Brilliance 150P TFT flat panel e.. Network/internet: BT Voyager 2000 Wireless ADSL 113.16 BT Voyager 1010 USB Wireless So I am asking advance before I attempt an install, and look too much of an idiot. On the subject of ALUG and the empty lands I live in Dunmow nr Chelmsford While disability prevents me travelling only a short distance I personally know of at least 18 people locally who have switched to Linux this last three months.( I have pointed them to ALUG) I should be installing later this week and will let you know how I get on, many thanks Kind Regards Nick Daniels

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Free Suse/Novell stuff
by Karl Foley 07 Jul '04

07 Jul '04

Now I don't read this list as much as I should or post ever so I don't know if you are aware of the following offer. Novell are distributing a free Linux Technical Resource Kit consisting of the following. It seems to be a deal set up with the co-operation of some LUGs (I have no idea if ALUG is involved). You get: - SUSE Linux Professional 9.1 (Bootable Installation DVD) - SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 (ISO Installation Images) - SUSE Linux Professional 8.2 (Installation ISO images for use with Ximiam Desktop) - Ximian Desktop 2.0 Evaluation (ISO Image) - Red Carpet 2.0.2 Evaluation (ISO Image) - GroupWise for Linux 6.5.1 - Server, Client & Messenger (ISO Images) - Novell Nterprise Linux Services 1.0 (ISO Image & NLS Companion CD) - And more... For free... Apply here: http://www.novell.com/community/linux/order.php I am not affiliated with Novell except that I hold some of their certifications.

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Meetings musings
by Syd Hancock 07 Jul '04

07 Jul '04

Hi All Just been glancing through the archives as I don't get the mailings at the moment. 1. Great to see that the Norwich pub meetings are continuing to be announced - I knew I wasn't indispensable :-) I can't make the meeting this month or in August but hope to start attending from September, depending on work etc. 2. ALUG meetings in general: saw some discussion of this from a week or two ago. Seems to me that there are three types of meeting - social, technical, introductory. Social we have (in Norwich at least). Technical (i.e 'bring kit' meetings) do happen occasionally. Most of the discussion so far has been which of these two types of meeting to have and therefore the type of venue required. The feeling seems to be that the traditional 'technical support' meetings are less useful now than in the past. Certainly people don't seem to turn up to sunday meetings lugging boxes along as they did two or three years ago. Broadband in the home means that access to 'bandwidth' is less of an issue. Maybe all of these factors together is why there has not been great interest in using the Norwich Internet Cafe? Then there are 'introductory' meetings i.e. public events designed specifically to show Linux to interested people. These happen rarely if ever. Unfortunately they require the most work and commitment and may never happen but without them ALUG remains inward-looking, as has been hinted at by MJR. GNU/Linux is on the move into the mainstream on the desktop - it already is mainstream in the server world of course - but it may well be that ALUG is not going to be the group of people that is going to take that forward in our area. Given the amount of time/commitment/dedication etc required to set up and run linux support and training groups for novice users, perhaps it will need to be profit-making not voluntary. I do believe that there are a lot of business opportunities for this with possible massive growth in the next few years. Please cc any replies to me (easier to do than *not* to do on this list :-). Syd

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SAMBA how-to
by Syd Hancock 07 Jul '04

07 Jul '04

This may be useful: http://mandrake.vmlinuz.ca/bin/view/Main/SambaDomainMember "This section contains information on the latest features available in Samba, which allow you get the most out of your Linux desktop or server, and allow you to integrate it into a large Windows network, or to form the basis of a small Windows network". Also other sections under here: http://mandrake.vmlinuz.ca/bin/view/Main/SaMBa I'm not saying that you don't know how to do this stuff, just that it may help with documentation :-) Syd

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SAMBA workstation how-to anyone?
by Karl Foley 07 Jul '04

07 Jul '04

I've got some rare free time coming up and as I've been doing some experimenting recently on using linux workstations in a Windows AD environemnt I've decided to have a go at writing a how-to. I couldn't find anything specifically targeted at workstations so I'd like to write a document that would allow you to set up a Linux workstation to log into a windows ad domain to access files and printers in an automated as possible way. Anyone in Alug want to help, either testing the how-to or contributing? I'll be starting work on it w/c 26th July.

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Re: [ALUG] ALUG and the Empty Lands
by John Seago 06 Jul '04

06 Jul '04

On Monday 05 July Adam < adam(a)thebowery.co.uk> wrote: > I saw that you posted to uk.comp.os.linux about this also, a suggestion > to attract people would be perhaps posting in the newsgroup > uk.local.east-anglia but I wouldn't hold out much hope as there are so > many trolls there now :) Thanks Adam I'll have a go there. I can always ignore the trolls, and the message might get through to just the one right person! -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Re: [ALUG] Weekly IRC reminder
by Kirsten Naylor 06 Jul '04

06 Jul '04

On Tue, 2004-07-06 at 12:07, IanBell wrote: > I have tried several times to join the chat using xchat, but each time I enter > /server irc.alug.org.uk it says it cannot find the server. Other irc > channels work fine. Any ideas? What output do you get if you do host irc.alug.org.uk ? You could try /server irc.oftc.net in xchat as that is the server all the aliases boil down to. /Kirsten

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Silly question No. 1 (Mail servers)
by bjsamuels＠beenthere-donethat.org.uk 06 Jul '04

06 Jul '04

My ADSL comes with a fixed IP address and I gather that, among other things, it would enable me to run my own mail server. After reading my ISP's instructions about running an SMTP mail server, in double-dutch of course ("A" records ???), it all sounds a little daunting. I already run Postfix locally if that has any bearing on the subject and I don't, as far as I know, run a DNS server locally. What advantages would this give? Barry Samuels http://www.beenthere-donethat.org.uk The Unofficial Guide to Great Britain

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Re: Re: [ALUG] Two Questions
by John Seago 05 Jul '04

05 Jul '04

On Monday 05 Jul 2004 06:25, MJ Ray <mjr(a)dsl.pipex.com>wrote: > You might not care about the above, though, or be prepared to live > with the risks to get the flexibility of having one large partition. > You can make arguments for each of the other common partitions, but > the ones I can think of seem unlikely for most desktop users. I think I may just go for a 17gig / partition, especially as I always put a duplicate 'spare' or 'extra' install on the second disk with both installs sharing duplicate swap and /archive partitions, (I lost a years email's once). that would give me 2 installs of Slackware and space for one of Debian and one of something else I might like to try. -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Re: [ALUG] BT Voyager 2000 Wireless ADSL
by Wayne Stallwood 05 Jul '04

05 Jul '04

On Saturday 03 July 2004 12:04, Nick Daniels wrote: > Hi > Has anybody had any success in configuring a BT Voyager 2000 Wireless > ADSL 113.16 using Suse 9.0 or 9.1 > Regards > Nick Daniels From memory it is either a Sagem or a Thompson/Alcatel under the BT badge. Have a look at usbview see what the vendor id is and report back. If it is a sagem then I think they released some (probably closed source) drivers for it. Alcatel also have some blackbox drivers that I am using on this machine, With at least the alcatel you are out of luck with SuSE 9.1 as they don't seem to build against a 2.6 kernel, with SuSE 9 they are already packaged with the kernel (although they are in need of some tweaking to get working). Post back with the results from usbview and I'll see what I can come up with. To be honest though none of those external ADSL modems are worth the hassle, buy a cheap ADSL router.

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BT Voyager 2000 Wireless ADSL
by Nick Daniels 05 Jul '04

05 Jul '04

> > On Saturday 03 July 2004 12:04, Nick Daniels wrote: > > > Hi > > > Has anybody had any success in configuring a BT Voyager 2000 > > > Wireless ADSL 113.16 using Suse 9.0 or 9.1 > > > Regards > > > Nick Daniels > > > > From memory it is either a Sagem or a Thompson/Alcatel under the BT > > badge. Have a look at usbview see what the vendor id is and report back. > > I just took a look online and it looks like the BT Voyager is an ethernet > router... In which case I would think that pointing a web-browser from a > Linux desktop at it would allow it to be configured, other than that the > original question is a bit vague. > > If the OP has one of these routers then I would suggest trying to connect > to it with a Linux box and seeing if it works, if they are asking if they > should buy one as they don't already have a router then they should ask > that instead :) Many thanks for all the replies I install Linux, f.o.c for anybody ( or attempt to show them how to) My nephew bought Suse 9.1 after last weeks IE fiasco. He has presented me with his machine specs: d.. Monitor: Philips Brilliance 150P TFT flat panel e.. Network/internet: BT Voyager 2000 Wireless ADSL 113.16 BT Voyager 1010 USB Wireless So I am asking advance before I attempt an install, and look too much of an idiot. On the subject of ALUG and the empty lands I live in Dunmow nr Chelmsford While disability prevents me travelling only a short distance I personally know of at least 18 people locally who have switched to Linux this last three months.( I have pointed them to ALUG) I should be installing later this week and will let you know how I get on, many thanks Kind Regards Nick Daniels

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YDL newbie
by phil 05 Jul '04

05 Jul '04

Just saying hello. I'm mainly an OSX user, but I've managed to get one of an old world powermac 9600 running with Yellowdog on it. 'Twas an experience, what with the Anaconda happily installing onto a second hard drive attached to a PCI scsi card - but not booting from it, until it was attached to the second SCSI bus on the motherboard. And the video card doesn't seem to be supported. And neither is the processor upgrade card. Little steps... I'm also attempting to build a mail server at work (my first experience of intel iron - damn those things run hot) using SuSe 8.2. And failing so far.

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Two Questions
by John Seago 05 Jul '04

05 Jul '04

1. Was the EASF gathering a useful/informative/interesting experience, I was tempted, however having gone out early with Alison to my daughters house I got back at lunch time to read my email with a visit already planned for the afternoon. 2. Partitions, I have used, up to now, a boot, root, usr, var, home and archive partitions, (the latter mounted with both the main and the spare/extra installations. I am now considering rearranging my hard disks and having used a partition consisting of only /root and seen no disadvantage, (other than fsck takes longer), can see no real reason for the multi partition installation. Would the Group like to persuade me otherwise? Or at least discuss this perennial favourite -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Re: [ALUG] BT Voyager 2000 Wireless ADSL
by Tim Green 05 Jul '04

05 Jul '04

On Sat, Jul 03, 2004 at 01:04:52PM +0100, Nick Daniels wrote: > Has anybody had any success in configuring a BT Voyager 2000 Wireless > ADSL 113.16 using Suse 9.0 or 9.1 How little success are you having? My Netgear access point uses a web interface, but the country / frequency selection only worked in IE. The rest of the interface was fine in Mozilla. Hope we can help :-) Tim.

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BT Voyager 2000 Wireless ADSL
by Nick Daniels 05 Jul '04

05 Jul '04

Hi Has anybody had any success in configuring a BT Voyager 2000 Wireless ADSL 113.16 using Suse 9.0 or 9.1 Regards Nick Daniels

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ALUG and the Empty Lands
by John Seago 05 Jul '04

05 Jul '04

ALUG seems, from the map published in 'Linux Format', to be bounded by Peterborough, Northants, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire (East), North London, and Southend-on-Sea LUG's, Cambridge LUG perhaps should be regarded as an Enclave within, but not part of ALUG. This leaves a huge chunk between the main activity centres of Norwich, North Suffolk and West Suffolk, (Syleham and Elmswell), and the occasional meetings in Ely and Kings Lynn, a seemingly 'Empty Land' devoid of LUG's or support for those who may have an interest in GNU/Linux. I seem to remember that there was a member in Ipswich trying top promote meetings/activities, but that still would seem to leave the areas around Colchester and Chelmsford without the benefit of our, or indeed their own LUG. Perhaps with the reawakened interest in activities at LUG meetings, we should also be looking to offer support to the Southern, 'unlugged' area of the East of England. (East Anglia being, if I recall correctly, comprised of Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of, or most of, Cambridgeshire). 'Linux Format' in the July issue sought to encourage more use of their LUG page/s, perhaps there is an opportunity here to 'evangelise' in Essex. there being no formal structure to ALUG, I am prepared to try my hand at promoting some activity in that area, however I do not travel far or well, so before I commit myself to an essay into print I would like to know if there are members on the Southern fringe willing to act as 'missionaries' to Essex, either to expand ALUG or to set up ELUG. -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Re: [ALUG] Software patents
by Tim Green 04 Jul '04

04 Jul '04

On Fri, Jul 02, 2004 at 03:45:24PM +0100, Nick Daniels wrote: > I thought somebody maybe interested in this:- > "On May 18th, by a thin majority, the European Council of Ministers voted in > favor of throwing out the European Parliament's efforts to keep software > patents out of Europe. [snip] > http://slashdot.org/articles/04/07/02/1318220.shtml?tid=155&tid=185&tid=99 Can anyone explain this? There are too many "outs". The tone of the article suggests this event is a good thing if you do not like software parents. Tim.

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RE: [ALUG] dpkg-dist error on installing postgresql
by Jenny Hopkins 04 Jul '04

04 Jul '04

Keith wrote: > Sounds like apt thinks that postgresql is already installed > at the latest release. You could try; > > 1) doing and uninstall followed by an installl (but I'm a bit > wary of that as uninstall can also clobber other packes you don't want > uninstalled) > > 2) try reconfiguring the package with dpkg --configure > [package name] - check the syntax of that via the man page > > 3) I think there's an apt-get option that will force a > re-install of an existing package, again check the apt-get man page. > > Keith > ____________ > Yes, the full story is that I had postgresql v7.2 installed, and when I upgraded to testing from stable postgresql attempted to upgrade to v7.4. Halfway through the upgrade it failed becuase it couldn't upgrade the data from 7.2 to the latest format. I apt-get removed postgresql and ripped out the existing data directory. Now it keeps giving this error when i try to install, as in your option (1). I get the same error with option (2). Re. option (3) - I've just done and apt-get clean, an apt-get check and tried using the f to force option, but with the same error. Any option (4) suggestions? :-)) I shudder to think what would have happened if this was my live box and not the playpen. Thanks, Jen ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________

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Re: Suse 9.1 disappointment
by Robert Frusher 03 Jul '04

03 Jul '04

OK. I understand that all components are relatively the same, but was surprised in the boot time. I did turn off the DHCP detection, but it still seemed to be taking much longer to boot. Does anyone know how big the Suse kernel is? I know the slack 10.0 one I am presently using is around 1.17MB which I reckon is pretty slim. I am thinking that the 2.6 kernel with Suse is overloaded... along with their X. For instance my Aitpek tablet worked on Suse, but I would have to recompile stuff to get it going on Slack. I tried Suse at my Brother in laws uni last year, and thought exactly the same thing... very sluggish... that was an AMD 2100 or something of that calibre. Do SUSe compile KDE for 686 or lower? optimisations... I have 256MB of memory which is fine for Slack, even with Apache,mysql,cups,alsa being run at boot, this adds about 2 secs of boot time for me... Rob

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Meetings, Talks, Demonstrations and Kit
by Brett Parker 03 Jul '04

03 Jul '04

Right, here goes nothing... We've never really had a good result as far as talks/demonstrations run, there's either generally not the turnout, or the interest in the talks, or enough spare time in the world. What I'd like to see, sometime, (and this goes doubly for the lurkers on the list) is some suggestions for talks, what you want to learn about, etc. It'd be good to see more of the hundreds of subscribers to the list turn up to meetings, if only to say hello. Is the problem that the meetings are on the wrong days? or in the wrong places? I'm sure there are many of us willing to travel to other places if there's a meeting held there. Basically, I think what I'm trying to say is this: * We can't do talks without topics * We can't do talks without people interested in the talk (i.e. turning up to said talks) * ALUG is a community, we have no real "leadership", the decisions to do things are made by the members. So, maybe it's time to find out what people want out of the group? Do we want a full from scratch to desktop linux install demonstration? If so, which distribution? Certainly we have quite a few debian developers in the group, maybe we should go right through an install from the beginning to having X running, with KDE/Gnome/XFCE4? Do we want a demonstration on reuse of old kit for small servers, samba, LDAP, HTTP, FTP, etc? How about someone talking on how to give talks, maybe that'd be useful? Maybe demonstrations of what other Free operating systems can do? Do people want to know about specific topics, like 3d, DVB, graphics, DTP, Office applications? Without a starting point we'll never get any talks written. Do we actually want talks, or a quick guide on the website for how things work? should we be using the ALUG wiki more? should there be more technical documentation/recommendations available from the site? Maybe we should start with a set of subjects, perhaps as part of the ALUG wiki, and go from there? Thoughts, suggestions, and anything else to the list. :) Thanks, -- Brett Parker

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Software patents
by Nick Daniels 03 Jul '04

03 Jul '04

I thought somebody maybe interested in this:- "On May 18th, by a thin majority, the European Council of Ministers voted in favor of throwing out the European Parliament's efforts to keep software patents out of Europe. According to an FFII press release, the Dutch Parliament yesterday voted to change its Minister's vote, which was in favor, to an abstension. This is an unprecidented move and a great coup for those fighting against software patents, never before has a country reversed a vote in this manner. While this is not sufficient to reverse the decision of the Council of Ministers, it does pave the way for other countries, many of which were pressured into an affirmative vote, to do the same. Now is the time for citizens of the EU to put pressure on their national governments to follow the Dutch lead. " http://slashdot.org/articles/04/07/02/1318220.shtml?tid=155&tid=185&tid=99 Regards Nick Daniels

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RE: [ALUG] EASF, Ipswich Tomorrow
by Elisabeth 03 Jul '04

03 Jul '04

MJ Ray <mjr(a)dsl.pipex.com> wrote: > > It could be anything from a meeting of civil society groups to >the local branch of fruitcakes anonymous. Knowing several of the organisers and attendees from various backgrounds, I'd say it's all of the above. Eli (sunflowerinrain)

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