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Zero-width non-breaking space/Unicode byte-order mark
by John atkinson 07 Apr '06

07 Apr '06

I have a new computer loaded with SuSe Linux 10.When I attempt to invoke a program I have successfully used in the past for many years I get the response "cannot execute binary file". The file, (written for me years ago) forming the program has "execute" permission. I understand this means that the operating system realises this is a program, but not a standard binary program file containing machine instructions. I was told the operating system looks for an interpreter program to run it. The interpreter, not containing the expected character sequence, uses the default system interpreter and looks at the first line of the file, finds that it contains non-printable byte values and so condemns it as a binary file. My program file, as written, contains only printable characters and starts with the identifying #! /bin/sh It turns out that to the first character in the file there has been added a "Unicode byte-order mark" otherwise known, I am told, as a "zero-width non-breaking space". This by its nature is not a printable character nor a visible one. It is one, however, devilishly difficult to get rid of on a permanent basis. Following directions I tried, starting with the command "locale". The output indeed ended with "UTF8", the initial cause, I understand, of all the trouble. Again following directions I typed "LANG=en_GB" followed by "locale" again and then, using "vi" edited the file. The hated rogue character showed as three components in blue. When, using "x", I got rid of them, I thought I was on top of the problem, but the final stage which I will quote in full defeated me. This is 'Finally, edit the file $HOME /.bash_profile and insert "LANG=en_GB" or "LC_ALL=en_GB" as appropriate to prevent the problem coming back'. The computer crashed. Moreover, I have not succeeded in locating the file. I suspect I have gone about it in the wrong way. I would be grateful for the exact key strokes required to get the file into "vi". It seems strange to me that Linux, without my knowledge or my permission should insert a zero-width non-breaking space that not only prevents a program, very important to me (and, no doubt others), from working, but makes it difficult to handle the file because the first byte is not a printable character. Please forgive my abysmal standard of computer literacy. In mitigation I would point out that I have been in touch with several gurus with, it seems, a total absence of familiarity with the zero-width non-breaking space alias the Unicode byte-order mark. John Atkinson (Ancient John -- and I do not mind being called that because I now am ancient)

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HTML
by John Seago 07 Apr '06

07 Apr '06

It would appear, despite my signature lines that I have been sending HTML email, I have two installations of Slackware 10.2 and the HTML Toolbar has been turned on on one installation. and that when using that installation I have been sending HTML email's. I did think that it may have been turned on by my wife, however she has only used the browser to look up the likely implications for her chickens should Avian Flu break out. I can only apologise to any to whom this has caused inconvenience. -- John Seago GNU/Linux Registered User No. #219566 () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments

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Re: [Fsfe-uk] Date Stamp
by John Seago 06 Apr '06

06 Apr '06

On Thursday 06 Apr 2006 12:01,MJ Ray <mjr(a)phonecoop.coop> wrote: > Is this the only list with this effect for you? Yes. > Has anyone else on fsfe-uk noticed it? I have raised it once or twice with FSFE, I have no knowledge that others have the same problem, or indeed if it is considered to be a problem. > Can ALUG help us at all? -- John Seago GNU/Linux Registered User No. #219566 () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments

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Re: [Fsfe-uk] Date Stamp
by MJ Ray 06 Apr '06

06 Apr '06

John Seago <johnseago(a)two-ravens.org.uk> > I find that once again FSFE-UK has reverted to not timestamping emails > to me at all, and they are again arriving at my machine, allegedly, on > Thu Jan 1 00:59:59 1970 Is this the only list with this effect for you? Has anyone else on fsfe-uk noticed it? Can ALUG help us at all? Hoping, -- MJR/slef Laux nur mia opinio: vidu http://people.debian.org/~mjr/ Bv sekvu http://www.uk.debian.org/MailingLists/#codeofconduct

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RE: [ALUG] Ubuntu/Win2K Dual Boot
by Keith Watson 03 Apr '06

03 Apr '06

> From: MJ Ray Sent: 03 April 2006 07:27 > > Simon Royal <s.royal(a)totalise.co.uk> > > I have two hard drives in it at present, one of which is a slave and I > > use to store my stuff on. If I was to replace it as it is only a > > 540MB drive with another bigger drive, say 2-5GB would this be enough > > to run Ubuntu on? > > Surprisingly, Ubuntu recommend 2GB of disk space as a minimum > for their standard desktop install. > > > Also how would this be affect her Windows installation on her primary > > drive? > > Not at all, although you'll need another way to boot. > > > Would installing Ubuntu interfere with booting up as I obviously want > > Windows to be the default boot method and have a boot menu that I > > could select Ubuntu on when I wanted to use it. > > I would hope that Ubuntu's boot manager (Grub, with any luck) > can do this simply, but I've not had Windows installed for > 11 years now. I've done this several times over the past couple of months. The Ubuntu install will allow you to specify where and what you want your partitions to be and will pick up the fact that you already have other OSs installed (i.e. windows) and set up grub to run dual-boot. It will set up Linux to be the default but it's a simple matter to edit the grub menu config "sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst" and tweak it to how you want (hint: run "sudo cp /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/menu.lst.old" first, then you can roll back if you get something wrong - been there, done that, etc - which is where the Ubuntu Live CD is a godsend!!). As for partition sizes; you'll need a swap partition of somewhere between 256 and 512 meg depending on your memory size (I find the size Ubuntu suggests usually works fine) and although a 2Gb partition is good enough for the basic install, if you want to install any significant extra packages or all the multimedia goodies (see http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=06/03/12/209257 or, imo even better, http://easyubuntu.freecontrib.org/) then you'll probably want 4Gb. If you have spare disk capacity then 5Gb should keep you happy for some time :o). Regards, Keith ____________ A bend in the road is not the end of the road... - unless you fail to make the turn.

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Ubuntu/Win2K Dual Boot
by Simon Royal 03 Apr '06

03 Apr '06

Hi I have been toying with putting Ubuntu on my eMac and dual booting with OSX. I have decided I want leave my lovely Mac well alone. Its an all-in-one machine and I would need to repartition the main drive to dual boot and my recent attempts with Yaboot have not been too successful. It would be easier to try it on my wifes PC. I have two hard drives in it at present, one of which is a slave and I use to store my stuff on. If I was to replace it as it is only a 540MB drive with another bigger drive, say 2-5GB would this be enough to run Ubuntu on? Also how would this be affect her Windows installation on her primary drive? Would installing Ubuntu interfere with booting up as I obviously want Windows to be the default boot method and have a boot menu that I could select Ubuntu on when I wanted to use it. Any help in setting this machine up to dual boot Windows 2000 - which is already installed and I don't want to mess up - and Ubuntu would be greatful. Regards Simon Royal >- The box said Windows 2000 or better, so I bought a Mac

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Weekly IRC reminder
by Brett Parker 03 Apr '06

03 Apr '06

This is the automated ALUG IRC meeting reminder sent to remind you that there is an IRC meeting tonight (Monday) at 8.00pm. Historically, these used to be the only time a lot of us would be about, now the channel has some usual faces that are there most of the time (except at silly o'clock, when we might be sleeping, or on the second thursday of the month, where we might be drinking in the Reindeer), so don't feel limited to visit during this time, come visit us when ever you feel like it! 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 xchat, irssi 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://www.irssi.org/ http://www.epicsol.org/ Windows http://www.mirc.com (loads of help with irc for newbies!)

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Kit meet booked
by John Woodard 02 Apr '06

02 Apr '06

I have booked the Mid Suffolk venue Syleham and Wingfield Village hall for a kit meet on Sunday 30th April 2:00pm - 6:00pm. Details of the venue and a map are available at http://www.alug.org.uk/venues/syleham.html. Normal waivers apply, your kit is your responsibility, please mark it and any associated cables etc. I will open the hall up at around 1:30ish to allow kit to be assembled etc. and will get the bar open if it is required. Any questions please post to the list. Cheers, BJ -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.3/296 - Release Date: 29/03/2006

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PHP fopen writing to a device node
by Wayne Stallwood 02 Apr '06

02 Apr '06

I am trying to write some data to a device node in php..It works fine, however I am having trouble handling errors. What I want to do is, if the device fails..then prompt the user and write the data to a file instead. At the moment if my fopen fails because say the device node doesn't exist, or is busy, or because my script doesn't have the right privileges then it can be trapped with something like if (!$handle = fopen($lpdev, 'w')) { echo "Cannot write to ($lpdev) Using dump file"; $handle = fopen('/tmp/dump.txt'); } However if the device node is free but the device on the end of it isn't responding..it just sits there waiting. I have also tried if ($handle = fopen($lpdev, 'w') === FALSE){ echo "Cannot write to ($lpdev) using dump file"; $handle = fopen('/tmp/dump.txt'); } or trying to trap it with "or die" None of those seem to work either, if there is nothing responding on $lpdev (/dev/lp0) the fopen will just sit there trying to write to it (seemingly for ever) So I am guessing what I need is some sort of timeout on the fopen after which it exits and runs the alternative code....but part of me is thinking that fopen is really meant for files not devices and files are either there or not and writable or not..hence my trouble. Am I using a square peg to fill a round hole..or is there a way of wrapping up the fopen to get it to do what I want. Help as always is appreciated

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Wireless wires
by linux＠davebriggs.net 31 Mar '06

31 Mar '06

Hello chaps I have gotten hold of a Netgear MR814 and am trying to get it set up with my Tiscali broadband, using a Sagem F@st dsl modem. Anyway, the problem I have is that the cable that currently goes from the modem to the PC ends with a USB wotsit, wheras the router needs it to be an ethernet one. Tiscali sell something called a RJ45 Network Cable (1) - is this what I need? Also, I have been supplied with a USB wireless adaptor, but would plugging the router straight into the PC with an ethernet cable produce better results? (before you ask, the wireless is for my laptop!) Thanks in advance Dave 1 - http://www.tiscali.dslshop.co.uk/product_details.asp?idProduct=248

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