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Re: [svlug] Linux 5.1




>>>>> On Sat, 30 May 1998 10:45:45 -0700 (PDT), Ira Abramov
>>>>> <ira@scso.com> said:

Ira> On Sat, 30 May 1998, Javilk wrote:
>> 
>> I see that Red Hat 5.1 is out.  Has anyone tried it yet?  Do you think
>> it worth the (yet again) $49.95 plus time to install?

Ira> egcs as default compiler, but gcc is there too

where do you get this information?  I have two 5.1 systems here at
work, nad one of them gives the following:

[rob@ws157 rob]$ cat /etc/redhat-release 
release 5.1 (Manhattan)
[rob@ws157 rob]$ cc -v
Reading specs from /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-redhat-linux/2.7.2.3/specs
gcc version 2.7.2.3
[rob@ws157 rob]$ 

and the other gives:

[guest@var3 guest]$ cc -v
Reading specs from /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-redhat-linux/2.7.2.3/specs
gcc version 2.7.2.3
[guest@var3 guest]$ which cc
/usr/bin/cc
[guest@var3 guest]$ ls -al `!!`
ls -al `which cc`
lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root            3 May 28 15:41 /usr/bin/cc ->
gcc
[guest@var3 guest]$ 


Ira> other additions include a redhat-optimized linuxconf (much more
Ira> powerfull and mature than control-panel, and covers almost all
Ira> its functions plus a lot more) with interfaces in curses, tk and
Ira> gnome. other than that it looks very much like 5.0...

this linuxconf is really nice, and able to configure more linux things
better than any other linux configuration tool that I have seen
before.  

is that a curses interface?  sure feels like dialog to me.  or, what
was it that someone at redhat had done to make dialog easier?  It
looks a *lot* like their installer, complete with the "<F12> to go to
next screen" line at the bottom.  I might have to get out the .src.rpm 
now that I am confused about it.

I don't like the fact that it does not read /etc/HOSTNAME on startup,
but only looks in /etc/sysconfig/network for your hostname.  I asked
on the redhat list about this a day ago, was told that it just looks
in /etc/sysconfig/network for it.  I have yet to register my extreme
dislike of their seemingly blatant disregard for convention, and I
think that it is a bad thing.  is /etc/HOSTNAME in the FHS??  I can't
believe that linuxconf is so braindead.

There are a few other bugs in it as well, like the [dialog, curses]
interface not dealing well with way long lists (try going into the
selection where you choose what lookup type (hosts, nis, yp) you want
to use).  I have a problem with the huge list that they use there.
why not three drop down list boxes which you choose first choice,
second choice, third choice, and under each one of them, you have a
choice of four, hosts, dns, yp, none.

also, I have a keyboard which does not have a properly working enter
key.  I hit ^j almost every where all day long (even on machines with
good return keys) for the return.  however, under their dialog
interface, I have to use ^m.  was [dialog, curses] written under
DOS???  

while I am at it, what is up with them using F2 to drop down listboxes
in the [dialog, curses] interface.  can you send the F keys over a
telnet session?  with the binary option or something?

A few more problems that I have seen with it are in the ordering of
the startup scripts.  I have a 3/4 written email to send out to redhat
about it, but have not finished it yet.  as a hint, note K08autofs,
S10network and S70ypbind.  My autofs maps are distributed via yp!!!!
How is autofs supposed to get them if I am not bound to the domain
yet, and if my networking is not set up yet???  To make it even
funnier, the autofs script tries to deal with the yp stuff.  I will
forward that whole rant to this list when I am finished with it.

Ira> one hour's work and I got me an ISO image that costs $1 a CD-R to
Ira> make...  lsl and cheapbytes sell it for more. so no, $50 is to
Ira> much to pay :-)

it is too much to pay if you already have the burner, but if you don't 
have the burner, and cannot install some other way.....   or are you
offering to burn the frp site for people who send you CDs ??  ;-)

I don't think that we are answering javilk's question, though.  I
think that he is wondering if there is enough benefit in even _having_ 
the updates / changes to justify spending the $$$.  I am not sure.  

FWIW, I cannot get it to install on my home machine, which is one of
those darn cyrix' with all sorts of compiling problems (special libc
from redhat, remember that one?).  

have fun,
rob