LINUX NEWS
Resources & Links From CramSession.com
January 3, 2002
7,000 Subscribers WorldwideTABLE OF CONTENTS
1) Sean’s Notes (actually, a different Sean this week)
2) Linux News
KDE Beta Ready
Red Hat Linux - The Best of the Best
SUN Still Top UNIX Vendor
Hurry Up and Get StarOffice 63) Linux Resources
Sendmail Denying Relaying?
Automating Network Administration
Calling the Elite...
Become Your Own Employer
Alternative Rescue Disk4) App o’ the Week
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1) Sean’s Notes
A lot of people out there seem to like making New Year’s resolutions, and I’m no different. For a few years I wanted to quit smoking, and I would start the new year off by tossing my pack of cigarettes. About ten years ago I finally got it right and quit smoking. Unfortunately, quitting seems to trigger weight gain and this was followed by many New Year’s resolutions to do something about my bloated mid-section. Well, it’s New Years again and I’ve got a new resolution. It’s time to get rid of all this bloating - in my operating system, that is.
I think it was Windows XP that pushed me over the edge. While there’s no doubt that Windows XP is one of the most stable operating systems Microsoft has ever released, it’s also one of the most intrusive and annoying. After re-installing Windows XP on my laptop over the holidays it’s been busy nagging me to death to activate my new installation… to get my .NET Passport… to use Windows Update (which I had to because of all the flippin’ security holes)…
I’m sick of it.
I’ve also had it with Microsoft’s heavy-handed treatment of me both as a user and as a Microsoft Certified Professional (I’m an MCSE and MCT).
As a user, I’m tired of having new features I that I don’t want, and that are nearly impossible to uninstall, shoved down my throat (e.g. Winblows Messenger). I’m also sick to death of overly restrictive licensing agreements (I don’t know if Satan really exists or not, but I’m betting that if he does, he makes his demons do an internship in Microsoft’s legal department). Finally, I’m tired of all the freakin’ security holes. With all their billions of dollars you’d think MS could hire some people to double-check code for buffer overflow exploits.
On the certification front, Microsoft’s certification programs have just about as much credibility as Bill Clinton speaking on matters of sexual fidelity. MS makes virtually no attempt to enforce the security of their certification process. The end result is that any moron who can surf braindump sites can be an MCSE for the price of a few exams. No other certification seems to attract the sheer number of idiots that Microsoft certifications do. This is extremely embarrassing for those Microsoft Certified Professionals who actually give a damn about learning the product and rendering good service.
So here we are in 2002. While I admit to having flirted with Linux in the past, it’s been far from a steady relationship. This year I’m ready to buy the ring and make the commitment. I’ve got my SAIR GNU/Linux fundamentals courseware (more on that next week) and three machines set aside to load Red Hat, Debian, and Mandrake on. I’ve purchased some extra books (BIND, Sendmail, and Apache by O’Reilly) and I’ve even warned my Linux geek friends that I’m about to suck their brains dry. I’m ready.
Welcome to the year of the penguin.
Sean McCormick Recovering Microsoft User
2) Linux News
LinuxQuestions.org Member’s Choice Awards
Jeremy from LinuxQuestions.org has just announced its new Member’s Choice awards. This is your chance to vote for the person who saved your bacon by answering questions posted in their forums.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?s23c949fd88 c37b6b04da2ef56fc738&threadid908
Linux after the Dot-Com Crash
ZDNet has just published an excellent article detailing how the dot-com crash will help Linux rather than hurt it in the long run (there’s nothing wrong with a free OS during an economic downturn).
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2835454,00.html
HP-LX Reviewed
Looking for the ultimate “hardened” GNU/Linux distribution? HP has taken Red Hat 7.1 and fortified it to prevent a cracker from using a compromised application to put the boots to the rest of your system. It’s pricey, but it looks like it may be just be the thing for environments where security comes first.
http://www.webtechniques.com/archives/2002/01/infrrevu/
MS Slagging Linux (again)
The folks at Vulture Central report that Microsoft V.P. Brian (lookin’ for love in all the wrong places) Valentine is slinging mud again. This time he wants people to know that a copy of Windows that you have to fork over gobs of cash for is cheaper than a free version of Linux. Really.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23518.html
3) Linux Resources
Dealing with NIC Hell
One of the first things most newbies learn about Linux is that for an operating system that cut its teeth on the Internet, Linux sure doesn’t seem to like most network cards out of the box. If you discover that Linux hates every single NIC you own (like I did), then you’ll want to check out Donald Becker’s page of Linux drivers for PCI Ethernet NICs. There are a lot of drivers and solutions to be found here.
http://www.scyld.com/network/ethercard.html
Building a Lo-fat Desktop
Looking to duplicate the feel and functionality of a Winblows desktop without copying the sucky performance? Check out this tutorial by John Murray. Many good suggestions on apps here:
http://users.netwit.net.au/~pursang/lofat.html
Anti-aliased Fonts Not Exclusive to Windows XP
One of the selling points of Windows XP is the fact that using anti-aliased fonts (ClearType) makes your screen a lot easier to read. Well, if you have ten minutes to invest, you too can anti-alias your desktop without buying an expensive Windows license.
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/tutorials/3093/1/
DOS vs. Linux Commands
Being experienced with DOS can be a bit of a stumbling block when you’re trying to work in a UNIX shell. I have a habit of using old DOS commands instead of the proper UNIX/Linux commands. If you have this same tendency, check out this command comparison chart from HardcoreLinux.
http://www.hardcorelinux.com/linux-dos.htm
4) App o’ the week
As someone who used to love arsing around with BASIC on my old C64, I was thrilled to discover that the C64 emulator that I use on my Win32 platforms is also available for Linux. Frodo version 4.1 has just been released, and fixes the problems with 8-bit displays under *nix (note: you’ll need SDL).
http://www.uni-mainz.de/~bauec002/FRMain.html
(C) 2002 BrainBuzz.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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