From: adam@address.invalid
Moe Trin wrote:
> On Thu, 11 Oct 2012, in the Usenet newsgroup alt.os.linux.mandriva, in
article
> , Adam wrote:
>> I assume nearly all of those [distros] were created because someone
>> felt a need that wasn't satisfied by any existing distribution.
>
> Pretty much so - think how Linus started the O/S in the first place.
From his autobiography, IIRC it started with an attempt to get
concurrent processing on his home computer, and gradually became an
attempt at a Minix clone.
>> How much of the software out there actually complies with the LSB
>> standard?
>
> complying with the standard,
> probably a lot - certainly most 'rpm' based versions. Does a file
> named /etc/lsb-release exist? What about /usr/bin/lsb_release?
Yep, both files are on stolid. The Mandriva installer had, and Mageia
still has, an option to install LSB packages, so I got the impression
that LSB involved additional files that wouldn't be part of a non-LSB
install.
[musical distros]
>> PCLinuxOS didn't have a stable 64-bit version, and IMHO everything is
>> moving to 64-bit.
>
> But other than filesystem size, how much to the 64-bit CPUs really
> buy you in software speed/performance?
Right now, only a little, but I expect to see the day when 64-bit OSs
and apps are standard and 32-bit versions are no longer maintained.
PCLinuxOS not having a 64-bit version yet makes me think they're either
disorganized or shorthanded.
>> OpenSuSE had weird features, such as 'sudo' needing the root password
>> instead of the user's.
>
> man 5 sudoers
> rootpw
Okay, but why would any general-purpose distro ship with that enabled?
>> It also ran fsck on all filesystems every boot, even though for ext3
>> partitions that took considerable time.
>
> That _could_ be a /forcefsck file. I'd think it unlikely to be a
> 'tune2fs -c' setting, but that's possible.
Not 'tune2fs -c' as that was in the range 20-40 for each ext3 partition.
I was surprised that OpenSuSE checked every partition when there were
still lots of ext3 partitions in use out there. That, and the responses
from the newsgroup, made me decide that OpenSuSE probably isn't for me.
Fortunately as this "distro shootout" is only for myself, I can set
whatever criteria I want, and don't even have to be consistent about
them. :-)
> That's a disadvantage of non-UNIX file systems on a UNIX system.
[...]
>> Fixed enough for now, although there may be better ways.
>
> Not really - the roadblock is the single user filesystem.
I know, but that can wait. Better "too restrictive" than "too
permissive" there.
[HP computer mouse]
>> The mouse is a 505062-001 rev. 0B.
>
> That LED is almost bright enough to work as an emergency flashlight.
Today I figured out the problem -- it's where the cable is attached to
the mouse. I gather that's a common failure point. I use an under-desk
keyboard drawer so the mouse cable makes a steep bend up or down where
it comes out. I emailed HP, described everything, and it looks like a
new mouse (same model) is already slowly on its way here. With that
LED, I may try to make the old mouse into a flashlight. :-) I'm
beginning to think that maybe I'd better stick to cordless mice with
this keyboard drawer.
[slow dialup connection with Rosewill USB hardware modem]
> Perhaps also, NetZero/Juno was also sending a larger amount of
> advertising at the time - hard to tell without using a packet sniffer.
I looked up Po'k-area dialup numbers for other services, and used
minicom to dial and connect. The modem generally reported "CONNECT
46667" (DTE speed, not DCE speed), which I think answers my question.
Several online reviews of this modem mentioned that its connections were
slower compared to other dialup modems. OTOH if I'm desperate enough to
use dialup, 46 kbps isn't that much slower than 53 kbps. Anything
slower than my connect speed must be the fault of NZ/J or the dialup
provider.
>> AT&V1 has info about the last connection.
>
> Was it showing reasonable datalink speeds? Errors?
All reasonable IMHO.
>> Yep, NetZero/Juno's software uses ATZ to initialize. However, this
>> modem treats that as AT&F, destroying any saved settings. I suppose
>> to sell it at $14, they had to cut corners somewhere.
>
> That's TOTALLY bizarre. Is the price "normal" or a loss-leader?
Normal, I think. Regular NewEgg price is $20 + shipping. That's
NewEgg's cheapest USB hardware modem; they carry several brands,
including the USR 5637 for $44. Basically it's a cheap product, which I
knew when I bought it, but it's good enough considering how seldom I
expect to use it. If I really need to, I can connect my USB-RS232
adapter and an external 56K modem.
> Did the modem com with _any_ documentation (files or paper)?
No, but its response to ATI3 gave a chip identifier and I was able to
download the manual for that from Conexant.
> Some of the modem commands are carry-overs from a long past era - how
> many people are even aware of Bell-103 (300 bps), let alone use it?
Wasn't that the 300 baud "standard"? I used it years ago. This modem
/does/ handle pulse dialing - I listened in on another phone to verify
that. My next class assignment is a revision of something I wrote in
1979, and it mentions looking for a building with a phone, then closing
the door of the phone booth. Those will /really/ date the story to the
other students.
[non-computer stuff]
>> And I suppose Phoenix, being a popular retirement spot, has lots of
>> services for the, um, "elderly".
>
> Hey! Be nice!
Well, Mr. Tweedley felt the term was acceptable. :-) I've heard other
euphemisms that were practically nauseating.
> Of course now we're starting to see icebergs in the pool
> (water temp is down into the mid-70s), but it's still to hot to be
> opening the doors/windows during the day.
Nice fall weather here in the 50s (10-15C), and leaves have already
started to turn pretty colors. Meanwhile the indoor cleanup continues
here. I've found things I've forgotten I had, but still haven't found
the remote for the DVD player. I even found a spot where I could put
one more bookcase, but think I can resist the urge.
Adam
--
Registered Linux User #536473
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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