[4079] in linux-announce channel archive
Linux-Announce Digest #371
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Digestifier)
Thu Apr 3 09:13:30 2003
From: Digestifier <Linux-Announce-Request@senator-bedfellow.mit.edu>
To: Linux-Announce@senator-bedfellow.mit.edu
Reply-To: Linux-Announce@senator-bedfellow.mit.edu
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 09:13:03 EST
Linux-Announce Digest #371, Volume #4 Thu, 3 Apr 2003 09:13:03 EST
Contents:
RE COMMERCIAL: dual AMD 2400MP+ for $1095 (sales)
NEWS-INDIA: Free software speedens up a bulky phone directory... ("Frederick Noronha (FN)")
NEWS: Free Software... to meet India's software needs ("Frederick Noronha (FN)")
ANNOUNCE: web2ldap release 0.11.16 (=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Michael_Str=F6der?=)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 10:54:48 CST
From: sales <sales@storeanywhere.com>
Subject: RE COMMERCIAL: dual AMD 2400MP+ for $1095
Big promotion is going on at:
http://www.storeanywhere.com
The following is only one of them.
AMD dual 2400mp server
TYAN S2466 dual CPU motherboard
AMD 2400mp CPU
80G 7200rpm hard Drive
512mb ECC Registered DDR Ram
1.44mb Floppy Drive/52X CD-Rom
10/100 lan onboard
ATX Tower Case
32mb TNT2 AGP video Card
Keyboard/Mouse(3 buttons)
Pre-installed with one of the followings:
debian linux 2.x
or Redhat linux 8.x
Monitor not included
The total price is $1095.
You can directly place order on line or call us on
718-934-7313. Any queries send e-mail to :
sales@storeanywhere.com.
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 13:57:35 CST
From: "Frederick Noronha (FN)" <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: NEWS-INDIA: Free software speedens up a bulky phone directory...
RING, RING... FREE SOFTWARE MAKES TELEPHONE USERS' LIFE EASIER IN INDIA
>From Frederick Noronha
One-third of a million telephone users, deep down in South India, won't
find locating phone numbers such a complex maze, thanks to Free Software.
Telephone directories often take notoriously long to get published in India,
meaning that phone subscribers are lost while trying to find out the numbers
they so badly need to call someone.
Linux is increasingly attracting attention in Corporate India, not just for
its usually lower costs, but also because of its high quality products.
Last weekend, the latest edition of the Thiruvananthapuram telephone
directory -- from the regional capital of the south-western province of
Kerala -- was processed and typeset with a range of free software tools.
These lent substantial savings on costs and time, while bringing out an
neatly laid-out and elegant publication ahead of schedule.
The two-volume directory, to be distributed to all subscribers of the
Thiruvananthapuram secondary switching area from March 25, has 1,200 pages
and 320,000 entries.
Some 400,000 copies of the directory are currently being printed by the
locally-based St. Joseph's Press, using typesetting software and programs
provided by River Valley Technologies (RVT), also based in the Kerala
capital and specialising in typesetting and publishing solutions using free
and open-source software.
(Free, open-source software is software whose source code is freely
available for scrutiny, modification or distribution, unlike proprietary
software, which is privately-owned and closely held.)
For the phone directory publishers domestic telecom giant Bharat Sanchar
Nigam Limited (BSNL), this is the first complete directory to be published
since 1999.
K. Sreekantan Nair, Principal General Manager of the Thiruvananthapuram
telecom district, said BSNL has spent Rs 35 million on printing the
directory.
In the normal course, an order of this magnitude -- a print run of 400,000
copies, each of 1,200 pages on 48 GSM white paper in three columns of
Helvetica Narrow 7 point typeface, with 94 lines per column
-- would have taken six months and involved around 50 employees wholly
dedicated to the work.
However, in this case, press was able to finish the entire printing in four
months, using a small team. At present, SJP's printing presses are operating
21 hours per day at their maximum capacity of 20,000 copies per hour to
finish the directory printing.
Using software like PageMaker or QuarkXPress could have taken a longer time,
said RVT. RVT instead used a combination of free software programs to
extract BSNL's data, process it and typeset it into camera-ready copy.
RVT managing director C. V. Radhakrishnan said the BSNL data of telephone
numbers, subscribers names and addresses was supplied as files in dBase, an
outdated database software that goes back to the days of the DOS operating
system.
Using a set of free software libraries downloaded from the Internet and
locally customised, this data was extracted into the postgreSQL relational
database, also free software, and then entirely recreated.
RVT then wrote a Java program to pipe this newly generated database into TeX
-- a powerful typesetting engine and programming language, written by Donald
Knuth of Stanford University and released in the public domain.
>From TeX, RVT produced the final output as Portable Document Format (PDF)
files, using pdfTeX, also free software.
"So powerful is TeX that it was able to process nearly 1,200 pages in just
four minutes," says Radhakrishnan. "Not only that, since it is also a
programming language, it is able to do several things automatically, like
the generation of header markers, for example," he adds.
To incorporate corrections and editorial changes to the proof sheets, RVT
designed a graphical spreadsheet interface for SJP. This also helped to save
time in updating around 10,000 entries which had changed since the last
directory was printed four years ago.
Recent reports in India's enterprise-based 'Network Magazine' also noted
the small but growing number of other industrial ventures moving to try out
GNU/Linux in their 'mission critical space'.
Asian Paints, India's largest paints company, has implemented SAP modules on
GNU/Linux. IDBI Bank with its over 91 branches runs its core banking
applications on it too. Rolta India runs its database containing thousands
of users, while ICICI Infotech runs its knowledge management applications
and C-DAC runs e-governance solutions on GNU/Linux. (ENDS)
--
Frederick Noronha : http://www.bytesforall.org : When we speak of free
Freelance Journalist : Goa India 403511 : software we refer to
Ph 0091.832.409490 : Cell 0 9822 122436 : freedom, not price.
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------------------------------
From: "Frederick Noronha (FN)" <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: NEWS: Free Software... to meet India's software needs
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 03:39:35 CST
India can develop all the software its needs based on the Free Software pool
============================================================================
Delhi scientist puts out the GLUE that can encourage things further
INTERVIEW
Ajith Kumar <ajith@nsc.ernet.in> in Delhi is passionate about a solution
that can take computing to schools and the masses at an affordable rate.
Recently, Ajith's work -- the "GNU/Linux Utilities for Education" CD -- got
hosted at the prestigious "ftp.seul.org". This is a bootable CD that will
install a GNU/Linux system with OpenOffice, several educational software
packages and the Terminal Server Software "within 10 minutes", as he puts
it. Ajith needs help in testing.
You can download the ISO image from ftp://ftp.seul.org/pub/glue/ Bowse the
contents of it at ftp://ftp.seul.org/pub/glue/GLUE/index.html
Ajith has demoed his CD to the Press. Says he: "It takes only 10 minutes to
setup (a school-based) lab. The method is extreamly simple. Create a RedHat
(or any other) installation and all other required software. Make a tarball
of it. A bootable CD with a small script plants it to another computer.
Kudzu (the Free Software tool that detects hardware) does a good job in
detecting new hardware." Free Software campaigners in the Southern State of
Kerala are convinced that the local government is "wasting their money" if
they sign a MoU (memorandum of understanding) for costly proprietorial
software to be implemented in their IT@School Project.
Ajith just hopes "it will help as a handy tool for people who try to
implement IT facilities in schools and colleges". As he puts it modestly, no
big impact anticipated. Well, he might be wrong there. Little things build
up into big ones.
He has done his M.Sc in Physics and an MS in Accelerator Physics. After
working in Particle Accelerator related instrumentation from 1987 onwards,
Ajith also spent time in experimental physics. One of the early users of
GNU/Linux, he has been at it since 1994, for developing Control & Data
Acquisition Systems. Over the past three years, he has been involved in
making Free Software popular among the commonman.Below are excerpts from a
recent interview with FREDERICK NORONHA <fred@bytesforall.org>.
=========================================================================
FN: What inspired you to take up the project?
=========================================================================
I do not know whether we can call work on GLUE as a project; at least it was
not a planned one. Mainly it was prepared as a tool to help the activities
for making Free Software popular. I wanted to make some sort of a starter
kit for those who entering into the world of Free Software.
There is a reason to target school/colleges. They are going to decide what
is used in future. So I cooked up something they may find useful. The
inspiration to take up Free Software work.
There are reasons for that. Technology is widely used for exploitation. The
upperhand in technology is used by the developed nations to exploit the
underdeveloped ones. The cost of an aircraft is not the cost of the material
to build it, it is the cost of the technology.
Buying a the products of technology is easy but dangerous. Progress of a
country depends a lot on how it accepts and assimilates technology.
Acquiring technology without mastering it may bring the benefits of it
quickly but, will eventually result in technological slavery and wastage of
national resources. Software is one area where one can compete without
having much infrastructure
I have experienced the power, reliabiity and flexibility offered by the
GNU/Linux system. I work in a Particle Accelerator laboratory, Nuclear
Science Centre. The data acquisition and control systems we developed using
GNU/Linux are highly efficient and costs less.
The same can be done in all areas. India can develop all the software it
requires based on the existing Free Software pool. Decision makers lack
vision. Everyone want some MNC to take up the responsibility of things and
keep the door open for exploitation. With time, these systems will become
unafffordable and will collapse. I feel the best option at the moment is a
grassroot level movement to train people in Free Software.
=========================================================================
FN: How would you describe GLUE?
=========================================================================
GLUE is a collection of documentation and software packages to help you to
get started into the world of Free Software. You can browse the CD on any
system to learn about the Free Software movement and its implications.
Once you have a GNU/Linux system installed, the CD become more useful. It
contains tutorials and programs that most require. The second version of the
CD stress more on the cost effective implementation of a computer laboratory
for schools.
=========================================================================
FN: How did the project get started and evolve?
=========================================================================
It started without any preparation. In December 2000, I gave a series of and
talk demonstration on free software at several colleges at Calicut with the
idea of forming a Free Software User Group. I wanted to have some material
to show and leave something with them. That's how GLUE was started.
At present mainly my free time goes into it. For writing scripts and
creating graphics, my friends helped. At NSC, we have three to four people
who take some interest in Free Software.
=========================================================================
FN: How much time does it take?
=========================================================================
Difficult to quanitfy. 15 - 20 hours a week probably.
=========================================================================
FN: What has been the response like?
=========================================================================
Diffiicult to say, since I am seding the CD free most of the time. The
feedback is not that bad; hope it is frank opinion.
=========================================================================
FN: What role do you feel it has to play in education?
=========================================================================
If you want IT to be used effectively in schools, you need a good
computer-to-student ratio. This can be achived only by cost effective
implementations that are reliable and easy to maintain. That's why the CD
stresses more on the Terminal Server System (LTSP).
On the software front, there are tons of code available on the Net. Finding
the usefull ones is one big task.
Poor network connectivity is another challenge for most of us. The CD helps
in these aspects.
There is a lot of code available from various research laboratories; they
can really improve the quality university level education. For example, I
have seen many people going in for illegal copies of MATLAB, and not being
aware of GNU Octave.
=========================================================================
FN: What role do you see GNU/Linux playing in the world of education?
=========================================================================
A lot. In my view it is the thing that is going to bridge digital divide.
The reason is simple. You have access to a lot of advanced technologies just
by having an infrastructure of a PC and a Net connection.
=========================================================================
FN: In your visition, what role can GNU/Linux play in the world of
education?
=========================================================================
Education, especially higher education, is a process that depends a lot on
sharing. The knowledge in all the fields are changing rapidly and having
access to it is important. Universities and other academic institutions all
over the world are generating a lot of knowledge. Computer codes are
integral part of this knowledge and GNU/Linux is the chosen platform (which
makes sharing possible). Entering the world of GNU/Linux will bring the
students in touch with this body of knowledge and it will make a lot of
impact. (ENDS)
--
Frederick Noronha : http://www.fredericknoronha.net : When we speak of free
Freelance Journalist : http://www.bytesforall.org : software we refer to
Ph 0091.832.2409490 : Cell 0 9822 122436 : freedom, not price.
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# Send submissions for comp.os.linux.announce to: cola@stump.algebra.com #
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------------------------------
From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Michael_Str=F6der?= <michael@stroeder.com>
Subject: ANNOUNCE: web2ldap release 0.11.16
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 04:40:12 CST
Reply-To: feedback@web2ldap.de
HI!
Find a new release of web2ldap on
http://www.web2ldap.de/download.html
with a few fixes and enhancements (see below).
About:
web2ldap is a full-featured LDAP client written in Python and designed to
run as a stand-alone Web gateway or under the control of a web server with
FastCGI or SCGI support (e.g., Apache with mod_fastcgi or mod_scgi).
Ciao, Michael.
web2ldap 0.11.16
Release Date: 2003-04-03
* Abandoned use of rarely needed class attributes and methods in
ldapsession.LDAPSession: valid(), hasRootDSE,
supportedLDAPVersion and currentLDAPVersion.
* Pass configuration value to timeout parameter when calling
ldap.async.AsyncSearchHandler.processResults().
* Added experimental CSS style-sheet for printer output.
* The label and the URL of attribute labeledURI is displayed if
the label is present.
* Send correct MIME type image/jpeg for inline images read from
in attribute jpegPhoto.
* Fixed Unicode issue in NO_SUCH_OBJECT handler of
w2lapp.handler.
* Fixed Unicode issue in ldapsession.LDAPSession.renameEntry().
* When displaying a single schema element a link to Alvestrand's
Object Identifier Registry for this particular OID is shown.
* Sparse use of target attribute in links.
* Use method ldap.schema.subentry.Subschema.get_obj() instead
directly accessing schema dictionary simply by OID. This solves
a backward-compability problem for a schema fix introduced in
upcoming python-ldap.
* New form parameter oid_class for command oid.
* Fixed UnicodeError with LDAP URL in w2lapp.search.
* Disabled signal handler for SIGUSR1 since it causes troubles on
Linux 2.0 boxes.
* If something is wrong with input data and/or RDN for a new
entry the input form for modifying input is always displayed
directly.
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