[4863] in linux-announce channel archive
Linux-Announce Digest #156
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Digestifier)
Sun Jun 12 22:13:05 2005
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: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 22:13:02 EDT
Linux-Announce Digest #156, Volume #5 Sun, 12 Jun 2005 22:13:02 EDT
Contents:
[IIEP] Release 0.5 of eXe now available for download (fwd) ("Frederick Noronha (FN)")
Classic Shell Scripting - O'Reilly's Latest Release ("Frederick Noronha (FN)")
[SLUG] Suncoast LUG Meetings (Paul M Foster)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 12:10:46 CST
From: "Frederick Noronha (FN)" <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: [IIEP] Release 0.5 of eXe now available for download (fwd)
========== Forwarded message ==========
Hi everyone - the e-learning XML editor project was conceived and initiated during the very early phases of this forum. So I thought I should convey this good news - seeing as though we are working towards the conversion of all educational institutions to FLOSS by 2008 <smile>.
We have a practice of releasing on the 10th of every month. On Thursday (the day before release 0.5) - there had been a total of 2011 downloads of eXe for our first 6 months of releases. Last night, Sourceforge statistics reported 2 418 downloads on 10 June 2005 - doubling downloads overnight!
eXe is a FLOSS tool which teachers can use to author e-learning content. You can export eXe content in a variety of ways.
You can find information about the project and links for downloads at: http://exe.cfdl.auckland.ac.nz. You can also download a review of the eXe project if your interest in the research side of things at: http://eduforge.org/docman/view.php/20/243/eXe_report_sbritain.pdf.
Features of this release include:
The ability to add images;
An image & text iDevice;
A True&False iDevice;
Support for Unicode.
We need your feedback to help us improve the software. You can help by:
1. completing the online survey form (http://cfdl.auckland.ac.nz/exe_survey/exe0.5_survey.php)
2. letting us know what you think in the discussion forums: http://eduforge.org/forum/?group_id=20
3. Reporting eXe bugs at: http://exe.cfdl.auckland.ac.nz/mantis/bug_report_page.php.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the project so far.
Cheers
Wayne
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From: "Frederick Noronha (FN)" <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: Classic Shell Scripting - O'Reilly's Latest Release
Date: 12 Jun 2005 17:40:05 GMT
========== Forwarded message ==========
Beyond the GUI--Using Shell Scripts to Unlock the Power of Unix
O'Reilly Releases "Classic Shell Scripting"
Sebastopol, CA--A Swiss Army Knife is a nifty tool--one that proves useful
in the most surprising situations--but handy as it is, it can't do
everything. "There's only so much you can do with a Swiss Army Knife,"
Arnold Robbins and Nelson H. F. Beebe explain in their preface to "Classic
Shell Scripting" (O'Reilly, US $34.95). "While it might be great for
whittling or simple carving, you wouldn't want to use it, for example, to
build a doghouse or a bird feeder. Instead, you would move on to using
specialized tools, such as a hammer, saw, clamp, or planer. So, too, when
solving programming problems, it's better to use specialized software
tools."
Experienced Unix developers and administrators have used this
long-standing analogy to illustrate the "software tools philosophy," an
approach first popularized by the book "Software Tools" (Addison-Wesley)
nearly thirty years ago. In the ensuing decades, Unix systems and the
tools used with them have changed, while the philosophy remains as
meaningful as ever. "My coauthor and I felt that many of the original
Software Tools principles, practices, and techniques--the Unix 'mindset,'
so to speak--popularized by the early Unix books were becoming unknown to
the current generation of Unix and Linux developers," explains Robbins.
"We felt that a modern treatment of these ideas would have a lot of
value."
New Unix users and programmers are often bewildered by the variety of
tools they find themselves faced with, leading to questions such as "What
purpose do they serve?" and "How do I use them?" As Robbins and Beebe
demonstrate, these tools are the key to unlocking the real potential of
Unix. They call it the "art of shell scripting"--that is, combining Unix
tools with the standard shell to get a job done. Shell scripting is not
just knowledge of the shell language, but also an understanding of the
individual Unix programs: why each one is there, and how to use them by
themselves and in combination with other programs.
Robbins notes that the idea of shell scripting seems increasingly foreign
to the new wave of Unix users, which is ultimately to their disadvantage:
"There is a rush in the Linux and Unix worlds to hide the command line
away and do everything with graphical interfaces," he observes. "This is a
shame: the underlying power of the shell and the Unix utilities enable
many things that just can't be done from a predefined, monolithic,
unprogrammable GUI. The differences and capabilities of Unix and Linux
systems are what distinguish them from the monopolistic market leader.
These abilities should be celebrated, publicized, and learned, not hidden
away."
"Classic Shell Scripting" introduces readers to the common tools that come
with a Unix or Linux system, and shows them how to combine the tools with
the shell programming language. Readers will learn:
-Software tool design concepts and principals
-The core set of Unix tools used with shell scripting
-How to combine the tools, using the shell as "glue," to solve everyday
tasks
-About popular extensions to standard tools
-About indispensable nonstandard tools
To Robbins, shell scripting is a critical skill for anyone who runs Unix
systems or develops software on them. "That includes Linux, the BSDs, and
Mac OS X," he says. "The climb up the learning curve is worth the
trouble."
In his foreword to the book, Henry Spencer of SP Systems laments the
conspicuous lack of a good book on shell scripting, but reassures readers
that, "Here, at last, is an up-to-date and painless introduction to the
first and best of the Unix scripting languages. It's illustrated with
realistic examples that make useful tools in their own right. It covers
the standard Unix tools well enough to get people started with them (and
to make a useful reference for those who find the manual pages a bit
forbidding)." Spencer adds, "I recommend this book to anyone doing shell
scripting or administering Unix-derived systems. I learned things from it;
I think you will too."
Additional Resources:
Chapter 5, "Pipelines Can Do Amazing Things," is available online at:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/shellsrptg/chapter/index.html
For more information about the book, including table of contents, index,
author bios, and samples, see:
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/shellsrptg/index.html
For a cover graphic in JPEG format, go to:
ftp://ftp.ora.com/pub/graphics/book_covers/hi-res/0596005954.jpg
Classic Shell Scripting
Arnold Robbins and Nelson H. F. Beebe
ISBN: 0-596-00595-4, 534 pages, $34.95 US, $48.95 CA
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000
http://www.oreilly.com
1005 Gravenstein Highway North
Sebastopol, CA 95472
About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media, Inc. is the premier information source for leading-edge
computer technologies. The company's books, conferences, and web sites
bring to light the knowledge of technology innovators. O'Reilly books,
known for the animals on their covers, occupy a treasured place on the
shelves of the developers building the next generation of software.
O'Reilly conferences and summits bring alpha geeks and forward-thinking
business leaders together to shape the revolutionary ideas that spark new
industries. From the Internet to XML, open source, .NET, Java, and web
services, O'Reilly puts technologies on the map. For more information:
http://www.oreilly.com
# # #
O'Reilly is a registered trademark of O'Reilly Media, Inc. All other
trademarks are property of their respective owners.
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------------------------------
From: paulf@quillandmouse.com (Paul M Foster)
Subject: [SLUG] Suncoast LUG Meetings
Date: 12 Jun 2005 20:50:11 GMT
*************************************
* Suncoast Linux Users Group (SLUG) *
* Meeting Schedule *
*************************************
TAMPA ****************************************************
14 June 19:00-21:00 Tampa
(second TUESDAY of each month)
Hillsborough Community College
Dale Mabry Campus
Technology Bldg, Rm 426
4001 Tampa Bay Blvd
Tampa, FL
See http://www.hccfl.edu/pollock/Docs/DM-Map.htm for directions.
SARASOTA/BRADENTON ***************************************
21 June 18:00-21:00 Sarasota
(third Tuesday of each month)
Latitude 23.5 Coffee Shop
2820 Clark Rd (Swift/Tuttle and Clark)
Sarasota, FL 34231
See http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=2820+Clark+Rd,+Sarasota,+FL+34231
for a map.
DUNEDIN **************************************************
25 June 10:00-12:00 Dunedin
(usually fourth Saturday of each month)
Dunedin Public Library
Community Room A or B (see notice on site)
Dunedin, FL
See http://www.suncoastlug.org/meetings.html#dunedin for directions.
ST PETERSBURG ********************************************
27 June 19:00-21:00 St Petersburg
(usually last Monday of each month)
Panera Bread
1908 4th St North
St Petersburg, FL 33704
See http://www.suncoastlug.org/meetings.html#stpete for directions.
NEW PORT RICHEY ******************************************
2 July 13:00-15:00 New Port Richey
(first Saturday of each month)
New Port Richey Public Library
(second level meeting rooms)
5939 Main St.
New Port Richey, FL
See http://www.suncoastlug.org/meetings.html#npr for directions.
BRANDON **************************************************
7 July 20:00-22:00 Brandon
(first Thursday of each month)
Brandon Barnes & Noble
Brandon Town Center
Brandon, FL
See http://www.suncoastlug.org/meetings.html#Brandon for directions.
***********************************************************
ACTIVITIES:
Meetings include:
1) Presentation: As indicated.
2) Question & Answer Session.
3) Raffle and free stuff!
Bring your boxes, questions, problems, and plenty of good cheer!
(And don't forget to start your installs early!)
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