[4289] in BarnOwl Developers
Re: BarnOwl 1.10: a zephyr's CC: line is used as a log file name
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Daniel Clark)
Sun Nov 1 12:48:55 2026
In-Reply-To: <CAL_n8H+dyEwaNkwkKfoj_yTyTMjG1FkwV0KBDROSWW32-19ZSQ@mail.gmail.com>
From: Daniel Clark <djbclark@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2026 09:41:17 -0800
To: barnowl-dev@mit.edu
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Hi all,
I just landed all of my changes upstream as, hopefully, easy-to-review PRs
on github.com/barnowl/barnowl:
- https://github.com/barnowl/barnowl/pull/190 (six small fixes for bugs in
master: logging thread context, zephyr_zwrite -m, word-motion keys, logging
variables)
- https://github.com/barnowl/barnowl/pull/191 (owl.c: declare the
getopt_long return variable as int for architectures where char is unsigned=
)
There were also a few other random bugs fixed along the way. Happy to
split, reorder or rework any of it if that makes review easier.
Daniel
On Sun, Nov 1, 2026 at 7:40 AM Daniel Clark <djbclark@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi AI,
>
> Feel free to use or base a new Debian release on this update (if you
> don't mind, AI). Some additional bugs were also found and fixed. Also,
> depending on how you feel about AI, lmk if I should submit PRs on GitHub.
>
> The packages are published and pastebin.xvm.mit.edu is running them. The
> release is public at
> https://forgejo.mit.edu/djbclark/barnowl-debian/releases, tagged
> debian/1.11_git20250813.1f65aee-1.
>
> A. Release Contents
>
> 1. Packages: Includes the binary .deb and source packages (.dsc,
> orig.tar.xz, debian.tar.xz), along with buildinfo, changes, a dbgsym
> package, and SHA256SUMS. CI built it in a clean debian:trixie container;
> downloaded checksums were verified without a token.
> 2. Source: Upstream master (1f65aee, 2025-08-13) plus six small patches.
> 3. Versioning: Set as 1.11~git=E2=80=A6 so apt treats it as an upgrade o=
ver
> Debian's 1.10-2 while remaining below an official 1.11 release.
>
> B. Code Review (Debian 1.10-2 vs. Master)
>
> 1. Security: Reviewed via manual inspection (73 commits) and an
> independent Opus review. No new security holes were found. The CC log-fil=
e
> bug is resolved across all logging paths (personal, class, loopback, IRC,
> Jabber).
>
> 2. Fixes Included: Six bugs identified in master have been fixed via
> quilt patches in debian/patches:
> - Logger thread race condition (preventing lost log entries).
> - zephyr_zwrite ignoring -m.
> - Reversed Alt/Ctrl-arrow word motion.
> - Duplicate writes to the same log file.
> - ~/.owl/init.pl failing to set logging variables.
> - flush-logs-interval failing to default to 60.
> - Restored 1.10 behavior for logging incoming personals to the all
> file.
>
> C. Plugin & Integration Testing
>
> 1. Smoke Tests: t/live/smoke.sh in djbclark/barnowl passed on the
> installed package. Tests run against stock 1.10 successfully reproduced t=
he
> unauthorized file write issue, and unpatched master failed three checks
> that are now fixed by the new patches.
> 2. Agent Helper (bo): All 40 tests passed with screen captures from
> master. Live bo screen, bo subs, and bo run 'getvar =E2=80=A6' commands a=
re
> functional (pending PR: https://github.com/djbclark/djbclark-ade/pull/205
> ).
> 3. Deployment: bo-a updated BarnOwl on pastebin.xvm.mit.edu to master.
> dpkg -V barnowl is clean, and the hold on the old package has been remove=
d.
>
> D. Pending Decisions
>
> 1. History Rewriting: Public texts note that 1.10 checks names weakly.
> While t/live/driver.pl commit 3535b85 replaced an authorized_keys CC
> example with generic sentinels, previous commits (dc0b841 to f7f0d7e) sti=
ll
> show it in history. Should this history be rewritten?
> 2. Upstream Submissions: Should the six patches be submitted upstream to
> github.com/barnowl/barnowl? (Requires a fork/post under your account).
>
> E. Scope & Rollback
>
> 1. Scope: Packaged for amd64 on Debian 13 only. The package is unsigned;
> integrity relies on the release page SHA256SUMS.
> 2. Rollback: Pastebin can be rolled back using apt install
> barnowl=3D1.10-2+b9 --allow-downgrades and disabling logging.
> 3. Documentation: Memory notes, session logs, ~/s view, and
> ~/.owl/startup comments have been updated.
>
> Best regards,
> Daniel Clark
>
>
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<div dir=3D"auto">Hi all,<br><br>I just landed all of my changes upstream a=
s, hopefully, easy-to-review PRs on <a href=3D"http://github.com/barnowl/ba=
rnowl">github.com/barnowl/barnowl</a>:<br><br>- <a href=3D"https://github.c=
om/barnowl/barnowl/pull/190">https://github.com/barnowl/barnowl/pull/190</a=
> (six small fixes for bugs in master: logging thread context, zephyr_zwrit=
e -m, word-motion keys, logging variables)<br>- <a href=3D"https://github.c=
om/barnowl/barnowl/pull/191">https://github.com/barnowl/barnowl/pull/191</a=
> (owl.c: declare the getopt_long return variable as int for architectures =
where char is unsigned)<br><br>There were also a few other random bugs fixe=
d along the way. Happy to split, reorder or rework any of it if that makes =
review easier.<br><br>Daniel</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote=
_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sun, Nov 1, 2026 at 7:=
40 AM Daniel Clark <<a href=3D"mailto:djbclark@gmail.com">djbclark@gmail=
.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"mar=
gin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1=
ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">Hi AI,<br><br>Feel free to use or base a new Debian re=
lease on this update<span style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif"> (if you d=
on't mind, AI).=C2=A0Some additional bugs were also found and fixed. Al=
so, depending on how you feel about=C2=A0AI, lmk if I should submit PRs on =
GitHub.</span><br><br>The packages are published and <a href=3D"http://past=
ebin.xvm.mit.edu" rel=3D"noopener noreferrer">pastebin.xvm.mit.edu</a> is r=
unning them. The release is public at <a href=3D"https://forgejo.mit.edu/dj=
bclark/barnowl-debian/releases" rel=3D"noopener noreferrer">https://forgejo=
.mit.edu/djbclark/barnowl-debian/releases</a>, tagged debian/1.11_git202508=
13.1f65aee-1.<br><br>A. Release Contents<br><br>1.=C2=A0 Packages: Includes=
the binary .deb and source packages (.dsc, orig.tar.xz, debian.tar.xz), al=
ong with buildinfo, changes, a dbgsym package, and SHA256SUMS. CI built it =
in a clean debian:trixie container; downloaded checksums were verified with=
out a token.<br>2.=C2=A0 Source: Upstream master (1f65aee, 2025-08-13) plus=
six small patches.<br>3.=C2=A0 Versioning: Set as 1.11~git=E2=80=A6 so apt=
treats it as an upgrade over Debian's 1.10-2 while remaining below an =
official 1.11 release.<br><br>B. Code Review (Debian 1.10-2 vs. Master)<br>=
<br>1.=C2=A0 Security: Reviewed via manual inspection (73 commits) and an i=
ndependent Opus review. No new security holes were found. The CC log-file b=
ug is resolved across all logging paths (personal, class, loopback, IRC, Ja=
bber).<div><br>2.=C2=A0 Fixes Included: Six bugs identified in master have =
been fixed via quilt patches in debian/patches:<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 - L=
ogger thread race condition (preventing lost log entries).<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0=
=C2=A0 - zephyr_zwrite ignoring -m.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 - Reversed Alt=
/Ctrl-arrow word motion.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 - Duplicate writes to the =
same log file.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 - ~/.owl/<a href=3D"http://init.pl" =
rel=3D"noopener noreferrer">init.pl</a> failing to set logging variables.<b=
r>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 - flush-logs-interval failing to default to 60.<br>=
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 - Restored 1.10 behavior for logging incoming personal=
s to the all file.<br><br>C. Plugin & Integration Testing<br><br>1.=C2=
=A0 Smoke Tests: t/live/smoke.sh in djbclark/barnowl passed on the installe=
d package. Tests run against stock 1.10 successfully reproduced the unautho=
rized file write issue, and unpatched master failed three checks that are n=
ow fixed by the new patches.</div><div>2.=C2=A0 Agent Helper (bo): All 40 t=
ests passed with screen captures from master. Live bo screen, bo subs, and =
bo run 'getvar =E2=80=A6' commands are functional (pending PR: <a h=
ref=3D"https://github.com/djbclark/djbclark-ade/pull/205" rel=3D"noopener n=
oreferrer">https://github.com/djbclark/djbclark-ade/pull/205</a>).</div><di=
v>3.=C2=A0 Deployment: bo-a updated BarnOwl on pastebin<span style=3D"font-=
family:arial,sans-serif">.<a href=3D"http://xvm.mit.edu" rel=3D"noopener no=
referrer">xvm.mit.edu</a></span> to master. dpkg -V barnowl is clean, and t=
he hold on the old package has been removed.<br><br>D. Pending Decisions<br=
><br>1.=C2=A0 History Rewriting: Public texts note that 1.10 checks names w=
eakly. While t/live/<a href=3D"http://driver.pl" rel=3D"noopener noreferrer=
">driver.pl</a> commit 3535b85 replaced an authorized_keys CC example with =
generic sentinels, previous commits (dc0b841 to f7f0d7e) still show it in h=
istory. Should this history be rewritten?</div><div>2.=C2=A0 Upstream Submi=
ssions: Should the six patches be submitted upstream to <a href=3D"http://g=
ithub.com/barnowl/barnowl" rel=3D"noopener noreferrer">github.com/barnowl/b=
arnowl</a>? (Requires a fork/post under your account).</div><div><br>E. Sco=
pe & Rollback<br><br>1.=C2=A0 Scope: Packaged for amd64 on Debian 13 on=
ly. The package is unsigned; integrity relies on the release page SHA256SUM=
S.<br>2.=C2=A0 Rollback: Pastebin can be rolled back using apt install barn=
owl=3D1.10-2+b9 --allow-downgrades and disabling logging.<br>3.=C2=A0 Docum=
entation: Memory notes, session logs, ~/s view, and ~/.owl/startup comments=
have been updated.<br><br>Best regards,<br>Daniel Clark<br><br></div></div=
></blockquote></div>
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