From root@localhost Thu Sep 15 02:23:40 1997
Return-Path: root
Received: (from root@localhost) by localhost (8.6.9/8.6.9) id CAA05783 for root; Thu, 15 Sep 1997 02:23:39 -0500
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1997 02:23:39 -0500
From: root
Message-Id: <199409150723.CAA05783@localhost>
To: root
Subject: Register with the Linux counter project

   (Adapted from a question in the Linux-FAQ)

   7.19 How many people use Linux?

   Linux is freely available, and no one is required to register their
   copies with any central authority, so it is difficult to know. Several
   businesses are now surviving solely on selling and supporting Linux,
   and very few Linux users use those businesses, relatively speaking.
   The Linux newsgroups are some of the most heavily read on the Net, so
   the number is likely in the hundreds of thousands, but firm numbers
   are hard to come by.

   However, one brave soul, Harald T. Alvestrand <Harald@Alvestrand.no>,
   has decided to try, and asks that if you use Linux, you visit this Web
   site to register:

   http://counter.li.org

   There is also a "linux-counter-interest" mailing list. Send mail to
   linux-counter-interest-request@alvestrand.no with "subscribe" in the
   BODY of the message to subscribe.


From volkerdi@mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu  Thu Oct 22 13:49:42 1998
Return-Path: volkerdi
Received: (from volkerdi@localhost) by darkstar.slackware.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) id OAA03071; Thu, 22 Oct 1998 13:49:43 -0500
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 13:49:44 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Patrick J. Volkerding" <volkerdi@mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu>
To: root
Subject: Welcome to Linux (Slackware 3.6)!
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.981120134926.3041A-100000@darkstar.slackware.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII


Welcome! Glad to see you've made it this far! :^)

Here are a few hints to help you navigate through the Linux operating 
system a little bit better:

-- Remember those screens you saw while each package was installing? You 
   can see all the information (and more) again. The simplest way is to use 
   the 'pkgtool' utility to view the package contents. Another way is to use 
   'less' or a text editor to read the files in /var/log/packages and 
   /var/log/scripts (this is the method I use).

-- You may need to make some changes to the /etc/rc.d/rc.serial script if 
   you're using serial ports other than /dev/ttyS0 or /dev/ttyS1 (com1: and
   com2: under DOS), or if these ports use non-standard IRQs.

   I suggest using the section about halfway through that lets you set up
   the ports manually. Here's an example of how I set up the ports on my 
   machine for /dev/ttyS0 and /dev/ttyS2:
   
   # These are the standard COM1 through COM4 devices
   #
   ${SETSERIAL} /dev/cua0 uart 16450 port 0x3F8 irq 4
   # ${SETSERIAL} /dev/cua1 uart 16450 port 0x2F8 irq 3
   ${SETSERIAL} /dev/cua2 uart 16450 port 0x3E8 irq 5
   # ${SETSERIAL} /dev/cua3 uart 16450 port 0x2E8 irq 3

   You'll also need to uncomment the line in /etc/rc.d/rc.S that starts the
   rc.serial script.

-- If you've got hardware such as a CD-ROM drive or ethernet that doesn't
   seem to work with Linux, it's possible that the kernel you're using 
   doesn't contain the needed support.  In that case, you can do one of
   two things:

      1.  Recompile your kernel, including the needed driver(s).
      2.  Load the support with kernel modules.  This is probably the
          simplest way to handle the situation.  Just edit 
          /etc/rc.d/rc.modules so that it loads the modules you need.
   
-- If you're on a standalone LAN without a nameserver, make sure you 
   don't have a nameserver line in /etc/resolv.conf, or you may experience 
   delays with many network commands as they attempt to query the bogus 
   nameserver.

-- Want to run NFS? You'll to run the folllowing daemons in /etc/rc.d/rc.inet2:
   rpc.portmap, rpc.mountd, and rpc.nfsd. Then, edit your /etc/exports to allow
   NFS access. (see 'man exports' for examples)

-- A lot of people ask me how to set up their printer under Linux.  In my
   opinion, the best method is to set up APSfilter, a system that allows you
   to print many file formats (DVI, PS, text) by just sending them to the 
   print spooler with lpr.  To set this up, do the following steps:

   1.  Make sure you're loading the parallel driver in /etc/rc.d/rc.modules.
   2.  Install the LPD printer software.  This is package bsdlpr.tgz on the
       A series.  Odds are it's already been installed.
   3.  You'll probably want to have the TCP/IP subsystem installed and
       configured (at least for loopback).  The tcpip.tgz package is part of
       the N series, and the "netconfig" script is used to do a basic TCP/IP
       configuration.
   4.  APSfilter uses a variety of other filters that it expects to find
       installed.  You'll want to install the ghostscr.tgz and gsfonts.tgz
       packages on the AP series to add Ghostscript if you want the ability
       to print PostScript documents.  You'll also need the jpeg.tgz package
       from the AP series for JPEG image support.  If you want to print DVI
       files, install at least the default TeX packages from the T series.
   5.  Install the apsfilter package.  This package can be found in
       Slackware's contrib/ packages directory.  Use 'installpkg' as root
       to install the package:

           installpkg aps-4.91.tgz

   6.  Change into the /usr/lib/aps-4.91/ directory, and run the SETUP
       program.  It'll write your /etc/printcap, and you'll be all set
       to start printing.  Once you've got it working, you can also use
       netatalk and Samba to provide print services to Macs and Windows
       machines on the local network with your Linux box.

-- If you have a PS/2 mouse, busmouse, or pretty much any kind of mouse
   that doesn't plug into your serial port, you'll need to load a mouse
   driver module before your mouse will work.  Edit the module loading
   file /etc/rc.d/rc.modules to load the correct module, or compile a new
   kernel with built in support for your mouse.

-- To get your machine on the net with a modem and PPP, you need to install
   the tcpip.tgz and ppp.tgz packages.  Your machine should be configured
   at least with loopback using the "netconfig" utility.  Also, be sure the
   serial port your modem uses is correctly configured.  If in doubt, take a
   look through /etc/rc.d/rc.serial.  Then, use "pppsetup" to configure the
   dialup process.  (Additional documentation on pppsetup can be found in
   /usr/doc/pppsetup)  Note that demand dialing does not work unless you're
   using pppd-2.3 or newer, and have the ppp-2.3.x driver in your kernel.

-- If you installed the F series, there will be lots of FAQs (lists of 
   Frequently Asked Questions with answers), and HOWTOs (files explaining 
   how to do a particular Linux task), in /usr/doc/faq. These should be 
   helpful in getting you going with Linux.  They cover most system admin
   tasks in a lot more detail than this little email does. :^)

Have fun!

---
Patrick Volkerding
volkerdi@mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu

