[gentoo-gwn] Gentoo Weekly Newsletter 22 August 2005

[Lars Weiler]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gentoo Weekly Newsletter
http://www.gentoo.org/news/en/gwn/current.xml
This is the Gentoo Weekly Newsletter for the week of 22 August 2005.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

==============
1. Gentoo news
==============

Linux World Expo San Francisco report
-------------------------------------

The 2005 San Fransisco LWE (Linux World Expo) turned out to be a big
success, and Gentoo was there to take a place in it all. In the scope of
things, all went pretty well for the small Gentoo booth. There were a
couple of problems with network connections and booth location (There were
2 stories of expo space this time, and Gentoo was on the top).

Figure 1.1: Photo courtesy of Michaelian Ennis
http://www.gentoo.org/images/gwn/20050822_lwe.jpg

Note:  Chris Gianelloni and Jason Weever talk with users at the booth. On
display are an x86 box as well as a Pegasos PPC Open Desktop Workstation.

A large number of Gentoo infrastructure staff was present, including a few
regular developers, and others that were here just to see the expo. The
people at the booth at one time or the other included Corey Shields[1],
Kurt Lieber[2], Lance Albertson[3], Andrea Barisani[4], Chris
Gianelloni[5], Jason Weever[6], Stephanie J. Lockwood-Childs[7], Saleem
Abdulrasool[8], and Chris White[9]. Indiana University and Oregon State
University Open Source Labs helped with a lot of the setup for Gentoo, and
thanks go out to them.

 1. cshields@g.o
 2. klieber@g.o
 3. ramereth@g.o
 4. lcars@g.o
 5. wolf31o2@g.o
 6. weeve@g.o
 7. wormo@g.o
 8. compnerd@g.o
 9. chriswhite@g.o

Many questions and comments arose at the Gentoo booth. Most visitors just
wanted to know what Gentoo was, others had used it before, and wanted to
stop by and say hi. A lot of business-related users came up to, and asked
questions about distributed installations and how Gentoo was adapted to
enterprise use. A couple of other projects had some good things coming
too: Trolltech[10] is working hard on QA, and was asking Linux
distributions (including Gentoo), about the quality of Qt in their
distributions. X.Org[11] modularization was another hot topic, as well as
the move over to autotools as means for an easier development state. The
Linux Test Project was there, making honorable mention of Mike
Frysinger's[12] work in patch development and helping out the project,
Philippe Ombredanne, author of EasyEclipse, stopped by for a chat with
Chris White and Saleem Abdulrasool about splitting up the eclipse ebuilds.
Last but not least, the GenUX project[13] made an appearance, too, to talk
about their own project.

 10. http://www.trolltech.no
 11. http://www.x.org
 12. vapier@g.o
 13. http://www.genux.org

The lower floor of the Expo was mostly businesses and paying exhibitors
with new projects to share, Intel showing some of their 64-bit technology,
HP doing some talks on open source as a way for businesses to operate,
with Sun being mainly a display of projects such as Looking Glass, some
Sparc based systems, as well as talks on OpenSolaris. All in all the Expo
was a huge success, and we hope next year's will be too.

================
2. User projects
================

Gentoo-driven -- car console
----------------------------

There's hardly anyone left these days who would be exposed to just one
solitary computer in their everyday environment. Most people have
computers in their homes on top the ones they use at the workplace, and
perhaps a laptop thrown in for good measure and the dull moments during
lengthy commutes. But how many people have one installed in the console of
their cars? And how many of those have it run Gentoo Linux? Here's one
example that rippled the slashdot surface for a few days, a CarPC mounted
in a Mazda sports vehicle[14]. Based on a Via Epia small form factor
mainboard, including cool features like a GPS receiver, Bluetooth and a
high speed wireless network make this Gentoo-powered car a geek's dream
vehicle. And to make it even more amazing a mobile phone connection
(Verizon EVDO) is used for streaming video from a MythTV box at home so
that the proud owner of the car can watch any movie while on the road ...

 14. http://www.timekiller.org/carpc/

Figure 2.1: Gentoo in the car: built-in screen, wireless keyboard and mouse
http://www.gentoo.org/images/gwn/20050822_carpc.jpg

MythTV project
--------------

Last week, a Gentoo user by the name of Jay Ferrandini "set out to build a
super-optimized, high performance MythTV box completely from scratch for a
maximum of 500 USD" and managed to get as far as assembling all the parts
by last weekend. His story[15] is still in mid-development, but
interesting nonetheless. He even gives a short overview of the whole
install process, from hardware setup to tweaking /etc/make.conf. He even
included a part from the  "amazing" Gentoo Handbook[16], showing again
that installing Gentoo is not as hard as some people claim and that if you
are willing to invest some time, Gentoo can do (almost) anything.

 15. http://www.ubershirt.com/mythbox.html
 16. http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/index.xml

=========================
3. Heard in the community
=========================

Web forums
----------

Reading up on the Linux kernel

Looking for some linux reading or just want to understand how a kernel
really works? Well, this thread should be useful:

 * Linux indepth kernel manual[17]
 17. http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-370559.html


gentoo-dev
----------

Generating ChangeLog files automatically from `cvs commit`

Mike Frysinger[18] started a discussion with the idea of generating
Changelogs automatically from the cvs commit messages. This would
facilitate the management of changelogs and also force a common format on
all of them.

 18. vapier@g.o

 * generating ChangeLog files automatically from `cvs commit`[19]
 19. http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.gentoo.devel/30461


"Maintainer wanted"

Some time ago the "maintainer-wanted" alias was created to help track all
user-submitted ebuilds in Bugzilla. Ciaran McCreesh[20] asks for a new
bugzilla keyword that shows that an ebuild has been checked for
correctness by a developer. This would help potential maintainers to see
if an ebuild satisfies basic QA requirements or if it might need lots of
work to get it fixed, thus making it easier or harder for new packages to
be "adopted" by a developer.

 20. ciaranm@g.o

 *  Bugzilla handling for maintainer-wanted things[21]
 21. http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.gentoo.devel/30538


ebuild design issue: splitting ebuilds?

A discussion on whether ebuilds should be monolithic or separated into
server vs client or headers vs full package splits evolved on the
developer mailing list. It wasn't the first of its kind, and indeed died
down after exploring the usual problems and shortcomings of such a
proposal, but had its moments:

 * ebuild design issue: splitting ebuilds? [22]
 22. http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.gentoo.devel/30509


======================
4. Gentoo in the press
======================

Open Enterprise Trends (21 August 2005)
---------------------------------------

An article titled "Oracle Eyes Open Source Add-ons for Linux"[23] by Vance
McCarthy reports that Oracle is hoping for Gentoo to join the list of
distributions to include Oracle's Cluster File System 2 that was placed
under an open source license earlier this month. Quoting Wim Coekaerts,
Oracle's director of Linux engineering, the aim is to get OCFS2 in the
official 2.6 kernel tree, too.

 23. http://openenterprisetrends.com/news.php?action=view_record&idnum=455

iX (9/2005, in German)
----------------------

There's life beyond Google: in its September issue the iX, German's
leading IT publisher Heise's "magazine for professional information
technology", sheds some light on two open-source search engines[24]. Both
the stable - yet somewhat stagnated - ASPseek project, and a more recent
Java alternative called Nutch receive good marks in the test, for which
author Michael Nebel installed the latter on a Gentoo system, based on a
Pentium III CPU with 800MHz, 360MB of RAM and a 120GB harddisk, watching
Nutch's index grow over three months before writing his report.

 24. http://www.heise.de/ix/artikel/2005/09/100

eWEEK (9 August 2005)
---------------------

Gentoo developer Greg Kroah-Hartman's presentation about persistent device
naming held at OSCON in Toronto two weeks ago was given ample attention in
a conference report[25] on eWEEK. Titled "Torvalds: How to Keep Linux
Kernel on Course", the article provides an overview of the processes
involved in developing the Linux kernel, the decision against a 2.7
development tree and other topics.

 25. http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1845813,00.asp

==================
5. Tips and tricks
==================

Logging the boot messages
-------------------------

Wish to log the console output during the boot process? Starting with the
new baselayout-1.12 it's now possible: Just edit /etc/conf.d/rc to show

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Code Listing 5.1:                                                       |
| Extract from /etc/conf.d/rc                                             |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                         |
|RC_BOOTLOG="yes" (instead of RC_BOOTLOG="no")                            |
|                                                                         |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

and emerge Showconsole[26]. After that all the messages scrolling past the
screen as you boot will be stored in /var/log/boot.msg

 26. http://packages.gentoo.org/ebuilds/?showconsole-1.07

===========================
6. Moves, adds, and changes
===========================

Moves
-----

The following developers recently left the Gentoo team:

 * Gabor Veszi

Adds
----

The following developers recently joined the Gentoo Linux team:

 * Łukasz Damentko (rane) - Polish lead documentation translator

Changes
-------

The following developers recently changed roles within the Gentoo Linux
project:

 * None this week

==================
7. Gentoo Security
==================

Gaim: Remote execution of arbitrary code
----------------------------------------

Gaim is vulnerable to a buffer overflow which could lead to the execution
of arbitrary code or to a Denial of Service.

For more information, please see the GLSA Announcement[27]

 27. http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200508-06.xml

AWStats: Arbitrary code execution using malicious Referrer information
----------------------------------------------------------------------

AWStats fails to validate certain log input, which could lead to the
execution of arbitrary Perl code during the generation of the statistics.

For more information, please see the GLSA Announcement[28]

 28. http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200508-07.xml

Xpdf, Kpdf, GPdf: Denial of Service vulnerability
-------------------------------------------------

Xpdf, Kpdf and GPdf may crash as a result of a Denial of Service
vulnerability.

For more information, please see the GLSA Announcement[29]

 29. http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200508-08.xml

bluez-utils: Bluetooth device name validation vulnerability
-----------------------------------------------------------

Improper validation of Bluetooth device names can lead to arbitrary
command execution.

For more information, please see the GLSA Announcement[30]

 30. http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200508-09.xml

Kismet: Multiple vulnerabilities
--------------------------------

Kismet is vulnerable to multiple issues potentially resulting in the
execution of arbitrary code.

For more information, please see the GLSA Announcement[31]

 31. http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200508-10.xml

Adobe Reader: Buffer Overflow
-----------------------------

Adobe Reader is vulnerable to a buffer overflow which could potentially
lead to execution of arbitrary code.

For more information, please see the GLSA Announcement[32]

 32. http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200508-11.xml

===========
8. Bugzilla
===========

Summary
-------

 * Statistics
 * Closed bug ranking
 * New bug rankings

Statistics
----------

The Gentoo community uses Bugzilla (bugs.gentoo.org[33]) to record and
track bugs, notifications, suggestions and other interactions with the
development team. Between 14 August 2005 and 21 August 2005, activity on
the site has resulted in:

 33. http://bugs.gentoo.org

 * 747 new bugs during this period
 * 481 bugs closed or resolved during this period
 * 55 previously closed bugs were reopened this period

Of the 7981 currently open bugs: 99 are labeled 'blocker', 194 are labeled
'critical', and 533 are labeled 'major'.

Closed bug rankings
-------------------

The developers and teams who have closed the most bugs during this period
are:

 * AMD64 Porting Team[34], with 52 closed bugs[35]
 * Gentoo Release Team[36], with 28 closed bugs[37]
 * Gentoo's Team for Core System packages[38], with 26 closed bugs[39]
 * Gentoo Security[40], with 22 closed bugs[41]
 * SpanKY[42], with 17 closed bugs[43]
 * Xavier Neys[44], with 14 closed bugs[45]
 * Gentoo Linux Gnome Desktop Team[46], with 13 closed bugs[47]
 * Gentoo Games[48], with 13 closed bugs[49]
 34. amd64@g.o
 35. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&chfield=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&resolution=FIXED&assigned_to=amd64@g.o
 36. release@g.o
 37. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&chfield=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&resolution=FIXED&assigned_to=release@g.o
 38. base-system@g.o
 39. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&chfield=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&resolution=FIXED&assigned_to=base-system@g.o
 40. security@g.o
 41. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&chfield=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&resolution=FIXED&assigned_to=security@g.o
 42. vapier@g.o
 43. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&chfield=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&resolution=FIXED&assigned_to=vapier@g.o
 44. neysx@g.o
 45. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&chfield=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&resolution=FIXED&assigned_to=neysx@g.o
 46. gnome@g.o
 47. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&chfield=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&resolution=FIXED&assigned_to=gnome@g.o
 48. games@g.o
 49. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&chfield=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&resolution=FIXED&assigned_to=games@g.o


New bug rankings
----------------

The developers and teams who have been assigned the most new bugs during
this period are:

 * Default Assignee for New Packages[50], with 35 new bugs[51]
 * Gentoo Linux Gnome Desktop Team[52], with 15 new bugs[53]
 * Gentoo Sound Team[54], with 14 new bugs[55]
 * Mozilla Gentoo Team[56], with 8 new bugs[57]
 * X11 External Driver Maintainers[58], with 6 new bugs[59]
 * Text-Markup Team[60], with 6 new bugs[61]
 * Python Gentoo Team[62], with 6 new bugs[63]
 * Default Assignee for Orphaned Packages[64], with 6 new bugs[65]
 50. maintainer-wanted@g.o
 51. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&assigned_to=maintainer-wanted@g.o
 52. gnome@g.o
 53. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&assigned_to=gnome@g.o
 54. sound@g.o
 55. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&assigned_to=sound@g.o
 56. mozilla@g.o
 57. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&assigned_to=mozilla@g.o
 58. x11-drivers@g.o
 59. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&assigned_to=x11-drivers@g.o
 60. text-markup@g.o
 61. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&assigned_to=text-markup@g.o
 62. python@g.o
 63. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&assigned_to=python@g.o
 64. maintainer-needed@g.o
 65. http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2005-08-14&chfieldto=2005-08-21&assigned_to=maintainer-needed@g.o


===============
9. GWN feedback
===============

Please send us your feedback[66] and help make the GWN better.

 66. gwn-feedback@g.o

================================
10. GWN subscription information
================================

To subscribe to the Gentoo Weekly Newsletter, send a blank email to
gentoo-gwn+subscribe@g.o.

To unsubscribe to the Gentoo Weekly Newsletter, send a blank email to
gentoo-gwn+unsubscribe@g.o from the email address you are
subscribed under.

===================
11. Other languages
===================

The Gentoo Weekly Newsletter is also available in the following languages:

 * Danish[67]
 * Dutch[68]
 * English[69]
 * German[70]
 * French[71]
 * Japanese[72]
 * Italian[73]
 * Polish[74]
 * Portuguese (Brazil)[75]
 * Portuguese (Portugal)[76]
 * Russian[77]
 * Spanish[78]
 * Turkish[79]
 67. http://www.gentoo.org/news/da/gwn/gwn.xml
 68. http://www.gentoo.org/news/nl/gwn/gwn.xml
 69. http://www.gentoo.org/news/en/gwn/gwn.xml
 70. http://www.gentoo.org/news/de/gwn/gwn.xml
 71. http://www.gentoo.org/news/fr/gwn/gwn.xml
 72. http://www.gentoo.org/news/ja/gwn/gwn.xml
 73. http://www.gentoo.org/news/it/gwn/gwn.xml
 74. http://www.gentoo.org/news/pl/gwn/gwn.xml
 75. http://www.gentoo.org/news/pt_br/gwn/gwn.xml
 76. http://www.gentoo.org/news/pt/gwn/gwn.xml
 77. http://www.gentoo.org/news/ru/gwn/gwn.xml
 78. http://www.gentoo.org/news/es/gwn/gwn.xml
 79. http://www.gentoo.org/news/tr/gwn/gwn.xml


Ulrich Plate <plate@g.o> - Editor
Patrick Lauer <patrick@g.o> - Author
George Prowse <cokehabit@×××××.com> - Author
Lars Weiler <pylon@g.o> - Author
Chris White <chriswhite@g.o> - Author

-- 
gentoo-gwn@g.o mailing list