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groff tutorial and problems
by MJ Ray 12 Jan '04

12 Jan '04

Does anyone know a good groff beginners tutorial, preferably including ms macros, that is online in simple html? The main groff distribution site at http://groff.ffii.org/ doesn't seem to link to one. Two particular problems: How to type pound signs? I use utf8, but pound signs don't come out, even with -Tutf8. Why do tabbed lines make -Thtml output a new tr before each tabbed cell? Also, can I get xhtml output? -- MJR/slef My Opinion Only and possibly not of any group I know. Please http://remember.to/edit_messages on lists to be sure I read http://mjr.towers.org.uk/ gopher://g.towers.org.uk/ slef(a)jabber.at Creative copyleft computing services via http://www.ttllp.co.uk/

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Weekly IRC reminder
by Neill Newman 12 Jan '04

12 Jan '04

This is the automated ALUG IRC meeting reminder sent to remind you that there is an IRC meeting tonight (Monday) at 8.00pm. The meeting takes place on the irc server irc.alug.org.uk in the #alug channel. Most IRC clients should allow you to get there with the commands "/server irc.alug.org.uk" and "/join #alug". Popular IRC clients include tkirc, bitchx, xchat and EPIC on Unix, and Mirc under windows. Here are some links to help you get started with irc. Unix http://www.xchat.org/ http://freshmeat.net/ http://www.epicsol.org/ Windows http://www.mirc.com (loads of help with irc for newbies!)

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Modems
by Richard Lewis 11 Jan '04

11 Jan '04

The CD drive I was talking about the other day was in a computer I'm trying to help my friend set up. I convinced him to have Linux on it; which is great. The machine hasn't got a modem so we need to get one. Presumably its best to try and get a hardware modem but we don't want to spend more than GBP 30. I've looked at linmodems.org and they list a whole load of fully hardware modems but most of their links are to manufacturer sites (i.e. sites which don't sell the products) or to US distributors. The most likely chipsets seem to be Lucent's Venus chipset or a chipet called "Kermit" used by US Robotics/3COM products. I've tried searching for some of the more likely candidates on maplin.co.uk and dabs.com but they only seem to stock a couple of devices. So, does anyone know where I may be able to get an internal (preferably PCI) hardware modem which will work on Linux without too much difficulty? Cheers, Richard

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Re: ISOLINUX
by Richard Lewis 11 Jan '04

11 Jan '04

>On 2004-01-07 22:42:45 +0000 x0151262 <Richard.Lewis(a)uea.ac.uk> wrote: >> "ISOLINUX 2.00 2002-10-25 isolinux: Loading spec packet failed, >> trying to >> wing it... >> isolinux: Failed to locate CD-ROM device: boot failed" > Any idea what the CD drive is on that? Is it IDE? Might be time for > boot floppies :-/ I tried using some MDK9.2 discs and it turns out that you can use disc 2 (of the d'load edition) as 'safe boot' disc. I did that and the installation system booted fine! I don't know what this 'safe boot' method is but it did the trick. Cheers, Richard

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Meeting: King's Lynn, 14 Jan
by MJ Ray 11 Jan '04

11 Jan '04

Hello all, The next ALUG meeting is booked in King's Lynn on Wednesday 14 January at 7pm. The venue has changed to the Queen's Arms, which should have better beer (Elgood's) and be easier to find (on the biggest road into town and nearer the trains). This meeting's theme is "new year, new people" so I hope to see people from the last two meetings again, as well as any others nearby who we've not yet met. It's quite easy to get to from Hunstanton, Fakenham, Spalding, P'boro, Cambridge/Ely/Downham and Norwich/Dereham/Swaffham (bus or can we beg Brett?). Details and linked directions on http://www.alug.org.uk/meetings/2004/all-13plusWed.html So, who will we see there for sure? -- MJR/slef My Opinion Only and possibly not of any group I know. Please http://remember.to/edit_messages on lists to be sure I read http://mjr.towers.org.uk/ gopher://g.towers.org.uk/ slef(a)jabber.at Creative copyleft computing services via http://www.ttllp.co.uk/

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Norwich meeting report 8th Jan 2004
by Syd Hancock 11 Jan '04

11 Jan '04

Another good turnout although s couple of Norwich regulars didn't make it this month. Graham, Brett, Adam, Kirsten, Mark, Syd, newcomer Zbys and his brother (whose name I didn't note - apologies) and Bryce who may be on the list but did not know for sure :-) It was a good social evening with much discussion of forthcoming guided tours to breweries and choice of Norwich pubs for future meeting venues, as well as topics such as programming IDEs, use of FOSS s/w in Poland and so forth. On the topic of venue it was generally agreed that provided we do not lose the positives of the Forum bar (plenty of space, general lack of noise and smoke, conveniently near the centre and with good parking) then a move to somewhere with better and cheaper liquid refreshments would be welcomed. After some discussion a pub on Dereham road, known by its old name of the Reindeer, was settled on as a strong possibility although Adam pointed out that we should have a recce visit before chopping and changing the regular meeting place. I drove past it last night on the way home and it looks large and comfortable as well as potentially meeting the other criteria. The pub has a new name which I don't remember - someone will fill this in here, won't you, chaps - and it seems logical to spend a thursday evening there sometime in the next few weeks and check it out. Anyone up for this? Who'd like to suggest a date? (I cannot make the 22nd) Syd

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CD Copying
by Nick Daniels 10 Jan '04

10 Jan '04

Hi I am installing Linux on my neighbours machine , who "can no longer put up with M$". For CD copying , being non-technical she needs a GUI type CD Copier. Problem, with all CD programs i have tried, on her machine , I can create CDs, blank CD rewrites but I cannot copy CDs On K3b I get message "try generic-mmc" but I see from the debugging output it has already tried generic-mmc CD rewriter, RICOH MP7163A Regards Nick Daniels

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CD copying
by Nick Daniels 10 Jan '04

10 Jan '04

> Hi > I am installing Linux on my neighbours machine , who "can no > longer put up with M$". For CD copying , being non-technical she needs > a GUI type CD Copier. > Problem, with all CD programs i have tried, on her machine , I can > create CDs, blank CD rewrites but I cannot copy CDs > On K3b I get message "try generic-mmc" but I see from the debugging > output it has already tried generic-mmc > CD rewriter, RICOH MP7163A >Which distro/version? -- GT Sorry - Suse 8.2 Pro Regards Nick Daniels

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spice 3f5
by IanBell 10 Jan '04

10 Jan '04

Any sparkies help me with a problem with spice under linux? I am running it in batch mode but it give an error every time an ac or dc analysis is run. From the console I run: spice -b >ex1.out ex1.cir Ian I get the following error dc (ac) analysis not run. doAnalyses not found. Any idea what I am doing wrong? I have tried several different rpms pf spice 3f5 with patches and, althought they have other quirks, the all give the same error. Ian

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Linux support for CF card readers? (Dennis Dryden)
by Stuart Hammond 09 Jan '04

09 Jan '04

CF cards use the IDE specification and so i would imagin that they would work with any distro of linux. you can get compact flash to IDE converters, try www.cfide.co.uk (they are about £22 each with P&P) which id assume would work (as it is just a cable converter) Yours S Hammond >Anyone know if this: >http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X… >...is supported under Linux? I recently got given a cheap digital camera >but it has no connection cable's so i'm planing to use an external >CompactFlash Card reader. If anyone knows of any others that work >that'll be nice to know =). I'm guessing it uses the standard USB mass >storage interface but you never know. > >- Dennis Dryden _________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch with absent friends - get MSN Messenger http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger

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