Linux-Announce Digest #180, Volume #4           Sat, 7 Sep 2002 22:13:03 EDT
Contents:
OO Programming Newsletter #41 from Bruce Eckel (OOPList@BruceEckel.com)
The Linux Counter... (Frederick Noronha)
Linux Gazette #82 (September 2002) available (Linux Gazette)
bigtwo: coffee.marilith.1 released (Bernard yap)
NEWS: GNU/DEVELOPMENT... intl orgns take a close look at GNU/Linux (Frederick Noronha)
Attn programmers: support offered [FLOSS-Sarai Initiative] (Frederick Noronha)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: OOPList@BruceEckel.com
Subject: OO Programming Newsletter #41 from Bruce Eckel
Date: 8 Sep 2002 01:25:28 GMT
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OO Programming Newsletter #41 from Bruce Eckel
August 2002
= = = Contents = = =
* Come work on Thinking in Java in Crested Butte
* Thinking in Java, 3rd edition, Revision 2 Imminent
* Thinking in C++, Volume 2, Revision 6 Available
* Thinking in Java Hands-on Seminar, Bay Area, November
* Java2 Enterprise Programming Seminar, Bay Area, November
* New seminars
* Limited Number of Signed Copies of TIJ2 for sale
See the Calendar for the current schedule:
http://www.mindview.net/Calendar
===================================
* Come work on Thinking in Java, 3rd edition, in Crested Butte
All but one of the Interns has departed (he's staying through
December) and we have empty rooms in the condo that I rented in Mt.
Crested Butte for the Interns to stay in. If you'd like to
volunteer to come up (Crested Butte is gorgeous in late
Summer/early Fall, with excellent hiking and mountain biking), stay
in the condo, and help work on the 3rd edition of Thinking in Java,
please email Sharlynn@Mindview.net with your resume and
availability dates (note that the book is due at the end of
October). There will be a technical and writing test, and
interviews to reveal how well you self-motivate and work with
others.
This should be a great learning experience and a fun time.
===================================
* Thinking in Java, 3rd edition, Revision 2 Imminent
The second revision will be up on the site soon, at:
http://64.78.49.204/
The biggest change is that I've rewritten significant part of the
multithreading chapter (although it still has a ways to go). The
goal is to rewrite the chapter to introduce the essence of
threading with simplicity, and without GUI examples (this
simplifies things, and allows threads to appear before GUIs).
The chapters have also been reorganized into something like their
final form, although the final chapter numbering hasn't been done
yet. We have made more progress in the testing system.
Other details of the changes made in the new version will be at the
beginning of the book.
The book is due at the end of October. The print version will
appear in December.
===================================
* Thinking in C++, Volume 2, Revision 9 Available tomorrow
Available at:
http://64.78.49.204/
Chapters 1-4 are finished
===================================
* Thinking in Java Hands-on Seminar
November 4th-8th in San Francisco - Emeryville, CA.
Registration opens on September 4th.
http://www.mindview.net/Seminars/ThinkingInJava/
Created by Bruce Eckel, taught by Andrea Provaglio. We believe this
is the best in-depth introduction to Java that you'll find.  It's
based on the book "Thinking in Java," which was created as the
seminar evolved.
Please note the early registration discount:
* $1,600 for payments received by October 12th
* $1,950 for payments received after October 12th
===================================
* Java2 Enterprise Programming Seminar
November 18th-22th in San Francisco - Emeryville, CA.
Registration opens on September 4th.
http://www.mindview.net/Seminars/J2EE/
Created and taught by Andrea Provaglio, this seminar introduces you
to the practical development of real-world, Web-enabled,
distributed applications with Java. It covers J2EE and its key
technologies: Enterprise JavaBeans, Servlets, Java ServerPages, and
the basic architectural patterns used to combine these technologies
into maintainable applications.
Andrea has been teaching this course in the US and in Europe for
the last two years, and he has recently restructured and updated
the seminar to include the latest J2EE features.
You'll come out of this course with a comprehensive understanding
of the J2EE architecture, of the problems that it is designed to
solve, how to select the most appropriate tools, and how to code
your solutions.
Please note the early registration discount:
* $1,700 for payments received by October 26th
* $2,300 for payments received after October 26th
===================================
* New seminars
Bill Venners and I just finished giving the last "Objects &
Patterns" seminar, and everyone (especially us) had a great time.
We are now beginning to work towards the two new seminars spawned
by Objects & Patterns, which Bill and I plan to teach together:
Design Patterns in Java
(Drawing primarily from "Thinking in Patterns")
Designing Objects & Systems
This will include a lot of material from Bill's upcoming book on
Object Design, along with coverage of UML, XP, Object-Oriented
Design techniques and guidelines, and of course exercises and
projects.
We hope to begin teaching the courses early next year. Stay tuned.
===================================
* Limited Number of Signed Copies of TIJ2 for sale
I'm selling the last 17 of my author copies of Thinking in Java,
2nd edition. I've signed each one and drawn a little cartoon with
the signature (the books are in La Mesa, and I'm in Crested Butte,
so unfortunately I can't personalize them). The cost in the USA is
$40, which includes handling and mailing. Outside the USA, you'll
have to email to the address below to find out the additional
shipping cost.
To order, divide your credit card number (Visa, MC, Amex) into two
different emails (not high security, but highly likely to be safe),
and include your credit card billing address and expiration date.
Email your order to:
Wayne@MindView.net
Wayne will email you back to clarify any necessary details.
___| Until Next Time... |________________________
Computer nerd humor
http://www.valleyofthegeeks.com/
Java programming questions:
http://www.mindview.net/Books/TIJ/JavaQuestions.html
Speaking & Seminar schedule:
http://www.mindview.net/Calendar/
Anyone can sign up for this free newsletter by visiting:
http://www.mindview.net/mailman/listinfo/eckel-oo-programming
Bruce Eckel    http://www.mindview.net
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From: Frederick Noronha <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: The Linux Counter...
Date: 8 Sep 2002 01:25:32 GMT
Please sign-up at the Linux Counter:
Please visit it and sign up (if you haven't already) at
http://counter.li.org/
Why?
* It's a small way of saying 'thank you' to an excellent OS and
acknowledging you find it useful...
* Letting everyone out there know where all GNU/Linux is being used
* Building a useful database of GNU/Linux in your locality (Goa)
* Finding out where all other people in Goa are using GNU/Linux.
* Just seeing how this volunteer driven model builds itself by
innovative styles of organising....
FN
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From: Linux Gazette <gazette@ssc.com>
Subject: Linux Gazette #82 (September 2002) available
Date: 8 Sep 2002 01:25:35 GMT
Reply-To: gazette@ssc.com
"Linux Gazette...Making Linux just a little more fun!"
Linux Gazette is a freely available, WWW e-zine that includes short articles
giving tips and tricks, ideas and suggestions for customizing and running
Linux. It is a member of the Linux Documentation Project.
Linux Gazette issue #82, September 2002, is out and can be found at:
http://www.linuxgazette.com/
For download purposes, individual issues of LG are available at:
ftp://ftp.ssc.com/pub/lg/
A list of mirror sites can be found at:
http://www.linuxgazette.com/mirrors.html
While we do not mail issues of LG to our readers--it's just too big--we do
have an announcement service. Write lg-announce-request@ssc.com with the
word subscribe in the body, and each month you will receive an e-mail notice
when we post Linux Gazette.
Topics in this issue include:
* The MailBag
* More 2-Cent Tips
* The Answer Gang
* News Bytes
* Ecol , by Javier Malonda at escomposlinux.org
* Qubism , by Jon "Sir Flakey" Harsem
* Writing your own Toy OS - Part III , by Raghu and Chitkala
* Kerberos: The watchdog of the Ether , by Raj Shekhar
* My Guide To Digital Photography , by Rob Tougher
* Adaptive Linux Firewalls , by Vasoo Veerapen
* Multihead Systems under Linux and Windows , by Alan Ward
* The Back Page
Read all about it in Linux Gazette.
Michael Orr
Editor, Linux Gazette
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From: Bernard yap <lev@codenetic.net>
Subject: bigtwo: coffee.marilith.1 released
Date: 8 Sep 2002 01:25:38 GMT
Greetings to all,
'bigtwo' is an cross-platform (tho' it's meant to run on linux) object oriented
game engine for the card game of "cho dai di" with integrated artificial
intelligence to simplify the job of developing game servers/clients for the
card game.
- Release [coffee.marilith.1] -
This is an alpha release of the game engine (codenamed 'coffee') intended for
engine/AI testing. A simulation test of AI playing against each other and a
simple text-based single player client are included in the release for that
purpose.
- ChangeLog -
o  some minor AI tweaks
o  added game engine version information
o  fixed bug in game initialization
o  fixed bugs that blocked the straights 23456 & A2345
- Work in progress -
o  further fixes/improvements on the game engine/AI
o  a cross-platform GUI/graphical client.
- SF Project Page -
http://sourceforge.net/projects/bigtwo/
- Download -
https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=22941
regards,
--
const char *me[] = { "Bernard", "http://www.codenetic.net/" };
pain, n.: One thing, at least it proves that you're alive!
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From: Frederick Noronha <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: NEWS: GNU/DEVELOPMENT... intl orgns take a close look at GNU/Linux
Date: 8 Sep 2002 01:25:42 GMT
GNU/DEVELOPMENT, INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT GNU/LINUX
>From Frederick Noronha
INDIA: There's good news round the corner -- international organisations and
prominent networks worldwide are waking up to the rich potential of
Free/Open Source Software, a field that is slowly being recognised for the
immense promise it holds out to the Third World.
But can this be tapped speedily enough and effectively?
>From the Unesco to the World Bank, and other global organisations, all are
catching up on the potential of using GNU/Linux as a potent tool in working
towards development. More so in countries where the cost of a proprietorial
office suite could eat up six months or more of the average citizen's
earnings.
United Nation's Development Programme's Ms. Radhika Lal
<radhika.lal@undp.org>, a Information-Communication Technology Policy
Advisor, recently drew attention to a conference on Open Source for
E-Government. It is to be held in Washington, DC on October 17-18.
infoDev, the Cyberspace Policy Institute of The George Washington
University, and the UNDP are jointly behind this event. It is intended to
draw participants from local, national and international organizations from
both the public and private sector.
This meet intends to present cases of 'best practices', raise awareness
about the potential of open source and free software for e-governance. More
importantly, it will be sharing experiences among policy makers, donors,
users and consumers, universities, and industry specialists in Open Source,
e-Government and related fields.
Ms Lal works at the ICT-for-Development's Special Initiative Bureau for
Development Policy at the UNDP's East 45th Street offices in New York.
ICT-for-development is a campaign to use more of infotech and the Internet
for global development and fighting problems like poverty and illiteracy.
But despite quite a few shared goals and concerns with the GNU/Linux world,
so far little networking has been done between these two separate circles.
See http://www.egovos.org/
OTHER ARMS OF THE U.N.
======================
Besides, the UNDP, other arms of the United Nations are also known to be
showing increasing interest in the potential of free software/open source
tools.
Paris-headquartered Unesco (United Nations Education, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation) recently launched its own Free Software portal.
It's at http://www.unesco.org/webworld/portal_freesoft.
UNESCO's Jean-Claude Dauphin <jc.dauphin@unesco.org> of the Information
Society Division also announced that this international organisation has
been looking out for contributors with a good knowledge of the Free Software
movement in relation with UNESCO fields of competence -- education, science
and culture.
It zeroed in particularly on those coming from the Third World (also called
the 'South' countries) who could could make propositions for "revising,
updating and extending the UNESCO Free Software Portal" as well as for
including new basic documents.
"This work could be done using a fee or consultant contract and the fee can
be discussed depending on the amount of work described in the contract,"
said Dauphin.
Check out the sites at
UNESCO Libraries Portal (http://www.unesco.org/webworld/portal_bib/)
UNESCO Archives Portal (http://www.unesco.org/webworld/portal_archives/)
UNESCO Free Software Portal (http://www.unesco.org/webworld/portal_freesoft/)
UNESCO Observatory on the Information Society (http://www.unesco.org/webworld/observatory/)
NEW TOOLS FOR CDS/ISIS
======================
Recently, Unesco also announced the launch of new tools for data exchange
from and to its CDS/ISIS software. These two new tools -- ImpExp2709 and
IsisAscii v 0.92 -- have recently been released for data exchange from and
to UNESCO's software package CDS/ISIS.
CDS/ISIS is a generalized information storage and retrieval system that is
freely distributed, and has attracted users in places like libraries within
the Third World. The new utilities have been released with their source code
(GPL license).
See http://www.unesco.org/webworld/news/2002/020806_isis.shtml
Meanwhile, UNDP's APDIP (Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme)
based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is also learnt to be thinking seriously
about organizing some kind of a consultation on open source, GNU/Linux and
related issues.
"We want to see how we can further this cause in the region," APDIP's Shahid
Akhtar told this correspondent.
Niranjan Rajani <niranjan.rajani@maailma.net>, of Pakistani origin but based
in the birthplace of Linux, Finland, is now working on a research project on
"Significance of Free/OpenSource Software for Developing Countries".
This project is financed by the Finnish Foreign Ministry, and he has
undertaken to write the paper by the end of November this year, for
Maailma.Net, a local division of OneWorld.Net.
This project's goal is to find out, evaluate and analyze the extent of use
of FS/OSS, especially some of its most significant and popular projects;
GNU/Linux, Apache, Mozilla, OpenOffice etc. in the developing or Third World
countries. It will also look at its possible impact on economies, societies
and lives of these countries.
CONVINCING GOVERNMENTS
======================
In India, organisations like Red Hat have been putting out slick
presentations to convince governments and officials to try out Open Source.
Shift over boldly to the world of 'open source' and 'free' software. That's
the message that governments across India were recently with, as official
computerisation efforts get bogged down due to spiraling software costs and
speedy software-fuelled hardware obsolence.
Senior IT and e-governance officials from across the country tuned in
attentively during a recent seminar in Goa, as executives from computing
giant IBM and leading Linux systems supplier Red Hat India narrated long
lists of benefits that governments could get from going the Linux way.
Pointing to examples from across the globe, Red Hat India argued that the US
Department of Energy has built supercomputers on GNU/Linux, the Chinese are
making Linux the official server operating system -- to be widely used in
varsities, military installations and within government.
Some months back, an organisation under India's Ministry of Information
Technology -- called the ER&DCI (Electronics Research and Development Centre
of India) -- entered into a strategic alliance with leading Linux systems
supplier Red Hat India to popularize the 'open source' solution in the
government sector.
On networks like the EDC/World Bank-support GKD (Global Knowledge for
Development), issues of free software and open source often make it to the
news.
GNU/Linux is a suitable tool in organising too, as it was recently pointed
out. (See http://www.lincproject.org)
"The Low Income Networking and Communication (LINC) Project of the Welfare
Law Center has helped many low-income led organizing groups acquire access
to the Internet and use technology more effectively," says Dirk Slater
<dirk@welfarelaw.org>.
While these groups have increased their abilities to communicate with one
another and their allies by using the Internet, one communication hurdle
remains -- communicating with their leadership via the Internet.
Despite many "digital divide" initiatives addressing access to the Internet
in low-income communities, access is still an issue.
Public Internet access points, such as libraries and schools, are not
sufficient, as Slater has pointed out. Many low-income leaders do not have
access to the Internet where it would make the most impact -- in their
homes.
LINC argues that the need for Internet communication is particularly great
for rural groups whose members live far apart and cannot have frequent
face-to-face meetings because of distance, time and money constraints.
"We began to explore the idea of using Linux, a free operating system that
works well on older computers, when we learned of Microsoft's decision to
discontinue support of its older operating systems like Windows 95<
according to Slater, who is 'senior circuit rider' for the Low-Income
Networking and Communications (LINC) Project at the Welfare Law Center.
LINC protagonists say they had also been "troubled" by the frequent problems
that occur for Windows users just by having Windows run on its own. "Giving
a person who lives in a rural area an older computer with Windows seemed
like we were just asking for trouble. We also attempted to identify similar
projects but had limited success," says Slater.
LINC wanted to increase its ability to provide stable desktop systems using
donated computers for board members and leaders of low-income led
organizations that LINC serves.
"Our goal is to increase the ability of LINC Project partner groups to use
open-source software to support their organizing work. We also wanted to
document the project as much as we possibly could, so we could provide
details of our experiences for others doing similar projects," LINC
explains.
LINC identified a partner in Grass Roots Organizing in Mexico, MO, and
installed GNU/Linux on 10 computers used as stand-alone workstations in
people's homes. GNU/Linux was also installed on a brand new stand-alone
computer to work as the main computer in the GRO office.
Links were built with the Mizzou Linux Users Group for ongoing local
support.
"We still have a long way to go before we can call this a completely
successful project. After a period of a few months we will assess whether
the board members are actually using the computers to communicate more
effectively," said Slater.
To view the daily journals on the project with GRO please visit the LINC
Project Linux pages at <http://www.lincproject.org/toolkit/linux>
NEED TO NETWORK
===============
Bala Pillai <bala@tamil.net>, who was earlier based in Malaysia and now in
Sydney-Australia, is founder of Tamil Innaiyam (http://www.tamil.net), an
organisation to promote the Tamil language worldwide. He points to the
impact GNU/Linux is making in some distant areas of the Third World.
Says Pillai: "The most interactive open source/Linux community in our time
zone/Asia springs out of the Philippines. Primarily because the Filipino
psyche is a more secure psyche, a more self-confident psyche.
"Folks who are self-confident worry about the future less, and allocate more
time diagnosing and solving problems rather than echoing and re-echoing it.
Filipinos are also more into sharing and online sharing -- we should look to
more symbiosis with them," says he.
Pillai also notes that the Manila-based Miguel Paraz, whom he interacted
with since 1996, is a key catalyst in the Filipino Linux community.
"http://www.q-linux.com is a good starting point to get a feel for the key
Open Source catalysts in the Philippines," says he.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-based Dinesh who runs http://www.alphaque.com is
another lead Open Source catalyst from the region, explains Pillai. "Do look
for symbiosis opportunities there too," he suggests.
"I see lots of room for us to symbiosis together. For example, there is
likely to be areas where we diagnosing, documenting, analyzing, coding or
publicizing where there is over-duplication. If we coordinated ourselves and
found out where our circles and priorities intersect , we could share this
work and get fruits out faster," he adds.
--
Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa * India 832.409490 / 409783
BYTESFORALL www.bytesforall.org  * GNU-LINUX http://linuxinindia.pitas.com
Email fred@bytesforall.org * Mobile +9822 122436 (Goa) * Saligao Goa India
Writing with a difference... on what makes *the* difference
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From: Frederick Noronha <fred@bytesforall.org>
Subject: Attn programmers: support offered [FLOSS-Sarai Initiative]
Date: 8 Sep 2002 01:25:45 GMT
Dear friends,
Can we manage to get some money into backing Free/Libre Open Source
Software initiatives, that would help young volunteers out there to
support their cash-strapped initiatives?
Sarai.net, a Delhi-based initiative under the CSDS (Centre for the Study
of Developing Societies) has been solidly supportive of such an idea.
Jeebesh Bagchi <jeebesh@sarai.net> sent in this offer recently. It could
surely be of help particularly to college students and others wanting to
make a break in Free Software/Open Source, but hamstrung by resources.
It might help if projects are initially kept small and definitely
workable, I guess. This is my own gut-level feeling, but maybe bigger
initiatives which are clearly workable could also prove convincing. If
such experiments prove useful, maybe there would be a good case for
greater support to free software/open source developers in regions like
ours. --FN
========== Forwarded message ==========
The Sarai Programme, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi
(www.sarai.net) invites applications for Support Grants to projects in the
area of Free Software, Open Source Software and Social Usage of Software
Sarai invites programmers (practictioners as well as students) to
propose projects in the area of free and open source software applications
relevant to educational, social and community needs.  We are looking for
original ideas, as well as proposals to localize and adapt existing software
and applications to South Asian conditions,
For example - Desktops in Hindi, Open Office and Gimp in Hindi. Lighter
versions of desktops like KDE, Innovations that creatively optimises older
lower configuration machines, Linux documentation in Hindi, games using local
context, etc.
What is Sarai
Sarai is a public initiative of media practitioners and scholars looking at
media cultures and urban life. Sarai's interests are in the field of old and
new media, information and communication technologies, free software, cinema,
and urban space - its politics, built form, ecology, culture and history,
with a strong commitment to making knowledge available in the public domain.
It is a programme of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi.
For more information visit www.sarai.net. Sarai is committed to promoting the
free software and open source vision.
Conditions:
Applicants should be resident in India, and should have a bank account in any
bank operating in India.
These are support grants and grantees will be free to pursue their primary
occupations, if any.
Mail your project proposal, workplan and CV to both the following addresses:
<application@sarai.net> with a copy to <fred@bytesforall.org>. Please mark
your subjectline 'FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source Software) Initiative'.
Also point out what you see as the relevance of your work, and how you
plan to share the resultant software once finalised.
Enquires: dak@sarai.net
Last date for submission: October 15th, 2002.
Note: Proposals from teams, partnerships, collectives, faculty are welcome,
so long as the grant amount is administered by a single individual, and the
funds are deposited in a single bank account in the name of an individual.
=======================================================
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