Debian Weekly News - April 27th, 2004
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Debian Weekly News
http://www.debian.org/News/weekly/2004/17/
Debian Weekly News - April 27th, 2004
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Welcome to this year's 17th issue of DWN, the weekly newsletter for
the Debian community. In light of recent events Nathanael Nerode is
working hard on [1]splitting binary firmware blobs out of the Linux
kernel so they can be loaded via the request_firmware command which
would resolve incompatibilities with the Linux license. Steve Kowalik
[2]announced a new major release of [3]linda, a policy checker, that
adds full support for internationalisation.
1. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-0404/msg03877.html
2. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-0404/msg01688.html
3. http://packages.debian.org/linda
Report from the Linux User & Developer Expo. Vincent Sanders
[4]reported about the Debian project attendence at the [5]Linux User
& Developer Expo in the London Olympia hall. Debian presented a very
professional appearance to the public. Less common Debian CDs could be
cut to order as Steve McIntyre had production facilities at the booth.
4. http://www.debian.org/events/2004/0420-linuxuserexpo-report
5. http://www.debian.org/events/2004/0420-linuxuserexpo
Progeny Debian 2.0. Ladislav Bodnar [6]looked at the alpha
[7]release of Progeny Debian 2.0 ([8]ISO Images). This is the first
example of Progeny's [9]componentised GNU/Linux idea previously
[10]mentioned in DWN. Each component, for example XFree86 or GNOME
2.4, is in its own apt repository. This is intended make it easier to
upgrade individual components.
6. http://lwn.net/Articles/80473/
7. http://platform.progeny.com/archives/000034.html
8. http://archive.progeny.com/progeny/linux/iso-i386/20040412/
9. http://platform.progeny.com/componentized/
10. http://www.debian.org/News/weekly/2004/09/
Kernel Security Support for Sarge. Martin Schulze [11]described the
issues raised by the frequent need for kernel security [12]updates in
the stable Debian release. The sheer number of packages and releases
to support places an unbearable burden on the security team. Thus the
number of packages in sarge needs to be reduced before the release. A
particular problem is posed by the dependence of some architectures on
the 2.2 kernel line which the security team will probably not be able
to support for sarge.
11. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-0404/msg01623.html
12. http://www.infodrom.org/~joey/log/?200404211935
Request for Help by the Installer Team. Joey Hess [13]called for help
with the next debian-installer beta release by processing installation
reports. He reported that there are more than 480 uncategorised
installation reports for which nobody had found time yet. We could
have lots of serious problems we don't know about.
13. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-0404/msg01468.html
Purge of Firmware to recommence. Herbert Xu [14]reported that he will
recommence the removal of non-free firmware blobs from the kernel
where no acceptable solution using user-space firmware loaders has
been provided. This is in accordance with the release manager's
decision to treat violations of the [15]GNU General Public License as
serious.
14. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-0404/msg01488.html
15. http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
Collection of DFSG-compliant Licenses. Joachim Breitner [16]announced
that he has started to [17]collect licenses that are compliant with
the [18]Debian Free Software Guidelines (DFSG). He also lists those
that are not compliant, though. Frank Lichtenheld [19]confirmed that
he is working with Andreas Barth to create such a directory on the
Debian website.
16. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00142.html
17. http://wiki.debian.net/index.cgi?DFSGLicences
18. http://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines
19. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00143.html
Survey on Debian Usage. Enrico Zini [20]announced an exploratory
survey of Debian usage. The goal of this survey is to understand the
purposes for which the Debian operating system is being used and the
ways in which people use Debian to achieve these purposes.
20. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-0404/msg01508.html
Squeak License. Roland Stigge [21]restarted the discussion about
whether the [22]Squeak license is DFSG compliant or at least suitable
for non-free. Lex Spoon [23]asserted that Apple has abandoned Squeak
and will not be changing the license in the foreseeable future so the
issues will probably remain.
21. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00160.html
22. http://www.squeak.org/
23. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00242.html
ReiserFS 4 License. Sami Liedes [24]wondered if the license for
reiser4progs (GPL and clarifications) renders this package non-free.
The license also tries to declare plugins and a clustering file system
built to work on top of this file system as derivative works, which
Sami denies. People seem to agree that the current license renders
reiser4 non-free or even non-distributable at all.
24. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00229.html
Editorial Amendments to the Social Contract passed. Manoj Srivastava
[25]announced that the [26]general resolution covering editorial
amendments to the [27]social contract has passed with a 4:1 majority
(3:1 required). From 213 valid votes 174 were in favour of these
changes while 39 people voted for further discussion.
25. http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote-0404/msg00073.html
26. http://www.debian.org/vote/2004/vote_003
27. http://www.debian.org/social_contract
Sarge Release Status. Anthony Towns [28]reported that he can not
justify the policy decisions to exempt documentation, firmware, or
content any longer, as the social contract has been amended to cover
all these areas and not only software. Hence, these blobs need to be
removed from sarge before it can be released. This will make a release
impossible for this year, though.
28. http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote-0404/msg00074.html
Security Updates. You know the drill. Please make sure that you update
your systems if you have any of these packages installed.
* [29]xchat -- Arbitrary code execution.
* [30]ident2 -- Buffer overflow.
* [31]Linux 2.4.16 (arm) -- Local root exploit.
29. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-493
30. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-494
31. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-495
New or Noteworthy Packages. The following packages were added to the
unstable Debian archive [32]recently or contain important updates.
32. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/newpkg_main
* [33]atanks -- Tank-battling game.
* [34]binclock -- Binary clock for console with color support.
* [35]buildtool -- Portable build infrastructure.
* [36]cenon -- Vector graphics tool for GNUstep.
* [37]disktype -- Detection of content format of a disk or disk
image.
* [38]esmtp-run -- User configurable relay-only MTA.
* [39]fbpager -- Pager application for the Fluxbox window manager.
* [40]fontforge -- Font Editor for PS, TrueType and OpenType fonts.
* [41]gosa -- Web Based LDAP Administration Program.
* [42]kid3 -- KDE ID3 tag editor.
* [43]lessdisks -- Flexible diskless (x)terminal system - server
base files.
* [44]linuxvnc -- VNC server to monitor a tty.
* [45]mailping -- Monitor email service availability and
functioning.
* [46]menu-xdg -- Freedesktop.org menu compliant window manager
scripts.
* [47]mp3gain -- Lossless mp3 normalizer with statistical analysis.
* [48]mywiki -- Personal Wiki on GNUstep or Cocoa environment.
* [49]openswan -- IPSEC utilities for Openswan.
* [50]perlpanel -- Lean menu and launcher panel written in Perl and
Gtk2.
* [51]php-date -- PHP PEAR module for Date and Time Zone Classes.
* [52]price -- Image filtering and manipulation using GNUstep.
* [53]skribe -- Document production system.
* [54]srs -- Command-line Sender Rewriting Scheme client.
* [55]svk -- Distributed Version Control System.
* [56]whatsnewfm -- Utility to filter the daily newsletter from
freshmeat.net.
* [57]whitespace -- Programming language where only whitespace
counts.
* [58]x11vnc -- VNC server which uses your current X11 session.
* [59]yarssr -- RSS reader for the notification area.
* [60]zoidberg -- Modular Perl shell.
33. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/games/atanks
34. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/text/binclock
35. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/buildtool
36. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/graphics/cenon
37. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/utils/disktype
38. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/mail/esmtp-run
39. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/fbpager
40. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/fontforge
41. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/web/gosa
42. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/kde/kid3
43. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/misc/lessdisks
44. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/linuxvnc
45. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/mailping
46. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/admin/menu-xdg
47. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/sound/mp3gain
48. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/misc/mywiki
49. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/openswan
50. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/perlpanel
51. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/web/php-date
52. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/graphics/price
53. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/skribe
54. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/mail/srs
55. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/perl/svk
56. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/mail/whatsnewfm
57. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/interpreters/whitespace
58. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/x11vnc
59. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/yarssr
60. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/perl/zoidberg
Orphaned Packages. 21 packages were orphaned this week and require a
new maintainer. This makes a total of 169 orphaned packages. Many
thanks to the previous maintainers who contributed to the Free
Software community. Please see the [61]WNPP pages for the full list,
and please add a note to the bug report and retitle it to ITA: if you
plan to take over a package.
61. http://www.debian.org/devel/wnpp/
* [62]vcheck -- Utility to check and download the most recent
program version. ([63]Bug#245101)
* [64]xfce4-artwork -- Additional artwork for the XFce4 Desktop
Environment. ([65]Bug#244558) ([66]Bug#245126)
* [67]xfce4-battery-plugin -- Battery monitor plugin for the XFce4
panel. ([68]Bug#244559) ([69]Bug#245114)
* [70]xfce4-clipman-plugin -- Clipboard history plugin for the XFce4
panel. ([71]Bug#244560) ([72]Bug#245115)
* [73]xfce4-datetime-plugin -- Date and time plugin for the XFce4
panel. ([74]Bug#244561) ([75]Bug#245116)
* [76]xfce4-diskperf-plugin -- Disk performance display plugin for
the XFce4 panel. ([77]Bug#244562) ([78]Bug#245117)
* [79]xfce4-minicmd-plugin -- Mini-command line plugin for the XFce4
panel. ([80]Bug#244565) ([81]Bug#245118)
* [82]xfce4-netload-plugin -- Network load monitor plugin for the
XFce4 panel. ([83]Bug#244566) ([84]Bug#245121)
* [85]xfce4-notes-plugin -- Sticky notes plugin for the XFce4
desktop. ([86]Bug#244567) ([87]Bug#245122)
* [88]xfce4-showdesktop-plugin -- A show desktop button for the
XFce4 panel. ([89]Bug#244568) ([90]Bug#245123)
* [91]xfce4-systemload-plugin -- System load monitor plugin for the
XFce4 panel. ([92]Bug#244569) ([93]Bug#245124)
62. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/utils/vcheck
63. http://bugs.debian.org/245101
64. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-artwork
65. http://bugs.debian.org/244558
66. http://bugs.debian.org/245126
67. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-battery-plugin
68. http://bugs.debian.org/244559
69. http://bugs.debian.org/245114
70. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-clipman-plugin
71. http://bugs.debian.org/244560
72. http://bugs.debian.org/245115
73. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-datetime-plugin
74. http://bugs.debian.org/244561
75. http://bugs.debian.org/245116
76. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-diskperf-plugin
77. http://bugs.debian.org/244562
78. http://bugs.debian.org/245117
79. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-minicmd-plugin
80. http://bugs.debian.org/244565
81. http://bugs.debian.org/245118
82. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-netload-plugin
83. http://bugs.debian.org/244566
84. http://bugs.debian.org/245121
85. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-notes-plugin
86. http://bugs.debian.org/244567
87. http://bugs.debian.org/245122
88. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-showdesktop-plugin
89. http://bugs.debian.org/244568
90. http://bugs.debian.org/245123
91. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/xfce4-systemload-plugin
92. http://bugs.debian.org/244569
93. http://bugs.debian.org/245124
Want to continue reading DWN? Please help us create this newsletter.
We still need more volunteer writers who watch the Debian community
and report about what is going on. Please see the [94]contributing
page to find out how to help. We're looking forward to receiving your
mail at [95]dwn@debian.org.
94. http://www.debian.org/News/weekly/contributing
95. mailto:dwn@debian.org
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