Debian Weekly News - April 20th, 2004
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Debian Weekly News
http://www.debian.org/News/weekly/2004/16/
Debian Weekly News - April 20th, 2004
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to this year's 16th issue of DWN, the weekly newsletter for
the Debian community. Distributing firmware blobs in the Linux kernel
is still discussed controversially and probably will be for quite a
while. Joshua Kwan reported about [1]progress with the installer on
the Sparc architecture. Manoj Srivastava also has [2]called for votes
on the [3]general resolution to add editorial changes to the social
contract a second time.
1. http://triplehelix.org/~joshk/blog/linux/15.html
2. http://lists.debian.org/debian-vote-0404/msg00061.html
3. http://www.debian.org/vote/2004/vote_003
Java Plugins for Mozilla. Arnaud Vandyck [4]explained that Debian
does yet not have a free Java plugin for the [5]Mozilla web browser.
Michael Koch is working on a [6]gcj web plugin for Mozilla that only
works with Mozilla 1.7 and gcj 3.4. It will be uploaded to sid shortly
after [7]gcj 3.4 and Mozilla 1.7 are uploaded. Those who don't want
to wait for these packages, can try [8]konqueror, which uses a
different approach.
4. http://people.debian.org/~avdyk/no_free_java_plugin_for_mozilla.html
5. http:/packages.debian.org/mozilla
6. http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/gcjwebplugin
7. http://packages.debian.org/gcj
8. http://packages.debian.org/konqueror
Proprietary Firmwares not a Release Issue. Anthony Towns [9]explained
that the firmware issue consists of two different problems, firmware
being non-free and a violation of the [10]GNU GPL. While the first is
not an issue for sarge the latter is. He also pointed out that the
problem has been [11]known about for nearly two years. Later he
[12]asserted that both are not considered release issues at the
moment.
9. http://lists.debian.org/debian-release-0404/msg00060.html
10. http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
11. http://lwn.net/Articles/3467/
12. http://azure.humbug.org.au/~aj/blog/2004/04/17#2004-04-17-firmware
GNOME 2.6 for Debian unstable? Jordi Mallach [13]wondered if GNOME 2.6
and GTK 2.4 should be uploaded into unstable and migrated into
testing, even though the GNOME team did not plan this. He says that
the packages in experimental have been tested sufficiently, built on
not only one architecture and that the package splits have been
performed on packages in unstable as well. However, the release
manager raised some [14]concerns.
13. http://lists.debian.org/debian-release-0404/msg00082.html
14. http://lists.debian.org/debian-release-0404/msg00109.html
GPL and Scripting Languages. Wolfgang Borgert [15]wondered if it is
possible to use modules written in scripting languages and released
under the [16]GNU General Public License in a proprietary application.
Federico Di Gregorio [17]believes that as long as one doesn't link
directly with the GPL library and only use the Python interface one is
safe. Andrew Suffield, however, [18]asserted that the resulting
proprietary work must function without using any GPL works.
15. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00030.html
16. http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
17. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00033.html
18. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00050.html
Debian-Installer and Linux 2.6? Joey Hess [19]wrote that the
[20]debian-installer with Linux 2.6 is so close he can already taste
it. In fact, images can be built already with only one hacked udeb,
and it boots up and works fine all the way to partitioning. The
partitioner does not see IDE devices, though, but the kernel does, so
it looks like only a bug in the partitioner.
19. http://kitenet.net/~joey/blog/entry/26-2004-04-14-01-25.html
20. http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/
Marking native Debian Packages. Bartosz Fenski [21]noticed that
several alleged native Debian packages are native only by accident and
not on intention. Therefore he proposed to use a special file in the
debian/ directory to prevent these accidents. Henning Makholm
[22]proposed dpkg-source -b to refuse to build a native source package
if the version number contains a dash instead.
21. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-0404/msg01021.html
22. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-0404/msg01026.html
Debian GNU/Linux Reference Card. Wolfgang Borgert [23]announced a
Debian reference [24]card he was working on. He asked interested
people to check the card and report problems to him. The card contains
information for people, who either are new to Debian or are new to any
Unix-like system.
23. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-0404/msg01219.html
24. http://people.debian.org/~debacle/refcard/
Open Software License. Free Ekanayaka wanted to [25]know whether the
[26]Open Software License is compatible with the [27]Debian Free
Software Guidelines. MJ Ray [28]believes that it isn't because it
terminates copyright permission for any software patent action,
including ones unrelated to the covered software.
25. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00076.html
26. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00079.html
27. http://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines
28. http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal-0404/msg00077.html
Unofficial Debian 3.0 DVD Images. Richard Atterer [29]announced an
untested DVD image with Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 that can be [30]fetched
via [31]jigdo. He ran an older script that even produced an image, but
he could not test it. Jan Houstek [32]added that there are unofficial
[33]images by Jan Kesten.
29. http://lists.debian.org/debian-cd-0404/msg00026.html
30. http://farbror.acc.umu.se/debian-cd-test/
31. http://www.debian.org/CD/jigdo-cd/
32. http://lists.debian.org/debian-cd-0404/msg00028.html
33. http://www.the-hidden-realm.de/debian/jigdo-area/
Debian-Installer Documentation. Joey Hess [34]asked translators of the
new installation manual to make sure that the translation actually
builds and is reasonably complete. Wolfgang Silbermayr [35]wanted to
work on the German translation but couldn't find the manual. Frans Pop
[36]explained that the coordinator for the manual is Miroslav Kure and
that the manual itself is hosted on [37]Alioth.
34. http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot-0404/msg01900.html
35. http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot-0404/msg01865.html
36. http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot-0404/msg01867.html
37. http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/
Security Updates. You know the drill. Please make sure that you update
your systems if you have any of these packages installed.
* [38]Linux 2.4.18 (source+alpha+i386+powerpc) -- Several
vulnerabilities.
* [39]Linux 2.4.17 (hppa) -- Several vulnerabilities.
* [40]Linux 2.4.18 (hppa) -- Several vulnerabilities.
* [41]Linux 2.4.17 (ia64) -- Several vulnerabilities.
* [42]Linux 2.4.18 (powerpc/apus+s390) -- Several vulnerabilities.
* [43]mysql -- Insecure temporary file creation.
* [44]xonix -- Failure to drop privileges.
* [45]ssmtp -- Format string vulnerabilities.
* [46]cvs -- Multiple vulnerabilities.
* [47]neon -- Format string vulnerabilities.
* [48]logcheck -- Insecure temporary directory creation.
* [49]Linux 2.4.17 (mips+mipsel) -- Several vulnerabilities.
* [50]zope -- Arbitrary code execution.
* [51]Linux 2.4.19 (mips) -- Several vulnerabilities.
* [52]iproute -- Denial of service.
38. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-479
39. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-480
40. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-480
41. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-481
42. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-482
43. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-483
44. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-484
45. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-485
46. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-486
47. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-487
48. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-488
49. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-489
50. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-490
51. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-491
52. http://www.debian.org/security/2004/dsa-492
New or Noteworthy Packages. The following packages were added to the
unstable Debian archive [53]recently or contain important updates.
53. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/newpkg_main
* [54]autodia -- Generates UML diagrams from perl or C++ code.
* [55]colo -- Boot loader for MIPS based Cobalt machines.
* [56]docbook2x -- Converts DocBook/XML documents into man pages and
TeXinfo.
* [57]fcrackzip -- Password cracker for zip archives.
* [58]fpdns -- Remotely determine DNS server version.
* [59]gimp-cbmplugs -- Plugins for The GIMP v2.0 to import/export
Commodore 64 files.
* [60]gjdoc -- Free drop-in replacement for Sun's "javadoc" written
in Java.
* [61]graphdefang -- Create graphs of your mimedefang spam and virus
logs.
* [62]gnuradio1 -- Software Defined Radio.
* [63]happydigger -- Program for cataloging for archaeological
finds.
* [64]headache -- Tool to manage license notes of source files.
* [65]hwinfo -- Hardware identification system.
* [66]kaffeine -- Xine-based media player for KDE 3.
* [67]kbiff -- KDE mail nonotification utility.
* [68]konversation -- User friendly Internet Relay Chat client for
KDE.
* [69]manpages-tr -- Turkish version of the manual pages.
* [70]med-cms -- Debian-Med content management systems.
* [71]minit -- Small but powerful init system.
* [72]mknfonts -- Create nfont packages for GNUstep.
* [73]netpanzer -- Online multiplayer tactical warfare game.
* [74]neverball -- 3D arcade games: neverball & neverputt.
* [75]nsca -- Nagios service monitor agent.
* [76]pcproxy -- Masquerading proxy for flight simulation networks.
* [77]pmacct -- Promiscuous mode traffic accountant.
* [78]polipo -- Caching web proxy.
* [79]realtime -- Scripts for handling the realtime Linux security
module.
* [80]renameutils -- A set of programs to make renaming of files
easier.
* [81]sql-ledger -- double-entry accounting program written in Perl.
* [82]stripclub -- Online Comic reader and archiver.
* [83]sysvconfig -- text menu based utility for configuring init
script links.
* [84]tcptrack -- Displays a TCP connection list, with states and
speeds.
* [85]vdradmin -- Web-based administration tool for vdr.
* [86]xmail -- Advanced, fast and reliable ESMTP/POP3 mail server.
* [87]zipper -- Tool for inspecting the contents of a compressed
archive.
54. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/x11/autodia
55. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/base/colo
56. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/text/docbook2x
57. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/utils/fcrackzip
58. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/fpdns
59. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/graphics/gimp-cbmplugs
60. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/gjdoc
61. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/mail/graphdefang
62. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/libs/gnuradio1
63. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/utils/happydigger
64. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/headache
65. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/admin/hwinfo
66. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/kde/kaffeine
67. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/mail/kbiff
68. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/kde/konversation
69. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/doc/manpages-tr
70. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/misc/med-cms
71. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/admin/minit
72. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/text/mknfonts
73. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/games/netpanzer
74. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/games/neverball
75. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/nsca
76. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/games/pcproxy
77. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/pmacct
78. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/web/polipo
79. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/base/realtime
80. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/utils/renameutils
81. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/web/sql-ledger
82. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/stripclub
83. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/admin/sysvconfig
84. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/tcptrack
85. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/web/vdradmin
86. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/mail/xmail
87. http://packages.debian.org/unstable/utils/zipper
Orphaned Packages. 11 orphaned packages were adopted this week, and we
wish the new maintainers well. 11 packages were also orphaned this
week and require a new maintainer. This makes a total of 157 orphaned
packages, the same number as a week ago. Many thanks to the previous
maintainers who contributed to the Free Software community. Please see
the [88]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.
88. http://www.debian.org/devel/wnpp/
* [89]asmodem -- AfterStep modem monitor. ([90]package info)
* [91]cd-circleprint -- Prints round shaped CD labels. ([92]package
info)
* [93]dailystrips -- View web comic strips more conveniently.
([94]package info)
* [95]gtklp -- Frontend for cups written in GTK. ([96]package
info)
* [97]netsaint-nrpe-plugin -- NetSaint remote plugin executor
(plugin). ([98]package info)
* [99]parchive -- Use PAR files to reconstruct missing parts of
multi-part archives. ([100]package info)
* [101]scanssh -- Get SSH server versions for an entire network.
([102]package info)
* [103]swatch -- Log file viewer with regexp matching, highlighting,
& hooks. ([104]package info)
* [105]txt2pdbdoc -- Convert plain text files to Palm DOC (for
PalmOS) and back. ([106]package info)
89. http://bugs.debian.org/243235
90. http://packages.debian.org/asmodem
91. http://bugs.debian.org/244200
92. http://packages.debian.org/cd-circleprint
93. http://bugs.debian.org/244452
94. http://packages.debian.org/dailystrips
95. http://bugs.debian.org/244199
96. http://packages.debian.org/gtklp
97. http://bugs.debian.org/244238
98. http://packages.debian.org/netsaint-nrpe-plugin
99. http://bugs.debian.org/244453
100. http://packages.debian.org/parchive
101. http://bugs.debian.org/244454
102. http://packages.debian.org/scanssh
103. http://bugs.debian.org/244455
104. http://packages.debian.org/swatch
105. http://bugs.debian.org/244456
106. http://packages.debian.org/txt2pdbdoc
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 [107]contributing
page to find out how to help. We're looking forward to receiving your
mail at [108]dwn@debian.org.
107. http://www.debian.org/News/weekly/contributing
108. mailto:dwn@debian.org
Reply to: