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#626 Re: Other Issues » Clear logs » 2024-02-17 14:58:08

Hello:

aluma wrote:

... replace cron and logrotate?

Don't think so.
I certainly won't, find them both to be quite useful.

... has the number of rewrites become smaller ...

Can't really say.
If it has, I think that it may probably be by a relatively insignificant amount.

That said, there's always fstrim running with cron.weekly.
And /var/log/trim.log to check and see that it is working properly.

No need to logrotate it.
Started 01/04/2021 and it is only 600 lines long / 30K.

Best,

A.

#627 Re: Other Issues » Clear logs » 2024-02-17 11:30:05

GlennW wrote:

Not too sure about the date and time stamp.

See here.

Best,

A.

#628 Re: Other Issues » Modem throws CME ERROR 50 (incorrect parameters) on ATH1 » 2024-02-16 20:48:57

Hello:

TCH wrote:

... thank you ...

You're welcome.

TCH wrote:

I'll update the topic ...

Please do.
From what I have seen on-line, what you want to do is not and has not ever been a straightforward affaire, so your update will be useful to have. 

... brother will be very happy ...

Indeed ...
I (and a great many here) can easily relate to that.

Best,

A.

#629 Re: Other Issues » Modem throws CME ERROR 50 (incorrect parameters) on ATH1 » 2024-02-16 16:36:34

Hello:

TCH wrote:

... just bought some USB modems from the net, not from the telcos; you say they also might block voice via the SIM?

It could well be.
The USB modem need to have the right firmware, matched to what services the telco offers through the SIM they sell you.

But, like I said, I've never used them.
You may need to check with the USB modem's OEM and also ask the telco issuing your SIM.

If USB modems do not support phone calls en generique ...

Again, cannot say.
I just found that bit of information and relayed it.

In my opinion, your best bet is to check with the telco/provider.
Sorry I cannot be of more help.

But please do let us know how you fared with this.
I'm sure it will be useful to someone further on.

Best,

A.

#630 Re: Other Issues » Modem throws CME ERROR 50 (incorrect parameters) on ATH1 » 2024-02-16 13:24:04

Hello:

TCH wrote:

By "this model" you mean 3372 ...

No.
My apologies for the confusion.  8^°

When I say "... only seen these once, long ago ... " I am referring to these type of modems.
ie: cellular network based USB modems using SIM chips as opposed to land line modems using copper.

My comment with respect to the 14.4 USR Sportster dial-up modem (a ca. 1994 a land line modem) was only to illustrate your present situation.
ie: the fact that the issues you are having seem to be the same ones I had over 30 years ago.
And how much many things have not changed.

TCH wrote:

... get another modem anyway ...

Before purchasing another one of these modems, you may want to consider getting in touch with the telco that will actually provide the cellular phone service for you and ask them if they can provide voice service with a USB modem+SIM chip or not and and if so, if they offer one or can suggest a brand/model.

Bear in mind that different telcos may offer different services/options/rates.
eg: a telco may offer voice and (maybe) tethering with a cellphone/smartphone but only data (and not voice) with a USB modem.

Also bear in mind that different telcos may offer different services/options/rates.

If they do, get the brand/model/etc. and try to find out all you can about it before you purchase it.
Specifically any on-line reports/reviews that can give you some information on how to get it to work reliably under Linux.

Edit

Forgot to add this, cannot say how acccurate this information is:

mk24 @openwrt.org wrote:

Nov '20

USB modems generally don't support phone calls. Also the carrier plans sold for modems don't allow phone calls (Every SIM has a phone number, but actually calling it is blocked.)

As for using a smartphone as a modem, I don't think that phones have any built in API to make phone calls through the USB port. Maybe an app could do that.

Texting used to be possible with AT commands on a dumb phone, never looked at it on a smartphone.

Best,

A.

#631 Re: Other Issues » Modem throws CME ERROR 50 (incorrect parameters) on ATH1 » 2024-02-15 23:49:37

Hello:

TCH wrote:

Perhaps because of voice status?

I really could not say, I have only seen these once, long ago and on a friend's laptop, also with connectivity issues.

That said, a couple of the links I posted are from long ago and another from 2023.
So it would seem that that the problems you are having have been going on for the longest while but it also means that there may be more information out there.

I recall going through hell (ca. 1994) with a 14.4 USR Sportster dial-up modem and the undocumented AT commands I had to search for all over to get it to work properly, obviously not with today's web.

Not to mention the ridiculous amount of cash I had to pony up because of the endless amount of dropped dial-up calls caused (in this model) by a defective chip.

Best,

A.

#632 Re: Other Issues » Modem throws CME ERROR 50 (incorrect parameters) on ATH1 » 2024-02-15 20:39:52

Hello:

aluma wrote:

... the operator blocks such a function via a SIM card, etc.

Indeed ...
Similar to what happened when attempting to use my trusty Motorola StarTAC to reach my ISP via a serial dongle/PCMCIA 33.6kbit modem combo on my HP 200LX palmtop.

It worked* but ...   The local carrier was not having any of that sorcery when they could charge you a hefty extra for 'data' transmission.
* the modem would start the handshake, negotiate a speed but drop the line right before connection.

But I digress.

@TCH:
Check these links, I think they may have some answers for you.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/163 … sb-dongles
https://unix.stackexchange.com/question … gsm-modems
https://bochinche.github.io/it/linux/hu … mands.html

Best,

A.

#633 Re: Hardware & System Configuration » wasted $ on multi function keyboard and mouse » 2024-02-14 21:22:06

Hello:

GlennW wrote:

... mostly useless with GNU/Linux ...

Happens ...

For Linux users, it is good practice and healthy for their billfold to avoid getting carried away with some apparently novel hardware, especially input hardware.
ie: keyboards/mice/touchpads/cameras

A constant example of this are the 'feature' buttons in some netbooks/laptops that, without the proper divers/modules, are mostly useless.
Even then, after a while the drivers/modules stop being maintained or supported and a kernel upgrade sends their usability down the loo.
An example I have at hand is my trusty ca.2009 Asus 1000HE and its hotkeys once supported in the Linux kernel.

The good practise I refer to above is best exercised before putting down the cash on the countertop.
ie: doing the due diligence and ascertaining that the device in question is Linux compatible and then checking in on-line fora if such claim is indeed true.

Bear in mind that most (if not all) that type of hardware is thought for and destined to MS Windows users, not the likes of us.

That said, after trying a great many known brand keyboards, in both MS and Linux environments, I ended up late in life with one of the first keyboards I ever used: a ca. 1995 IBM Type 'M' keyboard made by Lexmark.

I purchased it second (third/fourth?) hand, absolutely filthy but in good working order and with no missing kcaps.
After a very thorough cleaning plus the mandatory DIN/USB adapter graft it has been happily clicking away on my desk for the last 4 years or so.

It will surely outlast me.

Best,

A.

#634 Re: Installation » Installing from src and apt » 2024-02-13 18:33:51

Hello:

aluma wrote:

... apologize if I accidentally ...

No apologies needed.
None whatsoever.

aluma wrote:

... scratched you ...

No scratches registered either. 
All's well ...

I was just taking the piss.  8^°

But we are far from the original thread subject now.
So just to clarify.

aluma wrote:

... downloaded these packages and installed them in my Daedalus.

One WiCD package (1.7.4+tb2-6+devuan1.1) uses python-wicd and should work if you have python 2.7.16-1 installed.
Another WiCD package (1.7.4+tb2-6+devuan2) is the one that I previously referred to, the transitional package.

With respect to the other WiCD package (1.7.4+tb2+2019.09.18git2e0ba579-1) the changelog.Debian file reads:

changelog.Debian wrote:

[ Axel Beckert ]
--- snip ---
  * Replace versioned python build-dependency with an unversioned
    build-dependency on python2.
--- snip ---
* Package git snapshot to test the port to Python 3. (Closes: #938823)
--- snip ---
    + Change (build-) dependencies to python3 variants.
    + Switch from python-gobject-2 to python3-gi.
    + Rename python-wicd to python3-wicd.
--- snip ---
  * Disable test suite while Python 3 port is still incomplete.
--- snip ---

If it actually runs in Deadalus, it will be as any software running on unstable, prone to have problems.

aluma wrote:

... stopped the network-manager service, started the wicd service ...

The WiCD package (1.7.4+tb2-6+devuan2) actually starts whatever you have decided to install (ie: network-manager-gnome | network-manager, etc.), so stopping it and starting WiCD would start the transitioned package again.

No matter, I still have time to think up something else.

Thanks for your input.

Best,

A.

#635 Re: Installation » Installing from src and apt » 2024-02-13 16:32:17

Hello:

aluma wrote:

Since the guy didn’t deign to answer the question ...

Let me see ....
Yes, although it was not pertinent to the original subject matter, I did answer the question.

the guy wrote:

I'll have to see about something else.
But not Network-Manager.

See?
Now, just to settle the confusion and nothing more:

aluma wrote:

Have a look here.

As you can see that package is WiCD only by name.

It is just a transitional package that works as a front end to any one of its listed dependencies:
ie: network-manager-gnome | network-manager | connman-gtk | cmst | connman-ui

From the README.Devuan file:

Wicd was removed from Debian Bullseye as it requires python 2.
This transitional package ensures that users upgrading from Devuan Beowulf get an alternative network manager installed. It can safely be removed.

That said, it seems that Debian had a Python 3 version of WiCD in its experimental repository accepted in late 2019.

changelog.Debian wrote:

wicd (1.7.4+tb2+2019.09.18git2e0ba579-1) experimental; urgency=low
Upload to experimental to get a broader testing base of the python3 port and the dhcpcd5 changes.
Not yet fully functional again.  # <+
--- snip ---

But it has not had any attention paid to it since then and something tells me that it will remain so.

Thanks for your input.

TG.

#636 Re: Installation » Installing from src and apt » 2024-02-12 14:14:30

Hello:

pcalvert wrote:

There is a better solution ...

Indeed ...
Could be.

I have not used WiFi in my box for the longest while now, only with my Asus 1000HE when there is some issue with my telco's ADSL and I get to borrow my next door neighbour's WiFi to check something.

Like many here, I have used WiCD for quite a few years now, quickly became second nature to do so.
Its main feature being that it is light, fast and, in all hese years, it always worked properly and never caused me the sort of grief I read about with other connection managers.

Not using WiFi in my box, maybe I should resort to something even simpler, such as a CLI start/stop connection
I recall a couple of frequent posters (not seen for a while now) speaking wonders of that approach.

I'll have to think about it.

Thanks for your input.

Best regards,

A.

#637 Re: Installation » Installing from src and apt » 2024-02-12 13:59:59

Hello:

steve_v wrote:

If it's already in unstable, 99% of the work is done ...

Right ...

Another possible solution.
I'll have a look at that one too.

Thanks a lot for your input.

Best,

A.

#638 Re: Installation » Installing from src and apt » 2024-02-12 13:57:27

Hello:

golinux wrote:

... many years ago even I built a package

Hmm ...
Don't sell your self short ...  8^P

Thanks for the heads up.
I'll have a look at it.

Best,

A.

#639 Re: Installation » Daedelus install on Lenovo T480 boots, locks up. » 2024-02-12 10:17:50

Hello:

Thank you ...

You're welcome.

... copied the partition to the laptop and booted it.
I installed both XFCE and KDE but it boots into KDE ...

I'd say completely remove KDE.
But cannot say much beyond that as I have never installed it, much less along another desktop.

Someone else here may have a suggestion on how to do that properly.

Best,

A.

#640 Re: Installation » Daedelus install on Lenovo T480 boots, locks up. » 2024-02-10 22:53:48

Hello:

No need to purge xfce4.
Just the xfce4-power-manager package which is (apparently) an important part of the problem you are having. 

But before we continue, please add the necessary 'code' tags so that the printouts can be seen as code.
ie: white lettering on black background.

It is easier to see and analyse that way.

Like this:

[code]
Like this ...
[/code]

You can do it manually or select/paint the text and click on the |code block| section.

Thanks.

A.

#641 Re: Installation » Installing from src and apt » 2024-02-10 19:58:16

Hello:

aluma wrote:

... Beowulf support will end in 3 months and then what?

Good question.

I first came across Network-Manager long ago, when I moved around looking for a distribution that I felt comfortable with.
From what I have read on the forum lately, it seems it has only gotten worse.

Unfortunately, WiCD has been in abandoned state for the last 12 years or so.
There have been timid attempts to do something but without any result, like if it was a curse.

I'll have to see about something else.
But not Network-Manager.

aluma wrote:

... ark archiver in TDE and KDE5 ...

So does xarchiver, it was a question of being able to 'Compress ...' from the PCManFM drop down menu and add a password just like you could do it when opening the application directly.

All it took was a suggestion to the maintainer who very rapidly acted on what he (also) thought was a good idea* and that was it.
* instead of replying something to the effect of why don't you do it yourself.   

Thanks for your input.

Best,

A.

#642 Re: Installation » Installing from src and apt » 2024-02-10 19:42:20

Hello:

boughtonp wrote:

... create a deb package ...
... tools for creating deb packages that involve hundreds of MB of dependencies ...

Seems all rather complex for my pay grade.
Still getting over having installed it.  8^°

steve_v wrote:

If all you want is a .deb ...
... don't care how nice it is ...

That's about it.

I only want a certain level of system compliance (to call it something) and have apt, aptitude and synaptic properly know about it.

steve_v wrote:

... just use checkinstall.

Thanks for the heads up.
I'll look into it.

Unless I am mistaken, xarchiver is added to the Devuan repositories without intervention as it is not dependent on or require the presence of systemd in the system. That being so, I may only have to wait a bit till this last version makes it into Debian (stable or testing) just and install it.

Note: It has already made it to Debian trixie and as a result, to Devuan ceres.

That would replace the one I installed and solve (?) the issue as long as the dependencies remain the same.

Would there be a problem with that?

----
Edit:
Yes.
gdebi says there is a dependency problem - version of libc6 needs to be higher than the one installed.
ie: higher than libc6 2.28-10+deb10u2   
----

Thanks to both for your input.

Best,

A.

#643 Re: Installation » Daedelus install on Lenovo T480 boots, locks up. » 2024-02-10 16:16:21

Hello:

torquebar wrote:

... get to a cLi login prompt and I can log in as root or as user.

That sort of narrows things down a bit.

torquebar wrote:

... enter 'starx' as user the desktop ... | ... loads but locks right up ...

Right ...
Xserver definitely involved and may have an issue (?) with that xfce plug-in.
Not at all surprised.

When I first set up xfce, the first thing I discovered was that I had to get rid of anything xfce power management related.
But then I have a workstation, not a laptop.

That said, I don't think it anyone will be able to help past this preliminary evaluation unless you post some more data.
I certainly cannot.

You may want to consider posting:

1.
the dmesg printout

~$ sudo dmesg --level=alert,crit,err,warn

2.
the Xorg.0.log file

~$ cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log

You may also want to consider running a test by logging in as root and completely removing the xfce4-power-manager software package.

Then reboot and see if you can start the desktop without it.

~$ sudo apt-get purge --auto-remove xfce4-power-manager   

Using the purge options along with auto-remove, will get rid of everything regarding the xfce4-power-manager package.
That will be good for if/when you want to reinstall it again.
ie: (supposedly) no debris left behind.

Best,

A.

#644 Installation » Installing from src and apt » 2024-02-10 14:45:58

Altoid
Replies: 16

Hello:

I recently compiled and then installed an application from source.
A milestone for me. 8^)

If interested in the whats and hows, see here.

I decided to install it ie: not from the Devuan/Debian repository without any worries because a) it is practically universal b) does not have strange dependencies or ties to anything Poetteringesque and c) it is a new version with a significant improvement.

Now, the tricky part here is that apt, aptitude and synaptic have no knowledge of this installation of mine.
Obviously because they had no part in it.
ie: no *.deb package involved.

Does not seem to be an issue as the application works exactly as expected but leaving apt, aptitude and synaptic out of the loop would seem to be contrary to proper practise.

I don't expect this new version of the application to be backported to my Devuan Beowulf (5.10.127-2~bpo10+1)* so I am at a loss as to what to do.

Ideas and suggestions welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Best,

A.

* I refuse to deal with the useless bloat that is Network-Manager, so I will stick with Devuan Beowulf and WiCD.

#645 Re: Desktop and Multimedia » xarchiver 0.5.4.22 - update » 2024-02-09 00:41:48

Hello:

GlennW wrote:

Thank you ...

You're welcome but it is really all IB's merit.

He is the one who has been keeping this very nice/useful (ca. 2005) application running and up to date for the last 9/10 years.

Best,

A.

#646 Desktop and Multimedia » xarchiver 0.5.4.22 - update » 2024-02-08 13:50:54

Altoid
Replies: 2

Hello:

This is a continuation of this thread on xarchiver 0.5.4.14 and the use of passwords with compatible archive formats. ie: those that support passwords.

Altoid wrote:

... this may probably be the fastest/lightest and most versatile archiving utility for Linux.
It is mature and still works a wonder, which is why I have insisted on using it.

It has gotten better yet.

The actual maintainer (Ingo Brückl) kindly accepted to add code so that it would be easier/more straightforward to add a password to a file generated via the right.click -> 'Compress ...' action in PCManFM.

I expect that this also works in OpenBox and Thunar.

Now, creating a file from PCManFM with xarchiver 0.5.4.22 ('Compress ...') will open the 'Add files' window which now has the 'Options' previously available only when creating a 'New' file from xarchiver itself.   

ie: 'Actions' -> 'Include subdirectories', 'Delete files after adding' | 'Compression' (levels 1 to 9) and 'Encryption'.

Source code here, a *.deb package arriving eventually at your neighbourhood Devuan/Debian repositories.

Best,

A.

#647 Re: Other Issues » [SOLVED] Can't connect to repos » 2024-02-07 23:43:04

Hello:

Ron wrote:

... not able to contact the repos ...
Anybody else getting this?

Not with synaptic (daedalus is not in my sources.list file) but wget got me a *.deb file a couple of minutes ago without issues:

~$ wget http://deb.devuan.org/merged/pool/DEBIAN/main/s/sudo/sudo_1.9.13p3-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb
--2024-02-07 20:35:19--  http://deb.devuan.org/merged/pool/DEBIAN/main/s/sudo/sudo_1.9.13p3-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb
Resolving deb.devuan.org (deb.devuan.org)... 131.188.12.211, 147.78.194.22, 195.85.215.180, ...
Connecting to deb.devuan.org (deb.devuan.org)|131.188.12.211|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 1889484 (1.8M) [application/x-debian-package]
Saving to: 'sudo_1.9.13p3-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb'

sudo_1.9.13p3-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb     100%[=============|<-snip->|=================>]   1.80M   652KB/s    in 2.8s    

2024-02-07 20:35:23 (652 KB/s) - 'sudo_1.9.13p3-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb' saved [1889484/1889484]
~$

HTH.

Best,

A.

#648 Re: Devuan Derivatives » refracta 32 » 2024-02-07 16:54:09

Hello:

Seeing that today is Wednesday 7 and I remembered to take my pills.  8^°

A couple of hints.

oui wrote:

Wrong url or other reason ...

1. No. That is not it.

oui wrote:

... refuse to update using sudo.

2. To (very loosely) paraphrase what someone once said about something ...

You're holding doing it wrong

Hopefully, that should send you on your way.

Best,

A.

BTW: do read the Release Notes for every release, that's exactly what they are for.

#649 Re: Installation » [SOLVED] Where is gfw? » 2024-02-06 11:30:17

nobodyuknow wrote:

... that was a typo. I looked through Symantec ...

Symantec?

Now, that was a real blast from the past. 8^°
Had not come across that name in maybe 15 years now.
I recall having seen some *.gho files and the MS portable executable to read them in one or two CDs somewhere within the pile of stuff to get rid of.

That said, you are (quite obviously) referring to synaptic, the GUI package manager a great many Linux users are fond of.

So that would make for two typos.  8^P !

Best,

A.

#650 Re: DIY » Announcement of the OpenMATE desktop environment » 2024-02-04 23:41:47

Hello:

ralph.ronnquist wrote:

... FOSS people just ignoring that github is owned by Microsoft.

Indeed ...
+1

A.

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