From: chip@chinacat.unicom.com (Chip Rosenthal)
Newsgroups: austin.general,tx.general
Subject: August 1992 CACTUS Newsletter
Date: 15 Aug 92 00:49:37 GMT
Organization: Unicom Systems Development, Austin, TX

--- cut here -----------------------------------------------------------------






                        CACTUS Newsletter

             Capital Area Central Texas UNIX Society

               Volume 8, Number 8  -  August 1992


      -------------------------------------------------------
     |                     Next Meeting                      |
     | Time:     Thursday, August 20 at 7:00p.m.             |
     | Place:    Dell Computer Building - Arboretum          |
     | Agenda:   The Status of Electronic Freedom in America |
     |           Stupid Korn Shell Tricks                    |
      -------------------------------------------------------


                        In this Issue...
                         From the Editor
                      This Month's Program
                      Last Month's Program
                         cactus.org News
                    Commentary - USL v. BSDI
                     The CACTUS Logo Contest


           The CACTUS Newsletter is published monthly.
           Your comments and submissions are welcome.
           Our email address is newsletter@cactus.org.

   UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories.































CACTUS Newsletter            page 2                   August 1992


*** From the Editor ***

    Boy, are we on a roll.  This is turning out to be a summer of
varied and interesting programs.  Last month's perl presentation
was the most-requested topic by our members.  This month we have
a presentation by Bruce Sterling, one of the founders of
cyberpunk literature and a nationally known speaker on the
frontiers of cyberspace and computing.  I'm told the future
possibilities include a presentation on ISDN and a demonstration
from the well-known Robot Group.

    Are you the sort of person looking for fame, fortune, and
fabulous prizes in recognition of your creative abilities?  If
so, CACTUS would like to offer you the next best thing:  a
generous gift certificate.  Don't miss out on the CACTUS logo
contest.  If you do enter, please don't submit a drawing of a guy
tossing a ten gallon hat into a cloud of confetti.  I thought of
that idea first.


*** This Month's Program ***

    Our next meeting will be Thursday, August 20th, in the Dell
Computer Building at the Arboretum.  The meeting is free and open
to the public.  Doors will open at 6:30pm, and the meeting will
begin at 7:00pm.  In August, CACTUS again welcomes noted author
Bruce Sterling, who will talk about The Status of Electronic
Freedom in America.  The main presentation will be preceded by a
tutorial entitled Stupid Korn Shell Tricks by Jim Cox.

    The Korn Shell has been available for many years through the
AT&T Toolchest.  Some vendors include it in their UNIX
distributions, and it is a standard part of System V Release 4.
ksh is compatible with the standard sh Bourne shell, but adds
many features you might not know about.  Jim Cox will talk about
some of the useful but possibly obscure programming features of
the ksh Korn Shell.  Jim will be referring to the book ``The
KornShell Command and Programming Language'' by Morris I. Bolsky
and David G. Korn.  If you have a copy, bring it along to the
meeting.

    A new world is arising in the vast electronic web which
connects us.  American laws and cultural norms have been
established to assure our constitutional rights with respect to
traditional media  newspapers, books, telephones and such.
Assuring these rights has been difficult in a ``place'' where
fundamental notions of speech, property, and place take
profoundly new forms.  An example of these difficulties is the
way innocent people have found themselves and their computing
equipment ensnared when legal authorities go after computer
crackers.

    Bruce Sterling will discuss these past developments and the
future of electronic communications.  Bruce is the author of
Islands in the Net, Crystal Express, and numerous other renowned
works.  He has recently completed work on a new book about the
Steve Jackson Games incident that occurred here in Austin, and of
the entire ``Operation Sundevil'' raid against computer crackers.





CACTUS Newsletter            page 3                   August 1992


*** Last Month's Program ***

    The July CACTUS meeting was held on Thursday, June 15, 1992
in the Dell Computer Building (at the Arboretum).  79 people
attended.  The evening's main topic was Introduction to Perl
Programming, presented by Daniel Gonzalez of the UT Computation
Center.

    The meeting opened with several announcements.  Leander High
School is in need of people to donate computers and equipment for
their program.  If you can help, please contact Mike Cheselka at
cheselka@cactus.org.  Emmet Gray announced that a new release of
pcomm, a UNIX clone of the popular Procomm MS-DOS communications
program, should be available by Aug 1.

Introduction to Perl Programming

    Perl is an interpreted programming language that allows easy
manipulation of text, files, and processes.  Its scripting
language is well suited for system administrators and application
developers.  Perl was written by Larry Wall and is freely
available at many UNIX archive sites.  Some UNIX vendors include
perl in their software distribution.

    Perl combines features and capabilities of C, sed, awk, sh,
and a number of other UNIX utilities.  Some call perl the ``Swiss
Army knife'' of UNIX tools.  It can be compiled with database
libraries so you can write perl scripts to manipulate databases.
It is optimized for handling text, well suited for system
administration tools, and rich enough for general programming
tasks.  Larry Wall has called perl ``a shell for C programmers.''
Some of perl's features include rapid program development because
it's an interpreter, faster execution than shell script
equivalents, more powerful than its subsets, portability across
many architectures, and freedom from arbitrary limits.

    Among some of perl's programming features are all of the
basic awk functionality (albeit using different syntax), flow
control, associative arrays, and regular exressions/pattern
matching; built-in functions from the C library such as exec,
fork, getlogin, getpgrp, syscall, system, etc.; built-in
networking functions such as bind, connect, send, recv, listen,
socket, etc.; sed-like string manipulation; fancy I/O, eof, seek,
close, flock, ioctl, fcntl, and select calls; print and printf;
built-in array and vector functions; built-in dbm access
functions; bit manipulation; formatted output using write; and a
debugger.  You can even compile scripts into executable images
that may be used on similar machines that do not have perl.

    Perl has been published in the Usenet comp.sources.unix
newsgroup, so you'll find it on many archive sites.  It is on
cactus.org under the /usr/local/src directory tree.  Internet
users will find perl on uunet.uu.net [192.48.96.2] and
tut.cis.ohio-state.edu [128.146.8.60].

    We thank Mr. Gonzalez for the informative presentation and
Dell Computer for hosting last month's meeting.






CACTUS Newsletter            page 4                   August 1992


*** cactus.org News ***

    Cactus.org has been experiencing problems with its disks
again.  It has been down several times this past month, and just
about every magic spell known to mankind has been invoked to heal
it.  It's beginning to look like a kernel problem, so we are
trying to track down the latest patches to SunOS 4.1.2 to see if
that will fix it.

    Cactus.org now supports SLIP, the Serial Line Internet
Protocol.  This allows you to create a network connection between
your host and cactus.org via dialup modem.  However, this does
not mean that cactus.org is connected to the Internet.

    There are a couple of reasons why you might want to use SLIP.
Some software packages, such as KA9Q for MS-DOS, allow you to
telnet into a host to read mail and news while you ftp files back
and forth in the background.  You can also use some of the X
Window tools that are nicer than the usual command line
interfaces.  You will, of course, need an X server on your local
system to do this.

    The main drawback to SLIP is that it sends a lot of data
across the line.  We recommend SLIP only upon V.32 or V.32bis
modems.  If you would like to try out SLIP, contact
knutson@cactus.org.


*** Commentary - USL v. BSDI ***

    [Opinions are those of the author.  Responses are welcomed.
We assume such responses are submitted for publication and
reserve the right to edit submissions.]

    We, as CACTUS members, claim to be ``interested in open
systems such as UNIX.''  By today's reality, you can distill away
the buzzwords to get ``we are interested in UNIX.''  None the
less, there are good reasons for keeping our charter open.
Interesting things are happening in the research community, such
as the Mach microkernel and Bell Labs Plan 9, and the standards
committees have been documenting many of the operating system
interfaces.  This means somebody could conceivably design
something like UNIX but not UNIX.

    We UNIX bigots have had a good chuckle at companies that
claim they will bestow POSIX complaince upon their proprietary
operating systems.  I view such announcements as pandering to
purchasing specifications, not a sincere embrace of the priciples
that make UNIX attractive.  The people who buy VMS do so because
they want VMS.  If they want UNIX, they know where to get it.

    We, who laughed at ``like UNIX but not UNIX'' products,
stopped laughing when the Berkeley CSRG group announced their
intention to ``unencumber'' BSD, removing all vestiages of UNIX
code and intellectual property.  We paid rapt attention when a
company called Berkeley System Designs, Inc. (BSDI) announced
their BSD/386 operating system.  The reason we took notice is
that BSD/386 stands to be a product that isn't UNIX but is
engineered by people who understand what's so good about UNIX,
and maybe more importantly know what's so particularly bad about



CACTUS Newsletter            page 5                   August 1992


UNIX.  If successful, this could be a commercial grade, POSIX-
compliant operating system that is cheaper than UNIX, provided
with source code, and just maybe even better than UNIX.

    If UNIX System Laboratories (USL, the owners of UNIX) has its
way, BSD/386 will not see the light of day.  USL has brought suit
against BSDI claiming misappropriation of the UNIX trademark and
USL intellectual property.  On the first count, USL is right.
For a time BSDI's main phone number was 1-800-ITS-UNIX.  That has
ceased and I leave it to the courts to decide whether any
punishment is due.  On the second count, USL claims,
``Substantial portions of BSDI's BSD/386 operating system are
[derived from] USL's proprietary software products.''  USL
provides no substantiation to this claim, but seeks relief for
these unspecified crimes anyway.

    USL has every right and responsibility to protect and defend
their proprietary interests.  However, their methods are
deplorable.  If BSDI has indeed stolen intellectual property,
then USL should be able to point to a specific theft.  In the
absence of these specifics, one can only wonder if the sole
purpose of this suit is to harass and decimate a small company
that could potentially provide real and substantitive competition
to the monopoly position USL enjoys with UNIX.

    I'm willing to let our courts decide.  As Useneter Dick Dunn
said, once things move into the courts the very best we can hope
for is justice.  I'd settle for that.

    Chip Rosenthal
    chip@chinacat.unicom.com


*** The CACTUS Logo Contest ***

    CACTUS wants you to enter our logo design contest.  We are
looking for a logo to use on letterhead, T-shirts, tattoos and
.signatures :-), and anywhere else we can put it.  The winner
will receive $100 of gift certificates from Book Stop.

1. Anyone may enter.  Entrants need not be members of CACTUS.

2. You may submit as many entries as you like.

3. Entries must be submitted to CACTUS on paper.  Include your
   name, address and telephone number on the back of each entry.
   Only one entry per piece of paper.  Paper entries should be
   mailed to:

      CACTUS
      Logo Contest
      P.O. Box 9786
      Austin, TX 78766-9786

   An electronic version may be submitted in addition to the
   paper entry.  We accept most formats including PostScript,
   PCL, GIF, TIFF, etc.  Binary files should be uuencoded.
   Electronic entries may be mailed to logo-contest@cactus.org.

4. Entries must be submitted in black and white.  Colorized
   versions may accompany it.


CACTUS Newsletter            page 6                   August 1992


5. All entries must be original works and become property of
   CACTUS.

6. Entries must be received by September 30, 1992.

7. The CACTUS officers will judge the entries.  Entries by
   the
   officers or their family disqualify them from judging.

8. Entries will be judged for their uniqueness, appeal, and
   suitability for use on letterhead, T-shirts, etc.

9. The winner will be announced at the October CACTUS meeting.
   You need not be present to win.

10. The judges' decision will be final.















































CACTUS Newsletter            page 7                   August 1992


*** CACTUS Membership Information ***

    CACTUS membership is open to all people interested in Open
Systems such as UNIX.  We meet the third Thursday of every month.
Meeting topics and locations are announced in the newsletter.  We
currently offer members access to the cactus.org computer system,
that includes electronic news and mail capability.  CACTUS
Membership/Account forms may be obtained at the meetings or by
request.  Please send your request to:

    CACTUS
    P.O. Box 9786
    Austin, TX 78766-9786

or via electronic mail to membership@cactus.org.  Please be sure
to include your USPS mail address in your request.  Annual dues
are $20 for regular memberships, $96 for sponsor memberships.

    Note:  Please examine the upper-right corner of your mailing
label.  It shows your membership status and will note when your
membership expires.


*** CACTUS Contacts ***

    Your comments and suggestions are welcomed.  Electronic mail
may be directed to the following addresses.

    officers@cactus.org     Comments to CACTUS officers.
    programs@cactus.org     Meeting ideas, suggestions and comments.
    membership@cactus.org   Membership questions and suggestions.
    staff@cactus.org        cactus.org questions and suggestions.
    newsletter@cactus.org   Newsletter submissions and comments.


*** CACTUS Officers ***

President    Tom Painter        painter@cactus.org          835-5457
Publicity    Jim Baty           baty@cactus.org             837-7539
Scribe       Robert Felps       felps@cactus.org            873-9060
Finance      Mike Cato          mikec@amd.com               837-2916
Programs     Ray Schafer        schafer@cactus.org          823-8405
Membership   Michael Cheselka   cheselka@cactus.org         452-9412
Newsletter   Chip Rosenthal     chip@chinacat.unicom.com    482-8260
Members      Michael Cerda      cerda@bongo.cc.utexas.edu   471-3241
  at Large   Jim Knutson        knutson@cactus.org          338-3362

















CACTUS Newsletter            page 8                   August 1992


*** CACTUS Sponsors ***

American Interface Computers
  Wolf Metzner        327-5344

Applied Formal Methods, Inc.
  Susan L. Gerhart    794-9732       gerhart@cactus.org

Austin Code Works
  Scott Guthery       258-0785       acw!info

Clinical Resource Systems, Inc.
  Andy Galewsky       258-1977       andy@crs.com

Computation Center
  Mike Cerda          471-3241       cerda@bongo.cc.utexas.edu

Control Data
  John Herczeg        467-0588

Data General
  Jana Stein          835-9771

Dell Computer Corporation
  Charlie Sauer       338-4400

Hewlett Packard
  Bill Sumrall        338-7221

Interactive Systems
  Jim Kelsey          343-0376       jimke@itx.isc.com
  Network technology, software development, consulting.

Majec Systems Inc.
  Maryanne Moore      452-1138
  Contract programming services, multimedia development.

O'Keefe & Assoc.
  John O'Keefe        343-1134

Pencom Systems Inc.
  Tom Morgan          343-1111       pencom!psitx!tom
  Recruiting, programming, software development, test services.

Pencom/IBM
  Steven P. Talmage   838-8613

Power Assist
  Leigh R. Power      219-9215       leigh@power.com
  Consulting, training, evaluation, and programming services.

Schlumberger
  James Johnson       331-3781
  Technical services and products in over 100 countries.

Sun Microsystems Computer Corp.
  Roger Waak          343-0293       roger.waak@central.sun.com
  Supplier of UNIX client-server computing solutions.





CACTUS Newsletter            page 9                   August 1992


Silicon Graphics
  Don Williams        459-0994

Tandem Computers
  Steve Senator       244-8000

Texas Internet Consulting
  Smoot Carl-Mitchell 329-1047       smoot@tic.com
  TCP/IP networking, UNIX, and open systems standards.

Unicom Systems Development
  Chip Rosenthal      482-8260       chip@chinacat.unicom.com
  UNIX business and technical system sales, support, engineering.

VideoTelecom Corp.
  Marian Keith-Stasney               834-2700















































--- cut here -----------------------------------------------------------------

-- 
Chip Rosenthal  512-482-8260 | Let the wayward children play.  Let the wicked
Unicom Systems Development   | have their day.  Let the chips fall where they
<chip@chinacat.Unicom.COM>   | may.  I'm going to Disneyland.  -Timbuk 3