L I N U X   -   M A D U R A I
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			      Monthly Newsletter

Issue - 04                                                   Month: April 2002


Contents:

    1. Message from the moderator
    2. News from the world of Linux
    3. Tips and tricks, for some kicks 
    4. Sorry, no articles this month. Haven't received any. 


1. Message from the moderator
	Hi all. I take this opportunity to welcome all new members to Linux
Madurai, who have joined us in the last month. Welcome Aboard! 
Aneesh, a new member, has raised an issue, that we aren't conducting any 
meetings or symposiums of any sort at Madurai, so that we all can mingle
together in person. Yes, it's understood by everyone that a meeting is the need
of the hour, for the list to grow. Our list is now 77 strong, and there's no
reason why we shouldn't have a meeting. 
	Now, the problems: I am, unfortunately, out of Madurai, and reside in
Bangalore due to my job. And, the only other moderator, Krishna, who I know in
person, has moved out of Madurai, and is put up in Chennai. What now?? I would
request the members who reside in Madurai, and who can spare a bit of time,
during a saturday or a sunday, to plan up a small meeting, and get the ball
rolling. I guess you surely can find some place in Madurai, where we can meet.
We can discuss this up in the list, and decide upon some convenient place, and
meet. I guess atleast a sizeable gang should turn up. 
	Think of it! Just a saturday/sunday afternoon, and we can bring big
changes to Linux-Madurai. Just being a spectator in the list is of no use to
anybody!

 

2. News from the World of Linux

	The latest kernel release is version 2.4.18. You can get the sources
and patches from http://www.kernel.org.

	How trustworthy is open source?

	Recent flaws underscore the need to have open-source developers look 
twice at their code. But most developers stress that their code is still more
secure than Microsoft's.
	http://clickthru.online.com/Click?q=b1-YjgJQ-0nzxZrWSwr9nTflNQc

	AOL planning to switch to Linux: Americal Online has expressed its
desire to switch to linux for its servers, in order to reduce operating costs.
This means a big blow to a company in Seattle, Washington.

	
	
3. Tips and tricks for some kicks:
    
	This month, I would like to stress more on some basics of posting to
a list, like Linux-Madurai. 
	
	a) Start a new thread, when posting a new subject. Do not reply to
a previous message, and just change the content. It confuses MUA threads, and
makes message searches difficult. Always start a new thread, by writing a new
mail, and give an appropriate subject to it.

	b) Trim your messages. We know that Yahoo! adds a lot of footers to
each message. When replying to a post, delete all those stuff, and keep only
the part of the original message which is relevant. This saves a lot of 
bandwidth, and time, especially for dial-up users. Having a 12kb post, with
only 'Yes' in the top, doesn't make much sense, obviously. ;-)
	
	c) Indenting original message, and replying below it, is a good
practice, and makes for pleasant reading. (Though I myself don't follow it
always. ;-) )
	
	d) Abbreviations don't help much. Many guys may not know what the heck
RTFM, IIRC or HTH means. Expanding them gives a clear understanding, and gives
you some typing practice. (Though you can't expand RTFM fully. ;-) )

	e) Be clear, and understand that the other guy might be thinking that
linux is a text editor. I mean, explain your point clearly, instead of 
assuming that the other person knows it to a level. 
	
	f) Be polite. Blaming someone or insulting a newbie obviously spoils
the atmosphere in the list. 

	g) If you've got something to complain, the moderator is always there.
You can mail me or Krishna, without any reservations. You're welcome. :-)
Mail: linux-madurai-owner@yahoogroups.com.

	h) Remember that attachments aren't allowed in Linux-Madurai.  If you
want to share something, say a tux picture, like Aneesh, you can upload it
somewhere, or in our Yahoo! groups files section, and post the URL. 

	i) In case you didn't know these mail addresses:

		To post a message   : linux-madurai@yahoogroups.com
		To subscribe        : linux-madurai-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
		To unsubscribe      : linux-madurai-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
		To contact moderator: linux-madurai-owner@yahoogroups.com
		
	j) Run linux. #rm -rf /mnt/win_c /mnt/win_d ;-)  




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