Re: tlug: Re: Netscape 4.0 for Lignux?

[Craig Oda <craig@example.com>]

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tlug note from Craig Oda <craig@example.com>
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On Sun, 11 May 1997, Dennis McMurchy wrote:

>   The two linux versions are the last two entries.  Don't forget
> the tiny libnullplugin* as well.

Dennis,
I'm glad that you found the Netscape Communicator 4.0.  It is 
pretty cool.  I have some configurations to allow cut and pasting
of Japanese on my home page, basically, setting the locale.

I've been wondering about that libnullplugin thing.  I never installed
it.  However, I did notice that my Netscape has started crashing on
sites like http://www.wired.com.  Perhaps this is because that site
is requiring a plugin which I don't have?

Re: JDK 1.1.1

I've installed it and managed to get a few trivial applications running
in a Kterm and displaying Japanese.  I can't get the appletviewer to
work on it with even trivial applets.  The appletviewer consistently
core dumps on me.  I can display English applets with Netscape.
Japanese is not coming out right now.  I've had some e-mail from
Todd David Rudick, the author of Java Dict saying that he just
tried out JDK 1.1.1 Linux yesterday and had it working with his
Java Dict program.  So, I guess it is possible.   He had to
mess with his font.properties quite a bit.  He mentioned that
he would add the Linux font.properties to his page when he had
it worked out.  

I've checked the www.javasoft.com site and it appears that they are
now releasing HotJava with the Solaris JDK binaries.  I have not
tested this out yet.
 

Re: RedHat vs Debian
Since the discovery of je2rpm and the rpm site with converted JE
programs I have been considering doing a RedHat install on a spare
partition.  From memory, here are some thoughts I have on
the options people have who just want to install a few Japanese
capable programs.  Anyone care to comment on what is a good strategy?

 Slackware and JE: 
   Good: Japanese Extensions seem to be the best documented and most
         widely used.  There are numerous books, CD-ROMs, web sites,
         and FTP archives focused on JE.
   Bad: Slackware and JE do not allow as fine a degree of control
        of which Japanese packages to install.  Slackware and JE
        seem to be a little slower in coming out with packages.
        After a bit of use installing and trying to uninstall Japanese
        packages, I feel that a packaging system with dependencies is
        necessary.  

  RedHat:
   Good: increasingly popular.  Lots of CD-ROMs available, lots of
         documentation, good package management system, easy installs
         and upgrades
   Bad: this is a highly personal opinion, however, I felt that the
        packaging database files should have been put into text files.
        Debian places them in /var/lib/dpkg and I can read them with
        a text editor or pipe them through dpkg in the same way that
        RedHatters use rpm.  I don't think RedHatters can grep through
        the package listings or repair damaged data files as easily
        as Debianians.  I didn't like being forced to install Python
        since I don't use it for anything else and it is just one more
        powerful tool to worry about from a security standpoint. 
        When I did the install, I didn't know there was je2rpm and
        messed up all my dependencies.  Comments???

  Debian:
   Good: this is my system of choice right now.  Free, volunteer 
       supported.  Good packaging system.  Allows a minimal file
       install where every file is known.  "Install no file before
       its time."  Packaging database files are plain text and backups
       are automatically created.  There is a Debian-JP distribution,
       development project, and mailing list for support.  Japanese
       dependencies are integrated with the standard Debian distribution.
       A couple of CDs are out with the Debian-JP distribution.
   Bad: Lacks the GUI installation of RedHat.  Lacks the support of
       a company like RedHat.  Not as widely used as RedHat.  Debian-JP
       is not as widely used as JE, thus it is harder to ask people
       questions and there a few more quirks in the distribution.

  Rolling your own from source:
   Good: total control over what is on your system.
   Bad: this is a bit too full-on for me at my technical ability. 


Regards,
Craig
 
         
  


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