Internet and Unix Ques.
12 messages in this thread
Hi… I have recently become very active in the Internet service. I have had
an ccount for some time but only recently have begun using it a great deal. I
was wondering if anyone knows of a program similar to AutoPilot that allows you
to automate your NEWS and MAIL retrieval? If so, could someone tell me where
to get one either on CIS or through FTP?
Also, I am interested in using UNIX at home on my 1200/030. I undestand that
there is an Amiga port of UNIX but how do I get it and how much does it cost?
(not a lot I hope!)
Thanks,
Jon
It sounds like you have a shell account that you are using for UseNet mail
and news, not the Internet per se. If you want to do this with less time
spent connected, you could get the UUCP distribution in the libraries
here. You'd have to get the sysadmin where you have your shell account
(or some other system) to agree to give you a UseNet feed, but if you have
a fast modem and ask for a selective feed (i.e., a few groups) rather than
a full feed, that shouldn't be much problem.
Forget running Unix on your A1200. You must have an MMU, you almost must
have a tape drive, a minimal system will easily use more than 100 megs of
HD, etc. And I think it costs something like $500.
You might try playing with minix or whatever if you are only interested in
having a system to learn from and play with.
Dale Larson
– An Amiga Software Engineer with some time on his hands.
Thanx for the info… I'm not sure if I have an actual UseNet feed or
not… I simply type rn for ReadNews and away I go. I'll try UUCP and see
what I come up with.
As far as UNIX goes, I do have an MMU but for it to take 100MB of HD
space, I'm not THAT interested.
BTW, if you know, I check in SysInfo and it shows the MMU but is says that
it is DISABLED. What do I have to do to enable it?
JDSoftware
Jonathan Schmidt – On AutoPilot from CompuServe Land
Presumably DISABLED just means NOT IN USE. The AmigaOS doesn't use the
MMU (well, for the most part). Run Enforcer (an MMU tool) and your
DISABLED should go away.
Dale Larson
– An Amiga Software Engineer with some time on his hands.
Thanks again for the help!
JDSoftware
Jonathan Schmidt – On AutoPilot from CompuServe Land
Ther is a file called uucp16.lha (or similar) which contains a port of
UUCP for the amiga. It should be in amigauser. UUCP is laid out for mail
and news so it should be what you need.
Sean.
Sean,
Thanks, I did download that but it seemed very confusing. I wasn't
really sure where to start… any suggestions?
JDSoftware
Jonathan Schmidt – On AutoPilot from CompuServe Land
Jonathan:
I believe that there are docs with the UUCP package, as well as a slow
setup description file (to fully install the UUCP Package), as well as a
fast setup text file showing how to set it up between 2 small machines
basically as a test.
I've been running UUCP here on my Amiga for a long time (don't remember
exactly how long it's been), and while it's certainly not the easiest
program (or really set of programs) to get up and running, once done it
gives your machine a method of communications that ranks with the 'big
boys' (Unix, VMS, etc) rather than the BBSes popular with PC's, and other
personal computers. (the 'little boys'?)
I'll try and explain how to set it up as much as I can (this is all from
memory). First make a directory on your HD called UUCP. unarchive the UUCP
archive into this directory making sure to use the proper options to
create directories under the current one. This will makeup all the proper
directories you need to run UUCP. You then need to assign UUCP: to that
directory. In the uucp:lib directory is a file named Config that needs to
be edited to change the settings to match your system. Some of the
settings are best answered by system administrator of the machine you're
going to be getting a feed from. I don't recall if there is any other
things needed in particular, but if you have any specific questions about
setting up UUCP on your system, please feel free to ask questions here.
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
Mike,
Thanks! I really appreciate you taking the time with me to explain it!
JDSoftware
Jonathan Schmidt – On AutoPilot from CompuServe Land
Mike:
I'm interested in setting up a UUCP node, too. I've got the DUUCP
files all set up, now I'm looking for a node to call. (Sooner or later –
first I have to get some money to pay for the connection. ^_^)
One question though… what newsreader do you use? Grn doesn't seem to
like the heirarchical directory structure that DUUCP 1.16 uses, and I'm
having trouble getting Arn to work. (It hangs when I try to post to a
newsgroup – just to test it out.)
Can you suggest a newsreader? (Or better yet, E-Mail me one? ^_-)
Len:
what version of Grn are you using? I'm using GRN v 1.16e with no problems
at all. Up until fairly reciently I had a news feed from a local
university, but it (the university's Unix machine) crashed, and since the
crash I've been unable to login to it 🙁
I'm going to be looking into a new newsfeed from a service called
Novalink. This is basically a Unix machine that is hooked into the
Internet, as well as the Compuserve network, so that I'd be able to call
the system as a local call. I'm not sure, but they might also offer SLIP
access which would be nice also, as it would allow me to use TELNET as
well as FTP.
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
Mike-
>What version of Grn are you using?
Ummm… the one that came with the UUCP 1.16D archive – the docs say it's
1.29. When I start it up (with the hierarchical newstree that Dillons'
FlatToHierarchical program set up) it gives me the first directories (i.e.
comp, sci, rec) but not the subdirectories. (org/fidonet, shuttle,
arts/comics) Arn did, but promptly hung my machine when I tried to post a
'test' message
There's a BBS near me that's reported to have Internet links – I'll be
looking into it one of these days. (^_^) I've been told they're in
beta-testing right now, so I might not be able to get a feed from them –
but I'd kinda like to have the software set up so I'll be ready when they
decide they WILL do news/mail feeds.