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2002-11-17
Notice: Well, folks, I couldn't try to install and use
LinFBB client for Windows, because I have not had
a second computer for that purpose. The only way to
check how this client works, was to borrow a laptop machine
and give it a try.
The first task was to link that Windows laptop to a Linux
desktop. I had some difficulties with the network card on
the desktop box, because it seemed not to be likely to start
the appropriate eth0 interface. I'll give you some
more details about the equipment here: Linux is Red Hat 6.2
and my ISA network card has UMC UM9008 chip. Long ago, I
used some utilities that should "recognize" ISA cards (if
I remember their names, that were isapnptools, pnpdump etc).
What I do know, is that such tools should have add some new
lines into the existing files, like /etc/conf.modules
or, to create some new files, like /etc/isapnp*.
Well, I have forgotten what exactly should be done, so I
went to look for the right tools. The one that was looking
suitable was /sbin/isapnp. Although I got its
response on the screen, telling that the UM9008 chip was
recognized, there was nothing added to the system files,
nor new files seemed to be created.
What I also tried to use, was the old good Linuxconf tool, that
was already installed per default within RH 6.2 Linux. I
found the right place to add the information related to NIC's
IRQ and I/O address. There I seemed to make a little mistake,
so I put the value of 220 (for the I/O address), instead
of 0x220 that would better fit. The result was as one
may expect: the interface eth0 continued to
report that a ne module had not found a card
at that one address. Then I checked the actual I/O address
the card uses under Windows OS (was the same) and
tried to fix the parameters (Thanks goes to a UK ham who advised
me to have to let Linux know the proper IRQ and I/O
addresses).
Interestingly, Linuxconf added a couple of new lines
into /etc/conf.modules too. In short, the next time
during the system boot, the interface eth0
reported a green [OK], so I could
establish the link. So far - so good.
The next task was to download the client package from the
FBB's main site. I did it from the "Newest version"
web page and the number of the version was 1.12 (it
seems that was not a pretty much new version, or maybe the
content on that "newest" page has not been updated
recently - another task for Jean-Paul?). Anyway, I installed it
without any problem, configured its part related to the LinFBB
server it was about to access, changed the console font to my
favorite one (Tahoma) and started the utility.
At the first sight, the client looked great, because
Linux clients still prefer so small letters, that are
hard to read (compared to characters on a Windows screen).
Now I tried the most used commands like List, Read, Send Reply
etc. All of them worked great. What I have found a bit
strange, was that the message justification did
not work in its message editor window. You see, I like
my messages to be justified on both sides. I hope a solution
for that problem will be found soon.
Another issue with xfbbW client is that seems not to
allow a multiple click onto more than one
BBS callsign within pending forward list,
comparing to WinFBB's behavior. You know, I am not very fond of
opening the same pending forward window repeatedly
again and again, in order to start (or to stop) more than
one forwarding action.
In general, I like xfbbW client. I hope to
install some newer version(s) soon, and I hope some of
its features will be upgraded and some new ones will be added
in the future. What I would also like to have, is to
activate the maintenance of the BBS (a "housekeeping" task)
from that client's menu. Another thing I miss at the moment, is the
absence of the xfbbW's help system. I mean
of a real Windows help, because there's not
much use of a Help menu, having only
Copyright and About information :-))
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