Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!pacbell.com!lll-winken!bu.edu!ai-lab!
From: g...@prep.ai.mit.edu
Newsgroups: gnu.announce
Subject: January 1992 GNUs Bulletin
Message-ID: < gnusenet2920506@prep.ai.mit.edu>
Date: 7 May 92 06:03:49 GMT
Sender: g...@prep.ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: g...@prep.ai.mit.edu
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Project GNU, Free Software Foundation,
675 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA +1 (617) 876-3296
Lines: 1968
Approved: info-...@prep.ai.mit.edu
Here is the ascii version of the latest GNUs Bulletin, which was first
distributed at the January 92 Usenix in San Francisco, CA. This
info-ized version is essentially the same as the printed version
except for typography, a few graphics and a few corrections and
additions.
Please freely redistribute this text to other forums under the term of
the Copyright Notice below.
If you would like a hardcopy, send your request to the FSF address
below (including a small donation to cover copying costs is
appreciated, but is not required). If you live in an area served by
the US Post Office, please also include a SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped
Number 10 Envelope).
thanx -len
----------------------------------------------------------------------
GNU's Bulletin January, 1992
The GNU's Bulletin is the semi-annual newsletter of the
Free Software Foundation, bringing you news about the GNU Project.
Free Software Foundation, Inc. Telephone: (617) 876-3296
675 Massachusetts Avenue Electronic mail: g...@prep.ai.mit.edu
Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Contents
--------
GNU's Who
What Is the Free Software Foundation?
What Is Copyleft?
Free Software Support
GNUs Flashes
A Small Way to Help Free Software
AT&T Threatens Users of X Windows
Copyrighted Programming Languages
LPF Ends Ashton-Tate Boycott
John von Neumann Opposed Patents
GNU Aids Small Science in a Big Way
GNU Helps Big Science, Too
Project GNU Status Report
GNU in Japan
GNU Software Support Company in Japan
Project GNU Wish List
GNU Software Available Now
Contents of the Emacs Tape
Contents of the Languages Tape
Contents of the Utilities Tape
Contents of the Experimental Tape
Contents of the X11 Tapes
VMS Emacs and Languages Tapes
GNU Documentation
How to Get GNU Software
Free Software for Microcomputers
Thank GNUs
Free Software Foundation Order Form
GNU's Who
*********
Michael Bushnell is working on the GNU operating system and maintains GNU
`tar'. Jim Blandy is preparing GNU Emacs 19, and Joseph Arceneaux is
implementing active regions for a future release of GNU Emacs. Roland McGrath
is polishing the C library and maintains GNU `make'.
Tom Lord is writing a graphics library and taking over development of Oleo,
the GNU spreadsheet. Brian Fox is maintaining various programs that he has
written including `makeinfo', `info', BASH, GNU `finger', and the `readline'
library. Jan Brittenson is working on the C interpreter. David J. MacKenzie
maintains most of GNU's small utilities--more individual programs than nearly
everyone else combined.
Melissa Weisshaus is editing documentation and will work on the `GNU Utilities
Manual'. Kathy Hargreaves and Karl Berry are making fonts, developing
utilities for dealing with them, and working on Ghostscript.
Noah S. Friedman is our system administrator. Lisa `Opus' Goldstein continues
to run the business end of FSF, with Gena Lynne Bean assisting in the office.
Spike MacPhee assists RMS with legal assignments of software and other
administrative tasks. Robert J. Chassell, our Treasurer, handles our
publishing and is working on an introduction to programming in Emacs Lisp, in
addition to many other tasks.
Richard Stallman continues as a volunteer who does countless tasks, including
refining the C compiler, Emacs, etc., and their documentation. Volunteer
Len Tower remains our on-line JOAT (jack-of-all-trades), handling mailing
lists and gnUSENET, information requests, etc.
GNU's Bulletin
--------------
Written and Edited by: Noah S. Friedman, Tom Lord,
Robert J. Chassell, Lisa Goldstein, Melissa Weisshaus,
Richard Stallman, and Leonard H. Tower Jr.
Illustrations: Etienne Suvasa
Japanese Edition: Mieko Hikichi and Nobuyuki Hikichi
The GNU's Bulletin is published twice annually. To get a copy, send your
request to the address on the first page. If you live in an area served by
the US Post Office, please also send a SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped Number 10
Envelope), otherwise please include a preprinted mailing label. A small
donation to cover copying costs is appreciated but not required.
Copyright (C) 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute verbatim copies of this
document as received, in any medium, provided that the copyright notice and
permission notice are preserved, and that the distributor grants the recipient
permission for further redistribution as permitted by this notice.
What Is the Free Software Foundation?
*************************************
The Free Software Foundation is dedicated to eliminating restrictions on
copying, redistribution, understanding, and modification of computer programs.
We do this by promoting the development and use of free software in all areas
of computer use. Specifically, we are putting together a complete integrated
software system named "GNU" (GNU's Not Unix) that will be upwardly compatible
with Unix. Some large parts of this system are already working, and we are
distributing them now.
The word "free" in our name pertains to freedom, not price. You may or may
not pay a price to get GNU software. Either way, you have two specific
freedoms once you have the software: first, the freedom to copy the program
and give it away to your friends and co-workers; and second, the freedom to
change the program as you wish, by having full access to source code.
Furthermore, you can study the source and learn how such programs are written.
You may then be able to port it, improve it, and share your changes with
others. (If you redistribute GNU software, you may charge a fee for the
physical act of transferring a copy, or you may give away copies.)
Other organizations distribute whatever free software happens to be available.
By contrast, the Free Software Foundation concentrates on development of new
free software, working towards a GNU system complete enough to eliminate the
need for you to purchase a proprietary system.
Besides developing GNU, FSF distributes copies of GNU software and manuals for
a distribution fee, and accepts tax-deductible gifts to support GNU
development. Most of FSF's funds come from its distribution service.
The Board of the Foundation is: Richard Stallman, President;
Robert J. Chassell, Treasurer; Gerald J. Sussman, Harold Abelson, and
Leonard H. Tower Jr., Directors.
What Is Copyleft?
*****************
The simplest way to make a program free is to put it in the public domain,
uncopyrighted. But this allows anyone to copyright and restrict its use
against the author's wishes, thus denying others the right to access and
freely redistribute it. This completely perverts the original intent.
To prevent this, we copyright our software in a novel manner. Typical
software companies use copyrights to take away your freedoms. We use the
"copyleft" to preserve them. It is a legal instrument that requires those who
pass on the program to include the rights to further redistribute it, and to
see and change the code; the code and rights become legally inseparable.
The copyleft used by the GNU Project is made from a combination of a regular
copyright notice and the "GNU General Public License" (GPL). The GPL is a
copying license which basically says that you have the freedoms discussed
above. An alternate form, the "GNU Library General Public License" (LGPL),
applies to certain GNU Libraries. This license permits linking the libraries
into proprietary executables under certain conditions. The appropriate
license is included in all GNU source code distributions and in many of our
manuals. We will also send you a printed copy upon request.
Note that the library license actually represents a strategic retreat. We
would prefer to insist as much as possible that programs based on GNU software
must themselves be free. However, in the case of libraries, we found that
insisting they be used only in free software appeared to discourage use of the
libraries rather than encouraging free applications.
If the library license does promote the further use and development of free
libraries by the developers of proprietary applications, we will put more of
the GNU Project libraries under it.
We strongly encourage you to copyleft your programs and documentation, and we
have made it as simple as possible for you to do so. The details on how to
apply the GPL accompany it.
Free Software Support
*********************
The Free Software Foundation does not provide any technical support. Although
we create software, we leave it to others to earn a living providing support
because we would rather concentrate on the former task. We see programmers as
providing a service, much as doctors and lawyers now do--both medical and
legal knowledge are freely redistributable entities for which the
practitioners charge a distribution and service fee.
We maintain a list of people who offer support and other consulting services,
called the GNU Service Directory. It is in the file `etc/SERVICE' in the GNU
Emacs distribution and `SERVICE' in the GCC distribution. Contact us if you
would like a printed copy or wish to be listed in it.
If you find a deficiency in any GNU software, we want to know. We have many
Internet mailing lists for announcements, bug reports, and questions. They
are also gatewayed into USENET news as the `gnu.*' newsgroups.
If you have no Internet access, you can get mail and USENET news via UUCP.
Contact a local UUCP site, or a commercial UUCP site such as:
Anterior Technology,
P.O. Box 1206,
Menlo Park, CA 94026-1206
USA
Phone: (415) 328-5615 or FAX: (415) 322-1753
E-mail: `...@fernwood.mpk.ca.us'
UUNET Communications Services,
3110 Fairview Park Drive - Suite 570,
Falls Church, VA 22042
USA
Phone: (703) 876-5050
E-mail: `...@ftp.uu.net'
When we receive a bug report, we usually try to fix the problem. While our
bug fixes may seem like individual assistance, they are not. Our task is so
large that we must focus on that which helps the community as a whole, such as
developing and maintaining software and documentation. We do not have the
resources to help individuals. If your bug report does not evoke a solution
from us, you may still get one from the many other users who read our bug
report mailing lists. Otherwise, use the Service Directory.
So, please do not ask us to help you install the software or figure out how to
use it--but do tell us how an installation script does not work or where the
documentation is unclear.
GNUs Flashes
************
* Distribution Tapes Reorganized
The FSF software distribution has added a third tape. The old Compiler
tape has been split into a Languages and a Utilities tape. Some software
has also moved from the Emacs tape to the other two tapes (see "GNU
Software Available Now").
* GCC 2, GDB 4, and the C Library Nears Beta
For a limited time, a tape with GCC 2, GDB 4, and the GNU C Library
(libc) will also be distributed (see "Contents of the Experimental
Tape"). It will be available in March of 1992.
* Motorola Signals Another Advance for Free Software
Motorola recently announced the availability of a C language tool kit for
its DSP56000/1 digital signal processor. The tool kit contains a cross
compiler adapted from GCC and a port of GDB. Source code for the system
is available from Motorola under the terms of the GNU copyleft.
* TUGboat Turns to Port
The TeX Users Group board recently voted to copyleft future editions of
`TUGboat', the group's newsletter.
* Kernel
We are using the Mach message-passing kernel being developed at CMU.
Earlier, nonfree versions of Mach were covered by export restrictions,
but there are no restrictions now. The latest version of the Mach
microkernel contains no AT&T code. (The microkernel provides no
high-level functionality, such as file systems and signals.)
Mike Bushnell is writing a set of servers, called the GNU Hurd, to run on
top of Mach to provide a full GNU OS. Although it is far from finished,
exciting progress is being made (see "Project GNU Status Report").
* GNU Fortran Mailing List
A moderated mailing list is available for people interested in the
Fortran front end for GCC. Requests to be put on the list can be sent to
`info-gnu-fortran-requ...@prep.ai.mit.edu'. Meanwhile, the front end
itself is rapidly approaching an alpha test state.
* GNU in Russia Moves Forward
Progress is being made on the GNU Project in Russia. The "Center for GNU
Development" was formed there a short while ago, and they will be
translating GNU documentation into Russian as well as performing other
tasks which are still in the planning stage. Recently they finished the
first version of a Modula-2-to-C translator. They are also working on an
SQL database management system.
* GDB, GAWK, and Make Manuals Updated
Recently, volunteers revised the `GAWK' and `GDB Manual's; both are
longer and better written than they were. We have also revised the `Make
Manual'. We will print and distribute all these manuals in a six by nine
inch format similar to the `GNU Emacs Manual'.
A Small Way to Help Free Software
*********************************
If you find that GNU software has been helpful to you, and in particular if
you have benefited from having sources freely available, please help support
the spread of free software by telling others. For example, you might say in
published papers and internal project reports:
"We were able to modify the `fubar' utility to serve our particular needs
because it is free software. As a result, we were able to finish the XYZ
project six months earlier."
Let users, management and friends know! And send us a copy. Thanks!
AT&T Threatens Users of X Windows
*********************************
by Richard Stallman
Last spring, AT&T sent threatening letters to every member of the X
Consortium, including MIT, saying they need to pay royalties for the X Window
server. This is because AT&T has patented the use of "backing store" in a
multiprocessing window system (U.S. patent number 4,555,775). The X
Consortium calls these developments "threatening to University research". MIT
is looking into how to fight AT&T in court if necessary, but we don't know
whether this can succeed.
Meanwhile, Cadtrak continues to demand royalties from the users of X Windows
for using exclusive-or to write on the screen, which is covered by U.S. patent
number 4,197,590.
The GNU system won't be terribly useful if it can't have X Windows. But that
isn't the only essential system feature which is in danger. Emacs is
threatened by IBM U.S. patent number 4,674,040 which covers "cut and paste
between files" in a text editor. Some Emacs extensions are threatened by
U.S. patent 4,458,311, which covers "text and numeric processing on same
screen." U.S. patent 4,398,249, covering the general spreadsheet technique
known as "natural order recalc", threatens its use in GNU software.
In September, just as the FSF was about to release a data compression program
using an algorithm developed last spring by Ross Williams, a new patent was
issued covering his algorithm. As a result, we had to drop the program--and
we still don't know what to use instead.
There is little the FSF itself can do about these threats. Fighting just one
patent in court would use up all our funds. So, we have added a provision to
Version 2 of the GPL so that we can prohibit distribution of one of our
programs in certain countries if it is covered by patents there. Most likely,
one of those countries will be the United States.
If you develop software for wide use, chances are you, too, will find you
can't do your work without infringing thousands of patents that apply to
software. If you fight them one-by-one, it could cost you millions of dollars
per lawsuit. Doesn't it make sense for you to join the League for Programming
Freedom?
Copyrighted Programming Languages
*********************************
by Richard Stallman
The GNU project has produced one of the best C compilers now in existence. I
decided to write a C compiler rather than designing a new, completely clean
language because C is the language in which users' programs are written. For
a Unix-like system, a C compiler is absolutely essential.
If a new language becomes equally essential for a useful computer system, will
we be allowed to write a compiler for it? Not if we want people in Europe to
use the compiler. On May 15, 1991, the European Community adopted a new
directive for software copyright. It establishes not only copyrighted user
interfaces, but also copyrighted protocols, copyrighted data formats, and
copyrighted programming languages.
Here is what the European Community law says about interfaces:
Whereas for avoidance of doubt it has to be made clear that only the
expression of a computer program is protected and that ideas and
principles which underlie any elements of a program, including those
which underlie its interfaces, are not protected by copyright under this
directive;
Nothing prevents the details of an interface--as opposed to the underlying
ideas--from being copyrighted.
The Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament recommended adding
these words to solve this problem for certain kinds of interfaces:
Whereas, these unprotectable items include, for example, protocols for
communication, rules for exchanging or mutually using information that
has been exchanged, formats for data, and the syntax and semantics of a
programming language;
This amendment was rejected after serious debate in which the conservative
party particularly opposed it. The importance given to the question shows
that it was regarded as a substantive change--suggesting that Parliament
believes the law as written permits copyright on protocols, formats, and
languages.
The principal supporters of these broad and dangerous monopolies were a few
large computer companies: IBM, Digital, Apple, and Siemens. (Only one of them
is a European company.) Many smaller companies formed the European Committee
for Interoperable Systems to lobby against interface monopolies, but had
little success.
What about the United States?
The latest version of the System V Interface Definition claims that the
interface is copyrighted. Adobe says the Postscript language is copyrighted.
You can bet that IBM, Digital, and Apple are telling Congress loud and clear
that programming languages should be copyrighted. And they will point to the
European law as proof this is sound policy.
So, the next time you adopt a new language, will we be able to support it in
the GNU compiler? Not in Europe, and probably not in the US either. And next
time you write a program, do you want to be forced to make it incompatible
with everything else that exists, just so you don't get sued?
Since surveys show most programmers disapprove of these restrictions, most
likely you do too. The question is whether you want to do anything about it.
You can speak up and have an effect on the decision, or you can do nothing and
let IBM, Digital, and Apple do all the talking.
If you'd like to do something, the easiest thing to do is to join the League
for Programming Freedom--a grass-roots organization working politically to
bring back the freedom to write programs.
From the League membership form:
The League for Programming Freedom is a grass-roots organization of
professors, students, business people, programmers and users dedicated to
bringing back the freedom to write programs. The League is not opposed
to the legal system that Congress intended--copyright on individual
programs. Our aim is to reverse the recent changes made by judges in
response to special interests.
Membership dues in the League are $42 per year for programmers, managers
and professionals; $10.50 for students; $21 for others.
To join, please send a check and the following information to:
League for Programming Freedom
1 Kendall Square - #143
P.O. Box 9171
Cambridge, MA 02139
USA
* Your name and phone numbers (home, work or both).
* The address for League mailings, a few each year (please indicate
whether it is your home address or your work address).
* The company you work for, and your position.
* Your email address, so the League can contact you for political
action. (If you don't want to be contacted for this, please say so,
but please give your email address anyway.)
* Please mention anything about you which would enable your
endorsement of the LPF to impress the public.
* Please say whether you would like to help with LPF activities.
If you haven't made up your mind yet, phone (617) 243-4091, write to the
League for more information using the address above, or send Internet mail to
`lea...@prep.ai.mit.edu'.
LPF Ends Ashton-Tate Boycott
****************************
Ashton-Tate (now a subsidiary of Borland) has offered to drop its look and
feel lawsuit against Fox. In response, the League for Programming Freedom has
dropped its boycott of Ashton-Tate products.
John von Neumann Opposed Patents
********************************
--Included for the League for Programming Freedom
The biography, `John von Neumann and the Origins of Modern Computing' (by
William Asprey, MIT Press, 1990, pp. 41-45), describes a patent dispute in
1946-47 that Von Neumann had with Eckert and Mauchly over the EDVAC. Von
Neumann had been a consultant to the EDVAC project and had contributed to many
of the fundamental inventions there. In 1946, Eckert and Mauchly attempted to
patent much of the EDVAC technology, including that which von Neumann claimed
he had invented.
The fight ended when a draft report on EDVAC that von Neumann had written in
1945 was held to be a prior publication. Thus, all of the inventions in
question became part of the public domain.
One result of this dispute was that von Neumann changed the patent policy for
his computer project at the Institute for Advanced Studies. The original plan
was to have patents assigned to individual engineers. Instead, all ideas were
placed in the public domain.
Von Neumann said "This meant, of course, that the situation had taken a turn
which is very favorable for us, since we are hardly interested in exclusive
patents, but rather in seeing that anything that we contributed to the
subject ... remains as accessible as possible to the general public."
GNU Aids Small Science in a Big Way
***********************************
by Lester Ingber, Science Transfer Corporation, `ing...@umiacs.umd.edu'
Most people likely use such GNU products as Emacs, GCC, G++, GDB, Groff,
Gnuplot, etc., and other products based in part on these (e.g., taking
advantage of the GCC compiler), such as BASH, Oleo, Perl, etc., because of
their personal needs to (a) play with/explore new software, (b) take advantage
of the superior products offered even as compared to "commercial" vendors, and
(c) use inexpensive software. Most likely, most beneficiaries of the GNU
software development project are computer scientists/hackers at
medium-to-large academic and commercial institutions. They usually are
concerned with advantages (a) and (b), and not so much with costs (c).
The need to keep down costs (c), coupled with the requirement for superior
state-of-the-art software (b), are crucial for many small-scale scientific
projects. Many people, such as myself, who would rather spend more time doing
their "science" than playing/grappling with often buggy software which comes
along with item (a), still will prefer GNU software because of items (b) and
(c). There is a growing awareness, especially in these times of budget
deficits and the political push for larger and more expensive projects, that
for our nation to survive the severe competition we now face, as well as to
simply promote good science--an essential goal of any civilized people--we
must find ways to secure "small" science. Many are making the argument that
such science is "small" only in monetary costs, that the bulk of really
important new developments come from such research.
Recently, to continue my projects, I had no choice but to dip again into my
own pocket to purchase my own computer. I have used many mainframes and
workstations, but always as an end-user in a computer system that was managed
by a specialist. I chose a Sun SparcStation because (1) it was powerful
enough to handle my codes and (2) there seemed to be plenty of software
available for their system. Little did I realize how important (2) was to my
projects! I thought my Sun would immediately do everything, but I couldn't
even laserprint out any of my thousands of `troff' files, and the bundled C
compiler was dreadfully slow!
Then, I discovered the GNU project, and after a few months of grappling with
being a computer systems' manager, I now have a system of software that
permits me to freely exercise my scientific tools. For example, my paper,
"Statistical mechanics of neocortical interactions: A scaling paradigm applied
to electroencephalography," `Phys. Rev. A', 44:4017-4060, 1991, demonstrates
how my theoretical model of the brain can be used to fit EEG
(electroencephalographic) data measured on the scalp. This is another of
several stringent tests I have applied to my theory; this last test and its
publication really required the GNU software, which I definitely could not
have afforded to buy even at reasonable commercial rates.
So, my hat's off to Richard Stallman and the other dedicated people on the GNU
project. They not only are contributing state-of-the-art software to the
computer scientists of the world, but they are playing an extremely important
role in promoting small science.
GNU Helps Big Science, Too
**************************
It's not just small scientific projects that reap the benefits of free
software. Colin Manning of the JET project had this to say:
For your information, at JET, the world's foremost research project for
the development of nuclear fusion technologies for production of
electricity, where there are needless to say a large number of computers,
GNU software is well used and appreciated. GNU Emacs is used almost
universally. GCC/BASH/GAWK and many others likewise. We are (currently)
Sparc based.
*"As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should
be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours."*
-Benjamin Franklin
Project GNU Status Report
*************************
* A New Configuration Scheme
To allow GNU software to compile and run on a large number of platforms,
it is often necessary to include platform-specific code to handle
different situations. It is then useful to know the type of platform on
which you are going to build the software. We are now ironing out the
details of a uniform scheme for configuring GNU software packages in
order to compile them. This will make it possible to configure any and
all GNU software in the same way. In particular, all GNU software will
support the same naming scheme for machine types and system types.
The configuration scheme will enable you to configure a directory
containing several GNU packages with one command. When we have a
complete system, it will be possible to configure everything at once,
eliminating the need to learn how to configure each of the individual
programs that make up the GNU system.
For tools used in development, the configuration scheme lets you specify
both the host system and the target system, so you can configure and
build cross-development tools easily.
GCC Version 2 and GDB Version 4 support the new configuration scheme, as
do many of the smaller programs and collections. Over the coming year,
we will change our other software to support it.
* GNU OS Work: The Hurd
Development is continuing on the kernel-related aspects of the GNU
Operating System. This job consists of writing a set of servers, called
the GNU Hurd, that run on top of the Mach 3 microkernel from CMU. The
Mach microkernel provides a task abstraction, with multiple threads
within a single task, and powerful IPC and virtual memory systems.
The Hurd consists of the filesystems, the terminal driver, the process
server, the network protocol servers, and a few minor servers. The
mounted filesystems each use a separate Mach task, and provide a superset
of Unix functionality. Unprivileged users will be able to add
filesystems of their own design to the directory tree in a secure manner.
Mike Bushnell has written an implementation of the BSD Fast File System
and is now debugging it. This implementation provides access to files as
shared memory (which permits faster access) and if directly used by
`stdio' in the C library, eliminates a data copy in a large number of I/O
intensive programs. A future release of the GNU C library will provide
this support.
Eventually, we will implement other filesystems, including traditional
ones like NFS, as well as non-traditional ones such as transparent access
to FTP, and `tar' and `ar' archives.
The Hurd terminal driver looks like a file server to user programs, but
it supports a greater variety of `ioctl' calls as well as providing both
BSD and POSIX terminal functionality. The terminal driver will support
terminals layered on serial lines, network ports, and other channels.
The process server offers a process abstraction; it provides process and
host id's, sends signals to other processes, fetches information for
`ps'-like programs, and so on. The server's primary purpose is to
function as an information repository; the system call interpreter
handles complicated aspects of signal delivery.
When Hurd alpha testing begins, we will start in earnest to implement the
network. The plan is to write a library which will enable network
modules from a BSD kernel (many of which are now free) to be "dropped in"
and used with only minimal modification.
Source compatibility with BSD will be provided by the GNU C Library. In
addition, binary compatibility will be provided on some machines using
the system call emulation facilities of Mach.
The system is intended to be source compatible with 4.4 BSD, and POSIX.1
compliant when used with the GNU C Library. Binary compatibility will be
provided on some systems. We have a mailing list to discuss the design
of Hurd. Experts in OS design and seasoned Unix wizards are welcome to
help hash out the details of the interface.
* GNU Emacs
Emacs 18 maintenance continues for simple bug fixes. Version 19 will
enter beta test late this year. Among its new features are: before and
after change hooks, source-level debugging of Emacs Lisp programs, X
selection processing (including clipboard selections), scrollbars,
support for European character sets, floating point numbers, per-buffer
mouse commands, X resource manager interfacing, mouse-tracking,
Lisp-level binding of function keys, multiple X windows (`screens' to
Emacs), a new input system, and buffer allocation, which uses a new
mechanism capable of returning storage to the system when a buffer is
killed.
The input stream is now a sequence of Lisp objects, instead of a sequence
of characters. This allows a reasonable representation for mouse clicks,
function keys, menu selections, etc.
Thanks go to Alan Carroll and the people who worked on Epoch for
generating initial feedback to a multi-windowed Emacs, and to Eric
Raymond for help in polishing the Emacs 19 Lisp libraries.
* C Compiler
The GNU C compiler (GCC) Version 1.40 was released last year. It
supports ANSI standard C.
Version 1 is stable, but still maintained with bug fixes. It supports
these CPU types: 680x0, Vax, 32x32, 80[34]86, Sparc (Sun 4), SPUR,
Convex, MIPS, Tahoe, Pyramid and Alliant. It supports both `a.out' and
COFF format object files when used with a suitable assembler.
Version 2 of GCC is starting beta test (see "Contents of the Experimental
Tape"). New front ends are being developed, but they are not part of GCC
yet. A front end for Ada is being funded through the Ada 9X standards
committee. Since it is a quite complex language, we expect completion to
take a while. A front end for Fortran is now being integrated, but this
will not be available soon either. Volunteers are developing front ends
for Modula 3 and Pascal. There are mumblings about other languages, but
no one has volunteered to do Cobol yet.
* Binutils
Steve Chamberlain and others at Cygnus Support have re-written the binary
utilities (including the linker). These are now based on the same Binary
File Descriptor library used by GDB. All the tools can be run on a host
that differs from the target (e.g. cross-linking is supported).
Furthermore, various forms of COFF and other object file formats are
supported. A tool can deal with object files in multiple forms at once.
For example, the linker can read object files using two different
formats, and write the output in a third format. The linker interprets a
superset of the AT&T Linker Command Language, which allows very general
control over what is placed where in memory.
Version 1.94 is currently in beta test. Major changes are not expected.
Per Bothner (`both...@cygnus.com') coordinates the release.
* C Library
Roland McGrath and others continue to work on the C Library. It now
contains all of the ANSI C-1989 and POSIX.1-1990 functions, and work is
in progress on POSIX.2 and Unix functions (BSD and System V). Mike
Haertel has written a fast `malloc' which wastes less memory than the old
GNU `malloc'. The GNU regular-expression functions (`regex') now mostly
conform to the POSIX.2 standard. A manual for the library (including the
"system calls") is mostly written.
The C Library will do much of the work of the Unix system calls for the
Hurd. Roland is working on adding support for them.
* GNU Debugger
The GNU source-level C and C++ debugger, GDB, is now being distributed
along with the GNU C Compiler.
GDB Version 4.3 is in beta test. New machine ports include the AMD 29000
and Intel 960. Object files and symbol tables are now read via a "binary
file descriptor" library, which allows a single copy of GDB to debug
programs of multiple object file types such as `a.out' and COFF.
Other new features include improvements to the command language,
watchpoints (breakpoints triggered when the value of an expression
changes), exception handling (when used with GCC Version 2) and support
for SunOS shared libraries and C++ multiple inheritance.
* Ghostscript
The current version of Ghostscript is 2.3. Features include: support for
all the PostScript extended color operators, including colorimage; "band
list" technology that allows Ghostscript to drive high resolution
printers with limited memory; and "save" and "restore", which were the
major elements of the PostScript language not implemented before.
Currently, Ghostscript accepts commands in PostScript and executes them
by drawing on an X window or by writing a file that you can print
directly. GNU volunteers are working on previewers for multi-page files;
we hope one will be available soon.
Ghostscript also includes a C-callable graphics library (for client
programs that do not want to deal with the PostScript language), and also
supports IBM PCs and compatibles with EGA or VGA graphics (but do not ask
the FSF staff any questions about this; we do not use PCs and do not have
time to learn anything about them).
* GNU Graphics
GNU Graphics is a set of programs which produce plots from ASCII or
binary data. It supports output to Tektronix 4010, PostScript, and X
window system or compatible devices.
A new version of GNU Graphics will begin alpha testing early this year.
Improvements in the next release include: a revised manual; new features
in `graph', `xplot' and `plot2ps'; support for output in ln03 and
TekniCAD TDA file formats; a replacement for the `spline' program;
examples of shell scripts using `graph' and `plot'; the addition of a
statistics toolkit; and the use of `configure' for installation.
Existing ports need retesting. Contact Rich Murphey (`...@rice.edu') if
you can help test/port it to anything other than a SparcStation.
* groff
James Clark has completed `groff' (GNU `troff' and related programs).
Version 1.04 is now available. (see "Contents of Utilities Tape.") New
in this release is an implementation of the `-mm' macros contributed by
Joergen Haegg (`...@efd.lth.se'). `groff' is written in C++. It can be
compiled with GNU C++ (Version 1.40.3 or later recommended).
Future bugs in `groff' will be fixed, but no new development is currently
planned. However, `groff' users are encouraged to continue to contribute
enhancements. Most needed are complete documentation, a `grap' emulation
(a `pic' preprocessor for typesetting graphs), a page-makeup postprocessor
similar to `pm' (see `Computing Systems', 2:2), and an ASCII output class
for `pic' so that `pic' can be integrated with `texinfo'.
James would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who has
contributed bug reports. Please continue to submit them to
`bug-gr...@prep.ai.mit.edu'
* JACAL
Aubrey Jaffer is preparing a new release of JACAL, a symbolic mathematics
system for the simplification and manipulation of equations and single
and multiple valued algebraic expressions constructed of numbers,
variables, radicals, radical and algebraic functions, differential and
finite differential operators and holonomic functions. In addition,
vectors and matrices of the above objects are included.
JACAL runs under either Common Lisp or Scheme. A version of Scheme (IEEE
P1178 and Rev^4 compliant) written in C comes with JACAL. It runs under
VMS, MS-DOS, Unix, and similar systems. Pre-release source is available
for anonymous `ftp' from `altdorf.ai.mit.edu' under `archive/scm' in
`jacal0-4.tar.Z' and `scm3c6.tar.Z'.
The FSF is not distributing this on tape yet. To receive an IBM PC
floppy disk with the source and executable files send $70.00 to Aubrey
Jaffer, 84 Pleasant St., Wakefield MA 01880, USA.
* Texinfo 2
The Texinfo 2 package includes an enhanced Texinfo mode for GNU Emacs,
new versions of the formatting commands, and the second edition of the
`Texinfo Manual'. The new manual is more complete than the first edition
and describes more than 50 new commands. Texinfo mode now includes
commands for automatically creating and updating nodes and menus, a
tedious task when done by hand. The new formatting commands include
`makeinfo', a standalone C program that is independent of GNU Emacs. The
Texinfo package is in beta test.
GNU in Japan
************
Mieko, `h-mi...@sra.co.jp', & Nobuyuki Hikichi, `hiki...@sra.co.jp', continue
to work on the GNU Project in Japan. They translate GNU information, write
columns, request donations, and consult with people about GNU. They have
translated Version 1 of the GNU General Public License into Japanese and are
now seeking a lawyer to review their translation of the new GNU Library
General Public License.
Japanese versions of Emacs are available. One is `nemacs' (Nihongo Emacs),
widely used in Japan, which works on many systems including i386 MS-DOS
machines. A Japanese version of Epoch, `nepoch', is also available.
If you can, please order GNU software directly from the FSF--every 150 tape
orders allows us to hire a programmer for a year to create more free software.
Otherwise, many groups in Japan are distributing GNU software, including JUG
(a PC user group), Nikkei Business Publications and ASCII (publishers), and
the Fujitsu FM Towns users group. Anonymous UUCP is also now available in
Japan; for more information contact `...@dit.co.jp'. The FSF does not
distribute `nemacs' or `nepoch'.
A group connected with the commercial personal computer network in Japan is
writing and distributing a hardware design and associated software that uses a
MIPS-architecture CPU. The OS, called `t2', is a subset of Unix.
GNU Software Support Company in Japan
-------------------------------------
For the first time, people in Japan will be able to contact a company for GNU
software support; the company is named Wingnut. The organizers were inspired
by the GNU Manifesto. Wingnut will provide two services: porting and
customizing GNU software, and answering technical questions (including how to
install the software).
A lot of people in Japan wanted to use GNU software, but no organization
offered software support. Wingnut plans to provide support services at a
reasonable charge, part of which will be donated to the FSF.
We expect that a software support company of this sort will help the GNU
project in Japan.
Project GNU Wish List
*********************
Wishes for this issue are for:
* Companies to lend us capable programmers and technical writers for at
least six months. True wizards may be welcome for shorter periods, but
we have found that six months is the minimum time for a good programmer
to finish a worthwhile project.
* Professors who might be interested in sponsoring or hosting research
assistants to do GNU development, with FSF support.
* Someone to finish the `smail' mail delivery system.
* One 386 or 486 PC-AT compatible with at least 200 meg of hard disk and an
Ethernet card.
* A 300 meg SCSI disk that can attach to a Sun-3; a Sun QIC-150
cartridge tape drive; an Exabyte tape drive; hard disks for IBM
RTs; Sun-3 workstations; core memory for a Sun-4/110 workstation;
the board to add a monochrome monitor alongside a color monitor
for a Sun-4/110 workstation; a 19" equipment rack; and a floppy
disk copying and verification machine.
* A volunteer to update and maintain an on-line edition of Roget's
Thesaurus (starting with an old edition now in the public domain).
* Volunteers to help write programs and documentation. Send mail to
`...@prep.ai.mit.edu' for the task list and coding standards.
* Speech and character recognition software (if the devices aren't too
weird), with the device drivers if possible. This would help the
productivity of a few partially disabled programmers we know.
* Ideas for good articles in future GNU's Bulletins. We particularly like
to highlight organizations involved with free information exchange.
* New quotes for future GNU's Bulletins.
* Copies of newspaper and journal articles mentioning the GNU Project or
GNU software. Send these to the address on the front cover, or send a
citation to `...@prep.ai.mit.edu'.
* Money, as always. Please remember, donations are tax-deductible. With
the latest donations, we have been able to expand our staff again. With
the increased staff we have an even greater need for donations.
One way to give us a small amount of money is to order a distribution
tape or two. This may not count as a donation for tax purposes, but it
can qualify as a business expense.
GNU Software Available Now
**************************
We offer Unix software source distribution tapes in `tar' format on the
following media types: 1600 bpi 9-track reel tape, Sun QIC-24 cartridges,
Hewlett-Packard 16-track cartridges, and IBM RS/6000 1/4" cartridges (an Emacs
binary is also on the RS/6000 tape). We also offer VMS tapes for GNU Emacs
and GNU C that include sources and VMS executables.
The contents of the various 9-track and cartridge tapes for UNIX systems are
the same (except for the RS/6000 Emacs tape). Only the media are different
(see the "FSF Order Form"). Documentation comes in Texinfo format. The GNU
software tapes include both `texinfo.tex' and `texi2roff'.
Version numbers listed by program names are current at the time this bulletin
was published. When you order a distribution tape, some of the programs might
be newer, and therefore the version number higher.
Contents of the Emacs Tape
--------------------------
The software on this release tape is considered fairly stable, but as always,
we welcome your bug reports. Some of the software that has been on this tape
in the past has moved to the new Languages and Utilities tapes.
* GNU Emacs 18.57
In 1975, Richard Stallman developed the first Emacs, an extensible,
customizable real-time display editor. GNU Emacs is his second
implementation. It's the first Emacs for Unix systems that offers true
Lisp--smoothly integrated into the editor--for writing extensions, and
provides a special interface to MIT's X window system. In addition to
its powerful native command set, extensions have been written which
emulate three other popular editors: vi, EDT (the DEC VMS editor), and
Gosling (aka Unipress) Emacs. GNU Emacs is described by the `GNU Emacs
Manual' and the `GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual', which come with the
software. A reference card is also available.
GNU Emacs 18.57 runs on many Unix systems: Alliant, Altos 3068, Amdahl
(UTS), Apollo, AT&T (3B machines & 7300 PC), Aviion, CCI 5/32 & 6/32,
Celerity, Convex, Digital (DECstation 3100 & 5000, Vax (BSD, System V, or
VMS)), Motorola Delta (System V/68 release 3), Dual, Elxsi 6400, Encore
(DPC, APC, & XPC), Gould, HP (9000 series 200, 300, 700, & 800, but not
series 500), HLH Orion 1/05, IBM (RT/PC (4.2 & AIX), PS/2 (AIX (386
only)) & RS/6000 (AIX)), Integrated Solutions (Optimum V with 68020 &
VMEbus), Intel 80386 (BSD, Microport, System V, Xenix & PS/2 (for MS-DOS
see "Free Software for Microcomputers")), Iris (2500, 2500 Turbo, & 4D),
LMI (Nu), Masscomp, MIPS, National Semiconductor 32000, NCR (Tower 32),
Nixdorf Targon 31, Plexus, Pmax, Prime EXL, Sequent (Balance & Symmetry),
SONY News, Stride (system release 2), all Suns (including 386i), Stardent
1500 & 3000, Tahoe, Tandem Integrity S2, Tektronix (NS32000 & 4300),
Texas Instruments (Nu), Titan P2 & P3, Ustation E30 (SS5E), & Whitechapel
(MG1).
* GNU Calc 2.01
Calc (written by Dave Gillespie in Emacs Lisp) is an extensible, advanced
desk calculator and mathematical tool that runs as part of GNU Emacs. It
is accompanied by the `Calc Manual', which serves as both a tutorial and
a reference. If you wish, you can use Calc as only a simple
four-function calculator, but it also provides additional features
including choice of algebraic or RPN (stack-based) entry, logarithms,
trigonometric and financial functions, arbitrary precision, complex
numbers, vectors, matrices, dates, times, infinities, sets, algebraic
simplification, differentiation, and integration.
* MIT Scheme 7.0 and Yale T 3.1
Scheme is a simplified, lexically scoped dialect of Lisp. It was
designed at MIT and other universities to teach students programming and
to research new parallel programming constructs and compilation
techniques. MIT Scheme is written in C and runs on many Unix systems.
It now conforms to the "Revised^3 Report On The Algorithmic Language
Scheme" (MIT AI Lab Memo 848a), for which TeX source is included.
T is a variant of Scheme developed at Yale University; it is intended for
production use in program development. T contains a native-code
optimizing compiler that produces code that runs at speeds comparable to
the speeds of programs written in conventional languages. It runs on BSD
Vaxen, 680x0 systems, Sparc workstations, MIPS R2000 workstations
(including the Decstation 3100), and NS32000 machines (including the
Encore Multimax). T is written in itself and cannot be bootstrapped
without a binary (included), but it is great if you can use it. Some
documentation is included.
* Texinfo 2.12, `texi2roff' 2
Texinfo is a set of utilities that generate printed manuals and online
hypertext-style manuals (called `Info'). The beta-test Texinfo package
contains enhancements to the current suite and an expanded manual (see
"Project GNU Status Report").
`texi2roff', written by Beverly Erlebacher, translates GNU Texinfo files
so that they can be printed by the `[gnt]roff' programs utilizing the
`-mm', `-ms', or `-me' macro packages. It is included on all UNIX tapes
so people without TeX (but who have `[gnt]roff') can print out GNU
documentation.
* Data Compression Software
Some of the contents of our tape distribution are compressed, which is
currently indicated by a `.Z' suffix. We include software on the tapes
to compress/decompress these files. Due to patent troubles with
`compress', we will be switching to another compression algorithm. The
online distribution on `prep.ai.mit.edu' will be changed first to give
the new program a trial period. Each tape includes the program that will
uncompress the compressed files on it.
Contents of the Languages Tape
------------------------------
This tape contains programming language tools: compilers, interpreters, and
related programs (parsers, conversion programs, debuggers, etc.). Many of
these programs were on the Compiler tape, which no longer exists.
* GCC 1.40
The GNU C compiler is a fairly portable optimizing compiler which
performs automatic register allocation, common sub-expression
elimination, invariant code motion from loops, induction variable
optimizations, constant propagation and copy propagation, delayed popping
of function call arguments, tail recursion elimination, integration of
inline functions, and frame pointer elimination, plus many local
optimizations that are automatically deduced from the machine description.
GCC supports full ANSI C. It generates good code for the 32000, 680x0,
80386, Alliant, Convex, Tahoe, & Vax CPUs, and for these RISC CPUs: i860,
Pyramid, Sparc, & SPUR. The MIPS RISC CPU is also supported. Machines
using these CPUs include 386 (AIX), Alliant FX/8, Altos 3068, Apollo
68000/68020 (Aegis), AT&T 3B1, Convex C1 & C2, DECstation 3100 & 5000,
DEC VAX, Encore MultiMax (NS32000), Genix NS32000, Harris HCX-7 & HCX-9,
HP-UX 68000/68020, HP (BSD), IBM PS/2 (AIX), Intel 386 (System V, Xenix,
BSD, but not MS-DOS), Iris MIPS machine, ISI 68000/68020, MIPS, NeXT,
Pyramid, Sequent Balance (NS32000), Sequent Symmetry (i386), SONY News,
Sun (2, 3 (optionally with FPA), 4, SparcStation, & Sun386i). See
"Project GNU Status Report" for more details.
A good programmer will be able to make a cross compiler on most of these
systems to cross-compile to most of these architectures. Most of the
work will be with the compiler support tools, not GCC itself.
The `GCC Manual' is included with the compiler. The manual (not yet on
our order form) describes how to run and install the GNU C compiler, and
how to port it to new processors. It describes new features and
incompatibilities of the compiler, but people not familiar with C will
also need a good book on the C programming language.
* G++ 1.40.3, `libg++' 1.39.0, and NIH Class Library 2.204a
G++ is a set of changes for GCC that compiles C++, the well-known
object-oriented language. As far as possible, G++ is kept compatible
with the evolving draft ANSI standard, but not with `cfront' (the AT&T
compiler), as the latter has been diverging from ANSI. G++ comes with
the `GNU G++ Users Guide' (not yet published on paper).
G++ compiles source quickly, provides good error messages, and works well
with GDB. Since G++ depends on GCC, it must be used with the
correspondingly numbered version of GCC.
The GNU C++ library, `libg++', is an extensive, documented collection of
C++ classes and support tools for use with G++.
The NIH Class Library (formerly known as "OOPS", Object-Oriented Program
Support) is a portable collection of classes similar to those in
Smalltalk-80 that has been developed by Keith Gorlen of NIH, using the
C++ programming language.
* GAS 1.38.1, binutils 1.9, `dld' 3.2.3, and COFF Support
The GNU assembler (GAS) is a fairly portable, one pass assembler that is
almost twice as fast as Unix `as' and works for 32x32, 680x0, 80386,
Sparc (Sun 4), and Vax.
We have free versions of `ar', `gprof', `ld', `nm', `ranlib', `size', and
`strip'. The GNU linker `ld' is fast and the only linker with
source-line numbered error messages for multiply-defined symbols and
undefined references.
`dld' is a dynamic linker written by W. Wilson Ho. You link your program
with the `dld' library, and this enables your program to load object
files dynamically into the running binary.
The entire suite of GNU software tools can be run on System V, replacing
COFF entirely. The GNU tools can operate on BSD object files with a COFF
header the System V kernel will accept. `robotussin' is supplied for
converting standard libraries to this format.
* `flex' 2.3.7 and Bison 1.16
`flex' is a mostly-compatible replacement for the Unix `lex' scanner
generator, written by Vern Paxson of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
`flex' generates far more efficient scanners than `lex' does. Bison is
an upwardly compatible replacement for the parser generator `yacc', with
additional features. The `Bison Manual' comes with the software.
* `make' 3.62, GDB 3.5, and `indent' 1.1
GNU `make' has most of the features of the BSD and System V versions of
`make' as well as many of our own extensions, and complies with POSIX.2.
GNU extensions include parallelism, conditional execution, and text
manipulation. Version 3.62 of GNU `make' is fairly stable. `make' is
also included on the Utilities tape. The `Make Manual' comes with the
source.
GDB 3.5, the GNU debugger, runs under BSD 4.2/4.3 on Vaxen and Suns (2,
3, 4, & SparcStation), Altos, Convex, HP 9000/370 (BSD), HP 9000/320
(HP/UX), System V 386 systems (with either GNU or native object file
format), ISI Optimum V, Merlin under Utek 2.1, SONY News, Gould NPL & PN
machines, Pyramid, Sequent Symmetry (a 386-based machine), and Encore
under Umax 4.2.
GDB features incremental reading of symbol tables (for fast startup and
less memory use), command-line editing, interactive function calling in
the program being debugged, remote debugging over a serial line, a value
history, and user-defined commands. It can be used to debug C, C++, and
Fortran programs. The `GDB Manual' includes a reference card.
`indent' is the GNU modified version of the freely-distributable program
from UCB. It contains a ``-gnu'' option which formats C source according
to GNU coding standards.
* GAWK 2.13, Smalltalk 1.1.1, and `perl' 4.019
GAWK is upwardly compatible with the System V Release 4 version of `awk'.
The `GAWK Manual' comes with the software.
GNU Smalltalk is an interpreted object-oriented programming language
system written in portable C. Features include an incremental garbage
collector, a binary image save capability, the ability to invoke
user-written C code and pass parameters to it, a GNU Emacs editing mode,
optional byte code compilation tracing and byte code execution tracing,
and automatically loaded per-user initialization files.
Larry Wall has written a fast program called `perl', which combines the
features of `sed', `awk', `sh', and C. It has all of the capabilities of
the aforementioned programs as well as TCP/IP socket-manipulation
facilities, interfaces to various other system calls, and C library
routines.
* `gperf' 2.1, `ae', `f2c' 3.2.90, and `gdbm' 1.5
`gperf' is a "perfect" hash-table generation utility. There are actually
two versions of `gperf', one written in C and one in C++. Both will
produce hash functions in either C or C++. `ae' works with GCC to
produce more complete profiling information. `f2c' converts Fortran--77
source files into C or C++. The `gdbm' library is the GNU replacement
for the standard `dbm' and `ndbm' libraries. `gdbm' supports both
formats. `gdbm' does not need sparse database formats (unlike its Unix
counterparts).
Contents of the Utilities Tape
------------------------------
This tape includes all the programs written by the GNU project (as well as
some third-party software) that are not on the other two tapes. For the most
part, they consist of smaller utilities and miscellaneous applications. As
usual, bug reports are welcome. Many of these programs were on the old Emacs
tape and the now defunct Compiler tape.
* BASH 1.08, `groff' 1.04, `make' 3.62, and `texi2roff' 2.0
The GNU Shell, BASH (for Bourne Again SHell), is compatible with the Unix
`sh' and offers many extensions found in `csh' and `ksh'. BASH has job
control, `csh'-style command history, and command-line editing (with
Emacs and `vi' modes built-in and the ability to rebind keys). BASH
should compile on most systems.
`groff' is a document formatting system, which includes implementations
of `troff', `pic', `eqn', `tbl', `refer', the `-man', `-ms', and `-mm'
macros, as well as drivers for PostScript, TeX dvi format, and
typewriter-like devices. Also included is a modified version of the
Berkeley `-me' macros and an enhanced version of the `X11' `xditview'
previewer.
The `make' program on this tape is the same as the one on the Languages
tape. The `texi2roff' here is the same as that on the Emacs tape.
* `tar' 1.10 and `cpio' 1.5
GNU `tar' includes multivolume support, the ability to archive sparse
files, automatic compression and decompression of archives, remote
archives, and special features to allow `tar' to be used for incremental
and full backups. `cpio' is an alternative archive format to `tar'.
* `diff' 1.15, `grep'/`egrep' 1.5, `fgrep' 1.1, and `patch' 2.0.12u5
The `diff' and `[ef]grep' programs are GNU's versions of the Unix
programs of the same name. They are much faster than their traditional
Unix versions. `patch' is Larry Wall's program to take `diff''s output
and apply those differences to an original file to generate the patched
version.
* RCS 5.6 and CVS 1.2
The Revision Control System, RCS, is used for version control and
management of software projects. When used with GNU `diff', later
versions of RCS handle binary files (executables, object, 8-bit data,
etc.). The Concurrent Version System, CVS, manages software revision and
release control in a multi-developer, multi-directory, multi-group
environment. It works best on top of RCS Versions 4 and above, but will
parse older RCS formats with the loss of CVS's fancier features. See
Berliner, Brian, "CVS-II: Parallelizing Software Development,"
`Proceedings of the Winter 1990 USENIX Association Conference.'
* fileutils 3.1, shellutils 1.5, and textutils 1.1
The "fileutils" are file manipulation utilities: `chgrp', `chmod',
`chown', `cp', `dd', `df', `du', `install', `ln', `ls', `mkdir', `mkfifo',
`mknod', `mv', `mvdir', `rm', `rmdir', and `touch'. The "shellutils"
contain small commands frequently used on the command line or in shell
scripts: `basename', `date', `dirname', `env', `expr', `groups', `id',
`logname', `nice', `nohup', `pathchk', `printenv', `printf', `sleep',
`stty', `tee', `test', `tty', `uname', `whoami', and `yes'. The
"textutils" are programs that manipulate textual data: `cat', `cmp',
`comm', `csplit', `cut', `expand', `fold', `head', `join', `paste', `pr',
`sort', `split', `sum', `tac', `tail', `unexpand', `uniq', and `wc'.
* Ghostscript 2.3 and `gnuplot' 3.0
Ghostscript is GNU's graphics language that is almost fully compatible
with Postscript (see "Project GNU Status Report"). `gnuplot' is an
interactive program for plotting mathematical expressions and data.
Oddly enough, the program was neither written nor named for the GNU
Project--the name is a coincidence.
* `m4' 1.0, `sed' 1.08, and `find' 3.2
GNU `m4' is an implementation of the traditional Unix macroprocessor and
is mostly System V Release 4 compatible, although it has some extensions.
For example, it handles more than 9 positional parameters to macros.
`m4' also has built-in functions for including files, running shell
commands, doing arithmetic, etc. `sed' is a stream-oriented version of
`ed', and is used copiously in shell scripts to manipulate text. `find'
is used frequently both interactively and in shell scripts to find files
that match certain criteria and perform operations on them.
* `elvis' 1.4 and `screen' 2.1c
`elvis' is a clone of the `vi'/`ex' Unix editor. It supports nearly all
of the `vi'/`ex' commands in both visual and line mode. `elvis' runs
under BSD, System V, Xenix, Minix, MS-DOS, Atari TOS, and should be
easily ported to many other systems. `screen' is a terminal multiplexor
that allows you to handle several independent "screens" (ttys) on a
single physical terminal. Each virtual terminal created emulates a DEC
VT100 plus several ANSI X3.64 and ISO 2022 functions.
* `time' 1.2 and `tput' 1.0
`time' is used to time commands (usually from a shell) and report
statistics about the amount of user, system, and approximate real time
used by a process. `tput' provides a portable way of allowing shell
scripts to use special terminal capabilities. GNU `tput' uses the
`termcap' database, rather than the usual `terminfo'.
* MandelSpawn 0.06, GNU Chess 3.1, NetHack 3.0, and GnuGo 1.1
MandelSpawn is a parallel Mandelbrot program for the X window system.
GNU Chess has text and X display interfaces. NetHack is a display
oriented adventure game similar to Rogue. GnuGo plays the game of Go
(Wei-Chi); it is not yet very sophisticated.
* Freed Files from the U.C. Berkeley 4.3-tahoe Release
These files have been declared by Berkeley to be free of AT&T code and
may be freely redistributed. They include complete sources for some
programs and library routines, and partial sources for many others.
Contents of the Experimental Tape
---------------------------------
>>>>> *This tape will not be available until March, 1992.* <<<<<
This tape includes software that is currently in beta test. Some of the
software already has released versions on the distribution tapes. It is
available for people who are feeling adventurous. Please do send bug reports
to the appropriate addresses (which are listed in the notes for each program
on the tape).
* GCC 2
New features in GCC Version 2 include instruction scheduling, loop
unrolling, filling of delay slots, leaf function optimization, optimized
multiplication by constants, and a certain amount of common subexpression
elimination (CSE) between basic blocks. (Not all of the supported
machine descriptions provide for scheduling or delay slots.)
Function-wide CSE has been written, but needs to be cleaned up before it
can be installed. Position-independent code is supported on the 88000
and Sparc, and soon perhaps on the 680x0.
GCC 2 can also open-code most arithmetic on 64-bit values (type `long
long int'). It can generate code for most of the same machines as
Version 1, plus the IBM PC/RT, the IBM RS/6000, the Motorola 88000, the
Acorn RISC machine, the AMD 29000 and the HP-PA (700 or 800). Ports for
the IBM 370, the Intel 960, and the NCUBE are on their way. Version 2
can generate `a.out', COFF, Elf and OSF/Rose files when used with a
suitable assembler. GCC 2 can produce debugging information in several
formats: BSD stabs, COFF, ECOFF, ECOFF with stabs symbols, and Dwarf
(debugging on the RS/6000 is not yet supported).
Not all of the Version 1 machine descriptions have been updated yet; some
do not work, and others need work to take full advantage of instruction
scheduling and delay slots. The old machine descriptions for the
Pyramid, Alliant, Tahoe and Spur do not work, but are still included in
the distribution in case you would like to work on them. There is also a
new port for the Tron that also needs updating in order to work.
In Version 2, using the new configuration scheme, building a
cross-compiler is as easy as building a compiler for the same target
machine. GCC 2 also supports more general calling conventions: it can
pass arguments "by reference" and can preallocate the space for stack
arguments. On the Sparc it uses the standard conventions for structure
arguments, but structure return values still present a problem. With
luck, this too will be fixed soon.
Version 2 of the compiler supports three languages: Objective C, C++, and
C; the source file name selects the language. (The front end support for
Objective C was donated by NeXT.) The runtime support needed to run
Objective C programs is mostly working, but not available yet.
C has been extended to support nested functions, nonlocal gotos, and
taking the address of a label.
* GDB 4
GDB 4 contains many new features since 3.5 (the version currently on the
release tapes). They include remote debugging over serial lines or
TCP/IP; watchpoints; more readable output and a simplified command
interface; support of more binary formats (using BFD); limited debugging
of C++ (when using GCC 2); preliminary support for Modula-2 debugging
(for the compiler being developed at the State University of New York at
Buffalo, others will not work); and the ability to debug programs and
core files that use SunOS shared libraries.
GDB 4 can perform cross-debugging. To say that GDB 4 *targets* a
platform means that it can perform native or cross-debugging for it. To
say that GDB 4 can *host* a given platform means that it can be built on
it, but cannot necessarily debug native programs. GDB 4 can:
* *target* and *host*: Amiga 3000 (Amix), Decstations 3100 & 5000,
HP 9000/370 (BSD), Motorola Delta 88000 (System V), NCR 3000 (SVR4),
SGI Iris (MIPS running Irix V3), Sony NEWS (NEWSOS 3.x),
Sun3, Sun4, & Ultracomputer (29K running Sym1).
* *target*, but not *host*: i960 Nindy & AMD 29000 (COFF or `a.out').
* *host*, but not *target*: Intel 386 (Mach) & IBM RT/PC.
In addition, GDB 4 can understand the symbol tables emitted by the
compilers supplied by most vendors of MIPS-based machines, including DEC.
(These symbol tables are in a format which essentially nobody else uses.)
Debugging of G++ remains a problem, and GDB 4 won't work for any version
of G++ 1 at all.
* BFD
The BFD (Binary File Descriptor) Library from Cygnus Software is a set of
routines to make handling of different object file formats more
transparent to programs using them. Some GNU software is in the process
of being converted to use it. BFD comes with documentation.
* GNU C Library
The library is POSIX.1 compliant and has most of the functions specified
in POSIX.2 draft 11.2. It is upward compatible with the 4.3 BSD C
library and includes many System V functions, plus GNU extensions.
GNU `stdio' allows you to define arbitrary streams and to do `printf' and
such on those streams. This makes the implementation of `sprintf'
particularly easy, as well as allowing more flexibility for users.
The C library is known to work on HP 9000 series 300s running 4.3 BSD and
Sun4 systems running SunOS 4.1. Someone has built it successfully for an
i860 cross-development environment. Porting is not hard.
* GNU Graphics 0.17
See "Project GNU Status Report" for details.
Contents of the X11 Tapes
-------------------------
The two X11 tapes contain Version 11, Release 5 of the MIT X window system.
The first FSF tape contains all the core software, documentation, and some
contributed clients. FSF refers to its first tape as the `required' X tape
since it is necessary for running X or running GNU Emacs under X. The second,
`optional,' FSF tape contains contributed libraries and other toolkits, the
Andrew software, games, and other programs.
VMS Emacs and Compiler Tapes
----------------------------
We offer two VMS tapes. One has just the GNU Emacs editor. The second
contains the GNU C compiler, Bison (needed to compile GCC), `gas' (needed to
assemble GCC's output), and some library and include files. Both VMS tapes
include executables from which you can bootstrap, because the DEC VMS C
compiler has bugs and cannot compile GCC.
Please do not ask us to devote effort to VMS support, because it is peripheral
to the GNU Project.
GNU Documentation
*****************
GNU manuals are intended to explain the underlying concepts, describe how to
use all the features of each program, and give examples of command use. GNU
documentation is distributed as Texinfo source files, which yield both typeset
hardcopy and on-line presentation via the menu-driven Info system. These
manuals, provided with our software, are also available in hardcopy; see the
"FSF Order Form" inside the back cover.
How to Get GNU Software
***********************
All the software and publications from the Free Software Foundation are
distributed with permission to copy and redistribute. The easiest way to get
GNU software is to copy it from someone else who has it.
If you have Internet access, you can get the latest software via anonymous
`ftp' from the host `prep.ai.mit.edu' (the IP address is `18.71.0.38'). Get
file `/pub/gnu/GETTING.GNU.SOFTWARE' for more information.
If you cannot get the software one of these ways, or would like to contribute
some funds to our efforts and receive the latest versions, we distribute tapes
for a copying and distribution fee (see the "FSF Order Form).
There are also third party groups that distribute our software: they do not
work with us, but have our software in other forms. For your convenience we
list some of them here (also see "Free Software for Microcomputers"). Please
note that the Free Software Foundation is not affiliated with them in any way
and is not responsible for either the currency of their versions or the
swiftness of their responses.
These TCP/IP Internet sites provide GNU software via anonymous `ftp' (program:
`ftp', user: `anonymous', password: YOUR NAME, mode: `binary'):
archie.au, archive.eu.net, ftp.eunet.ch, ftp.funet.fi,
ftp.diku.dk, ftp.stacken.kth.se, sunic.sunet.se, isy.liu.se,
ugle.unit.no, ftp.win.tue.nl, ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de,
ftp.cs.titech.ac.jp, labrea.stanford.edu, jaguar.utah.edu,
cc.utah.edu (VMS GNU Emacs), wuarchive.wustl.edu,
gatekeeper.dec.com, mango.rsmas.miami.edu (VMS G++),
uxc.cso.uiuc.edu, and ftp.uu.net (under `/packages/gnu').
Those on the SPAN network can ask rdss::corbet.
Those on JANET can look under `src.doc.ic.ac.uk:/gnu'.
You can get some GNU programs via UUCP. Ohio State University posts their
UUCP instructions regularly to newsgroup `comp.sources.d' on USENET. The
following people will send you information via electronic mail:
hao!scicom!qetzal!upba!ugn!nepa!denny, uunet!hutch!barber,
acornrc!bob, hqda-ai!merlin, s...@scuzzi.in-berlin.org,
j...@bigtex.cactus.org, s...@cis.ohio-state.edu, and i...@ftp.uu.net
For those without Internet access, see the section entitled "Free Software
Support" for information on receiving electronic mail via UUCP.
*"If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."*
-Isaac Newton
Free Software for Microcomputers
********************************
We do not provide support for GNU software on microcomputers because it is
peripheral to the GNU Project. However, we are willing to publish information
about groups who do so. If you are aware of any such efforts, please send the
details, including postal addresses, archive sites, and mailing lists, to
`...@prep.ai.mit.edu' or to the postal address on the front cover.
Please do not ask the Free Software Foundation about this microcomputer
software. FSF does not maintain it, and has no more information about it.
* GNU Software not on Apple computers
In lawsuits, Apple claims the power to stop people from writing any
program that has a user interface that works even vaguely like the
Macintosh's. If Apple triumphs in the courts, it will create for itself
a new power over the public that will enable it to put an end to free
software. So long as Apple continues to try to establish this kind of
monopoly, we will not provide any support for Apple machines.
* Boston Computer Society
The BCS has thousands of shareware and free programs for microcomputers,
including some GNU programs. Please contact them to see what is
available for your machine.
Boston Computer Society
1 Kendall Square, Bldg 1400
Cambridge, MA 02139
USA
Phone: (617) 252-0600
* GNU Software on the Amiga
Ports of many GNU Programs to the Amiga are available via `ftp' from:
karazm.math.uh.edu:/pub/Amiga/Gnu (USA)
titan.ksc.nasa.gov:/pub/amiga (USA)
ftp.funet.fi:/pub/amiga/gnu (Europe)
For info on (or offers to help with) the GCC port and related projects,
write to Leonard Norrgard, `vin...@nic.funet.fi'. For info on the GNU
Emacs port, write to Mark D. Henning, `henn...@stolaf.edu'. More
information is in `/pub/gnu/MicrosPorts/Amiga', obtainable via anonymous
`ftp' on `prep.ai.mit.edu'.
* GNU Software on the Atari
You can obtain ports of many GNU programs to Atari TOS and Atari Minix
via anonymous `ftp' from `atari.archive.umich.edu' which is maintained by
Howard Chu, `...@hanauma.jpl.nasa.gov'. These ports are discussed on two
USENET newsgroups `comp.sys.atari.st' and `comp.sys.atari.st.tech'. To
get the former group via e-mail, you can ask
`info-atari16-requ...@score.stanford.edu'.
* GNUish MS-DOS project
Contact `info-gnu-msdos-requ...@sun.soe.clarkson.edu' for information on
ports of GNU programs to MS-DOS and related mailing lists. More
information is in `/pub/gnu/MicrosPorts/MSDOS', obtainable via anonymous
`ftp' on `prep.ai.mit.edu'.
* GNU Software on MS-DOS
Russ Nelson has ports for a lot of GNU software for MS-DOS available on
floppy disk. For more info, contact Crynwr Software, 11 Grant St.,
Potsdam, NY 13676, USA. The voice/FAX number is (315) 268-1925.
* DJGPP, the GNU C/C++ compiler for MS-DOS
DJ Delorie has ported the GCC/G++ compiler to the 386 MS-DOS platform.
The compiler and programs it generates run in the 386's 32-bit mode with
full virtual memory support.
DJGPP is available via `ftp' from `barnacle.erc.clarkson.edu' in the
directory `/pub/msdos/djgpp'. You can subscribe to a mailing
list on DJGPP by sending your e-mail address to:
`djgpp-requ...@sun.soe.clarkson.edu'.
* Demacs, GNU Emacs for MS-DOS
Manabu Higashida and Hirano Satoshi have released `Demacs', a port of GNU
Emacs for 386/486 MS-DOS machines. The new version is 1.2.0 and is the
first post-beta release.
Demacs provides several DOS-specific features: support for binary or text
file translation, "8bit clean" display mode, 80x86 software interrupt
calls by an `int86' Lisp function, machine specific features such as
function key support, file name completion with drive name, child
processes (`suspend-emacs', `call-process'), and an enhanced Dired mode
which can work without `ls.exe'.
Demacs can be obtained via anonymous `ftp' from:
utsun.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp:/GNU/demacs (for U.S. users)
ftp.sigmath.osaka-u.ac.jp:/pub/Msdos/Demacs
wnoc-fuk.wide.ad.jp:/pub/msdos/Demacs
* Freemacs, an Extensible Editor for MS-DOS
by Russ Nelson, `nel...@sun.soe.clarkson.edu'
I have written a small but programmable editor for MS-DOS that is
somewhat compatible with GNU Emacs. It is called Freemacs, and is
programmed in "MINT", a string processing language, but tries to emulate
GNU Emacs. It does a remarkably good job for a 21K executable--good
enough, in fact, that I recommend that Freemacs users buy the `GNU Emacs
Manual'. Of course, the bulk of the emulation is done in the MINT code,
totaling 150K.
You may freely copy this software. I ask only that you return
improvements to me for incorporation into the package for all of us. The
distribution is available from these sources: anonymous `ftp' the file
`/e/freemacs' from host `grape.ecs.clarkson.edu' or from host
`wsmr-simtel20.army.mil' (under directory `PD:'); or
`CUHUG BBS: (315)268-6667' 1200/2400 8N1, 24 hrs, file area 25, no
registration required to download Freemacs; or send $15 (copying fee) to
Russ Nelson, 11 Grant St., Potsdam, NY 13676, USA, phone: (315) 268-6455,
specify floppy format: `5.25"/1.2 MB'; `5.25"/360K'; or `3.50"/720K.'
Thank GNUs
**********
Thanks to all those mentioned above in "GNUs Flashes", the "Project GNU Status
Report", and "GNU Software Available Now".
Thanks to Walter Poxon for serving as coordinator of the GNU Project's
volunteer programmers.
Thanks to NCD Corporation for the gift of an X terminal. Thanks to
Lucid, Inc. for the loan of an X terminal and for their support of
Joe Arceneaux. Thanks to Interleaf, Inc. and Veronika Caslavsky and special
thanks to Paul English, Cindy Woolworth, and Lisa Bergen for the loan of a
scanner. Thanks to Jerry Peek for the gift of a 386 machine.
Thanks to Chris Thyberg and Carnegie-Mellon University for supporting Tom Lord.
Thanks to Jim Mochel for his help with MS-DOS.
Thanks to the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Laboratory for
Computer Science at MIT for their invaluable assistance of many kinds.
Thanks to Chet Ramey for his continuing work on improving BASH.
Thanks again to the Open Software Foundation for their continued support.
Thanks to ASCII Corporation and Village Center, Inc., both of Japan for their
donations.
Thanks to the anonymous GNU users in Japan for their gifts.
Thanks to Devon McCullough for technical assistance, to Carol Botteron for
proofreading and other assistance, and to Mieko and Nobuyuki Hikichi for their
invaluable help raising both funds and consciousness in Japan.
Thanks to Cygnus Support for continuing to improve various programs and
assisting the GNU Project in other ways.
Thanks go out to all those who have either lent or donated machines, including
Hewlett-Packard for six 68030 workstations, two 80486 computers, and four
Spectrum workstations; Brewster Kahle of Thinking Machines Corp. for the Sun
4/110; K. Richard Pixley for the AT&T Unix PC; Doug Blewett of AT&T Bell Labs
for two Convergent Miniframes; CMU's Mach Project for the Sun 3/60;
Intel Corp. for their 386 machine; NeXT for their workstation; the MIT Media
Laboratory for the Hewlett-Packard 68020 machine; SONY Corp. and Software
Research Associates, Inc., both of Tokyo, for three SONY News workstations;
IBM Corp. for an RS/6000 computer; the MIT Laboratory of Computer Science for
the DEC Microvax; the Open Software Foundation for the Compaq 386;
Delta Microsystems for an Exabyte tape drive; an anonymous donor for 5 IBM RT
computers; Munin Technologies for their donation of a VAX-11/750 and other DEC
equipment; and Clement Moritz for donating two reel-to-reel tape drives.
Thanks to all those who have contributed ports and extensions, as well as
those who have contributed other source code, documentation, and good bug
reports. Thanks to those who sent money and offered help. Thanks also to
those who support us by ordering manuals and distribution tapes.
The creation of this bulletin is our way of thanking all who have expressed
interest in what we are doing.
Free Software Foundation Order Form
***********************************
This order form is effective 1 January 1992 - 30 June 1992
Prices and contents may change without notice.
Please allow six weeks for delivery (though it won't usually take that long).
All software and publications are distributed with permission to copy and to
redistribute.
Texinfo source for each manual is on the appropriate tape. The prices for
tapes do not include printed manuals.
All software and documentation from the Free Software Foundation is provided
on an "as is" basis, with no warranty of any kind.
QUANTITY PRICE ITEM See "GNU Software Available Now" for a description of
the contents of the tapes.
For Unix systems, on 1600 bpi reel-to-reel 9-track 1/2" tape in Unix tar format
(tape contents described above):
________ $200 GNU Emacs Tape
________ $200 GNU Languages Tape
________ $200 GNU Experimental Tape (not ready until March 1992)
________ $200 GNU Utilities Tape
________ $200 X11R5 Required Tape
________ $200 X11R5 Optional Tape
For Suns and some other Unix Systems, on QIC-24 DC300XLP 1/4 inch
cartridge tape, Unix tar format (tape contents described above):
________ $210 GNU Emacs Tape
________ $210 GNU Languages Tape
________ $210 GNU Experimental Tape (not ready until March 1992)
________ $210 GNU Utilities Tape
________ $210 X11R5 Required Tape
________ $210 X11R5 Optional Tape
For HP Systems, on 16-track DC600HC 1/4 inch cartridge tape, Unix tar format
(tape contents described above):
________ $230 GNU Emacs Tape
________ $230 GNU Languages Tape
________ $230 GNU Experimental Tape (not ready until March 1992)
________ $230 GNU Utilities Tape
________ $230 X11R5 Required Tape
________ $230 X11R5 Optional Tape
For IBM RS/6000 Systems, on DC600A 1/4 inch cartridge tape Unix tar format
(tape contents described above) (the GNU Languages Tape is not yet available
for the RS/6000):
________ $215 GNU Emacs Tape, plus executable files of Emacs
________ $215 GNU Experimental Tape (not ready until March 1992)
________ $215 GNU Utilities Tape
________ $215 X11R5 Required Tape
________ $215 X11R5 Optional Tape
For VMS systems, on 1600 bpi reel-to-reel 9-track 1/2" tape in VMS BACKUP (aka
interchange format):
________ $195 GNU Emacs source code and binaries. None of the other
software on the GNU Emacs Tape, described above, is included.
________ $195 GNU C compiler source code and binaries. Includes Bison and
GAS. None of the other software on the GNU Languages Tape,
described above, is included.
The following manuals are all bound to lie open, flat on a table:
________ $20 GNU Emacs manual, unit price for 1 to 5 copies.
~280 pages with a reference card, phototypeset and
offset printed.
________ $13 GNU Emacs manuals, unit price for 6 or more.
________ $50 A single GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual, ~550 pages,
offset printed, spiral bound.
________ $200 A box of 5 GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manuals.
________ $50 Calc Manual, ~590 pages. Calc is an extensible, advanced desk
calculator and mathematical tool that runs under GNU Emacs.
________ $15 GDB Manual, ~170 pages, with a reference card.
________ $15 Texinfo Manual, ~220 pages. Texinfo is GNU's structured
documentation system, included with GNU Emacs. Texinfo is
used to produce both on-line and printed documents. This
manual describes how to write Texinfo documents.
________ $10 Termcap Manual, ~60 pages. Documents the termcap library and
GNU's extensions to it. The GNU termcap library is included
with GNU Emacs.
________ $10 Bison Manual, ~100 pages.
________ $15 Gawk Manual, ~200 pages.
________ $15 Make Manual, ~120 pages.
The following reference cards:
________ $1 One GNU Emacs reference card, without the manual.
________ $5 Packet of ten GNU Emacs reference cards.
________ $1 One GDB reference card, without the manual.
________ $5 Packet of ten GDB reference cards.
________ Subtotal
--------
________ In Massachusetts: add 5% sales tax, or give tax exempt number.
We pay for shipping via UPS ground transportation in the contiguous 48 states
and Canada.
________ In Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico, for shipping:
- For Emacs Lisp Reference and Emacs Calc manuals, add $5 each,
or $20 per box. For all other items, add $5 base charge,
then $1 per item except reference cards.
If outside of U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, for shipping costs:
- for tapes or unboxed manuals, please add $15 base
charge, and then add $15 more for each tape or unboxed
manual (not reference cards) in the order:
________ Shipping cost for tapes and unboxed manuals = $15 + $15 * n;
- for each box of Emacs Lisp Reference manuals,
________ please add $70.
________ Optional tax deductible donation.
________ Total paid
--------
Orders are filled upon receipt of check or money order. We do not have the
staff to handle the billing of unpaid orders. Please help keep our lives
simple by including your payment with your order.
Please make checks payable to: "Free Software Foundation".
Please mail orders to:
Free Software Foundation, Inc.
675 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
USA
+1 617-876-3296
This Order Form is EFFECTIVE 1 January 1992 - 30 June 1992
Name:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Mail Stop/Dept. Name
-------------------------------------------------
Organization:
--------------------------------------------------------
Street Address:
------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
City / State / Province:
---------------------------------------------
Zip Code / Postal Code / Country:
------------------------------------
In case of a problem with your order, or for overseas customs agents,
please add your voice telephone number (not your FAX number):
----------------------------------------
For orders outside the US: Orders MUST be paid in US dollars. You are
responsible for paying all duties, tariffs, and taxes. If you refuse
to pay the charges, the shipper will return or abandon your order.
Please write the telephone number that you want custom agents to call
in the space provided above.
This Order Form is EFFECTIVE 1 January 1992 - 30 June 1992
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
| |
Free Software Foundation, Inc. | stamp |
675 Massachusetts Avenue | |
Cambridge, MA 02139 | here |
USA | |
-------
---------------------------------------------------------------------
enjoy -len
PS: By the way, what do you think of look-and-feel lawsuits?