Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Recent Work
Title LBL Computing Newsletter, Volume 30, Number 5 June 1993
Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/19z6z1zr
Author Morley, M.
Publication Date 1993-06-01
eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California DISCLAIMER
This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by the United States Government. While this document is believed to contain correct information, neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor the Regents of the University of California, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by its trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or the Regents of the University of California. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof or the Regents of the University of California. April lB COMPUTING 1989 - NEWSLETTER .TABLE OF CONTENTS
NAMES & NUMBERS TO KNOW ...... :...... 2 Schedules for Computer Classes...... 3 LBLNET NEWS .:...... 4 LBLnet Activity Map- February 1989 ...... 5 GRAPIDCS NEWS All About X -Part 1 ...... , ...... · 6 · Software Upgrades for TELLAGRAF and DISSPLA ...... 7 UNIX NEWS SunNews...... 8 GENERAL NEWS MATHEMATICA Discussion Meeting Scheduled for April20 ...... 10 LBL Special Interest Group on Software Engineering...... 10 Electronic Mail Etiquette ...... :...... 11 THE HELP DESK Queueing Up ...... 13 Try Unix on Your Next Big Project ...... 13 PHYSICS NEWS ...... · ...... 14 NOTES FROM TROUBLE MAIL ...... 16 THE WORKSTATION SCENE ...... 18
PUB-429 4/89 - 1875
lAWIRIEINICE BIEIRIKIEliEY lAIBOIRATORY IBIEIRIKEl!1=Y, CAUFOIRINI~A 94720 ... 2 Vol 26, No.4- April, 1989
NAMESANDNUMBERSTOKNOW From on-site, dial
INFORMATION & COMPUTING SCIENCES DIVISION COMPUTING FACILITIES. Director: Stewart Loken (SCLoken) ...... 7474 SOB 2232E Connecting a Remote Terminal (A CHart) ...... 7444 SQF 29 Deputy: Sandy Merola (AXMerola) ...... 7440 SOB 2232C Graphics ...... 694S SOF 126 Operations Area ...... S211 SOB 121S COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATIONS RESOURCES Develcon Problems & Terminal Repair Head: Ken Wiley (KGWiley) ...... 7083 SOB 22S8E (PGMurray) ...... S3S4 SOB 2259 Laboratory-wide network planning: Bob Fink (RLFink) ...... S692 SOB 22S8E COMPUTING APPLICATIONS Office of Computing Resources: Applications Group Dave Stevens (DFStevens) ...... 7344 SOB 22S8F Head: Jerry Borges (JTBorges) ...... SS68 SOF 44 LBLnet Manager: Sig Rogers (SGRogers) ...... 6713 SOB 22S8G Telephone Services: Sam Gibson (FSGibson) ...... 4234 BOA 103
ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS Head: Dennis Hall (DEHall) ...... 60S3 SOB 3238
WORKSTATION GROUP Group Leader: Richard LaPierre (RLLaPierre) .. .4692 SOB 224S Software Evaluation & Acquisition ...... 68S8 SOB 2231 DEVELCON DEVELCON Access Names COMPUTING SERVICES [VAX 8650's (GENERIQ ...... CSA] Head: Marv Atchley (FMAtchley) ...... S4SS SOF 113 VAX 86SO (VMS) ...... CSA1 Deputy: Harvard Holmes (HHHolmes) ...... S742 SOB 3238C VAX 86SO (VMS) ...... CSA2 . Central Office ...... S871, 2 SOF 12S VAX 86SO (VMS) ...... CSA3 VAX 86SO (VMS) ...... CSA4 VMS SYSTEM VAX 86SO (VMS) ...... CSA5 Eric Beals (ERBeals) ...... S3S1 SOF 143 System Manager (GPJohnson) ...... 6211 SOB 122S SUN-3/280 (UNIXl) ...... UX1 SUN-3/180 (UNIX3) ...... UX3 UNIX SYSTEM and DISTRIBUTED PRINTING SUN-3/180 (ISD) ...... ISD Craig Eades (W AEades) ...... 6S69 SOB 3233 UNIX (DHCleveland) ...... S336 SOF 11S Dial-up Access Numbers DISTRIBUTED PRINTING (RERendler) ...... S629 SOF 119 All Machines- 300 BPS ...... 486-49S9 System Manager (RJCochran) ...... SS6S SOF 127 All Machines- 1200 BPS ...... 486-4979 All Machines- 2400 BPS ...... 486-4969 USER RESOURCES Jerry Borges (JTBorges) ...... SS68 SOF 144 Local TYMNET Accesss Numbers for DEVELCON
~ijii~~·t.;;;;;;;;;;®;;;:;;;::;;;;$;;;;;;····;;;;;;;;;;;$;;;;;~~~ ~~ ;~~t 1200 bps 2400 bps Math Libraries ...... 4749 SOF 114 . Oakland ...... 430-2900 ...... 633-1896 Library /Document Sales ...... 4242 SOB 1232B Walnut Creek/Concord ...... 935-0370 ...... 935-1S07 Opening a New Account (PSBean) ...... 7008 SOB 1232A San Francisco ...... 974-1300 ...... 543-0691 UNIX and Ouster Santa Clara ...... 408-980-8100 ...... 986-0646 Software Evaluation & Acquisition ...... SS68 SOF 144 Palo Alto ...... 415-366-1092 ...... 361-8701 Burlingame ...... 415-SBB-3043 GRAPHICS Vallejo ...... 707-644-1192 Nancy Johnston (NEJohnston) ...... :...... 694S SOF 14S Antioch ········· ...... 7S4-8222 Fremont ...... 490-7366 NETWORKING Pleasanton ...... 462-2101 Darren Griffiths (DAGriffiths) ...... 6966 SOF 146 MFE Consulting Number is422-1S44
Newsletter Closing Date is Friday, April14, 1989 Address all communications for the Newsletter to login [email protected].
Editor: Maggie Morley
Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC03-76SF00098
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER ,. Vol. 26, No.4- April1989 3
COMPUTER CENTER CLASSES Aprill989- June 1989
CoMPUTING SERVICES CLASSES Bldg.SOB,Rrn.1237
The following courses are offered by Computing Services. There is no charge for these classes. To enroll, obtain your supervisor's approval and then contact Pat Bean, x7008.
April19 Electronic Mail: Survey June 14 UNIX: Intro (Continued) lOAM-Noon 9AM-Noon June 12 UNIX: Bare Bones Intro. June 15 UNIX: Text Formatting Intro. 9AM-Noon 9-10:30 AM June 13 UNIX: Using vi 9AM-Noon
WORKSTATION CLASSES
The following courses are offered by the Workstation Group. There is no charge for these classes. To enroll, obtain your supervisor's approval and then contact Carole Casaretto, x6585. (Those classes with asterisks(*) appended are already full.)
IBM-PC: Bldg. SOB, Rm. 1237 Macintosh (continued): April 18, 20, Microsoft Word for the PC 25,27 3 -4:30PM May9, 11, Beginning MS Word 3.01 16, 18 1- 2:30PM April18, 20 PC-DOS 10-11:30 AM May 10,12 Basic Intro. to FileMaker 1-3PM April25 Kermit File Transfer 10-11:30AM May17 Intro. to HyperCard 10-11 AM April27 Introduction to PC Mail 11 AM -Noon May 22,24 HyperCard- Creating Cards & Stacks 10-11:30 AM Macintosh: Bldg. SOB, Rrn.1229 May 22, 24, 26 Beginning Excel Spreadsheet* April4, 5, 6 Introduction to MacDraw II* 1-3PM 10:30 AM- Noon June 6, 7,8 Intro. to MacDraw II AprilS, 7 Basic Intro. to FileMaker* 10:30 AM- Noon 1-3PM June 14,16 Basic Intro. to FileMaker Aprilll, 13, Beginning MS Word 3.01 1-3PM 18,20 1- 2:30PM June 26, 28, 30 Beginning Excel Spreadsheet* April19, 21 Basic Intro. to FileMaker* 1-3PM 1-3PM July 24, 26, 28 Beginning Excel Spreadsheet April 24, 26, 28 Beginning Excel Spreadsheet* 1-3PM 1-3PM
April25 Intro. to Claris CAD (t) (t) Prerequisite for Intro. to Claris CAD: user must 1-3PM have prior experience with MacDraw II or other May2,3,4 Intro. to MacDraw II* CAD drawing experience. 10:30 AM - Noon
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 4 Vol. 26, No.4- April, 1989 LBLnet NEWS
Bob Fink Distributed Printing on Apple LaserWriters ·Sig Rogers The Distributed Printing service provided by Computing Kinetics FastPath Connections to LBLnet Services now provides service to over 75 printers, many of which are Apple LaserWriters interconnected to Macintosh systems are typically networked together and LBLnet through Kinetics FastPath gateways. This service to LaserWriters with various AppleTalk twisted-pair allows printing support from any LBL computer system wiring schemes (i.e., LocalTalk and PhoneNet). When that is attached to LBLnet and supports TCP /IP . . access to I from other systems is required, a connection to LBLnet is the easiest solution. To provide the intercon The administration of this service is also provided by Bob nection a "router" or "gateway" is used; the specific one Rendler. Therefore it is appropriate that you should in use at LBL is the Kinetics FastPath. contact Bob Rendler for information whenever you have any questions about Distributed Printing, whether it is to Services available through a FastPath are Distributed Apple LaserWriters or not. Printing, shared access to LaserWriters, TOPS, Ap pleShare and other inter-Macintosh file sharing, and, MSRI Now On LBLnet eventually, mail forwarding from the central LBL mail The Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) is system to Macintosh systems. now connected to LBLnet, and to the rest of the Research The Kinetics FastPath has evolved over the last several Internet. This connection has been made via a 64 kbps years into a robust product, with help from LBL staff twisted-pair circuit between Protean routers located at Theresa Breckon, Van Jacobson, and Craig Leres. The LBL and MSRI. LBL software enhancements to the FastPath are essential MSRI will be addressed as MSRI.GOV though they are to its performance, reliability and services on LBLnet. physically a subnet of the LBL Internet and will receive Therefore, the Network Advisory Group (NAG) has their Domain Name Service from LBL. recommended the policy that FastPath software be installed by a single service function which is Craig Leres Network Contact Information (of RTSS) and the various folk that assist him. LBLnet planning: Bob Fink, x5692 ...... rlfink@lbl Computing Services, Workstation and LBLnet staff LBLnet new installations: support this policy since it provides for services needed Ted Sopher, x4559, x5354 ...... tgsopher®lbl by Laboratory staff and guarantees the reliability of LBLnet. Part of the reliability issue is to insure that LBLnet trouble calls: x5354 AppleTalk EtherTalk protocols are not used on LBLnet LBLnet comments or trouble reports: ...... lblnet@lbl (see LBLnet News, May 1988), and that AppleTalk is encapsulated in Internet packets. Other important For Decnet administration: Darren Griffiths, x6966 services provided are AppleTalk Zones, TCP /IP Subnet support, and proper routing mechanisms. For Internet administration: Darren Griffiths, x6966 ...... dagg@lbl To assist users and to guarantee the adherence to this and send a copy to ...... ip-request@lbl policy, Computing Services and the Workstation group For IBM PC and Macintosh network administration: jointly support a Kinetics Administration function. Any William Jaquith, x4388 ...... wdjaquith@lbl user needing a Kinetics service should request it through Bob Rendler. Bob will see that the FastPath is ordered or Richard LaPierre, x4692 and physically installed properly on LBLnet, that its To contact the Network Advisory Group (NAG): software is installed by Craig Leres's staff, and that it is [email protected] fully checked out for successful operation on LBLnet. Distributed Printing and Kinetics FastPath administration and requests: It is very important that users do not buy a FastPath Bob Rendler, x5629 ...... without coordinating with Bob Rendler. It is also essen rerendler@lbl tial that no user ever try to install a Kinetics FastPath on LBL Postmaster for Lab-wide mail: ...... postmaster@lbl LBLnet, as this will lead to immediate problems for all users of LBLnet.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER Vol. 26, No.4· Aprill989 5
Bridged LBLnet Backbone Subnet 128.3.254 -305 pps
UCB Network & BARRNet Access
~ =IPRouter
pps = packets per second; all figures are monthly averages
no figures are available for routed subnets at this time
arrows represent packet flow through a bridge from one LAN to another Note: Each circle shown above is a separate Ethernet that is interconnected to the others via a bridge (or router if indicated) that provides forwarding of packets based on address. LBLnet Activity February 1989 ICSD/CCR Fink/Rogers
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 6 Vol. 26, No.4 - April, 1989 GRAPHICS NEWS
ALL ABOUT X - PART I X11R3 is the current release of X. The 11 denotes the version number. A version is changed only when the X Nancy Johnston pr~tocol is changed. The R3 denotes the release version. One of the latest jargon phrases coming from computer Release versions can contain bug fixes, new routines, etc. hardware and software vendors is that " __ supports Release versions cannot change the X-protocol. X". What is X? Why would you need or want it? How X was designed to be extensible. Currently graphics are do you use it? What systems will it run on? What is an X supported with 2D primitives but a 3D extension (called Window Manager? What is an X toolkit? PEX) design has been accepted by MIT and is currently These and other questions will be answered over the next being developed. Another extension, the ability to few months in a series of articles on this subject. This handle Display PostScript, is being considered. month's article will describe X and why people are X is divided into a client and server relationship. Your interested in it. Later Newsletter articles will address the application is the client. The X server runs on the ma other questions. chine that provides a bit-mapped display (color, mono X or the X-Window System is a network-transparent chrome, or greylevel). The server acts as an intermediary window system designed at MIT as part of Project between you and the display. It can handle multiple Athena. With X you can be running your application on client requests to the same window or to different one computer system, and that application can open a windows. The client and server can communicate over window (or many windows) on a workstation running X any reliable fast communication medium, e.g., Ethernet, or X Display terminal running elsewhere on the network. serial line, shared memory, or pipes. The last two are X lets you control your application code by sending used if both the client and server are running on the same mouse or keyboard input back to your program. For machine. The X protocol is asynchronous and the client example, in the near future, you could be running your and server can be sending information to each other interactive modeling program on one of the VAX Cluster simultaneously. Currently, when X is running over machines. That application could open a window on LBL's Ethernet, it uses either TCP /IP or DECnet as the your Sun 3/50 and plot a series of graphs. You could use Ethernet protocol. the mouse on the 3/50 to send back coordinate points of Basically, what happens is that your application gener interesting areas to the program running on the VAX for ates requests to open window(s), manipulate them, and further processing. display information in them. You get notified by the X is an industry standard. Recently, many hardware and server when the user at the display has generated key software vendors have joined with MIT to form the board or mouse input, resized the window, iconified it XConsortium which administers the release of the public (temporarily made it smaller), etc. Based on what domain X Window System code, as well as the contribu happened, your application (or the program you are tions of the various supporting vendors. Membership using) acts on that information. The program can also includes Adobe Systems, Apollo Computer, Apple make a request to ignore certain kinds of input. Computer, DEC, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Sun Microsys An application does not generate the X-protocol directly, tems, etc. X runs under UNIX, VAX/VMS, MS/005, but uses an interface library called Xlib. Because Xlib MACos,etc. itself is still very low level, a variety of higher-level Because it is the first "standard" window system, is interfaces have been written. These higher-level libraries distributable, and can run on a variety of hardware are called toolkits. A toolkit has the code necessary to platforms, X is desirable to a wide-range of people. create useful items (called widgets or gadgets). The Applications were difficult to port before if they made widgets or gadgets can be things like a button, scrollbar, heavy use of vendor-specific buttons, dials, scrollbars, or dial box. They are much simpler for the application and other interactive user interface schemes. Each programmer to use. In next month's article we'll start vendor had its own non-portable window system that talking about toolkits. was totally different from another vendor's system and in some cases impossible to port to another environment (e.g., MACos). Now this task is not only possible but easy. It's not perfect yet, and we will discuss this in a later article.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER .. Vol. 26, No.4 • April, 1989 7
If you'd like more information about X, there are articles SOFTWARE UPGRADE and books available. The USENET NEWS topic for X (rn) recently had a bibliography posted to it, and I will FOR TELLAGRAF AND DISSPLA redistribute it to interested parties. The Computing Claudette Lederer Services library also has a few copies of a very good 3- As of April15, 1989, the logon versions of both Tellagraf volume book on using Xlib and the uwn: window and Disspla will be upgraded: manager. Interested parties can look that over and buy it. One copy is available for loan. rr The logon version of TELLAGRAF will be V 6.1 rr The logon version of DISSPLA will be V 10.5. Forward comments and questions to me at x5093 or You can access these newer versions before April15, if VMS Mail lbl::NEJohnston you wish. Use the following migration symbols at the system prompt: Unix or [email protected] SETUP _NEWTAG (forTELLAGRAF) Software Tools Mail SETUP_NEWPLA (for DISSPLA) As you migrate to these new versions you will need to make the following changes: TELLAGRAF users: we advise you to remake your TAGPRO.DAT files. Here's one way: • Rename your current TAGPRO.DAT file to, say, TAGPRO_OLD.DAT. • Then runTAG, and when you answer the prompts for your Primary and Secondary devices, a new T AGPRO.DAT file will be created for you. DISSPLA users: you'll need to relink your programs. The linking procedure has been simplified to the state ment . LINK your_prm,'DISSPLA' On April15, 1989, there will be migration symbols to run the old versions of these products, but we don't expect that you will need to do this: • To run TELLAGRAF 5.1, type SETUP_OLDT AG at the system prompt • To run DISSPLA 9.2, type SETUP _OLDPLA at the system prompt After a short time, we plan to remove these old versions. Contact me if you find you must continue to use either of them (TELLAGRAF 5.1 or DISSPLA 9.2). Forward comments and questions to me at x6945 or VMS Mail lbl::CELederer
Unix or [email protected] Software Tools Mail
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 8 Vol. 26, No.4 - April, 1989 UNIX NEWS SUN NEWS and kerning control, and support for gray text and backgrounds. Dave Cleveland Sun Write has a powerful search-and-replace capability, t/ A SPRING PROMOTION (until June 30, 1989) on all and allows "wild cards" in search fields, so you can current products for education customers is being offered quickly search for and replace any given word or phrase. by Sun's Education Products Division. This means Sun Write also checks your spelling using the Merriam discounts for LBL ranging from 33% to 43%: Webster dictionary from Proximity. Order Size (list Price) Discount Offered SunDraw $30,000 - $69,999 ...... 36% (normally 33%) SunDraw lets you create any type of image, from a simple $70,000 - $99,999 ...... 40% (normally 33%) line drawing to a complex layout. You can use SunDraw $100,000 - ...... 43% (normally 33%) graphics anywhere you need precisely drawn illustra II' SUN'S NEW WINDOW-BASED DESKTOP DOCU tions, figures, charts, or diagrams. Using SunDraw, you MENT APPLICATIONS, Sun Write, SunDraw, and can create shapes including polygons, precise curves SunPaint, provide Sun users with low-cost WYSIWYG (called Bezier curves), rounded rectangles, ellipses, (What You See Is What You Get) document preparation circles, and arcs. You can use a different line width, pen software. style, and fill pattern for each shape, and can add arrow heads to the ends of any type of line. SunDraw also lets .,.. Sun Write is for multifont text processing and page you "zoom in"' on areas of your screen, if you need to layout. work in finer detail, and "zoom out," for a broader .,.. SunDraw is for object-oriented graphics. perspective . .,.. SunPaint is for creating and editing raster images. SunPaint All three are based on the OPEN LOOK graphical user SunPaint provides all the tools you need to create and interface, so the screens "look and feel" the same, modify raster image artwork using brushes, patterns, and whether you're working with text or creating charts or painting modes. You can use SunPaint images to en illustrations. You can easily "cut and paste" text and hance memos, reports, and letters, and to create dynamic images between Sun Write, SunDraw, and SunPaint presentations and overhead transparencies. Using programs in different windows. Sun's window-based SunPaint is a lot like painting on canvas: you can draw desktop document applications support all PostScript the same kind of objects as you would using SunDraw, output devices, and let you import graphics using the but with 24 different brush styles. Like Sun's other encapsulated Postscript(EPS) data standard. Like all Sun desktop document applications, SunPaint includes pin software products, they run on all Sun hardware plat up menus, so you can keep your brushes and patterns in forms. sight and within reach while you work on your canvas. Sun Write You can also use SunPaint to retouch scanned images Sun Write gives you text processing, document format such as sketches, photographs, or artwork. Because the ting, and page composition capabilities in one package. pictures you create in SunPaint are saved in raster file You can create everything from memos to graphics format, you can use them with any other application that intensive newsletters and presentations without having accepts raster files, including Sun Write and SunDraw. to switch between programs. Because it is a WYSIWYG LBL prices: application, text and graphics will look the same in your for Sun Write ...... $486.50 printed documents as they do on your workstation for SunPaint or SunDraw ...... $346.50 screen. Using Sun Write's style sheets, you can define and for all three ...... $696.50 store collections of text and paragraph attributes to Volume discounts and an education site license are also maintain a consistent style in your documents. available. Sun Write lets you choose from all the LaserWriter Plus II' FPU2, THE NEW FLOATING POINT ACCELERA fonts. You can produce text in any point size from 4 to TOR FOR SUN-4 WORKSTATION FAMILY, boosts 72, and can change typefaces to italic, bold, or bold italic. floating point processing performance on all members by You can set text in small capital letters, and can include as much as100 percent or more. This add-on board subscripts, superscripts, underlining, double underlining, allows SPARC-based Sun-4 workstations and servers to or strike-through text in any document. Sun Write also process at speeds up to 2.2 MFLOPS (million floating gives you many professional features including up to ten point operations per second), as measured by single columns per page, widow and orphan control, leading precision Unpack benchmarks.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER Vol. 26, No.4 - April, 1989 9
FPU2 implements a faster division operation and per r/ SCHLUMBERGER GRAPHICS announces a new A & forms square-root functions in hardware. The FPU2 B size postscript printer and D & E size-plotters that includes a Sun-designed gate array controller and the TI work with all Suns. 8847 floating-point processor from Texas Instruments. The FPU2 co-processor board easily fits into a socket on For more information on Sun products, call Mitch Beard the Sun-4 CPU board. All existing Sun-4 applications at x5781 or send electronic mail to that run on the current FPU will run on the FPU2 without [email protected] requiring any software changes. However, certain applications will achieve their greatest improvement in If you have other questions or comments, please contact speed if they are recompiled to execute the square-root me a x5336 or send electronic mail to function in hardware. VMS Mail lbl::DHCleveland For the Sun-4/260 and Sun-4/280, FPU2 will be offered in new systems as a replacement for the current FPU at Unix or [email protected] no additional charge. It will also be bundled into all new Software Tools Mail Sun-4/110 packages at no change in price. The board is available immediately. r/ $1,500 BUYS 4MB OF EXTRA MEMORY with new Sun3/60 and Sun386i orders. This is a 44% savings over list price. r/ SUN ANNOUNCES XVIEW TOOLKIT which gives SunView developers an easy way to port their applica tions to the OPEN LOOK user interface standard and the X.11 window standard (will ship Q3). r/ TEMPEST SYSTEMS are available for 3/60, 3/260,4/ 110 and 4/260. r/ SUN MODULA-2 V2.1, with several new features, is now available for the Sun-3, Sun-4 and Sun386i worksta tion r/ OBJECT-ORIENTED LANGUAGE EXTENSION for SunCommon Lisp is now available in a public-domain implementation from Xerox P ARC. This is shipped with the SunCommon Lisp tape along with a Sun Symbolic Programming Environment interface. r/ SUN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES offerings include ,.. The SunOS Internals course that will cover the kernel and its services (two 3-day sessions begin on May 15 and June 19). ,.. A 5-day System Administration course for SunOS 4.0 on Sun-3s and Sun-4s beginning on Monday of almost every week of the year. ,.. A new course on the Administration of the Sun386i (three 4 day courses begin on April25, May 30, and June 27). , ,.. Eighteen courses, offered on a regular basis, in Milpi tas alone .. For more information call 1-800-422-8020. r/ INTERLEAF HAS PORTED TPS 4.0 publishing software to the Sun386i.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 10 Vol. 26, No.4 - April, 1989 GENERAL NEWS
.MATHEMATICA DISCUSSION MEET LBL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 20 ON SOFTWARE ENGINEERING Martin Gelbaum Dennis Hall If you are using Mathematica, or if you would like to know An LBL special interest group is being formed on the more about it, plan to come to a meeting at LBL to ex topic of software engineering. Its goals are: change insights and information. (1) To establish a core of expertise in software engineer Time: ... Thursday, April 20, from 2:30 to 4:30PM ing tools and methods at LBL. Place: ... Bldg SOB, Rm. 2222 (The Brown Room). (2) To evaluate the usefulness of these tools in the (This meeting is a re-scheduling of the March meeting, Laboratory computing environment. cancelled because of a conference conflict.) (3) To distribute the knowledge and experience gained to the rest of the Laboratory. Mathematica is a general system for doing mathematical computation by computer. Some of its features include Participation is open to anyone. Individuals who are using or planning to use software engineering tools or ttl numerical computations: many common functions, methods in their software development tasks will matrix operations, curve fitting, Fourier transform, and describe their activities to the group along with the tools integration they are using or planning to use. Their experience will ttl symbolic computations: expansion and factoring of be collected to provide an evaluation base for existing formulas, differential & integral calculus, symbolic software engineering products. matrix operations, tensor & list operations, and variance The group will also devote time to structured ttl graphics: two-dimensional contour and density graphs, "walkthroughs," "inspections," "milestone reviews," and three-dimensional contour and surface graphs, and the like. This will provide experience in modern soft wireframes and shaded surfaces ware development methodology. It will also add to the evaluation base. ttl an interactive, symbolic programming environment. The group will arrange for occasional software engineer Forward comments and questions to me (x4749) or ing colloquia, and will meet to review experience with VMS Mail lbl::M_Gelbaum products as needed. Unix or [email protected] INTRODUCTORY MEETING Software Tools Mail An introductory meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 3, at 10:30 AM in the Bldg. SOF Conference Room. Forward comments and questions to me at x6053 or VMS Mail lbl::DEHall
Unix or [email protected] Software Tools Mail
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 11 Vol. 26, No; 4 - April, 1989
ELECTRONIC MAIL ETIQUETTE • Don't expect instant response to your mail. Not everyone anxiously awaits your message. Although Alice Brzovic, UC Berkeley they may have accounts, some people don't check them (This article is excerpted with permission from the Berkeley very often, or even u5e them. If you are uncertain of a Computing Quarterly, Vol. 1, No.1, Spring 1989.) recipient's electronic mail habits, or are not getting any response to your messages, a phone call or memo may Your office may have a standard format for internal be quicker and more effective. Electronic mail is not memos, but does it have one for electronic mail? Proba always a replacement for other communication tools. bly not. Since electronic mail is a relatively recent development in communications, a standard of usage has • Assume the messages you send and receive are not been chiseled in stone. Users simply learn by doing. permanent, although they may seem temporary. Don't say anything in electronic mail you might not want to Several recent articles have examined electronic mail appear in your newspaper. You may be discreet, but courtesies and customs. Here are some of the sugges the person receiving the message may not be. tions mentioned in these articles. You might want to consider them the next time you use electronic mail. • State where you are getting your information, even if you are paraphrasing. If you are sending information • Messages should be concise.Too much information in from another source, pay attention to copyrighted one message is a burden on recipients. Screens are material. Copyright laws apply to electronic mail as more difficult to read than printed letters on paper. well as to printed media. Often they have poor resolution and limited scrolling capability. Also, the person reading your mail may • Do not alter text, but clearly and correctly mark text have a limited facility, e.g., slow modem, small screen, that is not your own. Alterations of a text could or old and clunky terminal. confuse the original meaning and embarrass the author. • Layout is important. Clean, well-laid-out messages will be easier to read and more effective at conveying • Don't forward confidential mail to others without what you have to say. Screens make it easy to play first obtaining permission. graphically with text. While this may be amusing, • Be aware that electronic mail might not be as private effective communication should be your first goal in as you wish (it works through shared technology). If using electronic mail. confidentiality and privacy are very important, it may • Keep your discussion focused. If a new topic is be advisable and more appropriate to use other com introduced it should be under a separate message with munication methods. a new subject heading. Unfocused messages will be • It is best not to rush writing your messages. Remem less effective in conveying necessary information. ber that the recipient will have plenty of time to go • Label your subject clearly and uniquely. Unique over your message. Take advantage of text editors and subject headings make for easy filing, cataloging, cross spelling checkers to compose your text before sending referencing, and retrieval. Avoid subjects that are too it. This will give you time to organize your thoughts general, such as "my comments". and make sure your text is accurate. • Good subject headings also help recipients prioritize * Use simple English to get your meaning across. reading their messages. Some people are at the Carelessly-written electronic mail can be misinter receiving end of a lot of mail. Unless the subject is preted. clear, interesting, and purposeful, they most likely will· • If you are sending mail to users of a system that is postpone reading it. different from yours, remember they may not under • Refrain from using electronic mail for unnecessary stand terminology that is quite familiar to you. broadcasting. Limit your distribution list, if possible, • Consider sending explanatory attachments to to less to the people who need to know what you are discuss experienced recipients -instead of burdening every ing. No one likes junk mail. Chain letters, for example, one with details- if you are sending to readers with are an inappropriate use of electronic mail and can varying levels of expertise. cause excessive loading of mail facilities. • Try (however), to refrain from adding too may • Pay attention to the distribution list before forward attachments to your electronic mail. Large bulky ing received mail to someone else. The recipient messages tie up the network and are difficult to read might have several copies of that item already .... On and digest. the other hand, be sure to copy others who may be affected by your message, or who may have informa • Avoid trivial responses unless you really have some tion or suggestions to add. thing important to say. It is not necessary to respond to everything you receive.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 12 Vol. 26, No.4 - April, 1989
• Take time to comprehend what is being written before responding, especially if the message makes you angry. The diversity of backgrounds, cultures, -' opinions, and writing abilities in electronic mail users sometimes make understanding difficult. If you don't understand a particular item, let the sender know rather than jumping to incorrect conclusions. • Remember that you are not interacting with a machine, but with someone who is as sensitive as you are. References If you would like to read more on electronic mail eti quette, see Towards an Ethics and Etiquette of Electronic Mail, by Robert Anderson and Norman Shapiro, Rand Corporation, July 1985.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER Vol. 26, No.4 • April, 1989 13 THE HELP DESK
QUEUEING UP TRY UNIX Lam Wong ON YOUR NEXT BIG PROJECT In the interest of promoting best use of computing Marv Atchley resources and optimum turnaround on the cluster, we Planning a new application? Think about using Unix. offer the following suggestions: If you are planning to write a new program that will • Good Citizenship require a significant amount of CPU cycles, you may We'd like to encourage users to submit (numbers of) wish to consider Unix instead of VMS. The CSA cluster concurrent long batch jobs to just one or two nodes on is almost saturated, and we have considerable unused the cluster (e.g., "CSAS~ECONOMY" Unix capacity. "CSA3 STAND BY") at one time, so that other users can still use the rest of the machines on the cluster.1 Because of free-market competition among Unix hard ware manufacturers, Unix CPU cycles have become at • Balancing the Load least an order of magnitude less expensive than VMS. We'd like to encourage users to submit jobs to generic For this reason, it is possible that the next major expan queues unless a particular job must run on a specific sion of CPU cycles for the Computer Center will be Unix, machine. Jobs submitted to "BATCH$ECONOMY," even though the large base of VMS applications at LBL for instance, are distributed evenly across the queues, require us to support VMS indefinitely. and would be executed on a first-come, first-serve basis, as a slot opens up on the cluster's economy queues -in other words, in good time. When a job is Forward comments and questions to me at x5455 or submitted to a particular queue, it may be stuck behind VMS Mail lbl!:FMAtchley a bunch of other jobs queued there, waiting for execu tion, even though the queues for th~ other nodes might Unix or [email protected] be vacant. Software Tools Mail Forward comments, and questions to me at x4786 or VMS Mail lbl::LHWong
Unix or [email protected] Software Tools Mail
1When we recently reduced charges for committed users on ECON OMY Batch and STANDBY Batch, some users quickly submitted many long simulation jobs to ECONOMY queues on all nodes. Because only 2 ECONOMY jobs can run on a node at one time, the queues went into near gridlock.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 14 Vol. 26, No. 4- April, 1989 PHYSICS NEWS
Werner Koellner • GEANT GEANT, a system of detector description and physics • PHYSICS UTILITIES simulation tools, is available as part of the CERN Librar Access to the Physics Utilities, including the CERN ies. For novice users, a collection of sample programs is Library, the PAW (Physics Analysis Workstation) available. Library, and the various Physics Utilities HELP Libraries Version 3.12.25 is the default version. The logical name is available after executing the OCL command Cern$Geant_Lib points to the appropriate object library @Physics$Manager:Setup_phys file. The files GEANT310.* have been removed. The We recommend that you include this line in your recommended link procedures are Login.Com file. Cern$Library:Geant.Lnk using GEANT.OPT. Please type • HELP HELPGEANT When you type for additional information. Help @Physics_Utilities • PAW you'll see a list of utilities for which help text is available At LBL, the program PAW is primarily being maintained under "Additional information available". You may also in the full GKS version, named PAW_ATC, although the type mini-GKS version as well as a DI3000 version, are also Help 'subtopic' available. PAW_ATC uses the ATC-GKS interface where 'subtopic 'is one of the utilities listed, to get help whereas PAW_DI3000 uses the Precision Visuals DI3000. directly on a particular utility. interface, which can be used only on CSA2. Both ver sions make a large number of output devices available to ~ew and Updated entries are: PAW and TOPDRAWER. the user. • CERNLIBRARY Object libraries are updated at unpredictable times. Standard executable programs of PAW _A TC, MET A Changes are documented in the CERN Computer News PAW, PAW.:...DI3000, as well as PAW, are available in letter, and sometimes also in the directory Cern$Inform. PAW$LIBRARY. If desired, users may link their own In some cases, a previous version of an object library is versions by using or modifying the procedures available as xxxxx.OLD. The following Object Libraries P A W$LIBRARY:P A W _ATC.LNK have been updated recently: PAW_DI3000.LNK, or PAW.LNK). COMIS ...... Version 1.05 These procedures use corresponding linker options files, GRAFLIB5 ...... (Hplot Vers. 5.04/13, e.g., PAW_ATC.OPT. With PAW.ATC, graphics output Higz [mgks], may be directed simultaneously to the screen and Tvvax [mgks], to a Metafile for subsequent processing via the program Gkspack) METAPAW, and also simultaneously, and selectively, to HIGZ ...... Version 1.06/05 a POSTSCRIPT file. HBOOK4 ...... Version 4.05/02 HIGZ_ATC ...... (LBL Version 1.6) Most recent improvements are documented in files HIGZ_DI3000 ...... Version 1.06/05 Cern$Inform:Paw.News*. The latest of these is HPLOT5 ...... Version 5.04/13 PAW.NEWS1052. An updated PAW Manual (dated Sep. KUIP ...... Version 1.60/03 13, 1988) is available from the Computer Center Librar PACKLIB ...... (Ffread Vers. 3.06) ian. A new general Users Manual should become avail PACKLIB4 ...... (Hbook4 4.05/02, able shortly. NOTE: PAW _ATC needs to be relinked for ...... Ffread 3.06) running on machines using VMS S.x. A standard PAW ...... Version 1.05/03 executable for VMS 5.x is available in PAW_ATC ...... LBL Version 1.6 Paw$Library:Paw_ATC.VMSS_EXE. Type SIGMA ...... Version 1.00/01 HELP PAW. ZEBRA ...... Version 3.59/12 for additional general and detailed information.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETIER Vol. 26, No. 4- April, 1989 15
• HIGZ_DI3000 • POISSON The HIGZ graphics interface is now available for interfac POISSON contains four main programs and subroutines ing with the DI3000 graphics package. Note that DI3000 to solve the Poisson or Laplace Equation in 2-dimen is available only on CSA2. To see the requirements for sional space, primarily for Magnet Design applications. linking and running HIGZ with DI3000, To link one or all of the programs FORCCR, LATTCR, please see the files and procedures POISCR, or 1RIPCR, use the procedure Cern$Library:Higz_Di3Exam.For, @Cern$Library:Poisson.Lnk Higz_Di3Exam.Com, and Higz_Di3Exam.Run. A sample program may be executed by typing: The appropriate object library is @Cern$Library:Poisson.Tst Cern$Library:Higz_Di~OOO.Olb. Independent linking can be done using Cern$Library:Higz_Di3000.Lnk. This is still under development, particularly with respect to a DI3000 version. • TOPDRAWER Forward comments and questions to me at x4389 or As previously announced, a more recent, and versatile version of TOPDRAWER, a graphics and data analysis VMS Mail lbl::WOKoellner program, supported as part of the Physics Utilities has UNIX or been obtained from John Clement of Rice University. It is [email protected] still under further development here at LBL. New Software Tools Mail additions are • drivers for output destined for the IMAGEN, • a driver which produces output for POSTSCRIPT devices in their native language (ADOBE), • a set of shorthand device mnemonics for the command SET DEVICE. A preliminary user manual is available in TOPDRAWER$LIBRARY:TOPDRAWER.DOC, and may be printed on any hardcopy device. For more info, type HELP TOPDRAWER
• PROBE_LIBRARIES Probe_Libraries is a command procedure, available as part of the miscellaneous Physics Utilities. It allows you to examine all entry points in all libraries referred to in a series of linker options files. It lists all entry points in all libraries, as well as repeated entry points among the libraries. For information type HELP MIS_FHYS • SWING Swing is a VAX/VMS utility for graphical display, and for moving about in a directory tree. It allows you to rename, move, and delete subdirectories. This program is part of the miscellaneous utilities. For details type HELP MIS_FHYS SWING
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 16 VoL 26, No.4 - Aprill989 NOTES FROM TROUBLE MAIL
Dana Conant, Computing Services MESSAGE: Fo/lowing are further examples of typical exchanges from our Are there any plans to support Xll on the cluster? on-line UNIX and VMS trouble mail facilities. RESPONSE: The basic answer is yes, but 1 am sure the question is ..... more detailed. For example, Xll is supported by DEC MESSAGE: under VMS Version 5.1, which will be brought up on the cluster in late May. I am sure that DECnet is the sup Does LBL have a users' manual for mathematica, and if ported transport mechanism for Xll (and not initially so, where do I find it? I suspect that the program TCP /IP). The toolkits that DEC distributes include Xt would come in handy in a project I am working on. and the DECWindaws toolkit. Other toolkits could Also, is there on-line documentation or a tutorial? probably be brought up by us, or you, depending on the RESPONSE: time involved. Computing Services offers a beta release of Mathematica •••• on UX:l, a Sun 3/280. You can get a brief tutorial on the use of Mathematica MESSAGE: from the shelves by the Help Desk in SOB/1275; further, I have some .COM files on CSA that run automatically "man math" on UX:l gives a barebones introduction to every day. These jobs run Tell-a-graf programs which the program. The fundamental text on Mathematica is means they must run on either CSAl or CSA4. They "Mathematica- a System for Doing Mathematics by are now "hard-wired" to use CSA4. When CSAl or 4 is Computer" by Stephen Wolfram, Addison Wesley, 1988. down (i.e., for maintenance), is there a way my pro This book is available through the Computing Services grams can test to see which of CSAl or 4 is up and Library, x4242. , submit the job on the machine that is available? The LBL Computing Newsletter will report updates and RESPONSE: soon. Try adding the following to your .COM files: •••• $ ON ERROR THEN GOTO try_csa2 MESSAGE: $IF F$GETSYI("NODENAME","CSA4~) .EQS. • "CSA4" THEN SUBMIT/ Is a version of lisp or some lisp-like language available QUEUE=CSA4_NORMAL on CSA? thanks. •••• RESPONSE: There is Franz USP, opus 42, running on CSA. It will MESSAGE: probably be there when we move to Version S.x as well. I have a question about batch jobs submitted to the You should have the following symbols defined: VAX cluster. What happens if I have several batch $ lisp :== $franzexe:vmslisp vmslisp jobs going on at the same time creating and deleting a $ liszt :== $franzexe:vmsliszt vmsliszt file with the same name in the same directory? Is the ..... creating/deleting process specific or is there a possibil ity that I will run into problems? The file in question MESSAGE: is used as a temporary file to create text for a mail Many years ago, the LBL computer center used to have message which is subsequently sent out during the files of world geographic coordinates for drawing batch jobs. maps. Are these still available and how can I get RESPONSE: them? A common method used to create a "unique" file name RESPONSE: is to get your process identification number, and tack The NCAR graphics package on the VAX cluster and that number onto the base name of your file: UX:l and UX3 has a geographic database. You can draw $ temp_mail_file = "temp_mail" + ""F$GETJPI{"", the continents with or without country boundaries and "PID")" the United States with or without state boundaries. Then, refer to the temporary file by the symbol Large lakes are also drawn. A variety of map projec "temp_mail_file", as in tions are available in NCAR if you also need the drawing DELETEINOCONFIRM 'temp_mail_file' routines. (The single quotes are required to tell DCL that On the cluster, see HELP GRAPHICS NCAR for more "temp_mail_file" is a symbol.) information...... Thus, various batch jobs can create and delete their own LBL COMPliTING NEWSLETTER Vol26, No.4 - April1989 17 mail files without conflicts because each batch job is a I assume that the problem is at the NMFECC end since separate process. our V AXes are perfect! But, it shouldn't be a difficult ...... task to get network information (speed, etc.) from both ends. It would be nice to know how things are going MESSAGE: and which machine is up. If I override the cpu time limit default in a batch queue RESPONSE: (say BATCH$ECONOMY), and specify several hours for CPUTIME, will my job run at a lower priority than According to MFE, there are no plans to implement a others with shorter CPUTIME limits in the same VAX-based program by which a user on our cluster can queue? In other words, does it pay to estimate the cpu tell the state of the MFE Crays. The best way to tell time needed for a job carefully? I've been playing it whether a given Cray is running is to login to that safe by estimating the cpu time needed and then machine. doubling it, and I'm afraid my jobs run too slowly as a A variety of problems have made the MFE Crays unreli resulL able to date: 1. Hardware and software problems with the disks for RESPONSE: the Cray 2' s, many of which have supposedly been The value of I cpudefault or I cpulimit of a job/queue fixed. does not influence scheduling priorities. Thus, how fast 2. One of the Cray 2's (the B machine) was the first of your job runs has nothing to do with how you specify its kind ever built, and therefore is more buggy than those values. Jobs in any given batch queue are started later versions. in the same order they are submitted. 3. The machines are very heavily loaded, with up to ...... 160 jobs at a time running on them. MESSAGE: ...... I would like to access ARP Anet open bulletin boards. As of now, I'm using some of the CSA cluster e-mail resources but not much else. I'm fairly well up-to If you want wider distribution of your comments or questions, speed with my personal computer and this communica we encourage you to send them to trouble since it is seen by a tion package. Can you suggest a plan of action? wide range of people, including Divisional management. RESPONSE: To use trouble, enter the VMS, Software Tools, or UNIX On CSA, there is a program called "tc" for "teleconfer mail system and send mail to the address ence"; the command "man tc" explains how to use it. trouble
MESSAGE: Why can't the MFE command tell me what is going on at the NMFECC? When I type "MFE" or even "MFFJ full", all I get is some information what seems less than useful. For example, often the system is very bogged down or it takes a great deal of time to NETOUT a file.
LBL COMPUTING NEWS LEITER 18 Vol26, No.4- April, 1989 THE WORKSTATION SCENE
UP FRONT [26.4.5] [26.4.1] DEMO APRIL 19: REAL-TIME SIGNAL ANALYSIS ON THE MACINTOSH WORKSTATION GROUP ELECTRONIC MAIL Representatives from Spectral Innovations will be at LBL Workstation Group members can now be reached from to demonstrate MacDSP, a floating-point DSP (digital the VMS cluster or the Computing Division's UNIX signal processor) board that turns a Mac II into a real machines by sending mail to time workstation. VMS Mail. lbl::WKSG Time: ...... 10 AM Wednesday, April19
UNIX or Place: ...... Bldg. 70A, Rm. 3377 Software Tools Mail: [email protected] (The Conference Room) We hope this alternative (to the telephone) will help The NuBus interface board uses AT&T's DSP 32 floating users with problems or wanting to share helpful hints. point processor chip and data acquisition modules mount directly onto the processing board. The presen [26.4.2] tation will address the design features of the board, WHERE WE'RE AT followed by a live demo of the three levels of software available. Software includes: The Workstation Laboratory, home of several Worksta tion members as well as the Workstation Lending • a C compiler for developing custom algorithms; Library, is located at Bldg. SOB, Rrn. 2231. It's open from • an application library of over 100 routines for a variety 8 AM to S PM Monday through Friday. We're here to of signal processing functions; help; call us (x68S8). • a low-level assembler for time-critical applications. [26.4.3] For more information, contact Richard LaPierre (x4692). MATHEMATICA MEETING RESCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY,APRIL20 [26.4.6] Due to a conference conflict, the Mathematica Discussion TRADING POST Group (original~y set for March 23) has been Items advertised here are for Laboratory use only and rescheduled for Thur~ay, April 20 from 2:30 to 4:30 PM must be purchased with a valid account number. Unless in Bldg. SOB, Rrn. 2222 (The Brown Room). If you are we hear from traders, items will be listed here just once. using Mathematica, or if you would like to know more For more information about these ads, contact Bruce about it, plan to come to this meeting to exchange Burkhart, x6858. insights and information. 1. For Sale: Apple ImageWriter LQ Printer, almost new. [26.4.4] Price: negotiable. Contact: Don Hopkins, x6627. MAC DEMO APRIL 4 2. For Sale: Diablo 1640 Daisy-Wheel Printer (IBM-DOS Representatives from Apple Computer, Inc. will be at environment), good condition. Price negotiable. Contact LBL to answer questions and help with hands-on demon Richard LaPierre, x68S8. strations of their new products. 3. For Sale: Diablo 630 Daisy-Wheel Printer (IBM-DOS • Macintosh Hex environment), good condition. Price negotiable. Contact • Apple Two-page Monochrome Monitor Richard LaPierre, x6858. • Apple Macintosh Portrait Display 4. Wanted: 20 MByte External Hard Disk with cable for a • Macintosh SE/30. Mac Plus computer. Reasonable price. Contact: Chuck TIME: ...... 10 AM through 1 PM McParland, x69S6. Tuesday, April 4, 1989 PLACE: ...... Bldg. 70, Rrn. 191 (The Conference Room) Please stop by the Conference Room to try out these new products. For additional information, contact Bruce Burkhart (x68S8).
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER VoL 26, No.4- April, 1989 19
[26.4.7] C> date
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 20 VoL 26, No.4- April, 1989
128.3.12.50. So, when possible, it's a good idea to avoid [26.4.11] putting this kind of information into conflg.tel. It's not VIDEOS AVAILABLE AT THE MAIN necessary to include internet address information, UBRARY TELNET automatically uses a nameserver to do the name-to-internet address mapping. However, to use this If you were not able to attend Roy Kerth's recent talk on feature, you must type the full domain name of the host "Macintosh FONTS, PRINTERS, and THEIR FOIBLES," (for example, pistachio.ee.lbl.gov) or else utilize one or you can view a video tape of the event. A copy of this both of the features listed below. tape is available at the Main Library Circulation Desk (Bldg. 50, Rm. 134, x5621). The Library also has a portable One way to avoid having to type the full domain name of color cassette player available for viewing cassettes. a host you wish to connect to is to create some aliases in your conflg.tel file. For example: The Library can also lend you a video tape of the recent NeXT demo and the New Word 4.0 Features presentation name=pistachio host=p istachio.ee.lb l.gov allows you to type the simple name "pistachio" to [26.4.12]. connect to this host. TIMELYTIP: SI>IUNG AtifA() Another more powerful shortcut is to define a "default domain" in your conflg.tel file. For example: MAC Users. Daylight Savings time is coming. Don't forget to Spring Ahead on Sunday, Apri12 (at 2 AM, if domain="lbl.gov" you're up). To set your dock: sets the default domain and allows you to use simple (1) Select the Apple icon. names like "ux1" and "csa1" without having to create aliases. In these cases, TELNET automatically adds the (2) Go to Control Panel "lbl.gov" extension in its request to the nameserver and (3) Oick on the hour in the Time Window. comes up with the right address. (4) Oick once on the up arrow. When running on a Mac gatewayed through a Kinetics box to the ethernet, it is not necessary to put (5) Oick on the Clock icon. "nameserver'' or "gateway" entries in your conflg.tel (6) Oose file; telnet gets this information from the K-box which gets the correct defaults from the KIP administrative [26.4.13]. host. If you use a PC or a Mac with a directly-connected ethemet interface (i.e. not a k-box) then you do need to WinCH MAC TO BUY: APRIL 2, 1989 put nameserver and gateway information in your config.tel file. With the introduction of the new Mac SE/30 and Mac Hex, A copy of Telnet 2.2, along with the recommended there may be some questions concerning what to buy, configuration (config.tel ) is available from the Work now. Price is always important, but performance and station Group. It can also be copied from the WKSG1 possible compatibility may be key to your needs. Apple Server. With the recent flood of new Apple products and their The important changes included are: frequent cost updates, your Workstation Group staff is continually evaluating the best prices and system configu - The default zone is set to ''lbl.gov" rations. -It has aliases for some hosts not in the ''lbl.gov" zone. Stop by the Workstation Lab (Bldg. SOB, Rm. 2231, x6858) - Ftp is disabled by default. to pick up our current recommendations on purchases of - The values for mtu, maxseg, an<;l rwin have been Macintosh computer systems. determined to be optimal. Besides price, other important factors to consider when -The zone keyword specifies ,,., instead of a named planning your purchase include: memory upgrade, speed, zone. ,,., means "the current zone" and so it is position large screens, and future expandability. Get all the facts, independent, that is, you can use the same conflg.tel call us today. from Macs on k-boxes that are in different zones. - It has optional information useful when running telnet on a PC or a Mac with a direct ethemet card.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER Vol 26, No.4- April, 1989 21
[26.4.14]. For formal correspondence, the Workstation Group HERE'S QUICKLEITER maintains a QuickLetter stationery file with the UC unofficial seal and LBL address letterhead. See me for a ... A Review by Ardent Advocate Bruce Burkhart copy. (My thanks to Mark Galvin at Working Software Quick Letter, from WORKING SOFIWARE, INC., Santa for his help in setting this up.) . Cruz, 408-423-5699, retails for about $125. Quick Letter ships with a working copy of Spells Well (a QuickLetter is touted as "brilliantly designed, nearly small 60,000-word dictionary) and a demo copy of flawlessly implemented, and well marketed." It creates Finds Well. This slick DAis compatible with the Macll, letters and envelopes and meets most needs as a Desk Ilx, and is MultiFinder-friendly. Accessory (DA). It is not a full-featured word processor, but it is a nice little letter- and memo-writing tool. with [26.4.15] some great features. HYPERCARD CORNER Besides the standard Mac text-editing tools, your Quick Letter DA layout can contain a logo or any other graphic as a heading. Positioning the graphic is ... from Workstation member Bruce Burkhart tricky, but the folks at Working Software Inc., have Merging Stacks... assured me that a future update will correct this problem. Other features include: Less than perfect planning of a HyperCard project sometimes means starting a new stack here, then there, • a small eye icon: click on it to go to Preview mode. and sometimes everywhere. This is particularly true if • easy text manipulation: you can move it anywhere on more than one person is working on a project. Putting all the page by clicking on it and dragging. the pieces together can be a project unto itself. • option for printing- or not printing- the graphic or Although a HyperCard project can consist of one or more letterhead. stacks, it is more efficient to present one complete stack to a user. There are several approaches you can use These are just a few of the understated and elegant when merging stacks: features I found in QuickLetter. 1. Simply 11CUt & paste" one card at a time QuickLetter does envelopes. And it prints them better This first method is fast and easy if you're not dealing than any full featured word processor yet. Envelopes can with lots of cards, but it could present a problem or so. have graphic or text return addresses, and two special There is no direct way to "cut" a card from a stack A and message areas. One at the top center and one at the "paste" it in as the first card in stack B. Solution: lower left. This very impressive LaserWriter envelope creation and -printing feature should put one more nail • Paste the card from stack A as the second card in stack in the typewriter's coffin. B. This DA also has an Address Book for name, address, • Then delete the first card in stack B, so that the "sec- and phone numbers. Information from this little data ond" card becomes the "first" card. base can be automatically pasted in for salutations, and This is a bit roundabout, but it works. Always remem addresses for envelopes. There is a fast & effective search ber, merged cards from stack-to-stack retain their original function, and you can import address data into the backgrounds. (How stack resources transfer is currently Address Book from other sources. under study.)
Now for a real plus! Use QuickLetter within the LBL 2. W~ite a script to merge your stacks Electronic Mail system. If you· are like me, typing more If the size of your stacks precludes the one-by-one than a line or two in the VAX text editor is painful. Now, approach, write a script to merge your stacks. A "copy I it's a simple Mac "cut and paste" operation. While in paste" operation within a repeat loop is used in the Versaterm, drop down into QuickLetter and compose sample script below. To apply it, your memo or letter in a less hostile environment. When finished, "cut or copy'' - return to E-mail - and "paste" • create a temporary new button named "Merge" on the in your QuickLetter text. This operation has been tested first card of your stack A and successfully within all the E-mail systems at LBL. Now, • then copy the script under the mouse Up handler in the writing lengthy messages is almost a pleasure! (Well, button. almost!) You should remember, however, that • Now, click on the Merge button, and you are prompted SmartQuotes are not retained when pasted in E-mail. to "Select Stack to be Merged to this Stack." When the Also, you need to use smaller-than-normal line lengths in doMenu "Open Stack ... " line is executed in the handler, QuickLetter. Lines that are too long do not transfer a "destination" dialog box appears. properly.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLEITER 22 Vol. 26, No.4· April, 1989
• Find, and open stack B. who readily express their viewpoints on virtually every thing that affects them as computer users. Articles for • When HyperCard finishes executing the script, both stacks are merged, with stack B following the last card this most recent issue include data on BMUG resources, in stack A. When you are all finished, hardware, telecommunications, hacking, information tools, and- most interesting -commentary on Apple • remove the Merge Button. Corp, all aspects. The Newsletter is richly endowed with Note: be careful, the following script does not have any "error lots of illustrations, and includes an informative set of traps" or other protections that a polished, finished script Appendices. should have to protect you from ending up in a HyperCard BMUG's credo is: "We're in the business of giving away "black hole." information." And that they are. on mouseUp- Merge Button In the BMUG Resources Section, several articles stand -This script will merge all of stack B out. In particular, "Choice Products," put together by -behind stack A (the stack with the ''Team BMUG". Here, dozens of hardware products are Merge Button) listed with pros and cons about each item. Some very put the long name of this stack into stackA colorful. ("Does the fan noise in your monitor sound like Answer "Select Stack to be Merged to this Stack an industrial vacuum cleaner sucking up a jello spill?" doMenu "Open Stack ... " You get the idea.) On a more serious note however, the put the long name of this stack into stackB article on the "System 6.0 Expose" is a great one, as it lock screen- faster data transfer & hide card-, nicely describes the files on the System Tools and Utili activity ties disks, a MUST READ. set cursor to watch In the Hardware Section, a dozen articles cover various repeat with i=l to the number of cards Mac equipment: you may find these informative, and go to card i even useful. doMenu "Copy Card" go to last card of stackA In the Telecommunications Section there is a complete doMenu "Paste Card" list of the Bay Area Bulletin Board names, phone num go to stackB bers, locations, and comments. end repeat The Hacking Section will interest programmers and unlock screen hackers of course. Heavy stuff. go to first card of stackA end mouseUp The Information Tools Section is a mixed-bag of articles, some incredibly informative for the Mac user, for ex 3. Purchase a commercial product to do the job. ample, ''INITs, DAs, & CDEVs: A Beginners Guide". Stack Cleaner by Softworks, Inc., might be a third And some not so important, "Beyond Dark Castle: A possible alternative. This commercial HyperCard set of Review." However, on the whole, there are many utilities (retail price: $99) includes a merge-and-split interesting and useful reviews. stack option, and several other less useful routines. The split stack option is particularly interesting. Cards from a The Commentary Section is my favorite. Here, Mac stack can be selected in non-sequential order and the users full of love and hate vent their joys and frustrations selection is then merged into a new stack. The Stack over the Macintosh experience. Clea~er set of utilities is available in the WKSG Lending The Appendices contain a Bibliography, Newsletter Library. Right now, we are looking at other shareware Glossary, and a very useful BMUG Shareware Library and commercial products. Index. This issue included an inserted BMUG Hyper THE BMUG NEWSLFITER Card Library Index. In addition, a disk, which includes a variety of some useful -and not so useful -utilities, This month, in addition to regular HyperCard news, I applications and demos, is included with the Newsletter, would like to talk about the newly-released Winter/ Spring-1989 BMUG Newsletter. First of all, this 384- Stop by the Workstation Lab (Bldg.SOB, Rm.2231) to page ''Newsletter" is really a book - if you go by inspect this edition, and get additional details for putting weight. It's published twice a year by the Berkeley yourself on the BMUG Newsletter subscription list. Macintosh Users Group: a year's subscription is $40. To get on the mailing list, contact the BMUG offices, 415- 549-2684. The Newsletter is a series of articles submitted by users.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER Vol. 26, No.4 - April.1989 23 Workstation Software Lending Library/Complete
The Macintosh and IBM PC software listed below can be borrowed for one week for evaluation. It is not to be copied!! The Workstation Group lets you keep these packages for one week at no charge. If not returned after the 8th day, there will be a $100 charge plus the software cost recharged to your account. To check on the availability of, or to make a software reservation, call the Workstation at x6858.
APPLICATION CATEGORY APPLE MACINTOSH IBM PC-XT-AT
Communications KermitV0.8 DECnet DOS Vl.l ** TOPS for the MAC V2.0 Kermit V2.30 VersaTerm V3.2 PC-VTV8.4 SmartTerm 240 v2.0a ** TOPS for the PC V2.0
Database Application dBase Mac vl.O , dBaseiii Plus Generators FileMaker II dBaseiV Reflex Plus Vl.O QUA TIRO 4th Dimension V1.04 R:BASE V2.1
Demo Programs dBaseMAC Adobe Illustrator FoxBASE+/MAC GENIFER FreeHand by Aldus Galaxy V2.3 Mac Lab Javelin PLUS MacSpin Legend MacTeX Lotus Agenda MathType Lotus Manuscript MGM Station Cad MiniTK Solver Mystat/SYSTAT Mystat/SYST AT PowerPoint PerSoft ProCite biblio ProCite biblio Reflex Plus by Borland SAS StatView SE+, II Spectra Calc SIMUL SuperProject Expert VersaCad (MAC SE only) Third V1.9 WordPerfectx PageMaker v3.0 Intro to SQL*Tutor Vuwriter Scientific
Disk Backup Utilities DiskFit V1.4 BackEZ! Vl.O FastBack V1.02 HFS Backup V2.02 Redux Vl.O
Drafting MacDraft V1.2b 2/24/88 MiniCad Plus
Drawing and Design Aldus FreeHand V2.0 DrawPlus Canvas2.0 HP Charting Gallery Vl.O * Claris CAD Vl.O Harvard Graphics V2.1 Cricket Draw Vl.l.l HP Drawing Gallery Vl.O Cricket Graph V1.3 HP Laser Plotter Cricket Paint Laser Combo Vl.O * Cricket Presents V2.0 Lotus Freelance Vl.O Fantastic Plus Vl.O Lotus GraphWriter Vl.O Fontographer V2.3.2 MS Chart V2.0
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 24 Vol. 26, No.4 -April, 1989
FullPaint Vl.O MS PaintBrush vl.O Graph Painter v1.06 MS Show Partner Haste V1.0 Illustrator 88 Image Studio V1.5 LaserTalk V1.0 MacDraw II vl.Ov4 MacPaint V2.0 MiniDraw DA v2.03 Pict-O-Graph Vl.O Pixel Paint Vl.O SuperPaint V2.0 TSGraph
Equation Generators Expressionist v2.0 Math Edit Vl.l MacEqn V2.1 MathType V1.04 Math Writer v1.3
Fonts Adobe Screen Font Library HP Cartridge Fonts: LBL Fonts Vl.O A,D,E,V,Z Princeton Font 4.0L HP Soft Fonts: SciFonts V2.5 Letter Gothic Prestige Elite TmsRmn & Helvetica
General Languages Aztec C Compiler V3.40B Macro Assembler v5.1 and Tools Language Systems: MS Fortran v4.1 Fortran and MPW v2.1 MS Basic Compiler v6.0 Lightspeed C V2.01 MS C Compiler v5.0 Lightspeed Pascal v2.0 MS Quick Basic v3.0 MacFortran/020-Absoft v2.4 MS Quick C vl.O MS Basic Vl.O Q-OOSII MS Quick Basic RM Fortran v2.0 * Turbo Pascal Vl.l True Basic V2.0 Turbo Pascal v5.0
HyperCard HyperCard V1.2.1 HyperDA Vl.l Hyper-XCall v1.01 Icon Factory 1.0 Port Authority II Reports! V1.0 101 Scripts & Buttons Stack Cleaner v1.01
Instructional Personal Training Systems: ATI Teach Yourself: Audio Cassette & Disk Lotus 1-2-3 V2.0 "Learn Excel" (9 courses) Cdex Training Program: "Learn HyperCard" (4 courses) Lotus 1-2-3 Vl.Oa "Learn PageMaker 3.0" (4 " ) PC Tutor "Learn Illustrator88" (4 courses)MS Word Adv. Training "Learn Word" (3 courses) dBASE N training "MacTeach" (4 courses) Intro & Intermediate Flip Track Learning Systems: "How to use Word" (4 courses)
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER Vol. 26, No.4 -April. 1989 25
Mathematics/Statistics DataDesk Pro v2.0r1 TK Plus Solver KaleidaGraph vl.l Mathematica v1.1 Milo vl.O Parameter Manager Plus Passage v(e.02) Passage II v1.07 StatView 512+ v1.2
Organizational Tools Acta V2.0 GrandView Vl.O MacProject II Harvard Project Manager V3.01 More II , TimeLine V3.0 Think 'n Time V1.0
Presentation Graphics Aldus Persuasion v1.0 Draw Applause v1.0 Cricket Presents V2.0 Master Graphics Full Impact v1.0 Chart Master · PowerPoint v2.00A Diagram Master Ready-Set-Show Vl.O Sign Master Trapeze v2.1
Spreadsheets Excel V1.5 Excel V2.0 MacSQZ V1.51 Lotus 1-2-3 V2.01: Panorama vl.O In Word Vl.O 101 Macro's for Excel Lotus HAL & Metro Trapeze v2.1 Learn & SpeedUp Full Impact v1.0 Funk Worksheet Util
Technical Publishing! PageMaker V3.0 BYLINE vl.O Page Layout PageMaker Templates V2.0 PageMaker V1.0a Quark XPress V2.0 Ventura Publisher V2.0 * Ready-Set-Go! V4.5 SpringBoard Publisher vl.O
Utilities AnyText/ AnyGraph V1.4 DeskSet vl.O Comment vl.O Carousel Vl.O * EndNote vl.l Double DOS Fedit Plus Vl.O DW Laser V1.3B FontLiner vl.O MS Windows/286 FontSizer vl.O MS Windows/386 HFS Navigator vl.O Norton Utilities V4.0 Interferon v3.1 Nvelope vl.O * Microsoft Works v2.0 PICNIX PCUNIX PrintWorks for the MAC Polaris Forms Vl.O * The NightWatch V1.03 SideView Vl.O Thunder! vl.O SoftWare Bridge V3.1 Openlt! The Trading Post PC Tools for the MAC MultiDisk Vl.l Readlt! v1.06h QuicKeys Vl.l Sensible Grammer V1.1c Sentinel V2.0 SideKick V2.0 SmartScrap & The Clipper Spelling Coach Pro
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 26 Vol. 26, No.4 -April, 1989
Stepping Out Vl.O Stufflt Vl.S.l SuitCase vl.O SuperGlue vl.O SUM
Word Processing/Editors FullWrite Pro Vl.O DisplayWrite4 Vl.O Mac Write vS.O Lotus Manuscript Vl.O MindWrite v1.12 MSWordV4.0 MS Word v3.02 MS PageView Vl.O Textures Vl.Ol PC/VIVl.ll WordPerfect Vl.O Total Word Vl.O WriteNow 2.0 T3 TRIAD v2.1 WordPerfect VS.O * Ami vl.O
* Update or New Listing ** WKSG Lab Demo Only.
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETIER Vol. 26, No. 4 - April, 1989 27
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LBL COMPUTING NEWSLEITER 28 Vol. 26, No.4- April, 1989
Information and Computing Sciences Division Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Computer Center Library- MS SOF One Cyclotron Road Berkeley, CA 94720 ATTN: Newsletter Mailing List
Vogue Ia gah~re Vol. 26, No.4 - April, 1989 29
This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor The Regents of the University of California, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial products process, or service by its trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or The Regents of the University of California. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof or The Regents of the University of California and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is an Equal Opportunity Employer
LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETTER 30 VoL 26, No.4 - April, 1989
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Attention LBL employees: If you use the Computer Center's UNIX or VMS system, or if you are an owner or user of a PC or a MAC, you should sign up to receive the Laboratory's Computing Newsletter. It contains useful information about our systems and has a helpful Workstation News section (supported by the Information and Computing Sciences Division's Workstation Group), offering support and helpful hints for PC users. This is also a place for you to send questions and comments. To add your name to the Newsletter Mailing List, contact Irene Partyka, x4242, or
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LBL COMPUTING NEWSLETI'ER