November 2011 - Grml - lists.mur.at

Boot options
by Philippe Delavalade 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

HI all. I'm new on this list and new to GRML. Being blind and french, I have to enter the following when booting on the CD : grml blind brltty=pm,usb:,fr@FR lang=fr-iso It is difficult because I don't know exactly when it is boot prompt and I have to do this with a qwerty keyboard instaid of my usual azerty. Mistakes are frequent :-( So, I would like to know if it's possible to avoid the step of boot options. I guess it's possible to remaster the iso but maybe there is something more simple and handy. If it's the only way to remaster, where can I find informations to do this ? Long time ago, I did that with the linuxfromscratch livecd but every step was explained... Thanks for help or advice. -- Ph. Delavalade

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Upcoming Z-Shell Setup changes.
by Frank Terbeck 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

Hi there, We - the grml team - have recently discussed rather substantial changes in our interactive zsh setup. The setup is quite large, large enough to not be maintainable by our limited resources. Therefore, we will be cutting down its size in the not-so-distant future. The current plan is outlined here: <http://ft.bewatermyfriend.org/tmp/gzcu.org> We might make some of the removed features available as add-ons. A tentative list of ideas is here: <http://piratenpad.de/g1A8PIJkOL> Work on this will begin shortly - albeit in a separate branch of the `grml-etc-core' package's git repository. If there is anything in the removal list, that you'd like to keep, make a convincing argument as to why the feature in question should be kept. After the cleanup is done, we are planning to split the zsh setup out of `grml-etc-core' and into a package of its own, so that users who are only interested in the zsh-setup can quickly install just that on any debian-based OS. Regards, Frank - on behalf of the grml team. -- In protocol design, perfection has been reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. -- RFC 1925

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Announcement: Grml flavour & package list changes
by Christian Hofstaedtler 15 Nov '11

15 Nov '11

[cc:ed grml@ mailing list for further exposure] Hi everybody, starting now, we will ship a different set of Grml flavours and package sets in future releases. (For more background please see the October 2011 meeting minutes.) Our goal is to have one ~300MB ISO flavour which will ship with all the commonly used tools for rescue & deployment tasks. This flavour replaces the old full, medium and small ISOs. Have a look at the (current) package list in detail: http://git.grml.org/?p=grml-live.git;a=blob;f=etc/grml/fai/config/package_c… Note that as we go along changes to this list will happen. If you're missing a tool you're using day to day in rescue & deployment scenarios, please suggest it! The daily ISOs (starting 20111115) from http://daily.grml.org/ already use the new package list, so give these a try. (sid builds fail at the moment, please use wheezy instead.) Feedback is welcome on the mailing lists, as well on IRC (#grml on FreeNode). -ch PS: As you can see in the package list, the bare tools for accessibility will be included, but that's about it. We can't make any guarantees for working accessibility. -- Grml Live Linux IRC: #grml on FreeNode

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Accessibility works fine for me
by John G. Heim 07 Nov '11

07 Nov '11

My problems with my hardware synth are absolutely not grml problems. I've found the same problem occurs with the speakup module in the stock debian kernel in the testing release. There is something wrong with the kernel module for the doubletalk synt starting around kernel 2.6.38. It works in kkernel version 2.6.32 and it works in newer kernels on 32 bit machines. Its only newer 64 bit kernels where the problem occurs. I have not been able to get software speech to work but that's probably because I don't know how to unmute a sound card in character mode. There ought to be a linux package to set a rational configuration for sound cards. There used to be a program called alsaconf but it was dropped from the alsa packages a few years ago. I can't imagine why. It seemed to work like a charm. Anyway, personally, I am satisfied with hardware synth support and braille support. If you say software speech works, so much the better. Although, I think it would be both useful and cool for grml to pplay a little tune through the beep command when its done booting. Like ubuntu has its distinctive drum beat when the GUI is done loading. It would become the grml theme mmusic. I would make it my ring tone. I think it would be ccool to be on the bus and have my phone ring and have some other nerd recognize it as the grml boot tune. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Whapples" <mwhapples(a)aim.com> To: <grml(a)mur.at> Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2011 11:20 AM Subject: [Grml] Accessibility works fine for me > Hello, > Just a quick note that for what I could test of the medium64 daily build > accessibility seemed to work. > > Here is what I tested: > * Let the ISO boot normally on a MacBookPro. > * I got nothing to indicate that the CD had finished booting (don't know > if that is what should happen currently). I just listened for when the CD > activity seemed to stop. > * I then tried to start brltty with no options and it started fine > detecting my Braille display. > * Then I checked sound levels. Everything except master seemed to be > muted. As there was one channel labelled front speakers I decided to raise > this volume first. Not sure if that is needed but if it is for sound > output then may be that needs to be changed so that I will not need to > raise that level. > * I loaded the speakup_soft module which worked fine. > * Started espeakup which also started fine. > > Things I could not test: > * I could not test hardware speech output as my apollo synthesiser > requires a serial port and the MacBookPro has no serial port. The > MacBookPro is the only 64-bit computer I have. > > The main issues which come out of this is, some way of knowing the CD is > booted (may be a sequence of beeps) and possibly the sound not being > properly unmuted (which possibly is a hardware specific issue and may be > harder to fix for "everyone"). > > Michael Whapples > _______________________________________________ > Grml mailing list - Grml(a)ml.grml.org > http://ml.grml.org/mailman/listinfo/grml > join #grml on irc.freenode.org > grml-devel-blog: http://blog.grml.org/ > >

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Re: [Grml] Accessibility works fine for me
by Michael Whapples 07 Nov '11

07 Nov '11

Well if you want nerdy, how about GRML done out in morse code? As for the unmuting of the sound card, I used alsamixer with brltty, possibly not the most efficient combination but it worked for me. Michael Whapples On 7 Nov 2011, at 14:59, John G. Heim wrote: > My problems with my hardware synth are absolutely not grml problems. I've found the same problem occurs with the speakup module in the stock debian kernel in the testing release. There is something wrong with the kernel module for the doubletalk synt starting around kernel 2.6.38. It works in kkernel version 2.6.32 and it works in newer kernels on 32 bit machines. Its only newer 64 bit kernels where the problem occurs. > > I have not been able to get software speech to work but that's probably because I don't know how to unmute a sound card in character mode. There ought to be a linux package to set a rational configuration for sound cards. There used to be a program called alsaconf but it was dropped from the alsa packages a few years ago. I can't imagine why. It seemed to work like a charm. > > Anyway, personally, I am satisfied with hardware synth support and braille support. If you say software speech works, so much the better. > > Although, I think it would be both useful and cool for grml to pplay a little tune through the beep command when its done booting. Like ubuntu has its distinctive drum beat when the GUI is done loading. It would become the grml theme mmusic. I would make it my ring tone. I think it would be ccool to be on the bus and have my phone ring and have some other nerd recognize it as the grml boot tune. > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Whapples" <mwhapples(a)aim.com> > To: <grml(a)mur.at> > Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2011 11:20 AM > Subject: [Grml] Accessibility works fine for me > > >> Hello, >> Just a quick note that for what I could test of the medium64 daily build accessibility seemed to work. >> >> Here is what I tested: >> * Let the ISO boot normally on a MacBookPro. >> * I got nothing to indicate that the CD had finished booting (don't know if that is what should happen currently). I just listened for when the CD activity seemed to stop. >> * I then tried to start brltty with no options and it started fine detecting my Braille display. >> * Then I checked sound levels. Everything except master seemed to be muted. As there was one channel labelled front speakers I decided to raise this volume first. Not sure if that is needed but if it is for sound output then may be that needs to be changed so that I will not need to raise that level. >> * I loaded the speakup_soft module which worked fine. >> * Started espeakup which also started fine. >> >> Things I could not test: >> * I could not test hardware speech output as my apollo synthesiser requires a serial port and the MacBookPro has no serial port. The MacBookPro is the only 64-bit computer I have. >> >> The main issues which come out of this is, some way of knowing the CD is booted (may be a sequence of beeps) and possibly the sound not being properly unmuted (which possibly is a hardware specific issue and may be harder to fix for "everyone"). >> >> Michael Whapples >> _______________________________________________ >> Grml mailing list - Grml(a)ml.grml.org >> http://ml.grml.org/mailman/listinfo/grml >> join #grml on irc.freenode.org >> grml-devel-blog: http://blog.grml.org/ >> >

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Accessibility works fine for me
by Michael Whapples 06 Nov '11

06 Nov '11

Hello, Just a quick note that for what I could test of the medium64 daily build accessibility seemed to work. Here is what I tested: * Let the ISO boot normally on a MacBookPro. * I got nothing to indicate that the CD had finished booting (don't know if that is what should happen currently). I just listened for when the CD activity seemed to stop. * I then tried to start brltty with no options and it started fine detecting my Braille display. * Then I checked sound levels. Everything except master seemed to be muted. As there was one channel labelled front speakers I decided to raise this volume first. Not sure if that is needed but if it is for sound output then may be that needs to be changed so that I will not need to raise that level. * I loaded the speakup_soft module which worked fine. * Started espeakup which also started fine. Things I could not test: * I could not test hardware speech output as my apollo synthesiser requires a serial port and the MacBookPro has no serial port. The MacBookPro is the only 64-bit computer I have. The main issues which come out of this is, some way of knowing the CD is booted (may be a sequence of beeps) and possibly the sound not being properly unmuted (which possibly is a hardware specific issue and may be harder to fix for "everyone"). Michael Whapples

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Accessibility: espeakup and ALSA
by Michael Whapples 06 Nov '11

06 Nov '11

Hello, I seem to have a memory of a message saying that ALSA sound support in the medium ISO is being considered for removal, although I cannot find the message. Now as accessibility is being put in the medium ISO, the problem is that espeakup and espeak rely on working sound support to be of any use (as mentioned in the festival TTS documentation sound output is desirable, although having no sound card does mean less defects will be heard). I just thought I would bring this point to the attention of the developers, as there is no point in including espeakup and espeak unless sound support is there. Michael Whapples

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Accessibility versus Packages
by Konrad Schrempf 05 Nov '11

05 Nov '11

Hi, even if I don't need the discussed accessibility-packages, they seem to me much more important than other packages. As an example I remind on the discussion about TeX/LaTeX some time ago. Unless almost all of the packages are provided it is necessary to install some more. So it is the same to install all of them later. For me the main point is to have that kind of running system to be able to extend it later. I like GRML very much for all the nice programs in textmode. Sometimes I use X11, with a lot of xterms running ... Is it really necessary to provide a graphical VIM? The use of the *-register should also be possible (as a compile-option) in standard VIM. For cease-fire reasons you would have to remove the graphical Emacs too ;-) What's about packages like cowsay? I find it funny but I could live without. GRML could still recommend some of these programs by providing a list with interesting examples. Regards, Konrad

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Re: [Grml] Please don't take out accessibility away, I'll manage it
by John G. Heim 04 Nov '11

04 Nov '11

Doh! 64 bit image, 32 bit machine. ----- Original Message ----- From: "John G. Heim" <jheim(a)math.wisc.edu> To: "John G. Heim" <jheim(a)math.wisc.edu> Sent: Friday, November 04, 2011 12:02 PM Subject: Re: [Grml] Please don't take out accessibility away, I'll manage it > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "John G. Heim" <jheim(a)math.wisc.edu> > To: <grml(a)ml.grml.org> > Sent: Friday, November 04, 2011 11:56 AM > Subject: Re: [Grml] Please don't take out accessibility away, I'll manage > it > > >> That daily build image doesn't boot on a OptiPlex GX280. I get the >> syslinux screen but after that, it hangs. Automatic boot in 4 seconds, >> 3, 2, 1, ... Nothing. >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Christian Hofstaedtler" <ch(a)grml.org> >> To: <grml(a)ml.grml.org> >> Sent: Friday, November 04, 2011 11:24 AM >> Subject: Re: [Grml] Please don't take out accessibility away, I'll manage >> it >> >> >>>* Michael Gissing <m.gissing(a)tugraz.at> [111104 16:54]: >>>> On 2011-11-04 08:02, Christian Hofstaedtler wrote: >>>> >http://jenkins.grml.org/job/grml-medium-amd64/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/… >>>> >>>> HTTP 404? Does this link work for anybody? >>> >>> Apparently gone already. >>> >>> The daily grml64 medium ISOs should now also have espeakup: >>> http://daily.grml.org/grml64-medium_sid_latest.iso >>> >>> -ch >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Grml mailing list - Grml(a)ml.grml.org >>> http://ml.grml.org/mailman/listinfo/grml >>> join #grml on irc.freenode.org >>> grml-devel-blog: >>> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Grml mailing list - Grml(a)ml.grml.org >> http://ml.grml.org/mailman/listinfo/grml >> join #grml on irc.freenode.org >> grml-devel-blog: >> > >

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Please don't take out accessibility away, I'll manage it
by Doug Smith 04 Nov '11

04 Nov '11

Hi, all the people here on the grml mailing list. Please don't take away accessibility, I'll manage it. You will have to give me step-by-exact step instructioons for how you got it to work that way and I will do it. I can learn, if you will some how show me how to do it. I have a 64 bit machine, so I probably will be best to do the 64-bit version. I just want a system that is all command line and handles current web technologies as well or better than the gnome-orca-firefox combination if possible. Is it possible to rewrite all those graphical applications so that they will work in command line? Can this process be automated? On the other hand, how hard would it be to build a NSA-like system that captures all the contents of the internet and redistributes it in a non-graphical form? Can't the blind community just build or get hold of some kind of supercomputer and then use artificial intelligence to rework all the internet sites into a non-graphical format and then set up a network provider that can be accessed by command-line only users to get the same content everyone else does? That is a research project for the future. If anyone has that kind of computing power available, please direct me to it. If no one wants to do this, theen, can you direct me to a way of getting command line accessibility on the command line in a 64-bit bersion? Please don't take accessibility out of grml. If you will show me just exactly what to do to get it to work and then build an iso, I can manage it. Sincerely: Doug Smith

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