hendrick@ctron.com (Jim Hendrick) (04/26/91)
We currently have 18.57 running on a newtwork of sun-3s and sparcs. I have read good things about a "value added" version of GNU Emacs V18.57 relating to its being able to play nicely with X (we run X11 R4). I have five questions (three sir) ah, yes three questions: 1: Is it worth my while to upgrade? 2: Should I get a 'patch' or a new distribution archive? 3: Where cah I get your suggested source? Thanks in advance!
darrylo@HPNMXX.SR.HP.COM (05/01/91)
[ I'm moving this discussion from gnu-emacs-sources to gnu-emacs-help. ] In gnu-emacs-sources, Jim Hendrick (hendrick@ctron.com) writes: > We currently have 18.57 running on a newtwork of sun-3s and sparcs. I have > read good things about a "value added" version of GNU Emacs V18.57 relating > to its being able to play nicely with X (we run X11 R4). I have five questions > (three sir) ah, yes three questions: > 1: Is it worth my while to upgrade? If you already have GNU Emacs running, and are happy with it, there is really no reason to upgrade, unless there is some feature that you want. This "value-added" "unofficial HP GNU Emacs" is mainly for sites that do not already have GNU Emacs, or that are unhappy with what they have. This version concentrates on the following: * It's a complete "compile and go" kit aimed at users of Hewlett-Packard workstations (it should still work with other workstations, but I haven't tested it). All of the "major manuals" (user's manual, elisp programmer's manual, GNU Emacs Calc manual, etc.) are distributed in texinfo and PCL form, ready for printing on an HP laserjet (you don't need TeX and a dvi driver to print them out). Many of the elisp files in the archive at tut.cis.ohio-state have been incorporated into this version, so novice users don't have to poke around the Internet looking for useful elisp functions. A number of utility programs, such as Ispell, are also distributed, just in case the user does not already have them. * Enhanced programmatic X11 support. This is primarily a stopgap measure, until V19 is finally released. * Enhanced HP keyboard support. Optionally, the user can turn on dynamic hierarchical softkey support (even in a native X11 window!). Novices can have access to hierarchical softkeys, which makes Emacs even easier to use (for them). It sounds like you only using Suns; in that case, you don't care about this. > 2: Should I get a 'patch' or a new distribution archive? It's distributed only as a complete set of modified sources. Among other reasons, it was done this way to make it easier for novice GNU Emacs installers, who may not have access to Larry Wall's patch(1) program. > 3: Where cah I get your suggested source? Unfortunately, the "unofficial HP GNU Emacs" is, currently, only available through INTEREX, the International Association of HP Computer Users (you must be a member). While there's no reason why it cannot be made available via anonymous ftp (it falls under the GNU Public License), I don't have access to a suitable machine, and no one else has done so. If anyone is willing to make a fifteen megabyte (!) compressed tar archive available to others via anonymous ftp, even on a temporary basis (say, two weeks), please send email. I've included my standard form-letter at the end of this message. -- Darryl Okahata UUCP: {hplabs!, hpcea!, hpfcla!} hpnmd!darrylo Internet: darrylo%hpnmd@relay.hp.com DISCLAIMER: this message is the author's personal opinion and does not constitute the support, opinion or policy of Hewlett-Packard or of the little green men that have been following him all day. ============================================================================== [ NOTE: the "unofficial HP GNU Emacs" is UNSUPPORTED by Hewlett-Packard, and falls under the GNU Public License. Also note that the following may be a bit jumbled, as I pasted together a couple of e-mail messages to write it. ] I'm afraid that the "unofficial HP GNU Emacs" (the one available from INTEREX, an HP user's group) is, currently, available only through INTEREX, on their contrib tape. There's no reason why it could not be made available via anonymous ftp; it's just that I don't have access to a machine on which I can make it available via anonymous ftp, and no one else has done so. I can, however, ftp the "unofficial HP GNU Emacs" to someone who can make it available, but please note that I only want to do this if you're willing to make it available to others (even on a temporary basis). This package is a fifteen megabyte compressed tar archive, and it takes a *LONG* time to transfer, even on weekends. If there's anyone who can make a fifteen megabyte compressed tar archive available, even on a temporary basis (say, at least a couple of weeks), please send email. INTEREX is the the International Association of HP Computer Users. From Paul Gerwitz, the current INTEREX CSL/HPUX committee chair, regarding the "unofficial HP GNU Emacs": This version of EMACS is part of the 3110 release of the Interex Contributed Software Library CSL/HPUX. The CSL is one of the benefits of membership in Interex, the International Association of HP Computer Users. Here is some more information about INTEREX, provided by Steve Souza (the following is quoted without his permission, but I don't think he'll mind): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The annual membership fee is $495, and the current annual release tape of > the CSL is free with the membership. We specifically don't sell software, > but rather provide it as a service to User Group members. > > Previous years tapes are also available for a processing fee ($150 I think) > as are current and previous conference swap tapes. > > The conference swap tapes are free to everyone who brings a contribution to > the conference with them... we just take the entire swap and write it onto > the tape they brought their programs on, and give it back to them. > > We do have a printed catalog that is provided with each annual release tape > though not with the conference swaps (no time to print it for a 4 or 5 day > conference). > > To be a member, all one needs to do is to complete the application, and send > in the dues. The annual CSL tape follows by return mail. Since we don't sell > the software, and don't make a profit from the tapes, we only provide the > CSL tapes to User Group members at this time. > > All software (with rare exception) is provided with source code, and all is > tested by our QA team to assure that it runs on HP-UX. > > -steve- > > =============================================================== > = souza@interex.uucp (408) 738-4848 voice = > = RBBS-Net 8:914/406 (408) 746-1217 messg = > = Fax (408) 736-2156 Steve Souza = > = BBS (408) 773-8018 = > = CIS PPN# 76703,633 If it's technical, we can do it... = > =============================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you want to learn more about, or join, INTEREX, please contact Steve Souza (the above message fragment should give you enough information to do this). If you have trouble mailing to "souza@interex.uucp", you may want to try one of the following (which still may not work): souza%interex@daver.bungi.com pyramid!daver!interex!souza I hope this helps. -- Darryl Okahata UUCP: {hplabs!, hpcea!, hpfcla!} hpnmd!darrylo Internet: darrylo%hpnmd@relay.hp.com DISCLAIMER: this message is the author's personal opinion and does not constitute the support, opinion or policy of Hewlett-Packard or of the little green men that have been following him all day.