first version of 2.6.20-grml

A first version of kernel 2.6.20-grml is available:

Linux grml 2.6.20-grml #1 SMP PREEMPT Thu Feb 8 00:15:11 CET 2007 i686 GNU/Linux

Some external, extra modules are missing currently (compare with grml.org/kernel/) due to API changes. Anyway, I’d like to base grml 1.0 on kernel 2.6.20-grml so expect several updates in the next few weeks.

new devel release: 0.9-2

We have a new develrelease. grml 0.9-2 is available for beta-testers and grml-developers. Quoting the main changelog:

  * *no* kernel update, I'm lacking time and 2.6.20 should be
     available soon, I don't want to put further work into 2.6.19 now
  * some updates for "utf8 mode by default", main issues should be
    resolved now (some problems are present inside GNU screen though)
    [notice: handling of unicode_start for hd-installation is on the
    todo-list: http://bts.grml.org/grml/issue75 ]
  * several bugfixes and updates in grml-network's netcardconfig,
    in grml-rebuildfstab and grml-scanpartitions
  * extended zsh configuration
  * big update and rewrite of zsh-lovers, thanks to Christian Schneider:
    /archives/221-update-of-zsh-lovers-in-asciidoc-format.html
  * added script gsuggest.pl: google suggest - ask google for
    keyword suggestions
  * Packages removed since 0.9 (excluding lib* and 2.6.18-grml):
    ethereal-common linux-wlan-ng linux-wlan-ng-firmware lout
    lout-common olsrd-plugin opie-server unionfs-utils xen-tools
    xen-utils-common
  * Packages added since 0.9 (excluding lib* and 2.6.19-grml):
    advchk cryopid dnsproxy fatresize flashplugin-nonfree funionfs
    gatling gems genisoimage icedax imsniff keyutils keyutils-lib
    kvm mcabber ncc olsrd-plugins pnputils python-urwid
    recordmydesktop scalpel smbnetfs tesseract-ocr-data uncrustify
    urlscan vde2 vinetto xserver-xorg-input-aiptek
    xserver-xorg-input-elo2300 xserver-xorg-input-elographics
    xserver-xorg-input-hyperpen xserver-xorg-input-joystick
    xserver-xorg-input-penmount xserver-xorg-input-void xwatchwin

grml user survey

The first grml user survey is online. The purpose of this is to help grml developers gain a better idea of what the grml user community is really doing and using, and what aspects people would most like to see improved. Please contribute!

update of zsh-lovers - in asciidoc format

It was on my todolist for ages, thanks to Christian ‘strcat’ Schneider we have the zsh-lovers manpage in asciidoc format now. asciidoc provides much smoother output than my nroff hacks. :-) Adding new tips is much easier now as well, especially since we maintain the manpage within a mercurial repository (hg.grml.org/zsh-lovers). Get the zsh-lovers manpage in manpage format, as HTML or PDF from grml.org/zsh/, a Debian package is available via the grml-testing pool as well of course.

roadmap to grml 1.0

What’s my roadmap to grml 1.0?

• kernel 2.6.20-grml (issue96)
• grml-ppc: provide a first version of grml for PowerPC (issue95)
• grml64: provide a first version of grml 64 bit version (issue13)
• use utf8 as default mode (issue43)
• grml2hd: use UUID for root-device (issue93), provide dialog for dis-/enabling services (issue89), support for grub within grml2hd itself (issue81) Of course resolving the other issues on grml’s BTS is on the todo list as well. Features like unionfs-overlays and additional squashfs-files are on the wishlist too of course. My plan is to release grml 1.0 in march 2007. Needs a lot of work of course…

grml at Chemnitzer Linux-Tage 2007

grml will be present at Chemnitzer Linux-Tage 2007 (in germany) which take place on 3rd and 4th of march 2007. Several grml developers will be there and have a develmeeting. We plan to provide a special release available on the event exclusive. You can meet us at the grml-booth, hope to see you there!

working on grml-ppc

As written in my personal blog I’m running Debian on my ppc efika board already. Now I’ve a first, working grml-kernel for ppc:

# uname -a
Linux grmlppc 2.6.19-grml #2 PREEMPT Sat Jan 20 20:26:15 CET 2007 ppc GNU/Linux

Now I can really start working on grml-ppc on my own. The plan is to have grml64 and grml-ppc available with release of grml 1.0. Currently I’m crosscompiling the kernel on x86. It works but it would be nice to have a more powerful compile system, especially another (native) ppc system would be fine….

packaged advchk

I created a Debian package of advchk, a tool for monitoring the security of installed software. Advisory Check gathers security advisories using RSS / RDF / XML feeds, compares them against a list of known software, and alerts you if you`re vulnerable. As usual the Debian package is available via the grml-testing pool.

grml-small 0.3 in LinuxUser 02/2007

grml-small 0.3 is shipped on the DVD of LinuxUser magazine 02/2007

packaged incron

I packagedincron, an inotify cron system. As usual the debian package is available in the grml-testing repository.

packaged gatling

Today I finished work on packaginggatling, a high performance web server. Get the Debian package from the grml testing repository.

New team member: Frank Terbeck

Frank Terbeck joined the grml-team. Frank did a lot of work in the zsh setup of grml. Welcome in the grml team, Frank!

first version of kernel 2.6.19-grml

As written in the announce for the new develrelease 0.9-1 a first version of 2.6.19-grml is available.

new develrelease: 0.9-1

We have a new develrelease. grml 0.9-1 is available for beta-testers and grml-developers. Quoting the main changelog:

  * kernel 2.6.19-grml
  * use utf8 by default:
    - when using lang=$LANG it defaults to utf8, it's possible to
      use lang=$LANG-utf8 as well for backward compability
    - fallback to iso is possible through bootoption lang=$LANG-iso
    - now using Uni3-Terminus14 as default font instead of
      Lat15-Terminus16 which should improve use of utf8 on console;
      very probably I'll change the font to Uni3-Terminus16
  * update Debian packages to pool by today (except initramfs-tools
    which is once again broken, using an older version therefore)
  * grml2hd should work on SW-RAID again, installs
    /etc/grml2hd/config with permissions 600 now so possible sensible
    data can't be read by non-root
  * zsh: use of global dirstack, this allows switching directories
    via "cd -<press_tab>" also when running a new/fresh shell
    session (thanks schula + ft)
  * some minor bugfixes, improvements,...

grml 0.9 and grml-small 0.3 available

We have a new release: grml 0.9 with codename ‘Dioptrienotto’ and grml-small 0.3 with codename ‘Zwergenaufstand’ are available for public download.