Gentoo Weekly Newsletter - Volume 3, Issue 9

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gentoo Weekly Newsletter
http://www.gentoo.org/news/en/gwn/current.xml
This is the Gentoo Weekly Newsletter for the week of March 1st, 2004.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
==============
1. Gentoo News
==============
   
2004.0 Released
---------------
  
Gentoo Linux is proud to announce the release of Gentoo Linux 2004.0 for 
the x86, AMD64, PowerPC, Sun SPARC, and SGI MIPS architectures. 
Additionally, the Gentoo Hardened team is announcing the inaugural release 
of a security-enhanced Gentoo platform for the x86 architecture. 
 
In addition to many bugfixes and security updates since the 1.4 release, 
Gentoo Linux 2004.0 contains a cutting-edge development toolchain and user 
environment including, but not limited to, Linux kernel 2.6.3, GCC 3.3.2, 
GLIBC 2.3.2, KDE 3.2, GNOME 2.4.1, and xfce4. 
 
We are pleased to announce the new Gentoo Store[1]. Available at the 
Gentoo Store are Gentoo Linux LiveCDs that come complete with the on-CD 
Gentoo Installation Handbook, 2004.0 Release Notes[2] and optimized 
pre-compiled binary packages. Users who want to stay up-to-date for 2004 
can purchase a subscription that offers the shipment of each quarterly 
2004.x release sent straight to their door. Those wishing to donate to 
Gentoo Linux can now do so in an easy and secure manner utilizing the new 
donation system. The Gentoo Store accepts PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and 
Discover for both orders and donations. 

 1. http://store.gentoo.org/
 2. http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/releng
 
Gentoo Linux 2004.0 marks the debut of Catalyst, the new Gentoo release 
meta-tool. Using Catalyst, developers and users can create and customize 
every aspect of their Gentoo Linux system; from installation stages, to 
bootable LiveCDs, to customized binary packages for the Gentoo Reference 
Platform (GRP). For more information on Catalyst, please see the Catalyst 
project page and online documentation[3]. 

 3. http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/releng/catalyst
 
Installation stages, LiveCDs, and Gentoo Reference Platform sets can be 
found on our mirrors[4]. More information about the Gentoo Hardened 
project can be found on its project page[5]. For more information, please 
consult our documentation[6], mailing lists[7], user forums[8], and 
official IRC channels[9]. 

 4. http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/mirrors.xml
 5. http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/hardened
 6. http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en
 7. http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en
 8. http://forums.gentoo.org
 9. http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/irc.xml
    
=================================
2. Featured Developer of the Week
=================================
  
Alexander Gabert
 
Figure 2.1: Alexander Gabert
http://www.gentoo.org/images/gwn/20040301_pappy.jpg
 
This week, we are featuring Alexander Gabert[10] (pappy), another 
developer specializing in the security realm for Gentoo. Alexander is the 
lead for the gcc-hardened project, which has the goal of implementing 
security enhancements such as PIE (position independent executables) and 
PaX[11] address space randomization and stack protection. He is also 
co-lead, along with Ned Ludd[12] (solar), for the implantation of 
propolice[13], another stack protection utility. In addition, he is 
exploring work with the HPPA team on implementing Gentoo for pa-risc 
processors as well as adding user documentation for Hardened Gentoo[14]. 

 10. [email protected]
 11. http://pax.grsecurity.net/
 12. [email protected]
 13. http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/hardened/propolice.xml
 14. http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/hardened/index.xml
 
Alexander came to Gentoo via Red Hat and SuSE through BSD, OpenVMS and 
Linux from Scratch. He was impressed with the opportunity to apply some of 
his interest in security to the new distro. In particular, he was 
interested in implementing the PaX userland components in Gentoo - which 
quickly resulted in an invitation to join the development team. He has 
also worked on implementing toolchains for non-x86 platforms like 
PA-RISC[15]. He works with a computer menagerie that includes routers, 
pa-risc workstations, vaxen, and Intel-based machines. He prefers 
Evolution[16], Afterstep[17] and several xterms for his working 
environment. 

 15. http://parisc-linux.org/
 16. http://www.ximian.com/products/evolution/
 17. http://www.afterstep.org/
 
During the day, Alexander works for EDS as a field service engineer, a 
position he describes as "driving around and replacing power supplies and 
hard disks". He lives in a small town outside Munich, Germany, where he 
has recently moved into a house that is now populated with computers, 
children, a new wife and an aging electrical system. He entered the 
computer industry directly after finishing secondary school and German 
military service. His non-computer-related pastimes include playing chess, 
basketball, roller-blading, and playing with his children. Alexander 
offered his view on some recent controversies in the community: "We are 
working on a freely available, open-source operating system ... There is 
something that seems to be missing when lawyers carrying suitcases full of 
printouts walk into courtrooms to fight about it." A slightly sanitized 
version of his favorite quote would read "fighting for peace is like 
making love for virginity." 
   
==================
3. Gentoo Security
==================
  
No new security annoucements were posted this week.
   
=========================
4. Heard in the Community
=========================
  
gentoo-user
-----------
  
Gentoo and Commercial Support 
 
Given the semi-random nature of a "meta-distribution" package, some users 
attempting to install commercial Linux software on Gentoo have run into 
some roadblocks. In this[18] case, a user attempting to install 
Codeweaver's CrossoverOffice has some interesting comments from one of the 
company's founders. 

 18. http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.gentoo.user/68715
    
=======================
5. Gentoo International
=======================
  
Italy: Gentoo Pub in Milano on 6 March 2004
 
There was a test run for a Gentoo Milano Meeting on 28 February of unknown 
success at the time of this writing, but whatever the outcome of it was: 
Next Saturday, the Gentooista residents of Milano in Northern Italy will 
meet at the entrance to Garibaldi station (and spontaneously decide where 
to get fed and watered, no doubt). If you want to join them, be there at 
18:15 hours sharp on Saturday, 6 March 2004. Coordination thread at 
forums.gentoo.org, right here[19] (in Italian).

 19. http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=140680
   
===========
6. Bugzilla
===========
  
Summary
-------
  
 * Statistics 
 * Closed Bug Ranking 
 * New Bug Rankings 
    
Statistics
----------
  
The Gentoo community uses Bugzilla (bugs.gentoo.org[20]) to record and 
track bugs, notifications, suggestions and other interactions with the 
development team. Between 21 February 2004 and 27 February 2004, activity 
on the site has resulted in: 

 20. http://bugs.gentoo.org
 
 * 733 new bugs during this period 
 * 507 bugs closed or resolved during this period 
 * 21 previously closed bugs were reopened this period 
 
Of the 5175 currently open bugs: 137 are labeled 'blocker', 215 are 
labeled 'critical', and 390 are labeled 'major'. 
    
Closed Bug Rankings
-------------------
  
The developers and teams who have closed the most bugs during this period 
are: 
 
 * AMD64 Porting Team[21], with 111 closed bugs[22]  
 * Java team[23], with 46 closed bugs[24]  
 * Gentoo Games[25], with 29 closed bugs[26]  
 * Jeremy Huddleston[27], with 26 closed bugs[28]  
 * Mike Frysinger[29], with 24 closed bugs[30]  
 21. [email protected]
 22. 
http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&ch
field=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2004-02-21&chfieldto=2004-02-27&resolution=FIX
ED&[email protected]
 23. [email protected]
 24. 
http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&ch
field=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2004-02-21&chfieldto=2004-02-27&resolution=FIX
ED&[email protected]
 25. [email protected]
 26. 
http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&ch
field=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2004-02-21&chfieldto=2004-02-27&resolution=FIX
ED&[email protected]
 27. [email protected]
 28. 
http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&ch
field=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2004-02-21&chfieldto=2004-02-27&resolution=FIX
ED&[email protected]
 29. [email protected]
 30. 
http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=RESOLVED&bug_status=CLOSED&ch
field=bug_status&chfieldfrom=2004-02-21&chfieldto=2004-02-27&resolution=FIX
ED&[email protected]

    
New Bug Rankings
----------------
  
The developers and teams who have been assigned the most new bugs during 
this period are: 
 
 * Core System Packages Team[31], with 35 new bugs[32]  
 * x86 Kernel Team[33], with 16 new bugs[34]  
 * Gnome Desktop Team[35], with 11 new bugs[36]  
 * AMD64 Porting Team[37], with 11 new bugs[38]  
 31. [email protected]
 32. 
http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_s
tatus=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2004-02-21&chfieldto=2004-02
-27&[email protected]
 33. [email protected]
 34. 
http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_s
tatus=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2004-02-21&chfieldto=2004-02
-27&[email protected]
 35. [email protected]
 36. 
http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_s
tatus=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2004-02-21&chfieldto=2004-02
-27&[email protected]
 37. [email protected]
 38. 
http://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_s
tatus=REOPENED&chfield=assigned_to&chfieldfrom=2004-02-21&chfieldto=2004-02
-27&[email protected]
    
==================
7. Tips and Tricks
==================
  
Recovering the root password
 
This week's tip shows you a couple of ways to reset the root password if 
you've forgotten it. 
 
The easiest way is of course to boot off the Gentoo LiveCD, chroot into 
the primary hard disk as described in the Gentoo Install Guide and use 
passwd. 
 
If you don't have a LiveCD, or the system doesn't have CDROM drive, you 
can reboot the system into single user mode to reset the password. Simply 
pass the options "init=/bin/sh" to the kernel from the bootloader menu. 
When the system boots it will drop you into a root shell. The disk will be 
mounted read-only so remount it read-write with mount -o rw,remount 
/dev/ROOT (be sure to change ROOT to your actual root partition). Edit 
/etc/shadow and remove the encrypted password. Reset the root password 
with passwd and reboot the system.
 
You should now be able to login with the new password.
   
===========================
8. Moves, Adds, and Changes
===========================
  
Moves
-----
  
The following developers recently left the Gentoo team: 
 * none this week 
 
Adds
----
  
The following developers recently joined the Gentoo Linux team:
 
 * Jason Huebel () - amd64 
    
Changes
-------
  
The following developers recently changed roles within the Gentoo Linux 
project:
 
 * none this week 
    
====================
9. Contribute to GWN
====================
  
Interested in contributing to the Gentoo Weekly Newsletter? Send us an 
email[39].

 39. [email protected]
   
================
10. GWN Feedback
================
  
Please send us your feedback[40] and help make the GWN better.

 40. [email protected]
   
================================
11. GWN Subscription Information
================================
  
To subscribe to the Gentoo Weekly Newsletter, send a blank email to 
[email protected].
 
To unsubscribe to the Gentoo Weekly Newsletter, send a blank email to 
[email protected] from the email address you are 
subscribed under.
   
===================
12. Other Languages
===================
  
The Gentoo Weekly Newsletter is also available in the following languages:
 
 * Dutch[41] 
 * English[42] 
 * German[43] 
 * French[44] 
 * Japanese[45] 
 * Italian[46] 
 * Polish[47] 
 * Portuguese (Brazil)[48] 
 * Portuguese (Portugal)[49] 
 * Russian[50] 
 * Spanish[51] 
 * Turkish[52] 
 41. http://www.gentoo.org/news/be/gwn/gwn.xml
 42. http://www.gentoo.org/news/en/gwn/gwn.xml
 43. http://www.gentoo.org/news/de/gwn/gwn.xml
 44. http://www.gentoo.org/news/fr/gwn/gwn.xml
 45. http://www.gentoo.org/news/ja/gwn/gwn.xml
 46. http://www.gentoo.org/news/it/gwn/gwn.xml
 47. http://www.gentoo.org/news/pl/gwn/gwn.xml
 48. http://www.gentoo.org/news/br/gwn/gwn.xml
 49. http://www.gentoo.org/news/pt/gwn/gwn.xml
 50. http://www.gentoo.org/news/ru/gwn/gwn.xml
 51. http://www.gentoo.org/news/es/gwn/gwn.xml
 52. http://www.gentoo.org/news/tr/gwn/gwn.xml

Yuji Carlos Kosugi <[email protected]> - Editor
AJ Armstrong <[email protected]> - Contributor
John Davis <[email protected]> - Contributor
Brian Downey <[email protected]> - Contributor
Luke Giuliani <[email protected]> - Contributor
Kurt Lieber <[email protected]> - Contributor
Rafael Cordones Marcos <[email protected]> - Contributor
David Narayan <[email protected]> - Contributor
David Nielsen <[email protected]> - Contributor
Ulrich Plate <[email protected]> - Contributor
Sven Vermeulen <[email protected]> - Contributor
Hendrik Eeckhaut <[email protected]> - Dutch Translation
Jorn Eilander <[email protected]> - Dutch Translation
Bernard Kerckenaere <[email protected]> - Dutch Translation
Peter ter Borg <[email protected]> - Dutch Translation
Jochen Maes <[email protected]> - Dutch Translation
Roderick Goessen <[email protected]> - Dutch Translation
Gerard van den Berg <[email protected]> - Dutch Translation
Matthieu Montaudouin <[email protected]> - French Translation
Xavier Neys <[email protected]> - French Translation
Martin Prieto <[email protected]> - French Translation
Antoine Raillon <[email protected]> - French Translation
Sebastien Cevey <[email protected]> - French Translation
Jean-Christophe Choisy <[email protected]> - French Translation
Thomas Raschbacher <[email protected]> - German Translation
Steffen Lassahn <[email protected]> - German Translation
Matthias F. Brandstetter <[email protected]> - German Translation
Lukas Domagala <[email protected]> - German Translation
Tobias Scherbaum <[email protected]> - German Translation
Daniel Gerholdt <[email protected]> - German Translation
Marc Herren <[email protected]> - German Translation
Tobias Matzat <[email protected]> - German Translation
Marco Mascherpa <[email protected]> - Italian Translation
Claudio Merloni <[email protected]> - Italian Translation
Christian Apolloni <[email protected]> - Italian Translation
Stefano Lucidi <[email protected]> - Italian Translation
Yoshiaki Hagihara <[email protected]> - Japanese Translation
Katsuyuki Konno <[email protected]> - Japanese Translation
Yuji Carlos Kosugi <[email protected]> - Japanese Translation
Yasunori Fukudome <[email protected]> - Japanese Translation
Takashi Ota <[email protected]> - Japanese Translation
Radoslaw Janeczko <[email protected]> - Polish Translation
Lukasz Strzygowski <[email protected]> - Polish Translation
Michal Drobek <[email protected]> - Polish Translation
Adam Lyjak <[email protected]> - Polish Translation
Krzysztof Klimonda <[email protected]> - Polish Translation
Atila "Jedi" Bohlke Vasconcelos <[email protected]> - Portuguese 
(Brazil) Translation
Eduardo Belloti <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Brazil) Translation
João Rafael Moraes Nicola <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Brazil) 
Translation
Marcelo Gonçalves de Azambuja <[email protected]> - Portuguese 
(Brazil) Translation
Otavio Rodolfo Piske <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Brazil) 
Translation
Pablo N. Hess -- NatuNobilis <[email protected]> - Portuguese 
(Brazil) Translation
Pedro de Medeiros <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Brazil) Translation
Ventura Barbeiro <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Brazil) 
Translation
Bruno Ferreira <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Portugal) 
Translation
Gustavo Felisberto <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Portugal) 
Translation
José Costa <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Portugal) Translation
Luis Medina <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Portugal) Translation
Ricardo Loureiro <[email protected]> - Portuguese (Portugal) Translation
Aleksandr Martyncev <[email protected]> - Russian Translator
Sergey Galkin <[email protected]> - Russian Translator
Sergey Kuleshov <[email protected]> - Russian Translator
Alex Spirin <[email protected]> - Russian Translator
Denis Zaletov <[email protected]> - Russian Translator
Lanark <[email protected]> - Spanish Translation
Fernando J. Pereda <[email protected]> - Spanish Translation
Lluis Peinado Cifuentes <[email protected]> - Spanish Translation
Zephryn Xirdal T <[email protected]> - Spanish Translation
Guillermo Juarez <[email protected]> - Spanish Translation
Jesús García Crespo <[email protected]> - Spanish Translation
Carlos Castillo <[email protected]> - Spanish Translation
Julio Castillo <[email protected]> - Spanish Translation
Sergio Gómez <[email protected]> - Spanish Translation
Aycan Irican <[email protected]> - Turkish Translation
Bugra Cakir <[email protected]> - Turkish Translation
Cagil Seker <[email protected]> - Turkish Translation
Emre Kazdagli <[email protected]> - Turkish Translation
Evrim Ulu <[email protected]> - Turkish Translation
Gursel Kaynak <[email protected]> - Turkish Translation

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.2.4 (GNU/Linux)

iD8DBQFARCPt9QP4LZPv56cRAvhaAJ9Qy2vxJnggQndinW56xsfznUKQ8gCfaNSE
h8nw5c1nRxgXcf+5y1b0rbM=
=hNI7
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----