Arch Linux Newsletter

Summary

Welcome to the Arch Linux Newsletter. This document attempts to give you an "at a glance" look at the world of Arch Linux.

Table Of Contents

Front Page News

1. Python 2.5
   
   All python modules and programs that depend on the python ABI must be rebuilt for python 2.5.
   
   As a result, we have built python 2.5 and put it in testing. Everything that uses python, will have a copy built against python 2.5 and put in testing until we are sure we have rebuilt every python package.
   
   Once we are certain we have rebuilt them all, python 2.5 and all the applications in testing, we will update the main repositories with these new python 2.5 based packages.
   
   If you would like to help, file bugs and let us know what applications have not yet been rebuilt on python 2.5
   
   
2. Xfce-4.4
   
   The packages are up and released. You might wonder about the artwork which is still the old one. I just didn't have enough time and I didn't wanna postpone the packages for that. I hope I can get on that within the next two weeks.
   
   Go check the forum and see what you like best and leave your remarks there.
   
   The following packages have been removed because they got merged from upstream into other packages:
   
   
   xffm
   xfcalender
   xfce4-cpu-freq-plugin
   xfce4-iconbox
   xfce4-minicmd-plugin
   xfce4-systray
   xfce4-taskbar-plugin
   xfce4-toys
   xfce4-trigger-launcher
   xfce4-windowlist-plugin
   
   
   
3. Voodoo Beta1 ISO release
   
   Here we go Voodoo Beta1 ISO's released, many small things fixed since the alpha series, please try to break beta1 now, thanks :)
   
   ISOs are on the way to the mirrors so please be patient until they are synced.
   
   i686
   x86_64
   
   Everything mentioned here should be fixed:
   Showstoppers
   
   Forum feedback thread is here:
   Forum
   
   Sorry quickinst is broken on ISO:
   Workaround for the broken quickinst:
   please add the missing " at the end of line 11 of /arch/quickinst with your favorite editor included on the ISO
   
   
4. hwdetect from initscripts moved
   
   According to a feature request, hwdetect is now a separate package and no loner in initscripts, please use:
   pacman -S hwdetect
   to get the latest hwdetect script
   
   

Devland

1. As you've noticed, python 2.5 is in testing now. We have a list of packages that need rebuilding. Expect the rebuilds to happen in the next while. If you find any applications that don't work with the packages in testing, feel free to email the maintainer and remind them they need to rebuild their packages.

Forum Highlights

1. The forums made the transition to PunBB.
2. spookykid wanted an update on usplash/splashy integration.
3. lucke was interested in some comparisons between FreeBSD and Arch.
4. freigeist created a bootsplash theme for Arch.
5. Mr Green wanted to know what firefox extensions people use.

Mailing List Highlights

1. Installation of Arch Linux solely on a USB flash drive.
2. Conversion of a partition of ReiserFS from Ext3 .

Package Highlights

• Python 2.5 has been put into testing.
• Xfce 4.4 was released to extra.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between all the different repositories?

A: The [current] repository is the location of the packages available off of the install CD. The [extra] repository is the collection of packages that are outside of the install CD but maintained by the Arch Linux Developers. When a package is to be tested before release to [extra] or [current] it is placed in [testing]. [unstable] is the collection of packages considered to be unstable by the developers, but popular enough to be packaged for distribution. Finally the [community] repository is the location of packages that are in the AUR and have been adopted by a Trusted User who has packaged them for download.

Q: Why aren't all packages in UNSUPPORTED added to COMMUNITY?

A: There are several reasons for that. The most important is that the package hasn't got many votes. It's also important that you vote for packages that already are in COMMUNITY, otherwise they could be disowned by the TUs and moved to UNSUPPORTED. Other reasons could be that the package is unmaintained upstream or has a licensing problem. Last but not least, no TU wants to do it.

Archstats

To Participate, visit: http://www.archlinux.org/~simo/archstats

Number of registered systems: 1213
Longest recorded uptime: 494 days, 3 hours, 29 minutes, 25 seconds.
Average uptime: 14 days, 16 hours, 57 minutes, 13 seconds.
Average installed packages: 460
Average system memory: 760MB
Slowest CPU (MHz): 198.68
Average CPU (MHz): 1770.45
Fastest CPU (MHz): 3596.98

Seti@Home

To Participate, visit: http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/team_display.php?teamid=116975

Members: 25
Total credit: 473,684.88

folding@Home

Arch Linux Team Page
Extended Team Statistics

Team Number: 45032
Members: 95
Score: 1569682
Ranking: 359 of 47333

Bugs

• AUR: Closed 3 - Opened 1
• Arch: Closed 79 - Opened 82

Closing

That's it for this time folks. If you have any opinions on the newsletter or have some things you wanna add, just send us a mail and we'll look into it.
Very best regards / Team Arch