Letters

Your December 2001 cover promised “Blazing Backups”, but you missed an opportunity for an artistic statement. It's not too late! Here's a suitable addendum to the article (to the tune of the “Blazing Saddles” theme):

—JCool++The Dapper Rapper

In your article “The Ultimate Linux Box 2001: How to Design Your Dream Machine” (unabridged web version, available at /article/5420), you wrote:

Actually, it can—it just isn't set up to do so by default. I own one of these cards, a good pair of headphones, and a cheap pair of speakers, so I had reason to look into this. Here's how I got it working. First, download the drivers from opensource.creative.com:

cvs -d ':pserver:cvsguest@opensource.
creative.com: /usr/local/cvsroot'
login [use the password 'cvsguest']
cvs -d ':pserver:cvsguest@opensource.
creative.com: /usr/local/cvsroot'
co emu10k1

emu-dspmgr -a'Pcm L:Phones L'
emu-dspmgr -a'Pcm R:Phones R'
emu-dspmgr -a'CD-Spdif L:Phones L'
emu-dspmgr -a'CD-Spdif R:Phones R'

I've been a longtime reader; while most issues haven't gotten the attention they've deserved, I do find LJ to be a useful source. In your December 2001 issue, Mick Bauer states that syslogd will create missing files. This certainly is not true of my version of syslogd, though I admit I haven't upgraded this box in quite some time. If the box isn't accessible, security patches aren't as important. The docs of the current version suggest that syslogd can create files, but my version also makes that claim, and I've verified it won't. (Oh, and if it did, it would be considered a security hole by some, myself included.)

—Ed Grimm

Bauer replies: As it happens, I tested and verified syslogd's file-creation behavior while working on the article; it works fine on both SuSE 7.1 and Red Hat 7.0. Personally, I don't consider this a significant security risk. At worst it's a denial-of-service exposure, but that's why it's smart to give /var its own partition, i.e., in case logs fill up the filesystem, whether by accident or attack.

I have been using Webmin for a couple years now to administer my servers. It is a wonderful and powerful tool. I was very pleased to read about it in your December 2001 issue. Mr. Elmendorf did an great job. I hope to hear more on Webmin in the future in the pages of LJ--for example, how to add modules and such. Great work!

—Jody “JoLinux” Harvey

While reading the informative column (Geek Law, LJ, November 2001), I was amused to note the example of LeCar as an invalid trademark for a car—you see I used to drive a Renault LeCar from 1978-1983. I don't know if the name was trademarked. I expect it wasn't strictly necessary in this case, as who else would name a car LeCar except Renault?

I suppose this demonstrates the difference between branding and trademarks. Whether trademarked or not, LeCar was a Renault brand. There was no point in naming another car LeCar. On the other hand, GTO was originally a Ferrari usage (I think) but was appropriated by Pontiac later. By the way, GTO is an acronym (Gran Turismo Omologato), which according to AltaVista means “great accredited tourism”, which I suspect doesn't express the flavor of the phrase.

In most countries the LeCar was known as the Renault 5; LeCar was only used in the US as far as I know. A fun little car—I regularly beat VW Rabbits off the line—a slow-motion drag race.

It was the first new car I ever bought, just days after getting hired at Tektronix, for my first career job. It survived over 100,000 miles with only two major fixes (a blown head gasket and a bad wheel bearing), which was something of an accomplishment in those days.

—Gary Bickford