ecpinext2 -- /NeXT

# The epcinext2 server

## From Mick Storr (may 91):

Hi folks,

As you all know, the Next server machine, epcinext2, has been operational for some time now, principally to support those of you who have 105 MByte NextStations but who would like to have access to the full developer software.

A secondary function of the server is to act as a repository for public domain software which people at CERN might find useful, and for third party applications that have either been bought, or have been acquired on approval.

Up until now, the mechanism for disseminating information on what is available has been somewhat ad hoc, relying principally on word of mouth and chance meetings.

In my capacity as self appointed, voluntary, and unpaid, 'keeper' of the server, I propose to attempt to rectify this by issuing regular bulletins listing what is available on the machine and how to get at it. I will also keep you informed about the availability of system upgrades, etc., that you might like to know about.

Please note, however, I am not offering a Next support service but am simply attempting to start what I hope will be a pooling of information concerning Next systems. To this end I am asking YOU to inform me of any Next software that you feel should be installed on the server, or that you think should be bought/acquired by CERN.

## Software

Here is the list of software that is currently installed on epcinext2.

### Public Domain Applications

Your attention is drawn to 2 recent additions

NewsGrazer a network news browsing application, and Ftp a smart interface to ftp.

    /LocalApps
    2DLab*             Emacs*             Monitor*           Robots*
    3-d_Rotation*      Eyecon*            NLoad*             Save*
    Alert*             FortranShell*      NX_VOID*           ScrollDoodScroll*
    AltDock*           FrameMaker.app/    News*              SketchDemo*
    Archive*           FrameMaker.info    NewsGrazer*        Stopwatch*
    Atwood*            FrameMaker.tiff    Open*              Stuart*
    BitmapTest*        Ftp*               PercentDemo*       Stuart1c*
    Calc*              Gismo/             QuickPlot*         TeXview*
    Clock*             Henon*             Quizzear*          Tetris*
    Clocks*            Magnify*           README             Touch*
    CompositeLab*      MazeDemo*          RandPoly*          TouchType*
    CookieTalk*        MazeWar*           Reason*            WorldWideWeb.app/
    Cube*              Mechannaise*       Remotes*
    DefaultMgr*        Minuit*            Ringo*

### Third Party Applications on short term evaluation

     PLEASE READ THE
    ReadThisFirst note

    /NextDemos/Apps
    Calculator.app/   Improv/           Scan-X*           TouchType*
    Calendar.app/     Mathematica/      SoftPC/           Wingz.app/
    Diagram/          OCRservant*       TextArt.app/      WordPerfect.app/
    FrameMaker.app/   Rolonex*          TopDraw.app/      communicae*

    /usr/local/bin
    background*  chgen*       f77Object*   ftn*
    cheetah.awk  f77*         fsplit*      tcsh*
    background allows you to set the screen background grey scale, tcsh is a
    smarter terminal shell which supports cursor movement.

    /usr/local/lib
    WWW/          libcheetah.a  libg++.a      libkernnum.a  libzebra.a
    f77Extras/    libf77.a      libhbook4.a   libminuit.a
    f77object.o   libfmath.a    libkerngen.a  librandom.a

Note that the CERN program library packages have been compiled without optimisation and with static allocation of local variables in memory. They have passed the standard installation tests, but apart from that, no guarantees are given. Documentation on the FORTRAN compiler is available from Emilio Pagiola.

### Documentation

The following additional documentation is also available on the server.

/NextLibrary/Documentation/NextDev/Concepts_v.1.0 contains part of the old 'Preliminary 1.0 System Reference Manual: Concepts'. Although it relates to rel 1.0 of the system, new users are strongly encouraged to look at it, eg. for an introduction to NextStep, the interface builder, objective-C, etc. Copies of all of this have been made and are available from Emilio Pagiola.

/NextDemos/Shared contains a set of developer course material in the form of transparencies, tutorials, etc., etc. I haven't had time to look at these but if anyone feels that they are worth printing, let me know.

## Access

All of the above directories can be NFS mounted from epcinext2. This can be achieved using the NetInfoManager application in /NextAdmin or by creating, for example, an appropriate fstab.clients file in /etc and issuing an niload command followed by reboot.

A typical 105 MByte NextStation fstab.clients file should look like -

    epcinext2:/NextLibrary   /NextLibrary   nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/NextDeveloper /NextDeveloper nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/NextApps      /NextApps      nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/NextDemos     /NextDemos     nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/usr/include   /usr/include   nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/usr/ucb       /usr/ucb       nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/usr/lib       /usr/lib       nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/usr/bin       /usr/bin       nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/usr/local     /usr/local     nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/lib           /lib           nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/bin           /bin           nfs bg,ro 0 0
    epcinext2:/LocalApps     /Net           nfs bg,ro,net 0 0
    epcinext2:/LocalData     /Net           nfs bg,ro,net 0 0
    epcinext2:/LocalLibrary  /Net           nfs bg,ro,net 0 0
    epcinext2:/LocalSources  /Net           nfs bg,ro,net 0 0

This can be loaded with the command

    niload -v -d fstab . < fstab.clients

Finally if you know of anyone who is not on this mailing list who you think would like to receive this information please give me their names. Also if you have any queries about the server (or Next related queries in general) you are welcome to ask me. I don't guarantee to be able to answer but might know someone who can.

## NEWS FLASH

The server currently runs rel 2.0 of the system software. This means that those of you with colour NextStations MUST NOT attempt to get access to full developer software by mounting the appropriate disks as shown above because colour stations require rel 2.1. I have received rel 2.1 and will install it on the server during the evening of 28/5 during which time the server will not be available. The system upgrade should have no impact for black and white users (except to fix some bugs that you will not have seen).

Those of you with cubes who wish to migrate to rel 2.1 can obtain the disk from me and 'do it yourself'.