I really enjoyed Jim Hall's "Getting Started with ncurses" article in the March 2018 issue. When publishing articles that include code and compile commands (which I like to try out myself), please include the code or links to the code required for a successful build. The code for getradndom_int.c and getrandom_int.h were left out. I could guess at the code from the description, but including the code would make for a much more complete article with fully working code to try.
—Ken Lee
Jim Hall replies: I'm glad you liked the article. Sorry I didn't include
the getrandom_int.c source code.
The getrandom_int() function is a simple wrapper to the Linux
getrandom()
system call, guaranteed to return a positive integer value:
#include <sys/random.h>
int getrandom_int(void)
{
int rand;
getrandom(&rand, sizeof(int), GRND_RANDOM);
if (rand < 0) {
return (rand * -1);
} else {
return (rand);
}
}
And the getrandom_int.h header file simply declares the
getrandom_int()
function:
int getrandom_int(void);
Regarding Doc Searls' inaugural From the Editor (in the March 2018 issue), about all I can add for now is: Bravo! and a standing ovation.
The rebirth of LJ this year, after (just like Mr Twain) "the report of my death was an exaggeration", has been excellent news in a world often full of disappointments, and this first, newly reborn issue is a so welcome proof of this resurrection.
In January, upon hearing the good news, I immediately renewed my subscription and continue to look for ways to lend my active support to LJ's mission, and I urge other readers to do the same. In a world full of lying politicians, self-interested C-suite execs, adtech and other evil business-models, LJ speaks truth to our common freedoms, rights and interests. We need it—and need to support it—now more than ever.
Thanks so much! Congratulations to Doc, Carlie and the entire staff/crew of this great magazine! Looking forward to future issues, and a long run for LJv2!
—Lorin
Doc Searls replies: Thanks, Lorin. We appreciate your support enormously.
In addition to those you name, I'd also like to thank Jill Franklin for her tireless work putting the magazine together for all these many years—and for her infinite patience with habitually late writers such as myself. Katherine Druckman too, for her work at keeping our website up and running for so long on a shoestring that was about one molecule thick.
We're working hard to improve and expand Linux Journal and welcome all the support we can get.
First I want to say congratulations on the new launch of Linux Journal. I've been a subscriber from day one.
I found Doc's March 2018 From the Editor column informative and interesting. I'd like to make a suggestion that might help your exposure of the subject and your effort at an open-source project to reverse the on-line advertising model.
Leo Laporte and the TWIT network of shows have three shows that I think should receive copies of this editorial: This Week In Law (TWIL), This Week in Google (TWIG) and This Week in Tech (TWIT).
Just my two cents.
I look forward to many more years of Linux Journal and your new effort in fixing online advertising,
—William Main
Congratulations on being reborn. I just received my second "new" issue, and as before, I read Doc Searls first thing, only now I don't have to swim all the way to back. After reading his column, I read through all the letters, and it occurred to me that without the restrictions of paper, you can publish as much as you want to. I found that the conversations within the Letters section were as compelling as anything in the magazine. That's not a knock on the rest of the magazine; it's just an observation. With that said, welcome back!
—Ron Smith
Good to see that LJ has returned, and that the April 2018 issue is as good as ever. I've been reading it since 1994 when I helped to start ManLUG, which is still going in the present day. Since that time I've written for Linux Magazine, Linux User and Developer and Linux Format. It's been fun.
Here's hoping we see many more issues of LJ in the future.
—Richard Ibootson
Many thanks to Shawn Powers for his articles about Ansible. I seem to recall a series not too long ago on the same thing, but these hit at just the right time for me. As an Ansible newbie, I have run across an irritation that seems to contradict something in Shawn's January 5 article on the website (see "Ansible: the Automation Framework That Thinks Like a Sysadmin"). The most attractive way to escalate privileges, as Shawn writes (option #4), is to allow passwordless sudo on specific programs. After figuring out the best way to do that, I discovered that Ansible doesn't handle it well. It's explained here. Disappointing, but it makes sense. Unfortunately, that leaves me with entering passwords manually or letting my account on target machines become functionally equivalent to root. That would take away the security advantage of a separate account, and makes it much easier for me to make horrible mistakes. Are there better (more secure and yet still convenient) ways to handle this?
By the way, I'm so thankful that LJ is back. I even extended my subscription (that 99-issue deal from long ago) in support. Looking forward to what you have in store!
—Jesse Jacobsen
Wayne McDermott: I just re-subscribed after a gap of some years. The new format is great, and I like the idea of the Deep Dives. There seems to be less of the old-man sysadmin stuff as well, plus no politics! Good work.
U @urisharf: "...adtech does damage to a brand every time it places that brand's ad next to fake news or on a crappy publisher's website." Kudos to @linuxjournal, whitelisted in my adblocker.
Roberto Carraro @robcar1972: Oh, I love the new LJ!
Shawn Powers @shawnp0wers: Can we PLEASE refer to this as the zombie issue? At least internally? :D
Josh Wheeler @mantlepro: Replying to @BryanLunduke @linuxjournal @Microsoft Microsoft's involvement in open source probably has more to do with strategic advantage vs. freedom of the end user from unjust software tyranny. Their involvement in GNU+Linux is counter-intuitive at best. We need more copyleft advocates who care about preserving users' freedoms
Stormy Roy @royking3: Replying to @dsearls @linuxjournal and 3 others The current policy environment has definitely incentivized the growth of adtech. While the ideas of #CustomerTech or VRM have been around for decades, why do you think it's yet to go mainstream? It's not a "technology" problem.
Steve Ketelsen @podfish: Just cracked open my first issue of the newly launched @linuxjournal. Skimming though the PDF, it really feels like the old flavor is back, and it's jam packed: 181 pages of great content! Welcome back, friends.
We'd love to hear your feedback on the magazine and specific articles. Please write us here or send email to ljeditor@linuxjournal.com.
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