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[[TableOfContents]] <<TableOfContents>>

DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT

Why?

  • significant effort
  • dwindling number of users who want it
    • termination announced for > 6 months

      • received a single statement in writing that support should be kept up, and why
      • plus another statement, not in writing, without specifics or reason
  • still little progress in linux support for notebook hardware, no more hope for change

When?

July 31, 2006.

How?

  • No more help with any kind of problems
  • No more new installations

Existing installations can be used securely as long as SL4 is supported by FNAL. They just have to be maintained by the user. These systems will receive a last update from DV:

  • disables most customization
    • browser, touchpad, ...
  • disables automatic software updates
    • DESY (/opt/products) and System
  • removes DESY software that would need to be updated for security reasons in the future
    • java incl. firefox plugin
  • removes additional System packages that would need to be updated for security reasons in the future
    • Adobe Reader
    • Flash Plugin for firefox
  • disabCutoff Dateles automatic updates of known accounts
  • grants passwordless root access on gdm login screen

Functionality Retained on Systems Installed Before Cutoff Date

Unless configuration is messed up otherwise:

  • USB mice
  • USB memory sticks
  • LAN, WLAN, AFS, local firewall
  • shared VFAT Partition usable from both Windows & Linux

  • ACPI fixes for unblanking the display on models that need them

These should continue to work, but could be broken by future SL updates:

  • X11 in native resolution on the X1
  • controlling the external VGA port (beamer)

Functionality Lost on Systems Installed Before Cutoff Date

  • Automatic updates
    • User has to run yum update as root regularly to update SL packages

    • User has to install/update /opt/products packages manually if desired
  • Synchronization of known accounts
    • User has to add/remove accounts manually if desired.
  • Laptop Mode (enhanced battery life)
    • Too fragile to leave installed on unsupported systems.
  • Enhanced touchpad configuration
    • D400/X1 users can restore it by editing /etc/X11/xorg.xonf (save a copy before cutoff date)
    • Should not be done on any other model since required driver will no longer be available after next kernel update.
  • Compose Character key
    • if system tools are ever used for configuring X
  • Ability to read the Windows C: partition (driver would be missing after next kernel update)
  • Software removed for security reasons
    • may be reinstalled by user manually afterwards

Final Hints for Users now Maintaining Their Notebook Themselves

  • To disable passwordless logins, comment the corresponding lines in /etc/pam.d/gdm:

    # auth       sufficient   pam_succeed_if.so user ingroup users
    # auth       sufficient   pam_succeed_if.so uid eq 0
  • maybe a few more ...

Notebook_Support/Termination_of_Support_for_Linux_Notebooks (last edited 2008-10-30 11:40:17 by localhost)