Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 09:11:23 -0400 To: Recipient List Suppressed:; From: Kai Staats <kstaats@terraplex.com> Subject: Yellow Dog Linux GONE HOME Beta Offered at MacWorld NY: Press YELLOW DOG LINUX GONE HOME DEBUTS AT MACWORLD NY New York, NY -- 20 July 2000 -- Terra Soft Solutions, Inc., the leading developer of Linux solutions for PowerPC(tm) microprocessors, is offering a beta release of Yellow Dog Linux Gone Home, their Linux distribution for home users that will feature a revolutionary new installer. "Written from the ground up almost entirely in [the programming language] Python, our installer features auto-probing of the keyboard, mouse, CD, and hard drives, and contains a new partitioner. I have been demo'ng on an iBook ... the feedback is already helpful and the enthusiasm is amazing. There is a lot of interest in Linux at this show," states Charles Stevenson, Software Engineer for Terra Soft Solutions. While Terra Soft has completed the interface graphics, the Gone Home beta does not incorporate them. Dan Burcaw, CTO for Terra Soft explains, "It is our intent to receive feedback from our beta testers before we apply the graphics. During the next month or so, we are going to make changes to our code based upon feedback from our beta testers. We will then merge the GUI with the back-end code and offer Gone Home with the complete, fully tested, rock-solid installer." With the new installer, rebooting the computer following partitioning is not required. The bootloader may be installed on New World ROM machines at the user's selection, allowing most users to avoid open firmware. The installer shows package descriptions, automatically resolves dependencies, and offers a front-end to yup! (the automated Yellow Dog Linux update program). In addition, the Gone Home beta offers: - Post-installation configuration utilities that are identical to those used during installation - Improved user configuration (during installation) allows specification of username, password, and finger information as well, with the ability to add any number of users during installation. - HelixCode Gnome - A new kernel with fixed gmac driver Terra Soft Solutions has a CD-R burn station in booth #1720 and is burning Gone Home to attendee's CD-Rs for free, including a CD-R with the purchase of Champion Server 1.2 for free, or supplying the CD-R alone for just $5.00. About Terra Soft Solutions, Inc. Terra Soft Solutions, Inc. is a leading developer of innovative technologies for PowerPC Linux. Champion Server, their flagship product, has boosted viability of Linux for PowerPC in a wide range of server applications. For more information, please visit http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com and http://www.yellowdoglinux.com/ Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. PowerPC is a trademark of IBM Corp. Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.