Hej Gene!

<Esc>:read /proc/version
Linux version 6.15.9 (root@offgrid) (gcc (GCC) 15.2.0, GNU ld (GNU Binutils) 2.45) #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Mon Aug 11 06:37:39 UTC 2025

Just over four and a half hours for this machine. Now let us see whether or not fidonetting still works. I see four penguins below that seem to think it is working.

Het leven is goed,
Maurice

-o o- o- o-
(\ /) /) /)
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
... Wene þec þy betran, efn elne þis a þenden þu lifge.
Train yourself for the better way, ever with courage as long as you live. --- GNU bash, version 5.3.3(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
* Origin: Little Mikey's EuroPoint @ (2:280/464.113)

Hey Maurice!

I see four penguins below that seem to think it is working.

Four here as well, but it looks like your penguins are a tad faster. Counting the 2 x 16 penguins in reserve, that makes 40 penguins total dedicated to our pleasure.

Дуже груви,
Maurice

o- o- -o o-
/) /) (\ /)
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
... Ne læt þu no unlofod þæt þu swytele ongite þæt licwyrðe sie.
Do not leave unpraised anything you know well to be worthy.
--- GNU bash, version 5.3.3(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
* Origin: Little Mikey's Brain - Ladysmith BC, Canada (1:153/7001)

Hej Maurice!

that makes 40 penguins total dedicated to our pleasure.

Exactly the same, except totally different.

Het leven is goed,
Maurice

-o -o o- -o
(\ (\ /) (\
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
... Ongiet georne hwæt sy god oþþe yfel, ond toscead simle.
Keenly perceive what is good or evil, and always distinguish them.
--- GNU bash, version 5.3.3(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
* Origin: Little Mikey's EuroPoint @ (2:280/464.113)

Hey Maurice!

On Mon, Aug 11 2025 15:11:13 -0500, you wrote:

<Esc>:read /proc/version Linux version 6.15.9 (root@offgrid) (gcc
(GCC) 15.2.0, GNU ld (GNU Binutils) 2.45) #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Mon
Aug 11 06:37:39 UTC 2025

Looking good. I should be right about there with you shortly (whenever they decide to update gcc, that is).

$ cat /proc/version
Linux version 6.15.9-arch1-1 (linux@archlinux) (gcc (GCC) 15.1.1 20250729, GNU ld (GNU Binutils) 2.45.0) #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Sat, 02 Aug 2025 01:20:06 +0000

Just over four and a half hours for this machine. Now let us see
whether or not fidonetting still works. I see four penguins below
that seem to think it is working.

Took me about 60 seconds including the reboot, and I was back in action. What can I say, I'm too impatient to wait 4.5 hours. ;)

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm, because beating people up is illegal.
--- SBBSecho 3.29-Linux
* Origin: _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin) (1:154/700)

Hey Nick!

whenever they decide to update gcc, that is

slackware-current has it. I haven't checked but I think I might have outpaced them as well. Usually I am just a step behind the archlinux powers-that-be.

Took me about 60 seconds including the reboot

There is no way that is possible. I am guessing that even a 96 penguin threadripper would take at least minutes to compile a beefy kernel, with modules from hell, as well as gzip them, and then archive/compress the entire thing into one tidy package using xz, which I believe is still a single threaded app. Sorry but I have to call bullshit on this one.

Life is good,
Maurice

o- o- -o -o -o o- -o o- o- -o -o o- o- o- -o -o /) /) (\ (\ (\ /) (\ /) /) (\ (\ /) /) /) (\ (\ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ... Fidonet 4K - You load sixteen penguins and what do you get?
--- GNU bash, version 5.3.3(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
* Origin: One of us @ (1:153/7001.2989)

Hey Maurice!

On Mon, Aug 11 2025 17:49:17 -0500, you wrote:

Took me about 60 seconds including the reboot

There is no way that is possible. I am guessing that even a 96
penguin threadripper would take at least minutes to compile a beefy
kernel, with modules from hell, as well as gzip them, and then archive/compress the entire thing into one tidy package using xz,
which I believe is still a single threaded app. Sorry but I have to
call bullshit on this one.

Who said anything about compiling? ;)

"Linux version 6.15.9-arch1-1 (linux@archlinux)" is precompiled before it gets to me, and I install it with 'pacman', the Archlinux package manager.

It literally takes about 30 seconds to download and install a new kernel. Then another 30 seconds or so to reboot the VM so the new kernel is used. Definitely beats watching a single package compile for 4+ hours. Plus, I don't need every bit of boot-up time and processing power or even special modules or anything like that, that tinkering with a custom kernel would possibly get me these days.

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm, because beating people up is illegal.
--- SBBSecho 3.29-Linux
* Origin: _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin) (1:154/700)

Hey Nick!

Who said anything about compiling?

I did. Lately 3 times, once from 3 different machines, compiling the exact same source, with the exact same .config. I only did this to satisfy my curiousity about compatibilty from differing hardware and would they produce the same result usable on any x86_64 host, although it probably would have no issues running in a virtualized enviroment without changing a damn thing.

Definitely beats watching a single package compile for 4+ hours.

5+ hours on "Little Mikey's Brain". I didn't bother timing the kernel build on this machine but will on the next one which is a 16 penguin epyc with tons of ram and a targetted nvme disk. Not exactly in the same league as a threadripper but is more than enough for my evil, demented purposes.

Life is good,
Maurice

-o o- -o -o o- o- o- o- o- -o -o -o o- o- o- o-
(\ /) (\ (\ /) /) /) /) /) (\ (\ (\ /) /) /) /)
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ... Fidonet 4K - Sweet Sixteen Penguins of the Apocalypse.
--- GNU bash, version 5.3.3(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
* Origin: One of us @ (1:153/7001.2989)