9fans archive / 2000 / 10 / 86 /    prev next

From: "rob pike" <rob@pla...>
Subject: [9fans] New release
Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2000 17:14:07 -0400

A new release of Plan 9 is now available at
	http://plan9.bell-labs.com/plan9
You can download a full distribution or an update relative to the
previous release, dated July 29 2000.  For a variety of reasons the
update is larger than previous ones, but still much smaller than the
full release.

Although this is primarily a maintenance release, it contains a number of new
things.

	- The open source license has been updated to improve some of the
	more contentious clauses and to add language about the Plan 9
	trademark.
	- More VGA cards are supported, particularly the 3dfx, and more now
	have support for hardware acceleration.
	- The AccuPoint II's extra buttons are now connected to `button 2' of
	the mouse interface; thanks to Ionkov for the crucial piece of information.
	(See mouse(8).)
	- The cpu command now has the ability to encrypt the data on its
	communication channel. This facility is enabled by default, use
		cpu -e clear
	to turn it off.
	- Acme now has a command language for editing, essentially identical
	to sam's.
	- Formatted I/O for floating point has been rewritten to provide the
	best possible answer always.
	- There is a full set of `rune string' routines installed in the C library.
	- Pipefile(1) is installed; it is used by the accupoint support and by
	Kenji's ktrans.
	- Lp will now print to an HP DeskJet and in fact to any Ghostscript-
	supported device.
	- New command leak(1) detects memory leaks in running programs
	without prior arrangement; thanks to Russ Cox.
	- Scat now has the ability to orient the maps to place the zenith up;
	thanks to Doug McIlroy.
	- /bin/termrc has a simple mechanism to enable system-dependent
	configuration. cpurc should do the same, but doesn't, for historical
	reasons.

There are doubtless many more minor things.

-rob