Re: [9fans] So, once I've got the OS up how do I...

["Russ Cox" <rsc@plan9.bell-labs.com>]

I answered a bunch (and left a bunch unanswered.)

	Q1.	What is the choice with respect to mail mirrors or mailing list
		software like majordomo?

There's no list software as of yet.  It wouldn't be hard to write.

	Q2.	What is the usual web server?

ip/httpd, see httpd(8)

	Q3.	Is the Plan 9 <> Linux software reliable?

I don't understand the question.

	Q4.	What IRC choices (both client and server) are available?

None.  Again, not hard to write.  An Acme IRC would be
really easy to write and really easy to use.

	Q5.	How do I play my audio CD's and what mp3 player is suggested?
		Is there any good audio sampling (and pop reduction) software?

Play audio CDs with acd (see http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~rsc/plan9.html).
Charles Forsyth has an mp3 player port, as does Bruce Ellis, I believe.
Long ago I saw a port of sox for doing more advanced stuff.
There's no audio sampling/pop reduction stuff ported currently.

	Q9.	What sorts of packages such as StarOffice are available, if
		any?

troff, tex, gs, basically what you'd expect.
I write my presentations in Postscript, but I'm an outlier.

I've been using StarOffice on Windows in lieu of Microsoft
Word (only under duress) and I'm not very happy with it.  I'd rather use Word.
I didn't think Microsoft really understood anything about UI
until I tried to use StarOffice.

	Q10.	What about Perl, Python, Rexx, Tcl/Tk, Java, or Prolog?

Perl yes.
Python yes.
Rexx no.
Tcl/Tk no.
Java yes, someone ported Kaffe a while back.
	It's pretty rough.

Prolog no.  (Someone is going to ask you about Prolog?  Really?)

	Q11.	Is there any sort of effort to move the GNU tools to the
		Plan 9 reality?

No, for the same reason there is no sort of effort to herd wild water buffalo
into major metropolitan areas.

	Q15.	What sort of RDBMS, especially multimedia, is available?

Someone mentioned something on 9fans about having
some database up and running.  A friend was interviewing
at Oracle a few weeks ago and in Oracle's boasts about the
portability of their server they said they had even brought
it up on Plan 9 recently.  I doubt this is going to be the cornerstone
of a new business plan.

	Q16.	Assuming a small group wished to do a custom distribution, how
		would they go about licensing it with Bell Labs? Would it even
		really be necessary under the current license? Would there be
		any advantages/disadvantages either way?

I don't think you need to talk to Bell Labs.
I am not a lawyer, but that's what license seems to say.