[H-GEN] Solaris coder needed for debug of GPL software (quick job, desperate client)

Christopher Biggs listjunkie at pobox.com
Fri Jul 25 19:30:19 EDT 2003


[ Humbug *General* list - semi-serious discussions about Humbug and     ]
[ Unix-related topics. Posts from non-subscribed addresses will vanish. ]


I was just asked to help an ex cow-orker with an issue he's having
with some solaris code.  I don't have the time to help
$FORMER_COW_ORKER, but have offered to pass the opportunity on:

Big picture:
        
   1.  The code is a software product that talks to serial ports on
       $VENDOR's network routers by using the LD_PRELOAD trick to
       hijack the open/read/write/close etc system calls on Linux and
       Solaris.  (Sort of like how SOCKS does the same for TCP/IP
       calls).  Serial port operations are then redirected over network
       using the standard RFC2217 telnet extensions supported by many
       routers and comms servers.
       
   2.  It's GPL code, written under contract for $VENDOR.
       (there has already been a public alpha release).

   3.  The code works on Linux, doesn't quite work on Solaris, because
       something in the library linkage is screwy and the shared
       library won't load properly.  There's also some functionality
       needed to be added to the protocol.

   4.  Original contract ran over-length, and the contract coder who
       wrote all this has gone overseas on a pre-arranged holiday.
       He's contactable for advice but obvioulsy not available to do
       much coding..

What's needed:

   1.  Figure out why the preloaded shared-library isn't loading
       properly

   2.  Ensure that code is compatible with RFC2217.  Currently is
       allegedly "80% compatible", which I gather means some of the
       telnet control messages aren't implemented yet.
      
   3.  Make it compile with Sun's cc as well as gcc.

   4.  $VENDOR needs to demonstrate this solution to a customer
       mid-august, so is eager to find someone quickly (and thus 
       of course, should be willing to pay well.)

Anyway, if you're a Solaris-savvy hacker looking for a "bit on the
side" (it was originally suggested to me as "a couple of weekends"),
give me a call/email and I'll pass on the contact details.  

(I've got no commercial intererst in this, etc. etc.)

--cjb
       
-- 
Christopher Biggs  --  Unix bigot for hire
                   --  <unixbigot at pobox.com> 
                   --  ph. 0407-722-799


--
* This is list (humbug) general handled by majordomo at lists.humbug.org.au .
* Postings to this list are only accepted from subscribed addresses of
* lists 'general' or 'general-post'.  See http://www.humbug.org.au/



More information about the General mailing list