Hello!

This is my weekly ChangeLog, from 6 March 2017 to 12 March 2017.
You can see it in a better format by going here: http://log.smallworks.eu/web/search?from=6/3/2017&to=12/3/2017

ChangeLog
=========

10 March 2017:
--------------

*�� �� === libgit2(ssh) and linux
�� �� An update on the libgit2 (and consequently iceberg) problem on linux: SSH will not work on ITIMER VM (which
�� �� is the zeroconf default, at least for now).

�� �� Here the reason:

�� �� ITIMER sends an signal to the VM thread using +pthread_kill(tickerThread, TICKER_SIGNAL)+ and that aborts
�� �� system calls, which are used by +libssh2+, producing a 'wait for packet' to fail answering a timeout (
�� �� even if that timeout does not happens for real).

�� �� Here is an interesting comment from +sqUnixITimerTickerHeartbeat.c+ :

�� �� ----
�� �� /* While we use SA_RESTART to ensure system calls are restarted, this is
�� �� ��* not universally effective.�� In particular, connect calls can abort if
�� �� ��* a system call is made in the signal handler, i.e. the pthread_kill in
�� �� ��* prodHighPriorityThread.�� So we avoid this if possible by not prodding
�� �� ��* the high-priority thread unless there are high-priority tickees as
�� �� ��* indicated by numAsyncTickees > 0.
�� �� ��*/
�� �� ----

�� �� ... and sadly, as +OSSubprocess+, +libssh2+ calls falls under the category of "not universally effective"
�� �� (they are connect calls... once disconnected, you cannot connect again 'as is').

�� �� So, the only workaround possible (at least for now), is to use the threaded version of VM... I improved the
�� �� error message it throws when this fails, now looks like this:

�� �� ----
�� �� This VM uses a thread heartbeat who requires a special configuration to work.
�� �� You need to allow it to run higher priority threads (real time), to allow clock to work properly
�� �� You need to add a conf file to /etc/security/limits.d, executing this:

�� �� sudo cat >/etc/security/limits.d/%s.conf <<END\n", VMNAME);
�� �� *�� �� �� ��hard�� �� rtprio�� 2
�� �� *�� �� �� ��soft�� �� rtprio�� 2
�� �� END

�� �� You need to log out and log back in for the limits to take effect.
�� �� For more information read https://github.com/OpenSmalltalk/opensmalltalk-vm/releases/tag/r3732#linux
�� �� ----

�� �� which at least shows what's happens and how you can easily fix it.

�� �� Now, I think this is a *sad solution*. Needing to touch system configuration in order to run a VM
�� �� does not feels "professional". I would like to have some time to find a fix.


9 March 2017:
-------------

*�� �� I spent last two days again fighting with linux dependencies, because what I thought was fixed (the
�� �� loading of +libgit2.so+), actually was not working in all conditions.

�� �� Now, I think I finally arrived to a working solution (that involved add an +rpath+ to Pharo, not
�� �� to dependent libraries).

�� �� There is a new +vmLatest60+, let's see how it works...


6 March 2017:
-------------

*�� �� I spent time fixing libgit2 (and dependents) compilation, both for linux and windows.

�� �� As a result, now windows is working again (there was problems after version 0.26)... but linux, who seemed
�� �� working last friday, is now again not working properly :(


cheers!
Esteban