axiom reports System error: Couldn't protect to almost all commands

[Alexey]

Here is an example of the session:

GCL (GNU Common Lisp) 2.6.7 CLtL1 Nov 9 2006 17:51:02
Source License: LGPL(gcl,gmp), GPL(unexec,bfd,xgcl)
Binary License: GPL due to GPL'ed components: (XGCL READLINE BFD UNEXEC)
Modifications of this banner must retain notice of a compatible license
Dedicated to the memory of W. Schelter

Use (help) to get some basic information on how to use GCL.
Temporary directory for compiler files set to /tmp/
                        AXIOM Computer Algebra System
                     Version: Axiom 3.9 (September 2005)
              Timestamp: Saturday December 2, 2006 at 09:07:05
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Issue )copyright to view copyright notices.
   Issue )summary for a summary of useful system commands.
   Issue )quit to leave AXIOM and return to shell.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) ->
(1) -> 2+3
(1) ->
   (1) 5
                                                        Type: PositiveInteger
(2) -> D(x**2,x)
   Loading /usr/lib/axiom-20050901/algebra/UPMP.o for package
      UnivariatePolynomialMultiplicationPackage

   >> System error:
   Couldn't protect

(2) ->

Ubuntu 8.10

packages installed (version 20050901-9ubuntu1):

axiom
axiom-database
axiom-doc
axiom-graphics
axiom-graphics-data
axiom-hypertex
axiom-hypertex-data
axiom-source
axiom-tex

[Keenan Pepper (keenanpepper)]

Someone fix this please. It really bothers me when a package in the stable version of Ubuntu is unusably broken.

[jflattich (jflattich)]

I've got the same error with one additional output line:
>> System error:
   Couldn't protect

(1) ->

out of memory allocating 8 bytes after a total of 122315060 bytes

[Robert Collins (lifeless)]

This may be related to bug 163603 which is apparently caused by a change to gcl.

[daly (daly-axiom-developer)]

The Axiom project is maintained at http://axiom-developer.org
Nobody ever mentioned Launchpad before.
I (Tim Daly) will try to fix this old release.

[Singpolyma (singpolyma)]

This bug also affects me on Intrepid.

open-axiom RPMs from open-axiom.org converted with alien install and work fine on my system.

[thoer (thoer)]

I solved the problem as follows (manual installation):
Download one of the ubuntu binaries from http://axiom-developer.org/axiom-website/download.html. Untar the tarball, move the directory "axiom" to /usr/local.
Start axiom with a startscript:

#!/bin/bash
export AXIOM=/usr/local/axiom/mnt/ubuntu
export PATH=$AXIOM/bin:$PATH
setarch i386 -R axiom

There are several binaries, maybe you have tho modify /usr/local/axiom/mnt/ubuntu. I've tested Nov 2008 and Jan 2009 bins.

[Max (m-gorodok)]

Workaround

setarch i386 -R axiom

(-R is the point) does not require manual installation.
It works with axiom 20050901-9ubuntu1, Ubuntu 8.04

[flyc0r (flyc0r)]

I had this too on intrepid. The above mentioned setarch i386 -R axiom worked fine though.

[flyc0r (flyc0r)]

same for jaunty btw.

[ekkehard (ekkehard-blanz)]

Yup - workaround is needed (and works!) for official release of Jaunty too. It is kind a frustrating though that 9.04 was released again with a known broken app...... I guess the math eggheads don't enjoy the same attention and tender loving care as the real nerds, but then again, the sheer number of the latter is daunting :-)

Thanks for the workaround Max, it is highly appreciated!!!

[Ansus (neptunia)]

The same problem here, in Jaunty

[Joke de Buhr (joke)]

Still the same problem in karmic.

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

Thanks for the report, it appears that upstream is aware and working on this:

"Camm Maguire <email address hidden>:
axiom needs rebuilding around recent GCL, or running as is with setarch on
kernels which try to randomize sbrk. As a workaround exists, I'm
lowering the severity."

However, no one has done anything in over a year on this bug. Also, no one at Debian has been maintaining this package in over a year: http://packages.qa.debian.org/a/axiom.html. It would be best to get this package upgraded and into Debian.

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

Also, it appears that people are trying to get it fixed in debian by upgrading: see bug 387255 .

[David Stansby (dstansby-deactivatedaccount)]

Is this still a problem in lucid (version 20091101-7) ?

[daly (daly-axiom-developer)]

Nope. That problem was fixed years ago.
http://axiom-developer.org/axiom-website/download.html

David Stansby wrote:
> Is this still a problem in lucid (version 20091101-7) ?
>
> ** Changed in: axiom (Ubuntu)
> Status: Triaged => Incomplete
>
>

[ekkehard (ekkehard-blanz)]

Maybe it was fixed in the latest (or not so latest) downloadable version of axiom, but it wasn't fixed in the 9.10 Ubuntu distro, which is Axiom Version 3.9 - but the workaround still works there.

I'll try the distro version again in 10.04 when it comes out April 29 (or shortly thereafter).
On Sunday 11 April 2010 08:25:05 am daly wrote:
> Nope. That problem was fixed years ago.
> http://axiom-developer.org/axiom-website/download.html
>
> David Stansby wrote:
> > Is this still a problem in lucid (version 20091101-7) ?
> >
> > ** Changed in: axiom (Ubuntu)
> > Status: Triaged => Incomplete
> >
> >
>
> >> System error:
> Couldn't protect
>
> (2) ->
>
>
> Ubuntu 8.10
>
> packages installed (version 20050901-9ubuntu1):
>
> axiom
> axiom-database
> axiom-doc
> axiom-graphics
> axiom-graphics-data
> axiom-hypertex
> axiom-hypertex-data
> axiom-source
> axiom-tex
>
> To unsubscribe from this bug, go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/axiom/+bug/295117/+subscribe
>

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

It looks like it if fixed in Lucid.

showard@s-desktop:~$ axiom
GCL (GNU Common Lisp) 2.6.7 CLtL1 Feb 15 2010 17:57:54
Source License: LGPL(gcl,gmp), GPL(unexec,bfd,xgcl)
Binary License: GPL due to GPL'ed components: (XGCL READLINE BFD UNEXEC)
Modifications of this banner must retain notice of a compatible license
Dedicated to the memory of W. Schelter

Use (help) to get some basic information on how to use GCL.
Temporary directory for compiler files set to /tmp/
                        AXIOM Computer Algebra System
                       Version: Axiom (November 2009)
               Timestamp: Thursday April 8, 2010 at 18:12:43
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Issue )copyright to view copyright notices.
   Issue )summary for a summary of useful system commands.
   Issue )quit to leave AXIOM and return to shell.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Re-reading compress.daase Re-reading interp.daase
   Re-reading operation.daase
   Re-reading category.daase
   Re-reading browse.daase
(1) ->
(1) -> 2+3
(1) ->
   (1) 5
                                                        Type: PositiveInteger
(2) -> D(x**2,x)
(2) ->
   (2) 2x
                                                     Type: Polynomial Integer
(3) ->

[daly (daly-axiom-developer)]

The problem is that you're using a version from 2005.
Axiom is released every 2 months. You can get the version
information from the banner:

                        AXIOM Computer Algebra System
                       Version: Axiom (November 2009)
               Timestamp: Thursday April 8, 2010 at 18:12:43

This tells you the month and year of your build (November 2009)
and the date it was compiled (April 8, 2010)

Version 3.9 is a versioning scheme that has not been used for many years.
Unfortunately Ubuntu is using debian's distribution of Axiom.
I'm not a debian authorized developer so I can't fix it.
And I can't get them to either update it or delete it.

Visit http://axiom-developer.org/axiom-website/download.html

Tim

ekkehard wrote:
> Maybe it was fixed in the latest (or not so latest) downloadable version
> of axiom, but it wasn't fixed in the 9.10 Ubuntu distro, which is Axiom
> Version 3.9 - but the workaround still works there.
>
> I'll try the distro version again in 10.04 when it comes out April 29 (or shortly thereafter).
> On Sunday 11 April 2010 08:25:05 am daly wrote:
>
>> Nope. That problem was fixed years ago.
>> http://axiom-developer.org/axiom-website/download.html
>>
>> David Stansby wrote:
>>
>>> Is this still a problem in lucid (version 20091101-7) ?
>>>
>>> ** Changed in: axiom (Ubuntu)
>>> Status: Triaged => Incomplete
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> >> System error:
>> Couldn't protect
>>
>> (2) ->
>>
>>
>> Ubuntu 8.10
>>
>> packages installed (version 20050901-9ubuntu1):
>>
>> axiom
>> axiom-database
>> axiom-doc
>> axiom-graphics
>> axiom-graphics-data
>> axiom-hypertex
>> axiom-hypertex-data
>> axiom-source
>> axiom-tex
>>
>> To unsubscribe from this bug, go to:
>> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/axiom/+bug/295117/+subscribe
>>
>>
>
>

[ekkehard (ekkehard-blanz)]

So the axiom version that's in the actual Ubuntu archive is 5 years old - eh? That makes me running a version thats about 30 version behind the current one, and I didn't even know it - sorry folks!!

Maybe Mr. Shuttleworth should spend less resources moving buttons around and more resources keeping the Ubuntu archives up-to-date...

Oh well........

Thanks for the info Tim!!

Ekkehard
On Sunday 11 April 2010 02:02:07 pm daly wrote:
> The problem is that you're using a version from 2005.
> Axiom is released every 2 months. You can get the version
> information from the banner:
>
> AXIOM Computer Algebra System
> Version: Axiom (November 2009)
> Timestamp: Thursday April 8, 2010 at 18:12:43
>
>
> This tells you the month and year of your build (November 2009)
> and the date it was compiled (April 8, 2010)
>
> Version 3.9 is a versioning scheme that has not been used for many years.
> Unfortunately Ubuntu is using debian's distribution of Axiom.
> I'm not a debian authorized developer so I can't fix it.
> And I can't get them to either update it or delete it.
>
> Visit http://axiom-developer.org/axiom-website/download.html
>
> Tim
>
>
> ekkehard wrote:
> > Maybe it was fixed in the latest (or not so latest) downloadable version
> > of axiom, but it wasn't fixed in the 9.10 Ubuntu distro, which is Axiom
> > Version 3.9 - but the workaround still works there.
> >
> > I'll try the distro version again in 10.04 when it comes out April 29 (or shortly thereafter).
> > On Sunday 11 April 2010 08:25:05 am daly wrote:
> >
> >> Nope. That problem was fixed years ago.
> >> http://axiom-developer.org/axiom-website/download.html
> >>
> >> David Stansby wrote:
> >>
> >>> Is this still a problem in lucid (version 20091101-7) ?
> >>>
> >>> ** Changed in: axiom (Ubuntu)
> >>> Status: Triaged => Incomplete
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >> >> System error:
> >> Couldn't protect
> >>
> >> (2) ->
> >>
> >>
> >> Ubuntu 8.10
> >>
> >> packages installed (version 20050901-9ubuntu1):
> >>
> >> axiom
> >> axiom-database
> >> axiom-doc
> >> axiom-graphics
> >> axiom-graphics-data
> >> axiom-hypertex
> >> axiom-hypertex-data
> >> axiom-source
> >> axiom-tex
> >>
> >> To unsubscribe from this bug, go to:
> >> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/axiom/+bug/295117/+subscribe
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
> >> System error:
> Couldn't protect
>
> (2) ->
>
>
> Ubuntu 8.10
>
> packages installed (version 20050901-9ubuntu1):
>
> axiom
> axiom-database
> axiom-doc
> axiom-graphics
> axiom-graphics-data
> axiom-hypertex
> axiom-hypertex-data
> axiom-source
> axiom-tex
>
> To unsubscribe from this bug, go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/axiom/+bug/295117/+subscribe
>