Jaldhar H. Vyas wrote: > On Sun, 16 Jul 2006, Matej Kosik wrote: > >> Dear mentors, >> >> I have created a Debian package with which it is possible to >> conveniently install and run Minix running on QEMU. It might be useful >> for those, who want to look at it closer and play with it. >> > > This is interesting to me and I would consider sponsoring it.
That would be great! Thank you.
> However
> from Debians point of view, there is one important factor to consider.
> It must be possible to build the package from source. But it looks to
> me that you just copy the disk image into the package.> Is this
> correct? Is there anyway you can work creating the disk image into the
> build process?
>
The `/usr/share/minix/minix.img.gz' is an image of a harddisk (in one of
the QEMU formats).
It has sense to distribute harddisk image because it is precooked,
directly bootable (with QEMU), this debian package provides quick
(automated) installation.
Concerning the source code, there are two related facts:
1. the source code of the kernel, of various other parts of the
operating system as well as of every single command in a fresh
installation are part of that harddisk image. They can be found (if you
boot Minix) in directory `/usr/src'. There would be no point of
distributing Minix without source code since it is partially targeted to
education. Hitherto, I haven't found any problem with modifying anything
building it and installing it. If there would be such problem, that
would be an error in a distribution. You can check if some source code
is missing but I do not believe so.
2. There is a bootable CD
http://www.minix3.org/download/
the procedure (not in a computer language) by which one can produce
equivalent harddisk image is part of this Debian package. You can look at
/usr/share/doc/minix/NOTES
The procedure which properly populates the partition with Minix3
distribution is part of the installation program which is ran if you
boot the bootable Minix3 live CD and execute `setup'. I suspect that
from Linux one cannot mount the Minix3 partitions. Such a filesystem
support could be implemented, though. But Minix3 does not need it
install itself.
I do not know how exactly is produced the Minix3 CD. If you boot Minix,
in directory
/usr/src/tools
there is a script
release.sh
which, I guess, is somehow related. Very few people need to build the
bootable CD from scratch. If it were important, I could try to do that.
Regards
--
Matej Kosik
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