For terminals low on RAM, you might want to compile your own custom kernel. The size of a minimal custom kernel is approximately half of the standard one in LTSP, 500k compared to 1Mb.
Other gains might include optimizations for the processor type (e.g.
pentium rather than 386).
Since swapping over NFS is a good thing when the terminal is low on
RAM, you maybe restricted to the versions of the kernel for which the
nfs-swap patch exists. I have used 2.4.9.
I have choosen to compile support the network card in the kernel
itself, and thus skipping the initrd.
So to compile a minimal custom kernel, get the source for 2.4.9, apply
the nfs-swap patch, copy the attached .config to /usr/src/linux/ and
run your favorite configure-the-kernel program (I have only used make
menuconfig), change to compile in the nic/processor type (and possibly
other hardware such as USB, or parallel port ... ).
Let me also mention that in order to tag the kernel I have to give mknbi
some extra options, not mentioned in the LTSP documentation.
"mknbi-linux --format=elf --first32pm=/usr/lib/mknbi/first32pm.linux
--rootdir=rom --ip=rom /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage >
/tftpboot/lts/vmlinuz.ne2000"
Maybe this is just in Debian ("Woody")?
msg02839/pgp00000.pgp
Description: PGP signature
