On Sat, Oct 27, 2001 at 02:03:20AM +0800, Orlando Andico wrote: > > I'm thinking of a doable project to use ancient (as in 386 and 486) > hardware for a Linux desktop. You can add the usual thin-client buzzwords. > > Practically speaking, Linux cannot be a thin client desktop anymore. GNOME > and KDE are bloated monsters. > > But: a basic one-floppy Linux, with svgalib and the svncviewer (VNC viewer > for SVGAlib) and a beefy appserver, and you can serve a lot of people! you > can get a 486 complete system for like 3,000 pesos now at places like HMR.
I have a linux on a floppy distro at: http://www.michaelchaney.com/mjbd/ The distro is very specifically targeted at the NIC computers (www.thinknic.com), but the important part is the boot floppy that is part of it. I have included some changes to the BusyBox boot floppy set up to make it actually work (it doesn't work as its packaged, and the maintainer is uninterested in putting in my fixes). I'm using a 2.2 kernel, and syslinux to load. BusyBox gives you all standard Unix utilities, plus a usable "init" to bring up a shell or run whatever you wish. With very little work, it would be possible to make a more generic kernel and get it running. I might do it myself if I get time :) > Just get yourself a beefy app server (you can construct one on the cheap > with a mobo like mine, Abit VP6 dual-proc, only 7000+) and you can support > a couple dozen workstations running StarOffice. > > Anyway there is LODS which is one-floppy Linux based on hal91, plus > svncviewer, but it's based on a 2.0 kernel. I think I'm gonna slap > together something (I'm thinking of using mindi to floppy-ize RedHat 7.1) > or maybe Midori. Eventually I may want to get one of those all-in-one > motherboards with LAN onboard, a CompactFlash card, and make a *real* thin > client. =) Very cool idea. > Another alternative is Linux on the Dreamcast. You can get a DC now for > about 7000 pesoses, and the boot media is an ordinary floppy. Linux + X > already runs on the DC, there's a nice DC guide on linuxdevices.com. Dreamcast is selling here for $80 now, and they're expected to be around $50 by Christmas (at current rates, that's about P4000 now and P2500 at Christmas). Good deal for a powerful Linux machine, but I'm waiting for the lowest price that I can get. Here's an interesting article about running Linux on game consoles: http://www1.cnn.com/2001/TECH/industry/07/06/consoles.divide.idg/index.html pulled from this Slashdot article (which has other links): http://slashdot.org/articles/01/07/06/1629229.shtml Michael -- Michael Darrin Chaney [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.michaelchaney.com/ _ Philippine Linux Users Group. Web site and archives at http://plug.linux.org.ph To leave: send "unsubscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to the Linux Newbies' List: send "subscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
