Robert Steinmetz wrote: > > The Basic Linux 1.x I hope would continue to be > available for very minimal machines.
Yes, I would like to keep it available (even if there is no further development of that version). There will be no 4mb version of BasicLinux 2. Perhaps not even an 8mb version. Running the current BasicLinux (ramdisk) in 8mb RAM is already tight. A larger kernel and larger libraries will probably overflow 8mb. I will try to shoe- horn them into 8mb, but we'll just have to wait and see. > I would also suggest that BasicLinux 2.0 might benefit > from a specialized kernel, optimized for older hardware, > with some of the support for rarely used features left out, > rather than one of the stock Slackware kernels. I agree, I intend to compile a special BasicLinux kernel (one that uses the stock modules in Slackware 7.1). The stock lowram.i kernel runs well on old hardware, but it lacks some desirable capabilities (like full networking). I'd like to keep the BasicLinux kernel around the same size as lowram.i So, when I add networking etc., I'll also try to remove a similar amount (eg. copro emulation). I will probably optimize the kernel for 486-DX -- people who don't like this can always substitute a stock kernel from Slack71. > If I can help in any way, please let me know. If you install Slack71 on an old PC, it would be useful to hear your experience with different packages. In particular, which packages are well suited to old hardware and which are slow/bloated. As with GCC and X on BL1, I would like to provide detailed installation instructions for some add-ons to the HD version of BL2. It would help me a lot if someone would do the ground work for me. In particular, which browser should I recommend? Opera? Galeon? Konqueor? Something else? Which of these is best for a 486 with 16mb RAM? And what libraries does it need? > Do you think you can make it still fit on a couple of floppies? Probably, there is still lots of room on the first floppy. I usually put bas-hd.tgz, go, edit.com, fips.exe, fdisk.com, and format.com on the first floppy (that enables me to do a HD install of BasicLinux from just the two floppies). > I guess that someday Basic Linux 3.0 might eventually be > based upon Slackware 8.1, That's unlikely. Slack81 uses a 2.4 kernel. There's not alot to benefit old PCs in 2.4. Most of the enhancements in 2.4 (and 2.2) were aimed at the top end (eg. scalability). It appears that 2.6 will be better for us -- we may get some low-level enhancements that improve performance on old PCs (hooray!). > as the definition of old hardware continues to be expanded > ( like when you get a 500+ MHz machine ;-) Don't hold your breath. My first 500+ MHz machine is many years away. I just bought another 486 the other day -- a Toshiba T2100 with 12mb RAM (my first laptop that can run Linux). That gives me five 486's, one XT (my old laptop) and the P166. That P166 is plenty fast for me (as long as it isn't smothered by bloated software). I'm looking forward to putting a fast+lean Slack71 on it. Cheers, Steven To unsubscribe from SURVPC send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with unsubscribe SURVPC in the body of the message. Also, trim this footer from any quoted replies. More info can be found at; http://www.softcon.com/archives/SURVPC.html
