Bob: Have you seen this article? "Made for Linux" computer reference design gets airing http://www.osviews.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=658&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
The follow up threads are very interesting. John Oram Bob George wrote: >Hey Day (and others interested), > >I'm doing one of my annual re-evaluations of Linux distributions, and I'm >currently playing with Mandrake 9.2. I'm going to be installing it on a >machine -- hopefully this week -- and am going to play with some of the newer >options. Supposedly, there's a "minimal" install (still 100MB but oh well) onto >which I can add a light window manager and DOSemu for testing. Now this will be >on non-SurvPC hardware, but I am curious how "small" a current mainstream >distribution can be made, and while I'm at it, I can try out a couple of things >for you. > >What DOS software do you run? Could you send a link, or better, a diskette >image of a "typical" configuration you run under DOS for connecting to the >'net? > >Now this may be a complete fiasco with Mandrake, so I'll try again with Debian >if so. I'm not out to create a new distribution, but simply a configuration to >meet basic needs using mainstream (i.e. can readily buy books on it and find >large groups of users) distributions. The DOSemu part comes from a perverse >sense of curiosity. :) >Here's what I see including: > >1. Basic, text-only Linux install (varies depending on distro) using current >kernel and hardware support (to provide best odds of working with most things.) >2. Ability to dial up ISP using PPP, ethernet or whatever. >3. Provide NAT to 'hide' DOS software from outside. >4. DOSemu (plus your diskette image) > >I'm wondering if a "mid-range" older PC -- probably above a Pentium but not >more than a PII/III 400 - can do some of what you're after by providing a >"Linux support for DOS apps" solution. If DOSemu works well in an xterm, could >add the following: > >5. Basic x-window configuration with SMALL window manager. >6. xterm > >This would allow MULTIPLE DOS sessions in resizable xterm windows with >resizable text (sort-of overly complicated DesqView) while still providing the >necessary "gateway" services to allow older DOS apps to work on the "new" >Internet. > >The next step would be enabling physical serial interfaces to allow hooking up >an actual physical XT-class machine, or even a beloved old Apple II+... >something I'm thinking about. > >The big gotcha will be what apps you're using to access the 'net. Are they >network (ethernet) capable (IP based), or dial-only? > >- Bob > >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 > > > > > 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
