> Re:
> http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2000-09-07-008-04-NW-KN
>
> --Will you be upgrading your distro to the latest kernel version?
I have been following the development of 2.0.39 closely. It is relatively
easy, though, to put 2.2.x or 2.4.x onto tomsrtbt yourself, it doesn't
require changing anything, just rebuild with the other kernel. I will put
the real 2.0.39 on it when it is released. The current tomsrtbt-1.7.205
is using 2.0.29-pre4, it is now up to -pre8.
> --Would you consider using BZIP2 instead of GZIP (possibly making
> GZIP an option for compatibility) to further compress the kernel
> image, and fit even more on the floppy? (I realize this would use
> more RAM)
I have started on the task of adding bzip2 decompression support to the
kernel so that this is possible. Once this is done, I won't need the
separate /usr archive on the floppy, it can all be in one ramdisk with no
drawbacks. The biggest drawback will be that you will no longer be able
to use any old kernel on tomsrtbt, since the standard kernels do not
support bzip2 decompression of ramdisks. Anything with initrd loading
bzip2 etc. will be a net space loss. I have _not_ decided whether to bite
this bullet- is it worth fifty or a hundred K of space, plus simplifying
the structure, at the cost that to replace the kernel you will have to
apply a bzip2-ramdisk-decompression patch?
> --Have you ever considered making a 3-inch bootable CD (Can hold over
> 180 Meg) version of T.R.B.? Perhaps an LS-120 version?
See http://www.toms.net/rb/ElTorito.288.bin.bz2, which is the (same)
tomsrtbt in bootable CD format. Also look for the LinuxCare bootable
business card if you havn't yet seen it. I will *NOT* be forking tomsrtbt
itself or making other versions, but you can certainly put an ISO
filesystem on a 3" CD along with the tomsrtbt boot area, full of utilities
and stuff, and set the rc.custom.gz to initialize the stuff. I will not
be doing anything with LS-120 or ZIP or any other format > floppy < CD, I
personally hope those formats all die.
> --I think if you released a 50+ meg version of TRB -- depending on
> features, people just might be willing to pay $10 or so for it. ;-)
It is an idea I'll have to think about, I wonder how many people, though,
given that the Bootable Business Card ISO image is free and is already
optimized for more space.
The big problem is that tomsrtbt is designed *from the ground up* for the
floppy format- if I had 50 MB, I would have to start over, *from scratch*.
True, the experience of creating and maintaining tomsrtbt would make it go
quickly, but there would be almost nothing that would carry over
directly...
-Tom
