User Feedback :: dsl, hylafax, and installing apps from sources

Hi All:

Here is the background: I am contemplating running a HDD install of DSL and want to run hylafax (a fax server) under DSL. Target platform is a 133mhz laptop with 80 MB RAM and 30 gb HD (4-8 gb partitions.)

q1: has anybody configured hylafax under DSL? If so, please provide me with some details..

My task: I assume the answer is 'NO' to q1, so I plan on doing it, which means getting the hylafax src, and building it from scratch. Now I need to ask specific questions:

q2: Do any of the following come with DSL? if not, which of the following can be installed under DSL (fairly easily): gcc, libg++, libtiff, ghostscript, awk, sendmail(or metamail)?

q3: What is the procedure/guidelines for building an application that will run under DSL?
I was reading the info in myDSL docs but I am not sure how to use it, or if it is even applicable.

q4: How does one check the presence of an application that hylafax needs? For example, with RH/FC, typing 'rpm program_name' will tell if the program is installed.

q5: Are installers such as apt-get or dpkg installed and work in DSL?

Thanks for feedback on any of these questions.
J

q1 - don't know - look in myDSL
q2 - you'll need the gnu-utils, gcc1-with-libs & (optionally) gcc-2.95 extensions to compile - ghostscript is in a hplip extension I just submitted, awk is already in dsl (and if not, it's in gnu-utils).
q3 - just use ./configure, make & sudo make install as usual - it somehow seems to work better in dsl if you compile to /opt/myapp.
q4 - whereis app_bin (?) if it is in the path
q5 - use dsl-dpkg extension then apt-get/dpkg will work

Adding to Juanito's answer:
2: http://damnsmalllinux.org/packages.html

Quote (lucky13 @ Aug. 03 2007,08:27)

Adding to Juanito's answer:
2: http://damnsmalllinux.org/packages.html

Thanks for the help. The only thing I am uncertain about is sendmail. Does not appear to be part of the base distribution nor in myDSL.
A few more questions:
1.Any idea how difficult sendmail would be to compile/install?
(This program is critical to hylafax).
2. how are dependencies checked that a program needs in DSL? I guess there are two parts: 2a) Within the source app itself? (I guess the app doc should tell me that?) 2b) Ensure the path and dependency is in DSL?
3. Assuming I get through this and the install of hylafax does work, how can I make a binary package for distribution? Is there a how-to?
4. Currently, Firefox is at V 2.0.0.4. What is the most recent version under DSL?
5. I've read, a number of times, that DSL is Debian-based. So, is it correct to assume that 'standard programs' such as ls, chmod, etc. are fully implemented (e.g. with all/most of the switches functional)? I know there are variations with each distribution, but generally speaking? I am curious as to what philosophy was used to make DSL small - rewrite apps from scratch? remove switch features, remove multiuser support?

Sorry for all the questions - am new with this distro and want to make as sure as possible that my time spent has a good chance of paying off. I do appreciate your time/responses.

-John

1) Sendmail follows the general - configure, make, make install - but it needs some configuration before it can run.. It depends on procmail
2) the program's configure checks them, it's also easier for you to let it do the checking
3) as sendmail configuration affects some core system files, a package would not be easy (because of this you should also build on a traditional HD-install, to make all the changes stay)
4) With "vanilla" dsl, it's bon echo, which is 2.0 beta. However if you add gtk2, normal firefox will work (from the FF site, 2.0.0.5 is newest)
5) nope, most programs are from busybox, which doesn't include full implementations. Gnu-utils.dsl however replaces them with full ones..

When I talked about Sendmail configuration I meant it does not do it automatically, you need to add a "sendmail" user among other things yourself..
DSL was made small partly by using busybox, removing things not needed, and choosing smaller programs for a need (for example, monkey web server instead of Apache 'cause it's smaller)

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