)Different DSL Flavors

Forum: DSL Ideas and Suggestions
Topic: )Different DSL Flavors
started by: totalshredder

Posted by totalshredder on Dec. 22 2004,15:08

Hey,

I LOVE the project you guys have going here. There seems to be one problem holding you back: size. You just can't seem to get all of the stuff everybody wants on 50MBs(Hey, it suprises me you got anything on there, let alone an OS!).

Anyways, my solution; make different flavored DSL distros. Almost like they have for Slax(< www.slax.org >). That way, you could reach different people. You could have completely different types software for completely different types of people.

Some people might like better word processing, and not need a great browser(like firefox) and be able to live with a cornier, less space consuming browser.

Others might not care to do any word processing on a live CD distro, so they might just rather have a better web browser.

Some people, (like my brothers) would just rather have a ton of games. And for them, Instant Messaging would also be so much easier if they could actualy figure out how to use it ;)

So many people don't really care about some features, but many would cry if you took them out. I think the best way to go about it, is to make different flavored distros!!

Luke

(sorry if this was already a big issue)

Posted by SaidinUnleashed on Dec. 22 2004,16:59

Yes, this has been discussed many, many times.

According to John and Roberts, no, it's not going to happen.

At least not officially.

There was a push for a DSL Server Edition a while back, but it never really got off the ground. Because we (the 3 or 4 of us that were to work on it) didn't really know what we were doing.

But if there is ever a second iso it will most likely be DSL Server Edition.

As far as your size quesion, and anything else, read through the FAQ thread.

-J.P.

Posted by AwPhuch on Dec. 22 2004,17:17

Plus the beauty of MyDSL apps is that you can "build" your own version of DSL! Just burn the apps to the iso and POW!

The new saying will be "Is it a buff DSL or a stripped KNOPPIX"

Brian
AwPhuch

Posted by SaidinUnleashed on Dec. 22 2004,17:44

Funny thing is, while I was hacking together the kernelsource.dsl last night (coming soon to a repository near you!), I kept thinking, "Good grief Knoppix sucks. DSL is so much nicer. And faster. And you can actually grab stuff with apt with it. And don't have to manually remount the fat32 partitions rw. And the permissions work proprely.... etc. etc.".

Posted by totalshredder on Dec. 22 2004,17:54

SO, I understand, my bad for bringing up an old disscusion.

BUT I never quite understood how to burn programs from MyDSL onto the cd I was running it on. Is it possible? How?

Just learning how to do that would automaticaly make me use DSL SO MUCH MORE than what I am now. Thanks Guys!

Luke

(DSL Server Edition was a GREAT idea, somebody should start it. I would be the first to download it!)

Posted by SaidinUnleashed on Dec. 22 2004,18:03

Search the forums for "mkmydsl".

That should get you the answers you seek, young one.

Posted by mikshaw on Dec. 22 2004,20:49

I'm in the process of making my own various flavors of liveCD for personal use....not by remastering the KNOPPIX file, but just by creating multiple versions of backup.tar.gz, each on its own DSL CD.
I'm rebuilding my favorite extensions, making them RAM-friendly (keeping them in /opt and /home), adding some files which have been removed from the packages, and putting them all into a single archive along with my personal configs. Each CD will be customized for a particular use, like reference, multimedia, etc., and have different visual themes.

It's pretty much the same as putting extensions into the root of the CD, except that each CD has a unique set of programs and configurations, and hopefully will all run without having to open up more than /opt, /home and /var. Plus the extensions aren't loaded via mydsl-load so they won't be all listed under a single submenu.

I suppose it's unnecessary when I could just put all my apps and themes on a single CD, but I like messing around with DSL.

Posted by gurru on Dec. 22 2004,21:05

It would be kinda nice to have...
DSL
DSL (not so small) Edition
DSL Server Edition

Of course, the server edition would not be all that small w/ LAMP
We don't want to use that silly monkey/web stuff.

Posted by ke4nt1 on Dec. 22 2004,22:44

mikshaw...

When you get some of those favs upgraded to green (/opt) status,
send em my way, mine or not....

73
ke4nt

Posted by mikshaw on Dec. 23 2004,04:42

sure....eventually. I'm spending my free time messing around with 15 applications at once, so it may be a while before any single program works the way it should =o)

Posted by AwPhuch on Dec. 24 2004,07:08

You are talking about building "pre-built" specialized version of DSL

like:

1. Multimedia DSL
2. CD burning DSL
3. Gaming DSL

or am I off?

Brian
AwPhuch

Posted by totalshredder on Dec. 31 2004,01:42

Yes, you are right on.

If there was a server DSL, could you imagine the popularity that would quickly come? I could!

Posted by John on Dec. 31 2004,07:42

DSL will always be a sub 50M iso -- that's why it keeps improving, when you can't build out you can only build up.

But here is a little tidbit, we are going to come out with at least one 'knock off' distribution. There's been plenty of other people doing it, so why not do it ourselves? I am not going to say much accept that it will be very DSL like, but bigger and probably only i686 compatible. It will *not* be a replacement for DSL, but will fit nicely as an alternative running on i686 hardware -- count on it still being very small. That's it for now.

Posted by l0st on Dec. 31 2004,07:52

Oh yes. It would be sweet if there were a DSL with Xfree and accelerated graphics. Not to mention a snappier firefox.
I'll be waiting.

Posted by John on Dec. 31 2004,08:19

No promises about what will or will not be included. Also, no requests yet please.

Posted by SaidinUnleashed on Dec. 31 2004,09:26

That's no moon... It's a space station!

O_O

(Meaning that this is HUGE, mind-altering, sanity-shattering, face-melting, burn-the-soul-from-your-body type news)

Posted by green on Dec. 31 2004,23:29

I think everyone should stop talking about this "new" thing that is coming.
You guys are driving me crazy. Have some sympathy, will ya?

Posted by totalshredder on Jan. 01 2005,02:04

It sounds awesome to me. I'd love to be able to max out a little bit more. I like to feel like I'm using my computer when I use it.

I'm really interested in the project. I hope he keeps us posted.

Luke

Posted by softgun on Jan. 05 2005,09:32

In my opinion, DSL as it is, is fine. THere is only one single need and that ladies and gents, is X. The full blown X fron X org.
If we can just add this, safely and easily as a uci or dsl extension, then this is solved and I am not in need of anything more.

However, whatever John is going to do, he must remember that there will be damands for upgrading that as well, unless it is a replacement for DSL.

BTW are we going to unDamn DSL? IF so has anyone thought of a another alternate word for the letter D?

Posted by ico2 on Jan. 05 2005,14:22

i was working on a server edition, never got very far, the main prob was i did not have a machine capable of booting dsl (well isolinux) from cd that also had an ext2 partition for remastering. 0.9.2 also comes with syslinux, so i can use my other machine for remastering.

Posted by ico2 on Jan. 05 2005,14:27

also, i now have a dsl machine connected to the net, so i can apt-get and then transfer the packages via cd-RW to the non-internet machine. i want to see if i can get LAMP, an xserver, a window manager (maybe evilwm) and some other stuff into 50 mb. as well as some majorly customised scripts. (search for my old post to find details)

Posted by softgun on Jan. 05 2005,18:08

Quote (ico2 @ Jan. 05 2005,09:27)

also, i now have a dsl machine connected to the net, so i can apt-get and then transfer the packages via cd-RW to the non-internet machine. i want to see if i can get LAMP, an xserver,

You mean THE X server, I hope!

a window manager (maybe evilwm) and some other stuff into 50 mb. as well as some majorly customised scripts. (search for my old post to find details)

Godspeed!

Posted by AwPhuch on Jan. 05 2005,19:07

A distro specifically built to Burn CD's/DVD's and stuff would be awesome..such as K3b, or DVD::Rip..similar to what DVDShrink with M$ does

Brian
AwPhuch

Posted by Stephen Loiterton on Jan. 06 2005,00:09

Belated seasons greetings - I've been farting around with Linux distro's for about 3-4 yrs now and have reached a few conclusions:
1. My "ideal" distro does not exist
2. I'm too "lazy" to learn how to get into the "nut and bolts" of Linux
3. After all the distro's I've downloaded and played/crashed/stuffed-around-with-to-make-work, I need something else!
4. I choose Debian based systems/apps.
Something to start with - a basic OS that will boot up, detect whatever hardware that I happen to have at that time (nothing fancy either-usually only that which is supplied by the motherboard), a working graphical desktop(Icewm, Fluxbox, XFCE4 come to mind), a working sound system (straight "out of the box), browser to find all the apps, and a really GOOD package manager to download, compile, install all those apps with their dependencies, nothing more. Could this fit into less than 50MB? A live CD?
Thanks for listening - Steve

Posted by AwPhuch on Jan. 06 2005,03:24

Quote (Guest @ Jan. 05 2005,19:09)

You are kidding right....DSL does that and has done that...I think you are pulling our chain right??

Brian
AwPhuch