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Topic: Why I won't be using DSL, unfortunately

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Dustpuppy

Group: Members
Posts: 2
Joined: July 2005

Posted: July 12 2005,16:12

I think DSL is a fantastic idea. I was hugely impressed by the slick, unfussy startup of the livecd, everything was detected perfectly including my internet connection, and there was very little of the time lag that often comes from using livecds. I think it's fantastic that it can be used within another distro or on its own, and I would love to have this as something I keep in my bag.

Unfortunately, there's one thing that renders it unusable for me. I can't change the monitor refresh rate. 60hz is physically painful, and having to download XF86 every time I use the cd is ridiculous.

So, bye bye DSL - hopefully just for now. I'll keep an eye out for if the option appears, but until then I simply cannot use the distro, end of story. Which is a shame.

cbagger01

Group: Members
Posts: 4264
Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: July 12 2005,16:16

You don't need to download XF86 every time that you use the cd.

Instead, use the mkmydsl script to build a custom livecd that contains the base DSL along with XF86 or any other additional extensions.

The new livecd will be larger than 50MB but you have plenty of room available if you use a 3inch CD-R disk or a fullsize CD-R disk.

clivesay

Group: Guests
Posts: 935
Joined: Dec. 2003

Posted: July 12 2005,16:49

If you are using backup/restore, just backup the etc/X11/xf86config-4 file and location along with the revised .xserverrc file in your filetool.lst file. Load the xfree.dsl file at boot and have the backup place your config files in the proper place. I actually created a mydsl extension of my xfree config to load at boot time. If you do that you can have a mkmydsl CD as cbagger01 suggested. Look in the pdfdocs section of the downloads/current folder of the DSL site for howto's on how to create an extension and how to use mymydsl.

Good luck

Chris

andrewphoto Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 189
Joined: June 2005

Posted: July 12 2005,17:06

I don't like running from a CD, I don't like the heat & the wear & tear.

There aren't many distros that are compact enough to run in 'little' RAM, but DSL is one of them.

I'm pretty green to computers, up until last week I thought spam was just pork luncheon meat.
I installed, XFree86.dsl, &, xf86config.dsl, followed the instructions, http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub....sl.info , and voila. I vaguely remember that you may or may not have to change the name of the xf86config file generated, from, xf86conf, to xf86config-4.
Note: before I installed, xf86config.dsl, I successfully used a 'generic' xf86config-4 file, that came with XFree86.dsl.

Search the forum with the keyword, mkmydsl, and you will see that the DSL team have done a FANTASTIC (& since way back,) job in providing the mkmydsl facility. I've just posted a business card cd to my brother-in-law, with a photo of his baby son as desktop background, he's only heard of Linux, when he boots from the biz card, this will slightly blow his mind!

This last two weeks, I am now the proud owner of an inexpensive 128MB pendrive, & 128MB is ample for incorperating XF86 scripts.
Unfortunately, at the moment, my laptop won't boot from USB, I can't be bothered sorting that out at the moment, so I use a bootfloppy which jumpstarts the pendrive.

I'm a newbie to computing and a newbie to Linux and a newbie to DSL, and I don't speak for DSL, just posting this from my own experience. I bet there are other possible methods than the above, as well.

I think DSL is, quality, crafted, and I've found this forum to be good & bustling & massively helpful, and most of all, I cherish what I am learning.

Best Regards and Wishes Friend, andyp.

ke4nt1

Group: Members
Posts: 2329
Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: July 12 2005,18:39

I guess "Dustpuppy" wanted the 5 minute tour..

I suppose most folks just don't take the time to learn
that there are little "secret" gems hidden within the
50MB distro that have to be found to be appreciated.
( and who'd expect to find them in a lil' distro like DSL? )

mkMyDSL is one of those "gems" ..

Not a " run this as I will you to " OS..
but a " craft this how you wish to run this " OS..

Set your DSL session up how you like it.
Burn it .. Run it ..

Since laptops now outsell desktop machines...
CRT's are becoming a dying breed..
LCD's will assume their place..
The 60HZ issue will die with the CRT's .. \o/

73
ke4nt

22 replies since July 12 2005,16:12

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