roberts
Group: Members
Posts: 4983
Joined: Oct. 2003 |
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Posted: Nov. 22 2007,16:15 |
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It is more than just the kernel that makes for a distribution. You would want updated or matching libraries and other support files.
When John started the DSL project, he used a tiny 22MB knx business card Linux distro. He built tinyX the k-drive server and selected and added applications. This was the base for DSL up to 0.5.3.1.
Starting with v0.6, I actually stripped the full Knoppix v3.3 then added the DSL layer of kdrive X server, the apps, and my custom code.
I again stripped Knoppix 3.4 for DSL v0.8.0, and once again went throught the process of moving kdrive, apps, and all my custom DSL code.
The point being made is that the Linux foundation should be a matched set of kernel/modules, libraries and support utilites.
It is too much work to strip Knoppix these days. There is the T2 build system, there is LFS to also build a base, and of course "standing on the shoulders of others". Using an existing base, e.g., Austrumi & Puppy are slackware based, Pudge and 40+ other are now Ubuntu based.
Building from scratch wether T2 or LFS is fine when building your own system. The real challenge comes when making the distro public. Then suddenly you are faced with all kinds of hardware that you personally don't own. Building modules and often support files for such is most difficult. No access. No debug. That is the reason so many distro remaster. By using a proven known base, the distro maintainer can concentrate on what they like to do, or what they do best. Adding custom code and making the distro unique is what made DSL.
"Of course some distros are really nothing more than swapping a window manager, or just a slightly different collections of base applications."
The above statment is not mine, I hear so often when I walk the floors of any Linux World or Linux related conference.
To me a minimum useful base for a 2.6 foundation would be, full debian capable, unionfs/aufs, gtk2, and firefox web2.0/flash9 capable. This is my goal and what I have been working on, on the back burner. DSL is down to one developer and I have had my hands full with 4.x. But 4.x is becomming quite stable and once 4.1 is released I will likely pick up on my 2.6 project and see where is goes.
Edited by roberts on Nov. 22 2007,16:18
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