Baslinux mailing list

[James Miller <jamtat AT mailsnare.net>]

On Mon, 15 Dec 2003, Day Brown wrote:

> > really on a par with M$ stuff.  I don't know about automounting
> > drives/partitions: this is probably considered unsafe for obvious reasons.
> I've seen rescue mode on most linux install CDs. But what I aint seen is
> just the simple boot to a gui browser without loading all the other
> stuff.

Sounds like a task awaiting your efforts :)

> And while 'unsafe' certainly applies to networks, the whole point
> of the 'rescue' is to access the trashed, usually M$ drive. Of the *home
> win user*. the other post about the Links browser looks very promising.

Knoppix actually doubles as a rescue disk (and a damned good one): its
primary purpose is to give those who've never experienced Linux an idea of
what a fairly fullblown system is like.  However, on "low RAM" systems
(e.g., "only" 64MB) it will boot to twm - a really no-frills window
manager.  It can be made to boot in console as well, for systems with only
20MB RAM.  It's actually got quite a number of boot options, from no/low
frills to all the bells and whistles (press F2 at the boot menu to see
them).  Anyway, you get all that bells and whistles stuff with Knoppix
because of its primary purpose (giving people a feel for Linux's desktop
potential).

> But perhaps I was not clear. I see two tasks that the trashed drive
> windoz user wants.
> 1-access to his own data, bookmarks, addys, downloads, family photos,
> etc.
> 2-access to the net with a browser he can use. Dillo dont get it. I have
> an ISP that uses frames in the online email menus. I dunno what browser

If you refer to the Dillo included in DamnSmallLinux (DSL), it does
frames.  It also does tabs and javascript.  It's a specially patched
version.  I don't think any Win user would have any problem using that
browser: he would probably just think of it as a trimmed-down version of
IE.

> options that are out there that are enough like IE so that the M$ user
> can run it. Mozilla, Firebird & Opera seem to qualify.
>
Don't forget about Links hacked as included in DSL: it's also a pretty
capable graphical broswer that's only about 1/2 the size of those you've
mentioned (does SSL too).  It's a little less "IE-like" than Dillo, but I
still think the Win user could puzzle it out handily.

> The Damnsmalllinux guy offers a nice tool for a service rep to get the
> data for a win user, but it wont make a Linux user out of the client
> without an immediate browser so he can check his mail. The rep mite need
> to bring a real modem.
>
See above.  DSL also has modem configuration scripts built in.

> service would prolly do well. I can see where the rescue system mite
> also need a CD burner as well to backup client data before doing
> anything else.

Pen drive would probably be a better way to rescue data.  The distros
we've mentioned here support USB pretty well, so that's a real option.

James