Baslinux mailing list

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Message from Steven
===================
ken t wrote:
>
> How do you get an operating system on such a machine?  

It depends on what OS you want.  Apparently your CDrom 
drive is broken, so you need an OS that loads from
floppy.  DOS installs from floppies.  Some versions
of Linux install from floppies.  Some old versions
of Windows install from floppies.

> Looks like you hope direct cable connection under 
> DOS is going to work.

Personally, I most often use a network to transport 
software.  For smaller bits of software I use floppy.
 
> I tried to install gcc-2.95.1 

You are getting way ahead of yourself.

> I don't really know if I did this properly.

It is unlikely that a newbie would get it right.

> This was all so I could compile the linux-wlan-ng 
> modules (and the kernel?) for my Linksys wpc11 v.1 
> pcmcia card.  

I recommend you use a precompiled module for your card.
Are you sure the linux-wlan-ng if necessary?  BL3 has
a precompiled wlan module.  Might that work?

> The existing pcmcia "start" script made a beep 

That's a good sign.

> and got the red light to come on--that was it.

The default BL3 is intentionally kept small.  That
means it does not contain a full set of modules.
In fact it contains very few modules.  However, at
the BL3 site you will find a full set of 2.2.26
modules available for download.

> I browsed the really long thread about that guy 
> who tried to get his pcm card to work--he was 
> less of a newby than me.  wa something or other.  
> He never got it to work.  And I never got mine 
> to work.

Sometimes the modules for newer cards simply aren't
available for the 2.2.26 kernel.

> You know what this distribution needs?  DOCUMENTATION.

Oh boy, here we go again.

> Linux how-to's are really only good if they are 
> exhaustively complete (to the extent they can be 
> given all the different platforms and machines 
> out there).  

Keep in mind that most Linux contributors are
volunteers.  They do not get paid.  So it is
unrealistic to expect an "exhaustively complete"
set of documentation.

> But what the web site says about installing 
> a c compiler 

Which website?  The BL3 website?

> which you're going to need to do anything at all

Wrong.  You can do plenty without a compiler.
In fact newbies should steer well clear of compilers.

> is inadequate from a novice's perspective.  

Actually BL3 is not designed for newbies.  It is
designed for old PCs.  While we are happy to answer
questions from newbies, newbies are not the target
audience.

> I understand that the distribution is meant for 
> much older, more feeble machines than mine, but 
> this os is basically dysfunctional.

Dysfunctional?  It functions fine for me (on six 
different computers).

> It's *some* of slackware 3.5, 

No, that's not correct.  BL1 (a long time ago) was
derived from Slackware 3.5.  But BL3 is not.

> and only S.D. knows which *some* it is.  

Huh?  How is this a problem?

> If he spent a mere fraction of the time he 
> evidently spends answering questions on this 
> mailing list on making good documentation, 

I put a high priority on trying to solve people's
problems.  I enjoy it.  Writing documentation for
idiots is not so enjoyable.  It's my choice (since
nobody is paying me).

> the whole minimalist linux community would be 
> much better served.

That's the great thing about Linux:  if you don't
like one version of Linux, you've got plenty of
other versions to choose from.  See ya.

Cheers,
Steven