Baslinux mailing list

[Laurent FAILLIE <l_faillie AT yahoo.com>]

Hi Sindi,

> Please if you get this mail directly from me but not a copy
> via the baslinux list, forward it to the basiclinux list.

I'll check within the digest :)
Anyway, I'll keep most of your mail here just in case.

> I compiled several 2.4 kernels for i586 (not 486) and
> modules for them which are at
> 
> http://keesan.freeshell.org/bl/2.4.31
> 
> Try bzimagla.431.  configla.431 tells you what it
> supports.
> I use 2.4 kernels now because glibc 2.3.6 from Slackware 11
> requires them and I have been compiling against that. 
> A 2.3 glibc is required to
> run Opera 9 and Seamonkey 1.1 .
> 
> My kernels have no I2C support - I never even heard of I2C
> before.
> 
> The 2.4 kernel comes with minimal support for I2C (video
> drivers) but I presume you can get the source code for the
> drivers and somehow compile them anyway.  Maybe I can
> figure out how.

Yes, this one is for internal use (screen detection but is not intended for 
non system usage).
For my application, I'm looking for i2c-parport which is a optional module 
present in 2.6 and I guess on 2.4 as well.

> One version of Redhat comes with the drivers for kernel 2.4
> (2.4.20?)
> and the modules - you could try using them in BL2.
> 
> BL2 will work with glibc from Slackware 11 and also with a
> 2.6 kernel from SW11, but I could not find the modules for
> it, just a config file to compile them with, and I have not
> managed to compile a usable 2.6 kernel.

I wasn't able to find any page describing how BL is built.
I mean, the procedure I may use to build my own version of BL, how can I 
proceed.

> Try Tinycore linux or Puppy Linux live CD which have 2.6
> kernels (in command-line mode).  If you cannot boot
> from CD, use loadlin for Puppy Linux - copy vmlinuz,
> initrd.gz and the *.sfs file to c:\ from the CD (or iso file
> mounted loop), copy loadlin from BL, and type loadlin
> vmlinuz initrd=initrd.gz ro - it will find the sfs
> file.  When it is booting hit F2 for
> instructions.  Puppy linux has a large forum with
> helpful people.  Someone else tried to compile i2c
> sensors with Puppy.

I'm also testing TCL ... but the memory requirement is outside the capability 
of my target machines (old 486 laptop with a minimum of 16 MB of memory). I 
think it's mainly because it loads everything in memory.

BL was the only distrib I found seems able to run a "decent" browser with 
such limited resources (my system will be used both as I2C master and web 
console. CSS/AJax will be a must for that.
I did several tests and my current choice goes to Midori (working pretty well 
on a old AMD K6 128 MB).

I'm also testing NetBSD that I used during years. But it was on headless 
Sparc server and all my previous attempts working with it on my target laptop 
failed due to difficulties to configure X. But it was on 2.1 or 3.1 era. 
Perhaps stuffs are better with now day 5.1.

> Basiclinux was more active 10-12 years ago and is
> outdated.  It works nicely on older computers but not
> with newer browsers.  Opera 9.64 and Seamonkey 1.1.19
> work.
> 
>  Sindi Keesan

Thanks for all your information.

Best regards,

Laurent