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Re: [FINAL BITS] (2) Release Notes D#2

 

On 09/04/2016 11:02 PM, Nio Wiklund wrote:
Den 2016-09-04 kl. 22:13, skrev Israel:
On 09/04/2016 09:54 AM, Nio Wiklund wrote:
[bottom posting]

Den 2016-09-04 kl. 13:29, skrev Ali/amjjawad:
Hi all,

On *Wed, Aug 31, 2016* at 8:53 PM, Ali/amjjawad <amjjawad@xxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:amjjawad@xxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:

    [Draft 2]


4 days and not even one single word from anyone?! very interesting :)




    _*ToriOS 1.0*_

      * ToriOS is a GNU/Linux Operating System built for very old
        computers (NON PAE) and for those who are interested and brave
enough to build their own system the way they like from a fully working base with GUI and minimal installed packages by default.
      * For more information, please visit: http://torios.top/


    _*Technical Specifications*_

* ToriOS 1.0 is based on the stable release of Debian 8 (Jessie) -
        https://wiki.debian.org/DebianJessie
        <https://wiki.debian.org/DebianJessie>.
      * Supported until 2020 - https://wiki.debian.org/LTS.
      * Has two different kernels: Non-PAE and PAE kernel.
      * Technically, 128MB of RAM is fine but you need more RAM if you
        wish to use the Internet.
      * Minimum Intel Celeron, ATOM or P4.
      * 4GB disk space is more than enough.
      * Either a CD/DVD drive or an USB port for the installer media.
      * JWM is the default Windows Manager.


    _*Features*_


    _*Known Issues*_


    _*Download ToriOS 1.0*_

* Please make sure to read the release notes before anything else,
        specially the known bugs and the workarounds.
* Make sure to backup your important files. Don't blame the OS for
        any fault if you failed to backup what you care about.
      * http://torios.top/download/



Nothing else in mind at the moment. That's just the 2nd draft. There
    should be more drafts until we reach the final one. All help and
    contribution are welcome!

    --
    Remember: "All of us are smarter than any one of us."

    Best Regards,
    Ali/amjjawad <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/amjjawad>




--
Remember: "All of us are smarter than any one of us."

Best Regards,
Ali/amjjawad <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/amjjawad>




Hi Ali,

I have one big objection:
-----
Technically, 128MB of RAM is fine but you need more RAM if you wish to
use the Internet.
-----
should be changed to
-----
Technically, 256 MB of RAM is fine but you need more RAM if you wish
to use the Internet for browsing to web pages.
-----

The reason for this is that I tested the release candidate now in my
Dell Dimension 4600 with a Pentium 4 processor. I bought this computer
in January 2004, it is 12 1/2 years old, and is rather typical for the
computers where ToriOS is supposed to work. And it needs 256 MB RAM to
install ToriOS using the OBI-installer. The installed system needs
only 128 MB RAM, but it must be installed! (I can install it in text
mode with my original One Button Installer or with 9w.)

Maybe it is possible to use ToriOS live in VirtualBox with only 128 MB
RAM, but I doubt that it can install a system using the OBI-installer.

Possible reasons for the increased need of RAM:

1. Changed base from Ubuntu 12.04 to Debian Jessie. I don't know how
much this increases the size, but both the kernel, language packs and
systemd make a difference.

2. Change to highest compression of the tarball, 8MB --> 65MB RAM. A
solution is to use standard compression, but it means that things must
be stripped from the live system and/or the tarball to stay within CD
size.

3. Graphics only. I could not boot with text screen. Maybe it is
possible, but the boot option 'text' did not do the trick, and I don't
know systemd well enough to make it work. Maybe a solution would be to
provide a line in the boot menu for booting in text mode.

See the attached file for more details about my test.

Best regards
Nio




Hi Nio,

I could try to make a less compressed tarball (no super xz compression)
and see how big it is... we have around 3 MiB to spare.... so it *might*
be possible to slim the ISO a bit, and work it to be thinner.... OR make
a much more bare-bones tarball and prompt the user to install some
really needed packages right away.

Maybe leave that in the jwmrc file until they run the script and install
things?

just a thought.

--
Regards

Hi Israel,

A much more barebone tarball with standard xz compression would be a good idea. I would suggest making two iso files for the next released version ToriOS-1.1:

1. a minimal CD size iso file

2. a larger iso file, between 1 and 2 GB, which contains most things a normal user might need, so that it would work well when installed without an internet connection.

I suggest that you use standard xz compression in both cases in order to decrease the usage of RAM during installation.

Best regards
Nio


Hi Nio,

Yes, indeed. I do wish systemd did not make things so much bigger.... It really made this harder than it should be.

That said, I think we can make a really simple slimmed down version, or even go to our previous discussions about allowing a separate tarball to be installed (from USB stick that was downloaded separately).

Some 'nice' things are not needed, like plymouth for example.

Even Sakura is not necessary, as xterm will do just fine. I am also working on the jwm-settings-manager, and it should require less space when I am completely finished.

We will have to test both solutions, and weigh them to find which is:

1) most practical

2) easiest

3) least demand on bandwidth for the user (still not require an online connection to install ToriOS)

I think #3 is important in more remote areas, as getting just enough time to go somewhere to get the ISO burned and bring it home to find you need internet to install would be unfortunate.

I agree that this discussion is for ToriOS 1.1 and NOT the current one.

I am content with the state of ToriOS 1.0 and looking forward to all the improvements the first point release will bring.


--
Regards



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