[Qemu-devel] ANN: DetaolB v0.3 is released

[Qemu-devel] ANN: DetaolB v0.3 is released

[Christian MICHON]

DetaolB v0.3 is being released 14th,June 2007 on sf.net
=> http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=140321&package_id=155481&release_id=516140

- this is mostly a release with tons of added features
- this is mostly a proof of concept
- this is not a bugfix release
- your feedback will shape it into v1.0 someday, so please post
  at the DetaolB mailing list: detaolb-devel@lists.sourceforge.net

Changelog:
==========

- it's bigger now: ~17Mb, but it's still smaller than slax-frodo :)
- you can still log using root with no password (this will change)
- kernel 2.6.21 with following patches...
  * acpi, ide/atapi drivers added
  * /proc/miniconfig.gz: main ideas from Rob Landley, need documentation
  * aufs: another unionfs
  * squashfs
  * lzma vmlinux: a great thanks to Ming Ching Tiew!
  * complete git patches released on sf.net
- still based on initramfs early userspace, now using switch_root
  * 1st phase is using a minimal static bbox
  * 2nd phase is mounting cdrom and 5 squashfs modules in aufs new root.
    This is a common scheme inspired by slax, yet simplified for speed.
  * 3rd phase is root switching and over to standard init phase
  * main drawback: changes to the rootfs are lost if you reboot. I've
    not figured out a smart way using initramfs+aufs+squashfs and
    access rootfs changes from RAM...
  * but it's still blazing fast even in qemu!
- 5 default squashfs modules are present and enabled
  * "barebone" is busybox-1.6.0 with rootfs config files + mksquashfs
  * "uclibc" is uClibc-0.9.29 + zlib
  * "ncurses" is ncurses-5.2, needed for uclibc/bbox/kernel compilation
  * "toolchain" is needed for C compilation
    + gcc-3.4.6
    + binutils-2.16.1
    + bash-3.2
    + bison-2.1
    + flex-2.5.33
    + make-3.81
    + misc. coreutils mandatory for uclibc/bbox/kernel compilation
  * "vim" is a full vim-7.1 installation
  * these modules were compiled using DetaolB v0.3, and config files
    for uclibc and busybox are inside /root
  * "git" is compiled but not included yet
- a 2.6.17 version of DetaolB v0.3 exist for colinux! it'll be
  available on demand, or will be released anyway at version 1.0

HOW TO USE IT ?
===============
- use your favorite emulator: qemu, virtualbox, even vmplayer!
- you need to provide an hda image preformatted in ext2 if you want
  to work on a non-volatile area (busybox has no more ext2fs tools ??)
- boot it, do some compilation, enjoy it
- please note it has no network capabilities
- this distro is not meant for real hardware yet (but it will be soon)

FEEDBACK, QUESTIONS, INSULTS, POSTCARDS:
========================================
  christian.michon@gmail.com


-- 
Christian
--
http://detaolb.sourceforge.net/, a linux distribution for Qemu

[Qemu-devel] Re: ANN: DetaolB v0.3 is released

[Rob Landley]

On Thursday 14 June 2007 17:13:32 Christian MICHON wrote:
>   * /proc/miniconfig.gz: main ideas from Rob Landley, need documentation

Actually, there was documentation for this before there was code.  You can 
follow my development of the concept:

Start with the "Mar 16, 2005" entry here:
http://landley.net/notes-2005.html
Then here:
http://lwn.net/Articles/160497/
Followed by:
http://lwn.net/Articles/161086/
And most recently:
http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0607.0/1809.html

>     + gcc-3.4.6

Heh.  You're building qemu with your toolchain, aren't you? :)

Rob
-- 
"One of my most productive days was throwing away 1000 lines of code."
  - Ken Thompson.

[Qemu-devel] Re: ANN: DetaolB v0.3 is released

[Christian MICHON]

On 6/16/07, Rob Landley <rob@landley.net> wrote:
> On Thursday 14 June 2007 17:13:32 Christian MICHON wrote:
> >   * /proc/miniconfig.gz: main ideas from Rob Landley, need documentation
>
> Actually, there was documentation for this before there was code.  You can
> follow my development of the concept:
> (...)

I'm sorry Rob, I meant I need to document the changes I brought to your
original idea.

Download the iso, and once it's finished booting inside qemu, log in as
root and do this:

vi /proc/miniconfig.gz

you'll understand what I meant by not having documented (my changes)...

> >     + gcc-3.4.6
>
> Heh.  You're building qemu with your toolchain, aren't you? :)

nope, not yet. the reason for this gcc version is also due to colinux
requirements (I need a vmlinux api compatible with gcc-3.4.6)

I actually intend to deliver a few toolchains soon. But qemu is
definitely going in as a loadable module soon after Xwindows will
be in. :)

> "One of my most productive days was throwing away 1000 lines of code."
>   - Ken Thompson.

excellent...

-- 
Christian
--
http://detaolb.sourceforge.net/, a linux distribution for Qemu