Linux or BSD on tiny HD?

[Taavi Burns]

On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 11:09:58 -0500, Steve <bassix-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> I've got a spare computer that I want to install either linux or BSD
> onto. Thing is it only has 540MB (yes, 1/2 Gig) hard drive (but it's
> got 192MB RAM thankfully). I basically want a light-weight distro just
> to play around with (still learning linux). I think this is a good way
> to learn. I grew up with a lot DOS and I really love the BASH shell,
> so I am not afraid of any of that! :-)

I've heard that Debian is pretty good about keeping it small, if you ask it
to keep things small.  I find aptitude to be a most useful tool for keeping
track of what's installed, and what other packages must be installed
as dependencies.

I can also recommend NetBSD (any of the BSDs, really).  Unlike Linux
which is simply a kernel, the BSDs comprise a kernel and basic userland.
If you avoid Gnome and KDE and the like, you can easily fit a bunch of
good tools plus X and a desktop environment (XFCE?  Fluxbox?) onto
a 540MB HD.  I had a very useful setup in around 300MB a couple of
years ago.  Now, that was FreeBSD 3.3, but last time I checked the BSDs
didn't bloat all that much.

The base NetBSD 2.0 ISO for i386 clocks in at 170MB.  You don't have to
install all of that either (the games are optional, the compiler is
optional, etc).

If you want more software packages, you'll have to look to the ports collection
(called pkgsrc on NetBSD).  It works somewhat like Portage on Gentoo Linux
(Gentoo was based on the BSD ports style, afaik).
http://www.netbsd.org/Documentation/software/packages.html

Have fun with whatever you choose!

> Part 2 of my question is that I want to be able to connect my ethernet
> card from this computer to my windows box to share/access files there.
> Do I need a router, or is there a way to connect two computers
> directly? Sorry if this is a basic question for some people here! Even
> if someone can point me to a site or document that can help me with
> networking using linux/bsd/windows.

I echo Henry's commentary on this, though I feel obliged to add my own
rand and question why any company makes non-autosensing ethernet
ports any more.  All Apple ethernet ports made in the past 5 years (at
least) are autosensing, and it's glorious to never have to worry if it's
the right kind of ethernet cable, no matter what I want to connect to.

-- 
taa
/*eof*/
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