RE: Embedded Debian, the 5 lb bag.
I guess I'd have to agree mostly with you two.
It seems that it would be difficult at best to satisfy the needs of someone who wishes to do "extreme embedded linux" with *any* distribution. I am probably correct in saying that most people out there will be using compact flash of some sort, probably 32MB and up, and you can actually fit the kernel, BASH, GLibC, X windows and a web server on this with room to spare (If done carefully, of course).
Furthermore, doing the project with GlibC would mean that re-compilation of Debian binaries is not necessary. Why can't embedded debian be done with just a modified package installer? Things like dependencies would perhaps be different, but the same package files coud even be used.
Maybe I am discussing an old argument here, I don't know, but does this make sense?
~Ken
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dr. Craig Hollabaugh [mailto:craig@hollabaugh.com]
> Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 4:03 PM
> To: DHollenbeck
> Cc: debian-embedded@lists.debian.org
> Subject: Re: Embedded Debian, the 5 lb bag.
>
>
> On Fri, 2004-01-30 at 13:14, DHollenbeck wrote:
> > - Stick with glibc, so I can nfs root mount to my
> development system,
> > can run custom binaries I make there using standard
> approaches. There's
> > enough space for glibc on the target flash and I will have
> to support
> > the same programs on a desktop linux as what runs on the
> target. (There
> > is a development system for my target custom binaries.
> This decision is
> > critical, since it allows me to maintain only one set of
> binaries.) No
> > offense to Erik's unbelievable work, I am just not enthused
> about the
> > hassles of using uclibc. The days of small space are going
> away fast,
> > thanks to digital camaras primarily.
> >
> > - Use full BASH.
> >
> > - Use busybox with the 2.6 module loading support, and the
> internal dpkg
> > manager also. Is that functional?
>
> Its a product dependent call. If you're building with flash parts not
> CF, then you probably have some volume where every dollar counts.
> Building 100, buy the CF part and be done with it.
>
> I found while writing my book that a minimal filesystem using 2.4.x,
> glibc, bash, and very minimal set of utilities comes in
> around 4888KB. I
> made the justification that you might not be able to buy small flash
> parts in the future, so just use glibc and bash then plan for
> the size.
> As time goes on, this becomes more true.
>
> I guess the question to ask here is. Will there be support
> for uClibc in
> emDebian package management? I'm new to the group, has this
> been already
> discussed?
>
> Craig
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Dr. Craig Hollabaugh, craig@hollabaugh.com
> Author of Embedded Linux: Hardware, Software and Interfacing
> www.embeddedlinuxinterfacing.com
>
>
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