Re: request for info

[Bolan Meek <Bolan.Meek@wcom.com>]

Omar Shuja Siddiqui wrote:
> 
> hi
> im omar shuja a linux fan.
> i have a very old IBM 86 processor on which i want to
> install linux.

Please be more specific about processors:  do you mean
an 8088 or 80286?  If so, no.  There is a project going
to port a version of Linux to '286s, but it's not mature,
and Debian certainly doesn't support that port.

If you mean a 80386, then _yes_ Linux supports '386 and
"greater" Intel architecture processors.

> i prefer to install Debian linux.

"I know _exactly_ how you feel" -Morpheus, "The Matrix"

> Could you please tell me if i could do so.
> i dont want to install the latest version with GUI but
> i want a simple Linux which non graphical , text based
> and can run easily on IBM 86 and CGA monitor.

You can have the _latest_version_, without a GUI, just
fine.  Just don't install the X packages.  You can even
install X clients, really, just not an X server.  Not
for CGA, anyway... I vaaguely remember that there exists
one for EGA.

> Also please tell me that what will be the version of
> that linux that will run on that old computer and from
> where can i download it?

I recommend Debian 2.2 (potato), or at least Debian 2.1 (slink).
from www.debian.org.  The kernel version for potato is 2.2.15.
Just off the top of my head, I think that the kernel version
for Debian 2.1 is 2.0.38 (?).  // I should go look but you'll
				// find out when you go to
				// dl installation diskette
				// images, I'm sure.