Need to install a 'small linux' - help required in finding one

Hi

I am a real novice with Linux. I have a few old PCs (P100s/P233s etc) and
would like to make use of them in our factory as simple Linux terminals to
connect to our main UNIX system (running a character-based manufacturing
system). We currently have a SuSE Linux PC doing this, but it is overkill
for the job.

All we want the user to do is to power on their PC (terminal), and for it to
boot into Linux automatically and connect (possibly 'telnet') to the host
SCO UNIX server (via an RTL8319 network card and CAT5 LAN). They then need
to be able to login with 'ASCII' or 'XTERM' emulation. They need nothing
else (ie, the PC is a 'dumb' terminal).

I have tried dabbling with 'SmallLinux' but could not connect to the
network.

What is the easiest/best way to achieve this that does not require a lot of
Linux knowledge?

Regards

Tom

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In comp.os.linux.networking AAVF IT <(E-Mail Removed)> suggested:
> Hi

> I am a real novice with Linux. I have a few old PCs (P100s/P233s etc) and
> would like to make use of them in our factory as simple Linux terminals to
> connect to our main UNIX system (running a character-based manufacturing
> system). We currently have a SuSE Linux PC doing this, but it is overkill
> for the job.
[..]

> What is the easiest/best way to achieve this that does not require a lot of
> Linux knowledge?

Press [CTRL][ALT][F1-F7] and login from console:

If it does what you want, edit /etc/inittab:

id:5:initdefault:
^

Change '5' to '3', this will start the system in runlevel 3 next
reboot, no X. If that doesn't do what you want, run some
lightweight wm like 'fvwm2' should come with your SuSE. KDE needs
lots of RAM, you probably don't have in those systems.

Good luck

--
Michael Heiming (GPG-Key ID: 0xEDD27B94)
mail: echo (E-Mail Removed) | perl -pe 'y/a-z/n-za-m/'
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I think what you are suggesting here is to carry on using SuSe and do a
non-graphical login. The problem is that SuSe (I believe) is very sluggish
on P100s and the like, so I am looking for a 'baby linux' with good terminal
emulation to do the job.

Regards

Tom
"Michael Heiming" <michael+(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:kjt8q1-(E-Mail Removed)...
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>
> In comp.os.linux.networking AAVF IT <(E-Mail Removed)> suggested:
> > Hi
>
> > I am a real novice with Linux. I have a few old PCs (P100s/P233s etc)
and
> > would like to make use of them in our factory as simple Linux terminals
to
> > connect to our main UNIX system (running a character-based manufacturing
> > system). We currently have a SuSE Linux PC doing this, but it is
overkill
> > for the job.
> [..]
>
> > What is the easiest/best way to achieve this that does not require a lot
of
> > Linux knowledge?
>
> Press [CTRL][ALT][F1-F7] and login from console:
>
> If it does what you want, edit /etc/inittab:
>
> id:5:initdefault:
> ^
>
> Change '5' to '3', this will start the system in runlevel 3 next
> reboot, no X. If that doesn't do what you want, run some
> lightweight wm like 'fvwm2' should come with your SuSE. KDE needs
> lots of RAM, you probably don't have in those systems.
>
> Good luck
>
> --
> Michael Heiming (GPG-Key ID: 0xEDD27B94)
> mail: echo (E-Mail Removed) | perl -pe 'y/a-z/n-za-m/'
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> HVU1oP5axuTcL7w+eGHFIzo=
> =sCrf
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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In comp.os.linux.networking AAVF IT <(E-Mail Removed)> suggested:
> "Michael Heiming" <michael+(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> In comp.os.linux.networking AAVF IT <(E-Mail Removed)> suggested:
>> > I am a real novice with Linux. I have a few old PCs (P100s/P233s etc)
> and
>> > would like to make use of them in our factory as simple Linux terminals
> to
>> > connect to our main UNIX system (running a character-based manufacturing
>> > system). We currently have a SuSE Linux PC doing this, but it is
[..]

>> > What is the easiest/best way to achieve this that does not require a lot
> of
>> > Linux knowledge?
>>
>> Press [CTRL][ALT][F1-F7] and login from console:
>>
>> If it does what you want, edit /etc/inittab:
>>
>> id:5:initdefault:
>> ^
>>
>> Change '5' to '3', this will start the system in runlevel 3 next
>> reboot, no X. If that doesn't do what you want, run some
>> lightweight wm like 'fvwm2' should come with your SuSE. KDE needs
>> lots of RAM, you probably don't have in those systems.


> I think what you are suggesting here is to carry on using SuSe and do a
> non-graphical login. The problem is that SuSe (I believe) is very sluggish

It is written like SuSE, on all those old manual books, behind
me, on 4.2 there's S.u.S.E., with 6.1 it changes to SuSE, now you
can really say from the hp, so I don't care anymore and will
write only "suse" in the future.

> on P100s and the like, so I am looking for a 'baby linux' with good terminal
> emulation to do the job.

It isn't sluggish on a P100 with console only or fvwm2 (and a
little RAM). It 's probably only KDE that makes your system that
slow. Another distro won't be faster using the same setup as some
suse. Any distro is made out of the same pieces, with some extras
and additional config tools or different package managers, in the
end it's always the same. One of the most stable, fastest unix
OS, which comes with complete sources.

--
Michael Heiming (GPG-Key ID: 0xEDD27B94)
mail: echo (E-Mail Removed) | perl -pe 'y/a-z/n-za-m/'
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AAVF IT wrote:
> I am a real novice with Linux. I have a few old PCs (P100s/P233s etc) and
> would like to make use of them in our factory as simple Linux terminals to
> connect to our main UNIX system (running a character-based manufacturing
> system). We currently have a SuSE Linux PC doing this, but it is overkill
> for the job.
>
> All we want the user to do is to power on their PC (terminal), and for it to
> boot into Linux automatically and connect (possibly 'telnet') to the host
> SCO UNIX server (via an RTL8319 network card and CAT5 LAN). They then need
> to be able to login with 'ASCII' or 'XTERM' emulation. They need nothing
> else (ie, the PC is a 'dumb' terminal).
>
> I have tried dabbling with 'SmallLinux' but could not connect to the
> network.
>
> What is the easiest/best way to achieve this that does not require a lot of
> Linux knowledge?

I think that just about any distro would do as long as you choose not to
install X, kde, etc.

So download a few and try if one of them might automatically find your
networkcard. If that is not the case go with one of the big
distributions (more easy to find help) and sit down and try to find the
problem.

I think that Slackware is probably the most straigtforward distribution
with least extras. The extras are usally there to simplify your work but
if they don't manage to help they might just be obstacles. All general
help and suggestions are also likley to work in Slackware since it is
very "standard linux" like.

Redhat/fedora probably have the most extras and quirks, but on the other
hand it has a big community of its own.

Knoppix is a live CD distribution that is very good at autodetecting. I
don't sugest that you should use it in hte end but it might be good to
boot the computer into knoppix when you run into a problem with
identifying your hardware or some setting.

Esentially my suggestion is to make a small instalation of slackware and
log into the computer you wanted with telent or ssh. The specs you
mention should be good enough and any distribution will contain telnet
software.

Maybe you want to choos a better shell, or telnet program once you got
everything up and runing but that should be a later matter.

Tim

AAVF IT <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I have a few old PCs (P100s/P233s etc) and
> would like to make use of them in our factory as simple Linux terminals to
> connect to our main UNIX system (running a character-based manufacturing
> system).

You might try peanut linux, or even ttylinux (may be called serial
linux) if its still around. Just looked at a web-page, you might try
Pocket Linux. Here's a link to many more small distros.

http://dilbert.physast.uga.edu/~andy/minilinux.html
http://www.linuxlinks.com/Distributi...Distributions/

Peanut Linux (I think that's the name) can be booted from Compact Flash
chip, so you can rip out the hard disk and it'll be a lot more reliable.

Another thing you might consider is LTSP, which will require you to
network boot, but that can be tty-based, though most people use it for
X-Terminals.

> I have tried dabbling with 'SmallLinux' but could not connect to the
> network.

How old is it?

What did you try to do to get it on the network?

> What is the easiest/best way to achieve this that does not require a
> lot of Linux knowledge?

Get someone to help you. Actually, you might try looking for a
remastered Knoppix, which autoconfigures very nicely. You'll want
something tty-based though, of course.

--
Cameron Kerr
(E-Mail Removed) : http://nzgeeks.org/cameron/
Empowered by Perl!

cmad <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Well, if you think you got the time to spend on config-ing a system,
> check out LFS (Linux From Scratch).

Entirely unsuitable, given the OPs Linux experience.

> Another distro I've heard of (but never tried) is DSL (Damn Small
> Linux).

I've briefly tried this. It asks a lot of questions at startup wrt
hardware detection.

--
Cameron Kerr
(E-Mail Removed) : http://nzgeeks.org/cameron/
Empowered by Perl!

Well, if you think you got the time to spend on config-ing a system,
check out LFS (Linux From Scratch). You can make it be real small, and
since you config it all yourself, you can make as light as you want
Of course, as I said, that is, if you have the time to spend on
config-ing a system.

Another distro I've heard of (but never tried) is DSL (Damn Small Linux).

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 17:08:38 -0000, Michael Heiming scribbled:

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>
> In comp.os.linux.networking AAVF IT <(E-Mail Removed)> suggested:
>> "Michael Heiming" <michael+(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> In comp.os.linux.networking AAVF IT <(E-Mail Removed)> suggested:
>>> > I am a real novice with Linux. I have a few old PCs (P100s/P233s etc)
>> and
>>> > would like to make use of them in our factory as simple Linux terminals
>> to
>>> > connect to our main UNIX system (running a character-based manufacturing
>>> > system). We currently have a SuSE Linux PC doing this, but it is
> [..]
>
>>> > What is the easiest/best way to achieve this that does not require a lot
>> of
>>> > Linux knowledge?
>>>
>>> Press [CTRL][ALT][F1-F7] and login from console:
>>>
>>> If it does what you want, edit /etc/inittab:
>>>
>>> id:5:initdefault:
>>> ^
>>>
>>> Change '5' to '3', this will start the system in runlevel 3 next
>>> reboot, no X. If that doesn't do what you want, run some
>>> lightweight wm like 'fvwm2' should come with your SuSE. KDE needs
>>> lots of RAM, you probably don't have in those systems.
>
>> I think what you are suggesting here is to carry on using SuSe and do a
>> non-graphical login. The problem is that SuSe (I believe) is very sluggish
>
> It is written like SuSE, on all those old manual books, behind
> me, on 4.2 there's S.u.S.E., with 6.1 it changes to SuSE, now you
> can really say from the hp, so I don't care anymore and will
> write only "suse" in the future.
>
>> on P100s and the like, so I am looking for a 'baby linux' with good terminal
>> emulation to do the job.
>
> It isn't sluggish on a P100 with console only or fvwm2 (and a
> little RAM). It 's probably only KDE that makes your system that
> slow. Another distro won't be faster using the same setup as some
> suse. Any distro is made out of the same pieces, with some extras
> and additional config tools or different package managers, in the
> end it's always the same. One of the most stable, fastest unix
> OS, which comes with complete sources.

Oh, come on....... You're absolutely not listening, but advertising your
own solution and favorite distro...

He just wants to be able to run text mode without all the mumbo jumbo...


--
GerardLinux ay tee filternet dee oo tee ann el
Q: What is small, yellow, and very, very dangerous?
A: A canarie with the super-user password.

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 17:17:51 +0100, AAVF IT scribbled:

> Hi
>
> I am a real novice with Linux. I have a few old PCs (P100s/P233s etc) and
> would like to make use of them in our factory as simple Linux terminals to
> connect to our main UNIX system (running a character-based manufacturing
> system). We currently have a SuSE Linux PC doing this, but it is overkill
> for the job.
>
> All we want the user to do is to power on their PC (terminal), and for it to
> boot into Linux automatically and connect (possibly 'telnet') to the host
> SCO UNIX server (via an RTL8319 network card and CAT5 LAN). They then need
> to be able to login with 'ASCII' or 'XTERM' emulation. They need nothing
> else (ie, the PC is a 'dumb' terminal).
>
> I have tried dabbling with 'SmallLinux' but could not connect to the
> network.
>
> What is the easiest/best way to achieve this that does not require a lot of
> Linux knowledge?
>
> Regards
>
> Tom


Possibly telnet huh?

Please do yourself a favor and make that ssh as a first choice!

Later on, when you've gained access to the web, you'll be thankfull to
yourself...

And I agree: get someone to assist you to install a minimal set of any of
the fine distro's already mentioned.

Lots of success

--
GerardLinux ay tee filternet dee oo tee ann el
Q: What is small, yellow, and very, very dangerous?
A: A canarie with the super-user password.