I used DSL at my local library

I put the CD in and it booted right up. Wow, that was nice, I ssh'ed right into my server and got some work done. The librarian noticed that the computer looked 'odd' and asked what I was doing, then I mentioned Linux and how I was using a small Linux distribution which runs from a CD. She looked a little puzzled, but didn't ask me to stop. I thought that was cool.

Have you donated to Damn Small?

No, I am a leaching scumbag.
47% (8 votes)
Yes, but very little cause times are tough and/or I am a tightwad.
29% (5 votes)
Yes, as much as possible.
24% (4 votes)
Total votes: 17

Open Source Development and Money

Funding is a problem that plagues many small Linux projects which are not catering to the mass First World markets. This is a universal struggle, for any software project that doesn't have a proverbial pot of gold payoff. Greed is a much stronger motivator than generosity -- this isn't meant to be a knock on humanity, I believe it is part of human instinct. We are wired for self-preservation.

As far as funding goes, the DSL project couldn't even afford its own hosting on the amount pulled in the 'damn small donation fund' -- that's despite its enormously popularity. I've really had to think out of the box to keep this thing going and in the black.

Last Blog of the year

Things have been going very well recently, and Ive been having the best Christmas time in ages. My DSL laptop is running pretty smooth now, and Im carrying it about in its nice new slimline laptop bag that I got for Christmas. Only weights a little over 4 lbs all in, not bad for a freebie thinkpad thats 5 or 6 years old.

Ive been continuing to hack away at my 'traingui' perl/FLTK IDE prog during my morning and evening commute and its going pretty good. Hit a couple of fltk bugs where Fl_Text_Editor would hang on resize, but I hacked around them in the end (upgrading FLTK didnt seem to help). I reckon I might have an initial alpha in a couple of weeks once the holiday season is over.

DSL Proves Difficult but not Impossible.

Configuring Java into dsl is not simple on an older pc
I currently use one of my custom jobs
233mx pentium II cpu, 96mb of sdram, and a 14gb raid hard drive setup{8.4gb + 5.1gb + 512mb} and a trident edo pci vid card. 8x hitachi cd-rom

Now I recently fixed a friend of mines winblos box, his comp had much more of all of the above and installing java for him {I had him switch to DSL} was easy but I have found that on my box it is not so easy. first I went the dpkg route it proved to be dangerous as it destroyed my x-server twenty miutes later after a full reinstall and package update I tried a different approach, the java plugin for mozilla suite 1.7 did not work, finally I thought about running two web browsers so for all things internet I run glinks or mozilla but for java {including chat rooms web messengers etc} I use Netscape Communicator 4.7.4 it is not top of the line but it allows for instant messaging

Variations on a Theme

When I first started doing computer forensics I used a windows based tool called EnCase. They have since grown into the Microsoft of the forensics world using many of the draconian and bullying tactics that the software giant uses.

I had heard of Linux when I started in the computer crimes unit(back in November of 2000) but hadnt really explored it. I bought a linux for dummies book(gasp!)and had my first linux experience with RH 7.0. Since then I have progressed to Mandrake, Debian and Slackware. I dont really care for RPM based distros and I am not a masocist so Gentoo is out of the question(though I understand there is a new distro that uses a graphical installer). I have installed Suse as the OS in my son's computer lab at school.

Tyan AMD Geode motherboard

There isn't much info out there, but it looks like Tyan is about to come out with a low cost Geode board to rival the Via mini-itx line.

So far, all that is on the web is in Japanese, here is a computer translation of the details:

"Consequently explaining the motherboard "S2498AGN" that Masauzi Wada Tyan Computer Japan headquarters chief was developed in for Geode NX. You expressed that it installs the same product and, it is born by the cooperation development withthe corporation laurel intelligent systems whichsell the equipment and the set top box etc., installs basically and it is something which becomes use, but the shop front it sells also for the end user.

FINALLY!!!

I am a standard DOS junkie, I have always hated winblos. Damn Small Linux is hardly anything like windows as I have seen so far. I am in the habit and business of maintaining and rebuilding old boxes. dsl had proven to be an asset {after all the work I put into it} i must say that I dont have the most up to date build and my current lack of cd burner hampers that.{not all programmers are rich idiots that work for MicroStuck} Anyway I am thinking about upgrading my dsl by rebuilding it
from the kernel up when I am done if anyone wants it they can have it unless the sysop here has a problem wi

DSL as a Gaming Platform (or) How can I get my kids off M$

Well I wrote this once, but when I went to "preview", I'm guessing
I was autologged off, and lost it ALL.. ( boo.. )

There are many threads in the forums answering the tough, technical questions about using the new Xfree/3D extensions, but I wanted to post about my experiences with them, and my kids reactions to them as this new side to DSL develops. I have had great success in running many of my kids favorite titles under DSL. Quake III Arena, Unreal Tournament 2003, StarCraft, and some of the more popular Linux titles, TuxRacer, Chromium, VegaStrike, Heroes III (Might & Magic), Myth II, Heretic II, Foobillard and Railroad Tycoon II. ( they ARE fun! :) )

The New Frontier

An atom isn’t very dense: there is a probability cloud for the electrons, a very small nucleus, and the rest is empty. If you are in the probability cloud, the chances are high you’re going to be hit. Same goes in the nucleus. Anywhere else and you’re home free. The same is true (I think) as far as knowledge goes: there is a field that non-technical people hang out in, a solid core where computer geeks know what’s what, and the rest is pretty much unexplored. Try to tell a literature major about a book’s style, and they’d kick your but. Try to run a principle component analysis better than a math major and they would take you to task. But look at the space in between and there’s room to move. Linux, because of its flexibility and its depth, is a great way to explore this new frontier of empty space.