RE: [Linux-7110-psion] Psion Distro and other things

[James C. <ji...@se...>]

ST> So Intimate is based on Familiar and has much higher space requirements.

Erm.. not quite... intimate and familiar are both based on debian... but
intimate is debian + extra packages and patches... familiar is debian -
packaging system and packages... Binary files are compatible between the
two.. and intimate is kind of a development environment for familiar for
people sad enough to want to compile code and make packages whilst they're
sitting on the train to work in the morning.

OK.. so there's three of us now... This is getting cool...
I guess I should download the latest for my Psion, and see what's working
this month... It's been a few months since I give linux a spin on my Psion.

/me downloads now...


Who knows.. maybe I'll be able to post a mail with some results in a couple
of hours time.

Jim / Tangent

-----Original Message-----
From: Seva Tokarev [mailto:se...@cy...]
Sent: 23 December 2001 00:29
To: James Conner
Cc: George Wright; lin...@li...
Subject: RE: [Linux-7110-psion] Psion Distro and other things


Hi,

I volunteer to participate in putting Intimate (or another distribution)
on Psion... I have 5MX. Let's join our forces!

I liked Familiar because I read it has Python for scripting language.
Is it the case eith Familiar?

GW> The purpose of creating a new project is because the website developer
on
GW> PsiLinux seems to always be tied up with exams, etc. If I'm the
webmaster,
GW> it'll at least mean that I can update the website at least once every
week
GW> (if needed).

I hope it will be possible with current website.
Besides, I don't feel like name 'eTux' is appropriate name for
Psion-specific distribution.

GW> The reason I chose Intimate was because that was the only distro I knew
GW> about for the iPaq. I don't own an iPaq, and I heard that Intimate was
GW> a small (30MB compressed), and ARM based (although ARMv4) distro.

Neither do I own an Ipaq, though I planned to get one.
Here is what I read from http://intimate.handhelds.org/ :

> The intimate project is a fully blown debian based linux distribution
> for the Compaq iPAQ. Taking the work being done by the Familiar Project
> and combining it with fully blown debian package management, and access
> to the thousands of existing debian arm packages. The goal is simple. We
> want the best of both worlds. Sure... it won't fit in the 16MB Flash but
> for the lucky few with microdrives then this is the way ahead.
> The minimum requirements are currently around 140MB of storage for the
> base image.

So Intimate is based on Familiar and has much higher space requirements.

JC> b.) Packaging... intimate uses .deb packages straight from debian...
(and
JC> also from the intimate repositary). This means that intimate has
thousands
JC> of packages available. Familiar uses .ipk packages, which are familiar
JC> specific. There's only a few hundred of these.

What's the big deal about repackaging?
Why can't one convert from .deb to .ipk?

JC> How was I going to fit gcc+150MB of kernel source on 16MB of
JC> flash memory? ;)

Who needs to compile Linux kernel on Psion? :)

JC> Intimate currently only works on Compaq iPAQs and TuxScreen phones
JC> (www.tuxscreen.net). I'll get it working on my 5MX sooner or later
JC> (I have a 96MB CF card for my 5MX).

So there is three of us!

JC> What you want to run on your Psion will probably be dependant on how
JC> much space you have. If your CF card is >64MB, then you'll probably want
JC> intimate... If it's <64MB, then you don't stand a chance with intimate,
JC> and you should be trying with familiar.

Currently, 128 MB is the most price-effective.
Let's consider something between 64 and 128 MB for a target?

JC> There's also a new kid on the block called KISS.. which is even more

Could you provide a URL?

Thank you!
Seva