grg-ec Files

                 TinyCore/CorePlus Linux + Reduce + Grg_ec
                                 LiveCD
                             assembling tools

The file collection (the compressed archive livecd.grg-ec.tar.gz) presented here 
enables one to compile the iso9660-image of a bootable CDROM which incorporates 
the minimalistic GNU/Linux based LiveCD named `Tiny Core Linux'
    (see http://www.tinycorelinux.com or http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux)
supplemented with the free open source universal computer algebra system `Reduce'
    (see http://sourceforge.net/projects/reduce-algebra/)
and the Reduce-based specialized computer algebra system `GRG_EC'
    (see http://grg-ec.110mb.com, http://sourceforge.net/projects/grg-ec)
Additionally, the `MidnightCommander' file manager package (`mc') 
which is inclosed in the addon collection constituting the part of the Tiny Core 
Linux distribution and available at
     http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/4.x/x86/tcz/
Alternatively, the extended version of the TinyCoreLinux named CorePlusLinux, which
differs from the Tiny Core by inclusion of a number of utilities allowing a user,
among other, to choose among a number of window managers, can be used in the same 
way.

The basic software characteristics are as follows:

    Distributing policy: in accord with BSD license, free of charge,
          sources included.

    Total CDROM iso-image file size: about 27 Mb (tynycore) or 63 Mb (coreplus).

    Hardware architecture assumed: x86.

    Hardware requirements: 
          are dictated by TinyCoreLinux (or CorePlusLinux) with some 
          augmenting of the minimal RAM requirements necessary to deploy 
          the additional software (`mc' with necessary libraries, `reduce', 
          `grg_ec'), to run applied programs and to store the data they 
          process. To indicate the own tinycore Linux resource requirements,
          let us cite from
             http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/faq.html#req
          :
                An absolute minimum of RAM is 46mb. TC won't boot with 
                anything less, no matter how many terabytes of swap
                you have.
                Microcore runs with 28mb of ram.
                The minimum cpu is i486DX (486 with a math processor).

                A recommended configuration:
                Pentium 2 or better, 128mb of ram + some swap 
 
    Comment concerning CPU type limitation:
     The Reduce/CSL binary executive file `reduce' here enclosed 
     (the file ore/reduce.embedded.tar.gz:usr/local/bin/reduce) has been 
     compiled for i686 CPU and, therefore, would not be workable on lower 
     level CPUs. For them, an independent compilation of Reduce/CSL 
     package is required with subsequent replacing (the emdedded version of)
     the file noted above (and, for the compatibility to be guaranteed, 
     the file `ore/reduce.embedded.tar.gz:usr/local/bin/reduce.img').

    Compilation:
          having successfully executed the script `ASSEMBLE.with.tinycore' or
          `ASSEMBLE.with.coreplus', the cdrom iso-image file `tc+reduce+grg.iso'
          should appear in the folder `/tmp'.
          The script is to be executed with with root privileges required for
          the mounting tinycore iso-image and replacing of a number of files
          attributed to accounts `tc' and `root' and situated in the working
          file tree.
          This mode can be ensured, for example, by means of the utility `su'.
          In such a case the script has to be invoked as follows:
#             su -c ./ASSEMBLE.with.tinycore
          or
#             su -c ./ASSEMBLE.with.coreplus
            ).

    Compilation result usage:
            invokation require no installation and is carried out either
                  1) burning `tc+reduce+grg.iso' to blank CD media and, then, 
                     booting from it,
                  or
                  2) booting from cdrom iso-image file within a Virtual Machine, 
                     such as VirtualBox, kvm or qemu. Booting from the burned
                     CDROM by means of VM is also possible of course.

    Prerequisites:
            apart of a number of utilities common for *nix OS'es (`bash', `sh',
            `gzip', `mkdir', `cpio' etc) one has to make available either
            TinyCoreLinux iso-image file (currently `TinyCore-4.2.iso', 
            of about 10 Mb) or CorePlusLinux iso-image file (currently 
            `CorePlus-4.2.iso', of about 48 Mb).
            Note: one must appropriately adjust the symbolic link 
                 `ore/tinycore_4.X.iso', or `ore/coreplus_4.X.iso',
                  redirecting it to the actual iso-image file.

            Note: `advdef' utility enclosed in the package `advancecomp' 
                (see http://advancecomp.sourceforge.net/comp-readme.html).
             can be applied to somewhat reduce the size of the final CDROM 
             iso-image file at the price of increasing of the compilation
             time. The additional compression is carried out in the case
             of passing a parameter (distinct of "fast") to the script 
             `ASSEMBLE.with.*' invoking it, for example, as follows:
 #             su -c "./ASSEMBLE.with.tinycore compress"
             The resulting iso-file will be however of 26 Mb in size, i.e.
             the gain provided by overcompression would unlikely ensoul you.
 
S.Tertychniy.
    bpt97{at}rambler{dot}ru
08.01.2012