Well, we've already "talked" about this ;-)

Suggestions if you are definitely sure you want to go this way:

1. Make sure your distro runs with NOATIME as default to keep writing to a minimum (remember the disk is flash based)
2. Don't use KDE or GNOME as window managers, they are way too bloated. If you want to make your distro faster than the default Xandros, use something lighter. XFCE is lighter and nevertheless goods good and is easy to use, or if you want to go for something lighter (without sacrifying usability) go for something like IceWM or JWM. But I do think XFCE is the way to go (look at Zenwalk for an example of good looking simple fast Linux distro).
3. If it is really not going to be based on any other distro, try to at least not re-invent everything, but hack an already existing good package manager for your distro: pacman is suggested, it's Arch's package manager, and distros such as Frugalware use their own version. It's a great package manager and it is already done. And having a package manager is essential, users should have an easy way of adding new applications.
4. Regarding Install: keep in mind that the typical user is not a user who would plan on reinstalling an OS in an EEE PC. Those of us who want to try and install a different linux than the one the EEE comes with are usually users who have enough knowledge to circumvent the lacking of the CD drive. If I were you, I would just make the distro to install by CD. The EEE doesn't come with a CD drive, I get that, but we can always get someone to lend us a USB CD-ROM just for that... I mean, it's a one time thing, so you might as well make the installation run off a CD ROM. And if you want to go further, you can have the installation have an option of installing into a Flash Drive. That way, If I don't have access to a USB CD-ROM I would:

Boot my desktop with your CD
Choose an option like "Install this to USB Drive" (which would make a bootable USB drive with the install program in it)
And then I would boot the EEE with the USB Drive and install the distro...

Those are just a few suggestions...

Oh, and since the EEE is made to be for light use, (it's not precisely a desktop replacement), don't install Open Office (which is really slow, we all know that). Instead, install Abi Word and Gnumeric.

KingSkully wrote:

I have begun work on what will be a Linux distro designed from the ground up to work well with the EEEPC. This distro is custom compiled, and not based on any other distro. My main goals and ideas are as follows:

1. Make the most out of the EEEPC's hardware by custom compiling a Linux OS, then implementing other performance tweaks. End goal is to make it at the very least, faster than the default Xandros based OS.

Custom compiling (ala LFS) is difficult to scale to distro levels.  I'd recommend using GoboLinux (disclosure: I'm a dev) as a meta-distro.  Its very easy to define a platform and provide custom patches/configs.  This is done using our Compile tool.

KingSkully wrote:

2. I intend for the OS to take up to more than 1gb of space, and I am shooting for it to take up somewhere around 768mb of space.

It would be interesting to use SquashFS (a compressed readonly FS used in LiveCDs).  The low seek times of flash and this should be very quick.  Add unionfs  for writes and 2G could be very usable. 

KingSkully wrote:

3. This distro will not have a swap file due to the EEEPC's HD limitations.

4. I would like to make a custom theme that better suites the EEEPC's resolution, and it should give the OS an original look/feel.

Adapting apps for the reduced resolution may require significant patching. 

KingSkully wrote:

5. The software included will be determined by how much space is available, what other people want, and what I feel the distro needs. Right now, I do not have a concrete software list, so I am not going to say anything in this area yet. Needless to say, there will be one program to do all of the basics. Word processing, email, web, voip, ect.

6. I do not know if I am going to make the OS expandable via "Packages" as I don't have the resources to make them, or to host them. However, if the release is popular enough, I will take software requests that make sense and include it in later releases.

5/6 implies you're aiming at a turnkey solution, one that the end user cannot change.  You'll need to target your use cases and avoid feature creep.  There just isn't enough flash to be everything to everyone.  I'd recommend you reconsider and extend an existing distro.  Then you can focus you efforts on customizing a few apps while giving your users access to a larger software base. 

KingSkully wrote:

Right now the only things that trouble me would be the installer, and the theme. I have never done a theme, and most installers are meant to run from CD, so I will kind-of by cutting my own path there.

The GoboLinux installer is designed to run from a LiveCD environment.  This is different because the / fs looks like a normal install.  It is also easy to move this to a USB flash.  Just need to change the boot loader.  I bet most distros operate this way now.

KingSkully wrote:

Feel free to comment or make suggestions. I'm interested to hear what other's have to say.

Also, I do not have a website yet, but I do intend to get a forum going sometime with the other people that are helping me. I will let you all know when I get it up, and feel free to join it.

Also if anyone has any resources regarding the theming of KDE, (tutorials and such) please post a link.

Thanks for reading my over long post.

As I said, I'm a GoboLinux dev.  If you choose to base your distro off GoboLinux I'd be happy to provide support.  I'd love to have a tweaked Gobo on my EeePC! (but don't have time to take a lead role :-( )  You could use our existing resources (wiki, forums, package hosting, etc).

Also, GoboLinux is capable of installing application to different drives.  Most distros install into /usr.  Perfect for SD cards.

One more thing to consider:

http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?pid=5957 wrote:

the bundled GNU/Linux is a Debian 4 based Xandos distro, anyway, for Linux user, difference, just called it GNU/Linux :-) you can install any distro as you like (but there's driver issue, because there's no info about if ASUS will and when the GPL code and the driver code will be released).

gentoo teh pwnzorz :p

calica wrote:

deadDuck wrote:

One more thing to consider:

http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?pid=5957 wrote:

the bundled GNU/Linux is a Debian 4 based Xandos distro, anyway, for Linux user, difference, just called it GNU/Linux :-) you can install any distro as you like (but there's driver issue, because there's no info about if ASUS will and when the GPL code and the driver code will be released).

The only driver issues I'm aware of are the WiFi and maybe the webcam.  Wifi can be handled through ndiswrapper.  Webcam might be UVC (USB Video Class) which is no problem.  I haven't seen any info on the ethernet chipset but Linux has REALLY good support for wired.  video/sound/sata are all very standard.

wifi is just an atheros chipset, which has the best support i know of using the madwifi drivers. webcam maybe, if it's some unknown type. i know that there's decent support for sn9cxxx (i personally have an sn9c102), and i've heard from numerous people that generally, webcam support is OK
not that anyone actually needs a webcam, though...

tulcod wrote:

wifi is just an atheros chipset, which has the best support i know of using the madwifi drivers. webcam maybe, if it's some unknown type. i know that there's decent support for sn9cxxx (i personally have an sn9c102), and i've heard from numerous people that generally, webcam support is OK
not that anyone actually needs a webcam, though...

Not all atheros chips are the same.  According to the wiki here (and some photos) the chip is the  AR5BXB63.  Look at madwifi compat list.  At the very bottom is the entry for the AR5BXB63.  Under notes "Dosen't work at all."

Agree wrt webcam.  Not important and generally great support.  We just don't know.  Same with wired ethernet.  Don't know the chip so can't be 100%.  But support is generally good some I'm not TOO concerned.

Last edited by calica (2007-10-17 5:32:56 pm)

timbobsteve wrote:

Not trolling or anything..... but I don't think debian is slow... debian packages, to my knowledge, are all compiled using i386 optimizations as default.... so it should run on anything from a 386 and up. If it ran slowly for you before, then you may have been trying to make the machine do something it was incapable of doing.

Actually, Debian dropped the i386 after the 3.1 release.  I found out just the other day when looking for another issue.

http://www.us.debian.org/releases/stabl … #id2530465

I would like to see a good bluetooth stack and support for GPS so that this works 'out of the box' like most Windows Bluetooth experiences. 

It would be nice to see ONE EEE Linux offering built from the skills and feedback on this forum - there is a lot of talent and innovation here and it would be good to harness it all and make one heck of an operating environment - rather than load Windows(!)  I use Windows all day every day but would like to see the EE succeed without an MS OS and with the community support building something everyone can use i.e. keeping to the Easy to use ethos.  Linux does not offer this really within most distros, Ubuntu is the closest I have experienced to an Easy to use environment for app install, patching and the like.

Best of luck KingSkully. Sorry to hear that you won't be getting an Eee. I an completely understand your feelings too. It really does feel like betrayal, but once again, my hypocritical side kicks in and I bought one anyway. I never really got the hang of the "vote with your wallet" thing.... but that is just me.

For those interested, there is still progress being made on my Debian-based Linux distribution. I am just trying to get a simple install system working... then I will be ready to roll out the first BETA of "Eee Linux OS" or "EoS" for short. See you all around the forums. Sing out if you want to get involved too! (PMs are your friend )

KingSkully: Yeah, I would've liked to have seen a lower price point. But I needed it for work.
Chrismoo: download the gps software from xnv4.xandros.com/4.0/upkg-i386/pool/main/. It works. You'll also need lesstiff2 for the gps-clients package. use "dpkg -i" to install it. The only problem is gpsdrive is optimized for 1024x768 or better, so you'll have to do a lot of alt+mouse to be able to read the map.

This is probably the best thing on the entire message board.

A custom, fully functional light weight Linux distro built specifically for the EEE would be a big hit.

Please don't let people's bias get in the way though... just do what is best!

Great idea.  Incidentally I have TexLive downloaded first onto a DVD, then USB. It has installers for Windows, OS X and Linux, and as a test before I receive my now ordered 4GB EEE, I installed it onto a windows laptop directly from the USB stick.

So you could put your install files directly onto a USB, there is no better way in my view to install, after all an EEE has three USB ports.