Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

headfound · Joined: 24 Jun 2006 Posts: 333 Location: England

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=22535&start=26
Raffy, a guy on the forum got 2.14 going with networking! Great potential.

rrolsbe · Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 178

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Ask_OLPC_a_Question#What_is_included_with_the_laptop.3F

Will the OLPC be able to boot something like PUPPYOS via a USB stick?

Before I consider the purchase of two OLPC laptops, I would like to verify that the hardware will support booting Linux via USB flash devices. I know PuppyLinux was unfortunately quickly dismissed as a possible candidate to run on the OLPC hardware; however, since the AMD Geode is a x86 processor, I am in hopes I can boot PuppyLinux from USB attached devices, IE... USB Flash, Compact flash using USB adapter, hard drive/cdrom/dvdrom using sata/ide-to-USB adapter, etc.. Has anyone on the development team tried to boot any of the later PuppyOS releases on the current OLPC hardware? If so, how did it work?

Thanks Very Much In Advance Regards Ron

It can definitely boot from USB sticks; we do it all the time. It doesn't use a standard BIOS, so see the documentation for Open Firmware (Forth) about what files to put on the stick. Or download and poke at the Autoreinstallation image, which is booted from a USB stick.
The laptop has run Debian by using the OLPC kernel and kernel modules, and everything else from a standard Debian system. As far as I know, nobody has done the similar exercise with PuppyLinux. Most of the changes required for the hardware have been pushed upstream into the original packages. You may need to upgrade the X server in PuppyLinux as well as the kernel. It will definitely NOT work "out of the box". It will definitely work if you do some integration work. Go for it! -- gnu 19 Nov 2007

[edit]

mcewanw · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 1545 Location: New Zealand

The OLPC fascinates me with its specification. Oh to read a laptop in bright sunlight!!! and with incredibly low-power usage.

The Human Computer Interface is something ground-breaking too; okay so it's intended for children, but conceptually the "journal metaphor/paradigm" it employs is neither age nor, I imagine, culturally restrictive.

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=23800

PlatonicPimp · Joined: 26 Jun 2007 Posts: 34

Damn. I'm looking forward to my OLPC, but I sounds like It'll be a pain to get puppy on it. I sure as heck don't have the hacking skills myself. I'm also sure I won't be the only casual user who will be looking to upgrade their XO to something puppy-like. If anyone with some actual skills can figure it out and put together a How-To, I (and likely others) would be most grateful.

I'm not sure, from what I've read, I even understand Why Puppy won't just boot on the XO.

mcewanw · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 1545 Location: New Zealand

tony · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 290 Location: Montreal.ca

What is OLPC's marketing strategy?

It might not be in their interest to have any Tom, Dick or Harry putting their own software on the computer.

Regards Tony

mcewanw · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 1545 Location: New Zealand

rrolsbe · Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 178

mcewanw

Did not have time to read the thread you referenced in your post; however, Running PuppyOS from a USB stick should only use the internal RAM in the OLPC and not effect the internal hardware/software on subsequent boots with the Puppy USB stick not installed. This is how I run Puppy now on my Compaq Laptop. After I learn how to backup and restore the OLPC internal OS, Installing PuppyOS onto the internal NAND flash might be something to consider down the road. However, this would require more work as Puppy would need to handle wear leveling using a file system like jffs. Since the unit only has a 30 day warranty, I won't try anything radical until well after that.

Regards
Ron

HairyWill · Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 2949 Location: Southampton, UK

alienjeff · Joined: 08 Jul 2006 Posts: 2290 Location: Winsted, CT - USA

HairyWill · Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 2949 Location: Southampton, UK

the solution as always...

go back to a stable version

I'm using 3.01 but I think that my most functional version was 2.16
at some point after 2.14 the celery 400 in the corner with an ancient soundblaster card and isa nic stopped being so easy to setup and dropped its config on boot.

Life's full of compromises.

BarryK · Posted: Tue 27 Nov 2007, 03:46 Post_subject:

HairyWill, yes, I also think that v2.16.x was very good. As I have experienced difficulty using the latest Puppy with an older kernel, perhaps an alternative -- now, this is just speculation -- is that the 2.16 series could be continued, but updated with recent gtk libraries and apps, plus all the various script enhancements.

Continuing the speculative thought... if someone who uses 2.16.1 can compile gtk 2.12.x and then abiword, gnumeric, etc., I can contribute by backporting all the script enhancements. The 2.1x series uses an older gcc compiler and glibc that are very mature and rock solid. Plus of course the older kernel. We could put cups into it also.

tronkel · Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Posts: 1080 Location: Vienna Austria

Just had a go at compiling GTK+2.12 in Puppy 2.16.1

Problems with dependencies including Pango

Will try again at the weekend after I return from Prague. My better half receives her "Habil" there at Karls University.

Pity she's not a Prof. in Computer Science as well. Ah well, can't have everything I suppose!

BarryK · Posted: Tue 27 Nov 2007, 20:55 Post_subject: Re: compile gtk 2.12

raffy · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4711 Location: Manila

Guys, I took the liberty of setting up a new project thread about 2.16.1 (puppyluv) here:
"in-progress: PuppyLuv (2.16.1) updated with current features"
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=23990