The reason why the todo list mostly talks of
"advertising" is simply that that first version was mostly addressed to the initial project members which had already discussed what to *actually* do
either among themselves or on the Enigma mailing list.
The same applies to the FAQ, for the same reason.
Even with that in place, I've been spending most of
the time lately repeating "Why it makes sense to
optimize, why Red Hat, and Why not another new distro".....
The project started about ten days ago. Just give us
some more days to organize, and come back.
Still me, Marco.
About the comment on why old CPUs and color printers, somebody already noticed that it *makes* sense because if I have limited budget I want to spend it on what gives me something *really* missing before.
Even when I have money for both color printer and newer CPU, color prints can be done only with color printers, faster computing with
free (as in speech *and* beer) properly packaged software.
Then, I
go out, buy a printer, and spend the CPU money for a weekend with my girlfriend.....
Hello,
I have just finished to read all your comments with great interest
as the RULE project leader, I would like to answer some questions, and
clarify some points.
1) Our project is *not* only for very old hardware. Many people
(including myself) can afford much more than 16 MB of RAM, but are
tired to see them all busy in drawing nice window borders. Nothing
against those who like it, we just want another choice. And PLEASE
look at what the LJ article says about internet appliances, PDAs
and cell phones. Remember that most of what we want to do is about
packaging, and smart configuration, something EVERY DISTRO CAN
BENEFIT FROM (see faq #5).
2) somebody said "don'be so cheap, you can have PCs for 300 USD". I
thank all those who immediately reminded to such *lucky* guys that
300 USD or lower is average YEARLY income in most of this planet.
3) The "use your 486 just as a thin terminal" doesn't work too well
when the 486 is the most powerful PC around (or the only one...)
4) We know that specialized distro already exist. Debian and Slackware
are good too, but we think, as explained in FAQ that is time that
low needs must become characteristic of every MAINSTREAM
distro. Even more, that a lightweight install must be fully
functional as a desktop from the first boot. Today, whatever distro
you install in the minimum configuration, you have still to tweak a
lot of things, because it has always been thought for server use by
already expert sysadmins.
5) To those who said "Moore law will vanify all your effort before you
are finished" I can only say maybe, but if we don't start to do something, many
Linux distros of 2003 will probably pretend 512 MB of RAM just to
install, and 1024 to startx...
6) We ruin economy? If more people (not only those who can buy a 2 GHz
3-d game console and use it just as a typewriter) start getting a
decent education, can start a modern business, and so on, is that
bad for the economy? Especially considering that after getting a
job with the practice they make on RULE computers, they *will* have
the money to buy something to play quake? I have nothing against
that, but "buy game level HW from the very start or nothing" is wrong.
(on the same theme, why one should be getting an
IT education on old software? this would be another form of discrimination, and the reason why we don't consider tiny or similar projects a complete solution
7) We are not going to work on non x86 HW, there is too much work to
do as it is already. You are welcome to do it, especially, let me
repeat it, because MUCH OF OUR WORK will be reusable on other
distros/platforms.
8) Our position w.r.t. Red Hat: they obviously know of the project,
and some of their engineers are on the RULE list. We will make all
RH compatible, in the sense that if your HW allows it you can start
with the RULE setup, and add/upgrade with any standard RPM you
want. If Red Hat will include it in its official CDs, very good, I
do hope it, otherwise it will be available anyway, so what's the
problem?
I hope to see you all soon on our mailing list. We need a lot of testers, and of smart configuration suggestion, from ALL linux users.
Slashdot Mirror
The reason why the todo list mostly talks of "advertising" is simply that that first version was mostly addressed to the initial project members which had already discussed what to *actually* do either among themselves or on the Enigma mailing list.
The same applies to the FAQ, for the same reason. Even with that in place, I've been spending most of the time lately repeating "Why it makes sense to optimize, why Red Hat, and Why not another new distro".....
The project started about ten days ago. Just give us some more days to organize, and come back.
You'll find plenty of substance by then.
Marco Fioretti
Rule project leader
Still me, Marco. About the comment on why old CPUs and color printers, somebody already noticed that it *makes* sense because if I have limited budget I want to spend it on what gives me something *really* missing before.
Even when I have money for both color printer and newer CPU, color prints can be done only with color printers, faster computing with free (as in speech *and* beer) properly packaged software.
Then, I go out, buy a printer, and spend the CPU money for a weekend with my girlfriend.....
Hello, I have just finished to read all your comments with great interest as the RULE project leader, I would like to answer some questions, and clarify some points.
1) Our project is *not* only for very old hardware. Many people (including myself) can afford much more than 16 MB of RAM, but are tired to see them all busy in drawing nice window borders. Nothing against those who like it, we just want another choice. And PLEASE look at what the LJ article says about internet appliances, PDAs and cell phones. Remember that most of what we want to do is about packaging, and smart configuration, something EVERY DISTRO CAN BENEFIT FROM (see faq #5).
2) somebody said "don'be so cheap, you can have PCs for 300 USD". I thank all those who immediately reminded to such *lucky* guys that 300 USD or lower is average YEARLY income in most of this planet.
3) The "use your 486 just as a thin terminal" doesn't work too well when the 486 is the most powerful PC around (or the only one...)
4) We know that specialized distro already exist. Debian and Slackware are good too, but we think, as explained in FAQ that is time that low needs must become characteristic of every MAINSTREAM distro. Even more, that a lightweight install must be fully functional as a desktop from the first boot. Today, whatever distro you install in the minimum configuration, you have still to tweak a lot of things, because it has always been thought for server use by already expert sysadmins.
5) To those who said "Moore law will vanify all your effort before you are finished" I can only say maybe, but if we don't start to do something, many Linux distros of 2003 will probably pretend 512 MB of RAM just to install, and 1024 to startx...
6) We ruin economy? If more people (not only those who can buy a 2 GHz 3-d game console and use it just as a typewriter) start getting a decent education, can start a modern business, and so on, is that bad for the economy? Especially considering that after getting a job with the practice they make on RULE computers, they *will* have the money to buy something to play quake? I have nothing against that, but "buy game level HW from the very start or nothing" is wrong.
(on the same theme, why one should be getting an IT education on old software? this would be another form of discrimination, and the reason why we don't consider tiny or similar projects a complete solution
7) We are not going to work on non x86 HW, there is too much work to do as it is already. You are welcome to do it, especially, let me repeat it, because MUCH OF OUR WORK will be reusable on other distros/platforms.
8) Our position w.r.t. Red Hat: they obviously know of the project, and some of their engineers are on the RULE list. We will make all RH compatible, in the sense that if your HW allows it you can start with the RULE setup, and add/upgrade with any standard RPM you want. If Red Hat will include it in its official CDs, very good, I do hope it, otherwise it will be available anyway, so what's the problem?
I hope to see you all soon on our mailing list. We need a lot of testers, and of smart configuration suggestion, from ALL linux users.
Ciao,
Marco Fioretti