[Glastonbury] ive become debbied

[Kelvin McNulty]

On Sunday 26 September 2004 14:05, Martin Wheeler wrote:
> Kelvin __
>
> Andy thoughtfully dumped an iso image of the latest debian (sarge)
> auto-boot installer on my network last night, so I now have a CD to bring
> to the meeting on Wednesday night; plus a copy of the iso on the laptop
> so's folks can burn their own whilst there, if they want.
>
> The installer gives you a base system (choose either 2.4 or 2.6 kernel)
> which you can then expand any way you wish -- over the 'net, from CD
> (all 16 of them!), DVD, whatever.

I guess it makes sense to go for 2.6... I have broadband, so can add things 
over the 'net.

>
> The target machine should have at least 256M of hard disk space, and at
> least 24M of RAM -- plus of course, a CDROM drive, and BIOS which allows
> auto-boot from CD.  (This isn't always the case with
> 'salvaged-from-the-skip' equipment, as I know from personal experience.)
> It's usually the BIOS or the amount of RAM that gives grief.

I think I have a machine here that will do it - something like 32M of RAM, but 
it needs a keyboard with large DIN plug, not the PS/2 style plug, and a 
serial mouse, though I have a serial to PS/2 adapter... I know it only has a 
small HD, i.e. less than 1 G, but fairly sure it is bigger than 256M. I'm 
guessing it will allow boot from CD.

>
> It could be fun to take a whole bunch of those machines cluttering up room
> T1 and see if there are any which *won't* allow a debian auto-install.

Well, yes... made me have second thoughts about a 486 that I finally threw out 
today (took to tip at Street) but that one only had 16M of RAM... anyway, 
it's gone now. It did have PS/2 plugs for keyboard and mouse, though.

Steve, will we have access to the old machines at the meeting Wednesday?

Best,

Kelvin
Dreaming of the day when everyone can have a reasonably user friendly and 
reliable computer for nothing... well, I think that day is here... maybe 
computing has come of age at last...