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Re: Can a GS run Linux?

On Mar 29, 11:20 pm, The Wizard of Oz <wiz...@emeraldcity.gov> wrote:
> Tristan Mumford wrote:
> > Andy McFadden wrote:
>
> > -snip-
> >> However, there really isn't any advantage to running Linux on a IIgs.
> >> You're certainly not going to run X11 on it. :-)
> > About the lack of real advantage I agree, but regarding the no X11 I do have
> > to wonder.
> > It would be quite possible for an individual to write an X server for the
> > IIgs. It would probably just be able to interface remote apps though.
> > Sorry to use this as an example but there are a couple of versions of X11
> > for the Amigas. I believe one can run on a fairly lowly unit like my poor
> > little A500 w/1mb of RAM. It even has ports of some of the X utilities with
> > it. IIRC they used some compatibility libraries to get away with it.
> > The Amigas also had the advantage of having a UNIXish kernel to begin with
> > and multitasking. So a port of X11 may be possible for GNO?
>
>         I look at it this way there are three parts to the modern *NIX desktop.
> Namely the kernel, shells, and the X11 interface. I remember hearing the
> original UNIX ran on a 4K machine at less than 1MHz. Shells aren't too
> difficult. GNO is a good example. A *full* X11 might be tougher to
> implement. Given there are only three or four possible situations for
> video on the GS I wonder if a full X11 is necessary. In the end I doubt
> we'd be able to run Gnome (as opposed to GNO/ME) or KDE. There's nothing
> to say someone can't come up with a uniquely GS window manager.
>
> >> GNO provides pretty
> >> much everything you'd want out of a UNIX port.
>
> > No argument here. Someone could port one of the MMUless versions of Linux if
> > they felt so inclined but then would they or anyone else ever use it?
>
>         That's the $64.00 question. Even if the system could be reduced to 2MB
> in RAM, what sort of applications would we be left with? Granted there
> is some great networking software which may be ported. Still, what would
> anybody do?
>
>                                 Later
>                                 Mike

Do keep in mind that SunSoft (Interactive) UNIX would load into 4mb
and run X11 in 16mb on a 386/20 machine.  Of course it came on 27 5.25
inch floppies.  If that could be done in 4mb with the minimum system,
linux should be able to rewritten to run on the II GS.