This series of articles in Linux Journal explains, in an easy to follow, step-by-step manner, several ways to create Linux based systems that fit on one or two floppy diskettes. In Part 1, Marcel Gagné starts out with LOAF (Linux On A Floppy — loaf.ecks.org), a small Linux implementation that fits — as its name implies — on a single floppy. Part 2, proceeds to Trinux, (www.trinux.org) a Linux distribution that fits on two (or more) floppies.

The stated objective of the article is to show the reader how to make a floppy-based Linux that can be used to boot up a PC compatible system for emergency administrative purposes. Nonetheless, the exercise does a great job illustrating the scalability, modularity, and flexibility of Linux, and its readiness to satisfy the tight resource constraints of many embedded systems.

Among Gagné's interesting observations . . .

“Here is something to think about. With a little package like this at your disposal, you are carrying around the kind of network tools that would have cost thousands of dollars just a few years ago.”

“If nothing else,” concludes Gagné at the end of Part I, “these tiny distributions clearly illustrate the possibilities of Linux in small network appliances or embedded systems.”

Read Part I
Read Part II

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.