mamanku
06-18-2010, 10:40 AM
http://i25.tinypic.com/285dsi.jpg
A Minimal Linux Desktop
Tiny Core Linux is a very small (10 MB) minimal Linux Desktop. It is based on Linux 2.6 kernel, Tiny X, Busybox, Fltk, and Jwm. The core runs entirely in ram and boots very quickly.
It is not a complete desktop nor is all hardware completely supported. It represents only the core needed to boot into a very minimal X desktop typically with wired internet access.
The user has complete control over which applications and/or additional hardware to have supported, be it for a desktop, a nettop, an appliance, or server, selectable from our online repository.
Tiny Core Linux, not being a complete Desktop, requires the internet to access to our repository of applications. Everyone should take the time to read this document and understand the design philosophy behind Tiny Core Linux. This will insure a more pleasant experience.
Four Modes of Operation
The First Mode: Cloud/Internet
The first mode of operation is the default boot mode of Tiny Core Linux. It is what I call the Cloud Mode, or the Internet Mode. Tiny Core boots entirely into RAM. Then using the internet and the Apps icon, a shortcut to our appbrowser GUI, one can begin to explore our application extension repository. By the way, there are two very different kinds of extensions available, more on that later. In this mode of operation, extensions downloaded via the appbrowser will be for this session only. That is, the extension will download and install into RAM. The downloaded extension is not saved. This is to maximize the use of available RAM. This is the most nomadic mode of operation but it also requires the most resources.
The other modes of operation is by using persistency. Booting with certain options one can persist downloaded extensions.
The Second Mode of Operation: PPR/TCE
The second mode of operation is the use of the boot option tce=hdXY, i.e., specifying a writable persistent storage partition and using our TCE repository of applications. This will become your Persistent Personal Repository (PPR). Upon further booting all TCE extensions will automatically be loaded into RAM. Any further downloading of TCE type extensions from the appbrowser (Apps) will persist in this specified location. Note the default directory name is "tce". However this can be user specified, e.g., tce=hdXY/mystuff. Using this second method of operation, PPR, is preferred as it always results in a known pristine state of your operating environment. TCE type extensions are basically a tar.gz archive with optional included menu and/or icon. These extensions reside in RAM when used in the PPR mode of operation. These would be called WORMS, the good kind! That is Write Once Read Many. Adding many TCEs may quickly exhaust your systems memory, which can become problematic for users with low RAM.
Once a PPR has been setup via a one time only boot code of tce=hdXY all subsequent booting will load, install, or mount your PPR collection. Even this boot code can be dropped. If no boot option specifying the tce location is used then the system will autoscan for the default tce directory. Recall, I mentioned that you can also specify the directory name. If you have chosen to use a different name via boot option, e.g., tce=hdXY/mystuff then you must continue to specify that boot code. The system will only scan for the default "tce" directory. The auto-scan was designed to have a "hands free" boot from a read-only boot media, i.e., the downloaded tinycore.iso written to cdrom. However this is a benefit to always specifying your PPR location even when using the default tce. By specifying the location, the system does not have to autoscan. This saves time during booting.
The Third Mode of Operation: PPR/TCZ
When using a PPR one has the choice of TCE or TCZ extension types. To maximize memory usage Tiny Core offers the TCZ extension type. These extensions are mounted from your PPR and therefore use significantly less RAM. TCZ extensions are cramfs or ziofs compressed mountable images of an application directory, which become symlinked into the root filesystem. You may mix and match either extension type. Note some extensions may not be available as a TCZ. Using TCZ mounts will provide the maximum number of extensions for any given RAM size. All other aspects of using a PPR, i.e, initial setup and boot type options are the same as the above mentioned PPR/TCE. Using the boot code of base will ignore any PPR.
The Forth Mode of Operation: PPI/TCE
The forth mode of operation literally installs extensions into a Linux partition or a loop back file. This provides a hybrid type of installation, where core is in RAM and the extensions are installed onto a persistent storage device. I call this mode of operation of Persistent Personal Installation or PPI. The benefits are speed, as no loading or mounting occurs during boot. The same RAM savings offered by the mounted PPR/TCZ extensions is another benefit of PPI. However a possible drawback of this is losing the "pristine state" offered by using PPR. Installing applications, as done in most typical environments, can result in "system rot", i.e., over time, or via user/system error, corruption can occur and might not be readily noticeable. By choosing this method one should only use our TCE collection of extensions. The TCE collection being tar gzipped will install into the specified location. To initially setup your PPI use the boot code of tclocal=hdXY. This will look for a directory named tclocal or a single loop back file of the same name. Note there is a menu option to create a loop back file for this very purpose. Using a PPI you don't need to keep the downloaded TCEs. No need to specify tce=hdXY as used in the PPR mode. For a "hands free" boot even the tclocal=hdXY can be omitted. But by always specifying the tclocal boot code will skip the autoscan and result in faster booting. Using the nolocal boot code will always ignore an existing PPI.
With either a PPR or PPI one can maintain their collection of extensions on a pendrive, compact flash, or other removable media for maximum portability.
Code:
http://rapidshare.com/files/269917765/tinycore_2.2.iso
or
Code:
http://hotfile.com/dl/10625119/3191040/tinycore_2.2.iso.html
A Minimal Linux Desktop
Tiny Core Linux is a very small (10 MB) minimal Linux Desktop. It is based on Linux 2.6 kernel, Tiny X, Busybox, Fltk, and Jwm. The core runs entirely in ram and boots very quickly.
It is not a complete desktop nor is all hardware completely supported. It represents only the core needed to boot into a very minimal X desktop typically with wired internet access.
The user has complete control over which applications and/or additional hardware to have supported, be it for a desktop, a nettop, an appliance, or server, selectable from our online repository.
Tiny Core Linux, not being a complete Desktop, requires the internet to access to our repository of applications. Everyone should take the time to read this document and understand the design philosophy behind Tiny Core Linux. This will insure a more pleasant experience.
Four Modes of Operation
The First Mode: Cloud/Internet
The first mode of operation is the default boot mode of Tiny Core Linux. It is what I call the Cloud Mode, or the Internet Mode. Tiny Core boots entirely into RAM. Then using the internet and the Apps icon, a shortcut to our appbrowser GUI, one can begin to explore our application extension repository. By the way, there are two very different kinds of extensions available, more on that later. In this mode of operation, extensions downloaded via the appbrowser will be for this session only. That is, the extension will download and install into RAM. The downloaded extension is not saved. This is to maximize the use of available RAM. This is the most nomadic mode of operation but it also requires the most resources.
The other modes of operation is by using persistency. Booting with certain options one can persist downloaded extensions.
The Second Mode of Operation: PPR/TCE
The second mode of operation is the use of the boot option tce=hdXY, i.e., specifying a writable persistent storage partition and using our TCE repository of applications. This will become your Persistent Personal Repository (PPR). Upon further booting all TCE extensions will automatically be loaded into RAM. Any further downloading of TCE type extensions from the appbrowser (Apps) will persist in this specified location. Note the default directory name is "tce". However this can be user specified, e.g., tce=hdXY/mystuff. Using this second method of operation, PPR, is preferred as it always results in a known pristine state of your operating environment. TCE type extensions are basically a tar.gz archive with optional included menu and/or icon. These extensions reside in RAM when used in the PPR mode of operation. These would be called WORMS, the good kind! That is Write Once Read Many. Adding many TCEs may quickly exhaust your systems memory, which can become problematic for users with low RAM.
Once a PPR has been setup via a one time only boot code of tce=hdXY all subsequent booting will load, install, or mount your PPR collection. Even this boot code can be dropped. If no boot option specifying the tce location is used then the system will autoscan for the default tce directory. Recall, I mentioned that you can also specify the directory name. If you have chosen to use a different name via boot option, e.g., tce=hdXY/mystuff then you must continue to specify that boot code. The system will only scan for the default "tce" directory. The auto-scan was designed to have a "hands free" boot from a read-only boot media, i.e., the downloaded tinycore.iso written to cdrom. However this is a benefit to always specifying your PPR location even when using the default tce. By specifying the location, the system does not have to autoscan. This saves time during booting.
The Third Mode of Operation: PPR/TCZ
When using a PPR one has the choice of TCE or TCZ extension types. To maximize memory usage Tiny Core offers the TCZ extension type. These extensions are mounted from your PPR and therefore use significantly less RAM. TCZ extensions are cramfs or ziofs compressed mountable images of an application directory, which become symlinked into the root filesystem. You may mix and match either extension type. Note some extensions may not be available as a TCZ. Using TCZ mounts will provide the maximum number of extensions for any given RAM size. All other aspects of using a PPR, i.e, initial setup and boot type options are the same as the above mentioned PPR/TCE. Using the boot code of base will ignore any PPR.
The Forth Mode of Operation: PPI/TCE
The forth mode of operation literally installs extensions into a Linux partition or a loop back file. This provides a hybrid type of installation, where core is in RAM and the extensions are installed onto a persistent storage device. I call this mode of operation of Persistent Personal Installation or PPI. The benefits are speed, as no loading or mounting occurs during boot. The same RAM savings offered by the mounted PPR/TCZ extensions is another benefit of PPI. However a possible drawback of this is losing the "pristine state" offered by using PPR. Installing applications, as done in most typical environments, can result in "system rot", i.e., over time, or via user/system error, corruption can occur and might not be readily noticeable. By choosing this method one should only use our TCE collection of extensions. The TCE collection being tar gzipped will install into the specified location. To initially setup your PPI use the boot code of tclocal=hdXY. This will look for a directory named tclocal or a single loop back file of the same name. Note there is a menu option to create a loop back file for this very purpose. Using a PPI you don't need to keep the downloaded TCEs. No need to specify tce=hdXY as used in the PPR mode. For a "hands free" boot even the tclocal=hdXY can be omitted. But by always specifying the tclocal boot code will skip the autoscan and result in faster booting. Using the nolocal boot code will always ignore an existing PPI.
With either a PPR or PPI one can maintain their collection of extensions on a pendrive, compact flash, or other removable media for maximum portability.
Code:
http://rapidshare.com/files/269917765/tinycore_2.2.iso
or
Code:
http://hotfile.com/dl/10625119/3191040/tinycore_2.2.iso.html