Difference between revisions of "COMP 3000 2011 Report: SLAX"

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Background
• The name of the distribution,
The distribution that I’m working on is SLAX
• its goals and target audience,
The main target is the people who like to run Linux without replacing the existing OS or installing on their own computer and also taking small space WITHOUT losing essential daily-used programs. Since it’s very small, people can put it into CD or USB and take it to wherever they want to. It’s like portable operating system/workstation without hardware. But of course, people still can install it on to their computer too.
• who develops it,
The SLAX team developed. The chairman is Thomas M.
The main developer of SLAX and the live linux(http://www.linux-live.org/) are the same guy.
• how it may be obtained,
Go to the webpage (http://www.slax.org ) . But then there is an easier way of downloading for whom is new to the linux OS, and there is other advanced version of downloading for whom is now new to the linux, but also likes to add some other base programs to build their own SLAX.
SLAX for dummies: just basic things including firefox, wordpad, and a development kit(size: 200mb)
SLAX with other building components: there is ‘module’ page (http://www.slax.org/modules.php ) which has variety choices of APPs. When the user has completed building his/hers SLAX with choices of APPs, just click the “Download iso” or 
• its approximate size,
The size of SLAX is 200 mb, both iso one and tar one. iso one is for installing on to the hhd, and tar one is for installing on USB ( this is not fixed. You can extract iso on to USB too) However, there is a way to slim it down to 128 mb (which only has the core), but there won’t be any Document opener, music players and etc.
• and its heritage (what other OS distribution(s) is it derived from.
SLAX is from Slackware which came out in 1993, july 16th. Slackware has very simple structure so it’s very easy to figure out what’s going on inside. SLAX is based on Slackware. But it seems like it’s very hard for the beginners to use Slackware if they are not familiar with writing code in text. So it’s hard to do upgrading and taking care of packages.


Installation/Startup
It’s preferred to use USB disk as the deice to install SLAX. Because, users still can put modules(extra user made/slax team made applications that helps SLAX. There are many kinds like Wireless connection helper, Document opener, music player, paint, and etc.)
And of course, users can choose some modules before downloading the SLAX. Then the iso or tar file after selecting numbers of modules will already have module files inside of the installation folder. But also users can add modules later in to the folder, ‘slax/modules’ later, so it’s totally up to users’ choice. I didn’t choose any modules for my installation except the very basic ones like kOffice, firefox, development kit.)
USB disk way:
First, prepare USB disk. And back up all the stuff inside.
Then, format the USB with FAT format. If it’s already FAT then you can skip the formatting step.
And now It’s time to move boot folder and slax folder to the usb disk.
Open up the boot folder, and double click the ‘bootinst.bat’ file. (when it’s on Windows. If the current running OS is Linux, then please use ‘bootinst.sh’
 
And you don’t need to do ‘run it as administrator’, If you do so, then it will try to do its job on C:\ not on the G:\(or whatever the current usb disk’s directory is) and sometimes shows this message. If you double clicked without going through administrator mode but still getting that message, then just click continue. (One thing that I found is that if you are current OS is installed through MAC computer’s ‘bootcamp’ the SLAX’s bootinst won’t work properly. Please use other computers.
On Bootcamp, it’s just like this..
And just need to press any key(like enter) to proceed.
Now it’s done. The USB disk is bootable now. Press any key to exit.
Then now restart the computer, and before it shows up any windows boot screen press the SPECIAL key (like F12 in my case) to go to the BOOT DEVICE menu. Select USB disk there.
Eventually It will show this screen. There are several options to run SLAX. KDE(the top selection) provides very good interface which almost looks like Windows GUI. The always fresh mode allows you to boot Slax without applying the saved persistent change. Just like a new one. (But it seems like the current version of SLAX 6.1.2 has a bit of problem with this mode. Sometimes the computer gets stuck before loads the desktop…) Copy to the ram let SLAX to copy all the things to RAM first, so when it runs it becomes very fast. (but It’s hard to feel in my personal opinion.) The VESA mode is the same as the KDE one, but it starts without configuring the video card. The Text mode will run SLAX but only shows the terminal, not the GUI interface. Finally, with the PEX one, people can boot SLAX on to OTHER COMPUTER through network.
By the way, when you run SLAX as first time, the slax login ID is ‘root’, and the password is ‘toor’. You need this when you run the text mode.
And also by the way, Don’t be afraid of putting extra files in to the USB disk. As long as the boot folder and slax folders are there, USB can still be used as some storage device.
This is the screen shot after selecting the first one. YES! IT’S GOOD TO GO NOW!
**When you turn off the computer in SLAX, the screen will blink like thunder. It’s ok. Wait for a bit then it will turn off soon.(SLAX is just trying to turn off all the processes.)
Basic Operation
There are four desktops, 1,2,3,4. And the windows can be placed anywhere. This is very good function to keep the desktop nice and clean from opening many windows. So for example I open terminal in desktop one, and open firefox in desktop two, then there is no way I can see the firefox in desktop one
And there is something called ‘Slax Drive’ on desktop. It is a network driver that’s connected to Slax server. (which is very convenient! People can access their file from wherever if there is internet connection.) However, that Slax server is currently down for technical reason. They are replacing the Server Hard disk drive to new one now. People cannot use that service for a while. And It’s not free unfortunately. But still it’s indeed very convenient service.
And there are other drivers listed in System:/media. So you can easily access to the main HHD anytime.
If you installed the basic version of SLAX(without adding other modules), then there are Koffice which can open many kinds of document files, basic music player, basic media player, and one internet messenger which can be used as MSN messenger, yahoo and so on.
There is KuickShow program for pictures too, but if you like to see what the picture is at the folder, just double click it, then it will show the picture in that window frame. (I think this is very convenient. Instead of opening the picture using other program.)
There is something called K3b. You can burn CD and DVD with this program.
Plus, there are numbers of modules on SLAX website(www.slax.org/modules.php ) . So if user like to install some other programs for their need, they can find it easily, and installation is very easy too. Just put them into the folder ‘slax/modules’ of the USB disk.
However, there is still a weakness about the basic SLAX. If you didn’t download module for Wireless connection, you can’t use Wireless that has WAP encryption. At the basic SLAX’s wireless connection program, users only can use the wireless that does not have any security protection, or that has WEP. But don’t worry. There are many modules that helps SLAX to be able to enter WAP for wireless.
Usage Evaluation
SLAX is small, light, fast Linux. It’s well designed for portable and short usage. Since there are so many modules it’s very easy to extend its functionality. Plus there is a way to modify it a bit to make SLAX less than 128 mb. In that case people who has really old USB disk going to be somewhere in their house to install SLAX in it.  However, even though these days people start using laptops and netbooks a lot, SLAX doesn’t clearly support wireless by itself. Without the modules help it’s pretty impossible to get the wireless signal on SLAX. But still its GUI and other basic functions, speed, and size are really great for portable usage. So, in conclusion, it’s better to have the Wireless helper module in the beginning of the installation of SLAX, then there is no problem. I personally really like this Linux because I often use Windows or MacOS but sometimes I need to use Linux too. Of course there are great software like VMware or VirtualBox but if I use SLAX with USB disk then I can use Linux as fast as OS installed in HHD. Faster Graphics usage too. (not like VMware.)
References
SLAX official website. http://www.slax.org/
Slackware officla website http://www.slackware.com/
Many questions to improve SLAX’s performance http://www.slax.org/forum.php
How to make SLAX to 128mb: http://iblis.egloos.com/4199788 (Korean. Google Translator needed)
Linux live official Site: http://www.linux-live.org/

Latest revision as of 23:54, 19 October 2011

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