Back in a year 1999 I downloaded the Linux distribution (imagine the amount of CD to download via dial-up connection!) and even managed to install it on my computer then. All the "acquaintance" ended at the doorstep of terminal mode. I failed to launch even a slight semblance of a graphical interface. Linux only found keyboard and display from the whole range of devices I had. Mouse and, moreover, an external modem were out of the question. Of course, once upon a time I worked with DOS and Norton Commander, but still the mentality of late 90s have already been solidly busy with Win'95. So, first acquaintance failed.
It has been 10 years past. During this time I went through a lot of changes. My job has changed, I became resident of another country, got married and had children.
A new acquaintance (that new, and not a continuation of the old one) began with the purchase of... phone. Yes, this was the phone based on Android (HTC Desire).
Lightweight and still with an attractive interface. I liked it, and it liked me too.After using my phone for several weeks I had a thought. Once Android is based on Linux and can run on your phone, you probably can get Linux-based system that can run on conventional computers and be more user friendly than RedHat was 10 years ago.
A quick Internet search brought confirmation of my conjecture. It turned out that over time Linux has learned a lot:
- how to work with the graphical interface by default
- how to run without installation,
- how to shrink in size.
Oh, SLAX! Small archive, which can be unpacked on flash drive and contains a small batch file (. Bat or. Sh) to make it bootable. Thus, the flash drive is ready. It can easily slide into your pocket or into the USB connector of computer. Plug it in, restart your computer and ...
I am in a LINUX! Yes, in the modern Linux!
- Small
- Compact
- Fast
- Convenient
- Modular
 |
| SLAX |
Installing any new program is as simple as downloading the module in specific directory with subsequent activation "on the fly” or on reboot. It fires up in seconds. How can it be compared with Windows, which takes few minutes to load?
| A slight digression. Probably, I should say about the actual hardware. Experiments were mainly carried out on an old home Compaq C300, Celeron 1.6 GHz, 1G RAM, WiFi card is Broadcom, HDD changed from a standard 80G to a large modern 500G. I also have a newer Toshiba laptop with 3G RAM, WiFi card and a 500G hard drive. I honestly tried to run Linux on it, but more on that later. Naturally, if you have WiFi in laptops, home WiFi network is already deployed. Network hard drive (1T in capacity) is connected to WiFi router via usual network cable. Actually, this disc is a central repository of information at home in order to protect family archives from failed HDDs on laptops. |
- connecting to the Internet
- mounting of network drive
- playing music files there.
In general, at this stage the target was figured out.
So, I started to explore terra incognita, the abode of Tux.
SLAX distro immediately found network card on Compaq. Connection went without any problems, especially with help of script by fanthom. I had a little bustle and delve into the world of the command line to connect the network drive. But after some picking everything turned out. Of the disadvantages - Russian letters were visible either on a network drive or on the NTFS-partition of the local machine, but not both simultaneously. Anyway, I have very small interest in local drive.
I had lots of joy with SLAX arrival into my hand and pocket. But later the first (and second, and third) disappointment came in...
If you want to read more about SLAX:
http://www.tomas-m.com/blog/
http://slax-remix.ponce.cc/blog/
http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/slax-clean-cute-and-quick-to-customize/
http://www.techbusy.org/blog/slax-linux-operating-system-free-online-storage/731/
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