DeLi Linux Development Stalled

DeLi Linux is an international desktop light linux distrubition for old computer, after about seven years’ development, its author, haary announced deli linux development stalled in DeLi Linux forum at November 8, 2008. If you are interested in such a linux distribution you can take over or even fork DeLi Linux.

Here is Hernry’s announcement: DeLi Linux development stalled http://www.delilinux.org/forum/topic.php?id=842

haary

#1 Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:58 am
Administrator
Registered: Mar 2007
Posts: 549

Dear Users of DeLi Linux,

as you may have noticed I wasn’t much around here some time. I have been (and will be) very busy with work and familiy. Therefore I have simply no time for the further development of DeLi Linux now and in the near future.

But I don’t want DeLi to die. That’s why I encourage you to take over or even fork DeLi Linux.

If you are interested in the development of DeLi Linux please contact me or leave a notice here.

Regards,

Henry

I think, making a Linux distrubtion for old computer is a hard work as the limited resource of these old machines. If a user is familiar with Linux a bit, he can customize some common Linux distrubition install into old computer. So, it should there isn’t too many people need this kind of distrubition.

Linux Operating System is a huge system project, need kernel, base libaries, and softwares work in conjugation with each other. Modern most used graphic libaries is GTK2, but these modern kernel and graphic libaries and so on is heavy for those very old machine like PII. Basically, it is no possible to develop one another base libaries for the author of any these kind of light distributions. Using the old kernel and old libaries cause less functions. For example, DSL and DeLi Linux 0.7.2 adopt GTK1, there internationalization support is very bad; Dillo2 adopts a light graphic tool kit called FLTK, but it seems no many applications based on FLTK for PC. So, this make these light distrubitions face a difficult choice. Choose functions, will cause low speed, end up with speed hasn’t obvious difference between these kind of distrubions and those common distributions; Choose speed, will end up with less functions. For example, that famous Dillo web bowser, get high speed with missing support to Javascript, Frame Page and plugins for Fash or Java and less SSL supports.

I knew there is another this kind of distribution based on Arch Linux called Lowarch, it seems stalled too.

Of course, there are still some this kind of Linux distribution is active or alive, such as a Ubuntu based fluxubuntu, a PCLinuxOS based TinyMe. And some distributions based on ubuntu which linked at the end of this Install Ubuntu on Low Memory Systems Manual. Wish all of them good luck.

I think, there is no miracle for making such an international distribution for old computer, you can’t change a P2 machine into P4 with the help of this kind of light linux distribution. Here is some personal viewpoint for making such a distribution: 1, It must based on a common linux distribution, and can use the package of this common distribution easily. It is too difficult to maintain a softwares repository for old computers; 2, Less hard disk size using, less default services, easy to install, configure and use, less bugs. I think the user of such a light distribution should be the person who isn’t familiar with Linux but need run Linux on his old computer.

The Linux distribution for old computer I mentioned above is a type customized Linux distribution, because the good customization ability of Linux, some mini Linux distributions with special functions are still very active. Such as: DSL, a distribution limited its size at 50M and has good performance on even a 486 machine (but, it basically has no internationalization support, so, I don’t divide it into the kind of distribution above); A distribution is very friendly to Windows users called Puppy Linux, it can run in RAM totally and it is easy to install and configure and use; A little distribution for sytem maintaining called CDlinux, and, it also has a community version with very full-scale deskop applications; Slitaz provides full-scale desktop applications with size less than 30M, that really surprised me. All these distributions are good mini Linux distributions.

Although Henry, the author of DeLi Linux announced DeLi Linux Development talled, but, still very thanks for his and his friends’ effort on making such an international light Linux distribution for old computer. And, very thanks for people who are fighting on making such distribution too.