From: Luigi Rizzo <luigi@labinfo.iet.unipi.it>
Message-Id: <199509301047.LAA20453@labinfo.iet.unipi.it>
Subject: Re: FreeBSD 2.1 will require a minimum of 8MB for installation.
To: julian@ref.tfs.com (Julian Elischer)
Date: Sat, 30 Sep 1995 11:47:08 +0100 (MET)
Cc: jkh@time.cdrom.com, hackers@freefall.freebsd.org
In-Reply-To: <199509300815.BAA18393@ref.tfs.com> from "Julian Elischer" at Sep 30, 95 01:15:02 am
Content-Type: text
Content-Length: 1670      
Sender: owner-hackers@FreeBSD.org
Precedence: bulk

> > It's not like there isn't precedent.  Even Windows '95, so pointedly
> > an OS for the masses, apparently will no longer even run in less than
> > 8MB.  We, at least, aren't saying *that*.  It's still perfectly
> > possible to generate a custom, stripped-down kernel that'll run on a
> > 4MB box (though not very fast), you'll just have to lay your hands on
> > an extra 4MB to get it through the installation.

For some machines (e.g. laptops) it is too expensive to add memory,
often they use special modules or just don't have the slots.  I
think we can manage by making it not too hard for 4MB users to
build their own boot floppy (on a guest system, if it cannot be
supplied as default).

> Jordan.
> for the cdrom there should be an instal floppy with NO NETWORKING

I believe the networking code is fundamental -- all system have a
network port, the serial port! And you can probably save much more
space by removing the SCSI stuff. I think most portables and other
small, old systems have IDE disks. If a separate floppy must exist
(on the CDROM), I would not sacrifice the networking code.

> I think this is REALLY IMPORTANT
> If you don't,
> the linux crew are going to have a field day over this one!

Agreed. I am more worried about the users we loose.

	Luigi
====================================================================
Luigi Rizzo                     Dip. di Ingegneria dell'Informazione
email: luigi@iet.unipi.it       Universita' di Pisa
tel: +39-50-568533              via Diotisalvi 2, 56126 PISA (Italy)
fax: +39-50-568522              http://www.iet.unipi.it/~luigi/
====================================================================