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MuLinux

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muLinux
OS familyLinux
Working stateFrozen
Latest release14r0 / February 10, 2004 (2004-02-10)
Platformsx86-32 and later
Kernel typeMonolithic kernel
Default
user interface		Unix shell and fvwm95
LicenseGPL and other
Official websitehttp://mulinux.dotsrc.org

muLinux is an Italian, English-language tiny Linux distribution maintained by mathematics and physics professor Michele Andreoli, meant to allow very old and obsolete computers (80386, 80486 and Pentium Pro hardware dating from between 1986 through 1998) to be used as basic intranet/Internet servers or text-based workstations with a UNIX-like operating system. It was also designed for quickly turning any 80386 or later computer into a temporary, powerful Linux machine, along with system repair, education, forensic analysis and what the developer called proselytizing. In 2004 reviewer Paul Zimmer wrote, "Although there are several other single-floppy Linux distributions, none can match muLinux's extensive and unique combination of useful features."[1]

Name

The name muLinux comes from the Greek letter mu which is the SI symbol meaning one millionth, harking to the very small size of this OS.[2]

Minimalist design

muLinux is based on the Linux 2.0.36 kernel.[3] Development was frozen in 2004 at version 14r0, with some of the code and packages taken from software releases going back to 1998 (owing only to their smaller sizes). An experimental, unstable version called Lepton had the 2.4 kernel.

muLinux can be both booted or installed to a hard drive on an obsolete machine from floppy disks. A highly functional UNIX-like, network-enabled server with a Unix shell can be had from but one floppy disk. Another floppy disk will add workstation functionality and a legacy X Window VGA GUI comes with a third floppy. One reviewer noted, "It's not gorgeous, but the whole X subsystem fits onto a single floppy. Egad."[3] muLinux can also be unpacked and installed by a self-executable archive, or extracted directly, onto an old DOS or Windows 9x (umsdos) partition without harming the current OS. If the machine has a floppy disk drive muLinux can also be run on an otherwise diskless computer and no CD ROM drive is needed.[1][3]

Owing to its minimalist design muLinux is a single-user OS, so all operations are performed by the root user. It uses the ext2 Linux native file system (rather than the slower Minix file system seen in other single-floppy takes on Linux).[1] The OS is robust when used for text-based tasks along with basic file, light web page or email serving. It can also be adapted as a very tiny, stand-alone embedded system.[4]

Historically, muLinux was sometimes installed by Windows users who wanted to learn about the commands and configuration of a UNIX-like operating system before taking the step of installing a full Linux distribution or BSD release, although on later computers this could easily be done with any one of many live CD distributions. Since the distribution has always been wholly targeted at old hardware and meant to have a tiny footprint, Andreoli warned muLinux should not be used to evaluate Linux or open source software.[1] The OS comes with a lean and pithy online help system which also happens to be an introduction to UNIX, written in an English which the developer has called "fractured."[2] The OS has "cheery dialogues" and a friendly sense of humour sprinkled throughout.[3]

System requirements

muLinux needs only minimal hardware, hence it will run on many thoroughly obsolete but still-working computers.[2] Some machines from the later 1980s or very early 1990s may need additional SIMMs for enough RAM but overall, the requirements are only slightly higher than those for Windows 3.1 so a still-working machine which when new in 1992 ran Windows 3.1 would likely be able to handle a hard drive installation of muLinux:

  • 4 MB RAM if run from a hard drive
  • 16 MB RAM if booted from floppies, can boot from floppy with only 8MB[1]
  • about 20 MB of hard drive space
  • an Intel 80386 or later processor

Packages

muLinux comes with many packages, each of which fits on one floppy. muLinux is somewhat unique in that all of the packages are wholly optional.[1][2]

Packages by other authors have also been made available.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Zimmer, Paul, muLinux: A Brief Introduction, The Linux Information Project, 2004, retrieved 16 August 2008
  2. ^ a b c d mulinux.sunsite.dk, muLinux official web page, retrieved 16 August 2008
  3. ^ a b c d Saunders, Mike, "Roundup: MiniDistros", Linux Format, July 2005, retrieved 16 August 2008
  4. ^ ACM Indexed scientific database (abstract): "Linux Journal" Volume 2000, Issue 75es Using Linux in Embedded and Real-Time Systems, July 2000, retrieved 16 August 2008
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