Hi, 2 months ago, i downloaded a Redhat ver. that could run on a DC. Now that i have the DC Keyboard, i was finally able to use the disto. The problem is (because there's always a problem..) that there's no graphical interface. so i was wondering if there was a way to build by yourself (and easly) a Live DC disto. CD with what you'll want to be in. If positive, could i run KDE or GNOME on a DC without problems? Is there any complete Linux DC disto? or is the thing impossible on that hardware? i would love to surf on internet, chat on msn and play little emulators on my lovely and imortal Dreamcast. :smt045 Hope it can be done. thx, cahaz.
There are two main problems with Linux on the DC 1. It has sod all RAM - 16MB. You wont get Gnome or KDE in any modern version running on less than 128 or possibly 256. 2. It does not support the modem, as it is a winmodem (If you don't know what that is, It's basically a modem which uses the processor to do the decoding/encoding, and therefore requires specialised drivers - Which sega haven't released) therefore if you want ot go online you will need a LAN or Broadband adaptor - both of which are pretty expensive. However, IF you can overcome these two problems, It should be a pretty useful little box
Actually, Cahaz, there should be a graphical interface with the Dreamcast distribution - it's not Gnome or KDE, but one of the really ghetto default window managers. You can get it by typing Code: startx at the prompt after you have finished booting. That said, I must admit that in terms of actual usefulness right now, DC Linux isn't a very viable thing - it's cool for showing your friends "Look, I can run Linux on my Dreamcast!" but that's about it for right now, although apparently lots of work is being done with it. I'd like to get my hands on the NetBSD distribution for Dreamcast, but all the links I find require you to have NetBSD/Linux on your PC to put the disc together. Typical of the open-source/Linux community: "Why should we do anything helpful when we can make the user compile it all?" :angry
I know it doesnt apply to NetBSD, but in the general case, is it so hard to do ./configure make make install ?
Not really, but if they're releasing a disc it should atleast be an ISO so you can just burn it off and get on with it ;-)
That's sortof my opinon too. And the problem with what you just said, Anti, is that A) That is the most understandable way I have ever seen it written before. It took me forever to finally figure out how to compile things on my own, thanks to open source's generally shoddy documentation. B) 75% of the time, the default compiling instructions don't work. It has an unmentioned dependency on some obscure module I don't have, or there's no makefile, or there's an argument missing somewhere... C) I'm on a Windows machine. It's pretty ridiculous to be expected to be running Linux just to compile a Dreamcast image... :smt009 It's just my general problem with open source, I guess, in that there tends to be far, far too little helpful instructions for things, with most documentation you read assuming you've been working with the stuff since its inception. The utter lack of standardization is also a point of no little irritation to me, and coupled with dependencies that are seldom ever listed when one downloads the program, can make a simple install a grueling, hour-long ordeal. Not all Windows machines are the same either, but at least the majority of developers have the grace to A) compile the software and B) include any required files as well. It's just kindof like organic food with me - it's supposed to be better than the traditional style, but between the cost (organic food = $$, open source = time) and the quality, I'm just not seeing it. :smt009 Anywho, you get X to start yet, Cahaz?
yeah, X started but now i need to find a mouse. :smt022 ( :smt043 ) so, i can't surf the web with a linux dc disto nor playing emulators? :smt009 thx to everyone.
As far as I know, there's no internet support hashed out for the DC Linux yet, and while I think there is a version of mame included on the disc, you have to edit the image and add your own roms to play anything. Also included is prBoom, a Doom source port with the shareware version of Doom. I think somebody was beginning to work on support for the broadband adaptor, but there's been little or no modem work, and no web browsers yet - it seems most of the work on the project is being done on really USEFUL stuff, like being able to read the VMU filesystem and display images on it. :ayashi Again, it's more of a "gee-whiz, I can run Linux on my Dreamcast" than something very useful - I downloaded the Linux distro back in late 2001 on my first Dreamcast and had it running, and the distribution has honestly not changed one bit from back then, so I don't have very high hopes for the project. :smt009
Linux on the DC is so slow that the only machines emulated at full speed on it would be ancient, and generally anything reasonable you want to emulate is available without the need for linux anyway. It's a proof of concept, really - if you seriously want to browse the net, get in contact with Sega for a free browser disc or download psylocybin dreams; if you want to use emulators then download the necessary emulator files, it'll be a whole lot faster.
Hey, you havent seen GP32 Linux yet, compared to that Linux on the DC is an oasis of usefulness :smt043
does sega of america still send free brower discs? i know sega of europe does, butim not sure about SOA. i never really tried DC linux, but i must agree! :smt043
Let's not forget Linux on my Palm IIIc - it began the startup routine, loaded all modules successfully, then crashed and took my handheld's memory with it. It seems like it's a fad among the Linux community to port a distro to some obscure Linux device, work on it to the point of booting, possibly include a few apps, and then move on. :smt043
