Re: Embedded Linux vs. NetBSD

[Juha-Matti Liukkonen <jml%cubical.fi@localhost>]

On Sun, 13 Jul 2003, Ivo Vachkov wrote:

> Felix Deichmann wrote:
> > Hi.
> >
> > I have a custom embedded Linux system on one floppy disk for my router.
> > I would like to know if I could also use NetBSD for that purpose.
:
> Yes. There are some BSD setups to fit on a floppy with similar
> functionality.

And it isn't difficult to build any of the BSD variants small enough. You
don't even need anything special, everything you need for a small build is
pretty much included in the base system -- you might want to familiarize
yourself with crunchgen and the system makefiles. A useful configuration
of FreeBSD 4.x can run in a little under 3M RAM and fits well on a floppy,
if you just build it right. Give it more and it'll do more. NetBSD might
do even better, FreeBSD has gotten a bit fat over the years.

Things like "minimal libc" are not necessary, 'cause it isn't GNU (which
is too often nowadays synonymous to bloat...) -- the stock libc is
perfectly fine for embedded and/or small system usage.

Br,
Jussi

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