From: Wade Guthrie (wade@nb.rockwell.com)
Date: 12/16/92


From: wade@nb.rockwell.com (Wade Guthrie)
Subject: Re: 386BSD + LINIX + GNU + X11R5 on CDROM - let us know what you want!
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 19:02:23 GMT


In article <1992Dec12.055725.23540@netcom.com>, adam@netcom.com (Adam J. Richter) writes:
> In article <whatever> I wrote:
> >The Linux cd-rom drivers may support [the Rockridge extensions]
> >already, but if you don't already
> >HAVE Linux up and running on your system, the point is moot. I would not
> >like to see the Rockridge extensions, 'cause then I wouldn't be able to
> >load Linux from the CD on a system that currently has only DOS.

> My Linux/GNU/X CD is a counter-example to your claim. The CD
> uses the Rockridge extensions, but you can install it on a system that
> "has only DOS" or that has no software at all. This is because the
> distribution includes a boot floppy that boots linux and then mounts
> the CD.

That is one approach that would be fine.

> Even on a distribution that did not include a boot floppy,
> the inclusion of Rock Ridge extension information would not make
> it any harder to install. After all, you can still read a Rockridge
> disk with a system that only understands iso9660, although the filenames
> will appear in iso9660 level 1 (DOS style) or iso9660 level 2 (similar
> to VMS) formats.

I tried to read a SUN CD-ROM (which uses the rockridge extensions) and had
some problems. The CD-ROM had one file (README -- which I could read
fine) and several directories (all with names longer than 8 characters). I
could not change into any of the directories, although everything else seemed
fine. Now, I admit that I may be missing something here. If I am, and the
people putting the disk together want to do things that way, may I humbly
request that the README on the disk explain the stuff that I should have
known?

> Installing Linux from a CD that contains only source
> code is essentially the same problem.

Yeah, this is why I would like a binary of the os.

Wade
wade@nb.rockwell.com