Klaus Knopper Interview

[eadz]

Here you can post questions for Klaus Knopper to answer about KNOPPIX, and I'll endevor to get some of them answered, interview style
Post your questions here! I have not asked him so there's no promise that the'll be answered, but may as well try

[Rixel]

Is there any possible way to have Knoppix search for a boot argument script and implement it (if found) as the default boot argument(s). That way, the boot arg file could be saved on floppy or hard drive. If no file was found, then the standard Knoppix boot would apply.

Not sure if this is possible, but the reason for this is that I want to have Knoppix run unattended on several sites, but various boot options need to be passed upon startup. These would possibly be different for each site.

Thanks for a great distro!

[Rixel]

Just figured this one out myself.

Syslinux has a text cfg file that sets up the boot args. To have all of the boot args done automatically, just add to the default option at the start of the file.

After editing the floppy syslinux.cfg, I did have a conflict with specifying the refresh and floppyconfig.... although I had specified the refreshrate, because I had also specified the floppyconfig, the system took the floppyconfig settings as precedent. I resolved this by booting in with the manually entered boot args, then saving them to floppy. I then added to the APPEND under the DEFAULT line (in my case):

xvrefresh=66 wheelmouse floppyconfig

That worked fine...I also decreased the timeout and erased some of the files that were not needed (f2 screen, de keymap) as there is limited space on the boot floppy to accomodate the floppyconfig files.

Further info about modifying syslinux.cfg can be found at:

http://syslinux.zytor.com/faq.php

..

Thank you Klaus!

[chris_Xnest]

Hi there

I think a very good subject for an interview would be the detailed procedure for adding drivers to a Knoppix remaster (you know, what files must be put where, what exactly must be written in what configuration file ... the whole shebang !!)

If anyone reads this, maybe ....

[lilsirecho]

Perhaps my query is an infantile thing but I am interested in creating more compressed files in any Linux OS, which includes KnoppixLiveCD.

At present, the klik system enables the second compressed file system to be applied, in this case, cramfs filesystem.

The application of klik to the linuxOS having a cramfs kernel permits the downloading of applications into Linux OS's from windows, Mac, and all other Linux applications which have their dependencies supplied by the download or are inherent in the system using them.

Utilizing these files in Linux permits the install of one-half size files (called .cmg files).

The reduction in file space in desktop systems is immediately apparent.

The files are independently deleteable and can be shared with peers. Use of a given application can be transitory, therefore, to enhance the management of the file sizes in
systems with lower capacities.

My interest is to determine whether more than two compressedfilesystems can be implemented in a given kernel and to determine the impact of doing such a thing.

Thus, I describe the idea as follows; enable several instances of a given file system....
perhaps: cramfs, cramfs1, cramfs2, cramfs3. Perhaps not possible.....but the possibility of more than two compressed file systems seems plausible...squashfs, romfs, ramfs are filesystems of differing types. Perhaps a symlink and a pseudoID will do the trick.

Application of such an extended capability? I haven't much of an idea about what to do with it, just get it rolling and it will be applied!!!

Maybe this is a pipe dream?

[Nick889]

Here are some non-technical questions for him.

1. Why did you write Knoppix?

2. Who helped you with Knoppix and how long did it take to go from idea to the first working version released to the public?

3. Do you feel as though you've helped people with Knoppix and did you ever believe it would become this popular and even appear on TechTV?

4. What new features are you planning or would like to do?