I am trying to understand several aspects \of how Linux "works" In the pre- X mac world they had a data and resource forking to simplify the concept. In Linux there seems to be a debate over modular Vs monolithic software architectures. What I am trying to expand my understanding of seems trivial but likely is not. It centers on which architectural path causes/needs the least writes to the core areas of what we call a "distro" I admit to being more than a bit fixated in my logic on a "distro in flash" eventual goal. The precedent I am looking back to is influenced by Apple's OS in ROM approach. Or the MP3 players which load their "OS" from a partition of their pooled flash resource into the devices working RAM area.
We have several folks on list who are way better coders than most folks ever meet. I am curious to hear their comments on what if any Kernel tweaks would optimise a distro for running from flash as Puppy appears to be using. I'm NOT a low level coder, I can follow along some distance when it's presented clearly. The idea I'm targeting is to get a distro in flash that does not abuse the flash media needlessly.
it seems to me that the same optimizations made for live CD running from the CD would apply. Writes to the OS portion are /never/ needed. Mounting with the -noatime switch should remove vestigal writes.
On Sun, Feb 1, 2009 at 13:07, David Nicol davidnicol@gmail.com wrote:
it seems to me that the same optimizations made for live CD running from the CD would apply. Writes to the OS portion are /never/ needed. Mounting with the -noatime switch should remove vestigal writes.
That depends, entirely, on what the "OS partition" is. If it includes the /var and /tmp hierarchies, you will be in pain not being able to write. Not to mention updates to software.
Keeping a separate filesystem for user data is neither a net win or loss. If you're going to do it, DO NOT do it because you think it makes you safer somehow. It doesn't.
I use noatime on some systems, but only to reduce disk i/o and thus power usage. If you're not already encrypting your filesystems, noatime can slightly protect you from someone being able to later determine how you were using your computer.
On Sun, 1 Feb 2009, Oren Beck wrote:
clearly. The idea I'm targeting is to get a distro in flash that does not abuse the flash media needlessly.
I'm no coder, but any distribution can do something like this:
echo 1500 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_writeback_centisecs
Or 6000 would make writes to flash happen only once each minute.
The Intel "powertop" utility makes these recommendations...
-=Duane http://www.dattaway.net
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Billy Crook -
David Nicol -
Duane Attaway -
Oren Beck