Hello,

On Wednesday 21 February 2001 10:13, you wrote:
> Since the price of computer equipment (MB, HD, etcs)
> are so inexpensive, I personaly would never run linux
> off of a cd.  You are limited to not being able to
> confire the files like httpd and the log files or
> ..bash_profile.

Sure, there are a lot of things that won't persist between boots, but take  a 
careful look at the maragda boot process... there is a point where you can 
give it a floppy (or, potentially another CD media..?) which can contain any 
files you wish to _override_ the files burned to the CD-rom - things like 
hosts.deny, hosts.allow, resolv.conf, exports, fstab and on.. you can still 
run a hard disk, and have it mounted at boot time as a /home/ dir I 
believe... and obviously, it's all open-source so hack-at-will.

I woulod *never* assert that this is a superior method for running linux in 
the desktop environment, but it does have some great advantages. For 
instance, running as root gets much less dangerous for a learner, and the 
system is essentially bullet-proof from crackers, or just the occasional 
id10t like me. Just try installing a rootkit into a box running from ROM. 
Also, less installation nightmares for the casual first-time novice.

The ThinkNIC (www.thinknic.com) Internet computer / applicance uses this 
method to run it's OS. It's already apparent that embedded applications are 
looming large in the future of linux, and this is a good example of a hybrid 
embedded system. I just like it.


-- 


                           -.bill.layer.-
                          
-.those who are talking don't know, and those who know aren't talking.-

           -.frogtown.-     -.minnesota.-      -.u.s.a.-