Fedora 8-based distro for Alpha CD Announcement

[Jay Estabrook]

Hi, folks,

After an almost interminable wait (:-), the most recent
final release candidate for our own Fedora 8-based distro
for Alpha is now available at:

  http://buildsys.zero42.at/iso/Fedora-20080404-alpha-CD.iso

This is a single CD, although more than a "net install" version,
as there are more than 600 RPMs on the CD, and after install,
should be usable in X11, and will be network-aware.

The installation includes a pre-initialized yum repository
descriptor pointing to the repository on buildsys.zero42.at,
and will probably announce some updates available as soon as
you boot into the new install. Also, since there are more
than 8000 RPMs available, you'll be able to fill out your
fresh install with the packages you really want/need.

At the moment, there is no specific "updates" directory for
yum; we are in the process of putting that in place, but until
then, updates will appear in the main "core" directory.

The current kernel is 2.6.23.10-97.fc8.1axp; Alpha-related
fixes in there include a bug fix for Cypress IDE support on
the platforms that use that chipset (MIATA/XP1000/DS20).

Firefox is at 2.0.0.12; gcc at 4.1.2-23; glibc at 2.6.90-21.

At the end of this message are various notes related to
this distro. PLEASE READ THEM!!!

Additional information about the build system, repositories,
current state of our Fedora 9 for Alpha testing, etc, are on:

  http://buildsys.zero42.at/

Sorry, there's no MILO-based machine support in there.

So, let us know your thoughts/suggestions/corrections/etc.

We are not reluctant to spin new newer kernels, or other packages,
or even another complete distro (1 CD, 3CDs, 1 DVD, whatever),
should folks find glaring problems with this one. Any and all
help appreciated in solving some of the current problems, most
particularly with GNOME and JAVA issues. And an install of this
distro will put you in good position to help with Fedora 9 for Alpha
development... :-)

ENJOY!

--Jay++

================================================

Installation instructions
-------------------------

Normal boot options (0=GUI,1=ttyS0,2=text,3=rescue)

Partitioning seems reasonable, though it may be fragile

Can choose to use LVM, or may get it by default if doing
auto-partitioning

Custom package selection seems reasonably stable

================================================

Installation guidelines
-----------------------

Packages: select KDE, de-select GNOME
GNOME has some problem(s), so best to use KDE or another WM

================================================

Installation quirks
-------------------

MIATA with IDE CDROM - sometimes doesn't find it

DS15/DS25 - "transferring image to hard drive" hang

================================================

Recommendations
---------------

S3-trio64 graphics are VERY fragile - use text mode install

EV4-based machines, or machines with 512MB or less - use text mode
install, as GUI takes a lot of memory.

If there is a problem with the 20080404 CD, then try the one in the
"iso/obsolete" subdirectory, dated 20080311. Packages on the older
ISO include only a very few that are older than the current ISO.

================================================

What's not working
------------------

SMP kernels on AS2100/2100A

AS800 if configured with DE500-BA NIC

GNOME desktop

JAVA (?)

No testing of text mode for original TGA adapter, though TGA-2
should be fine (it uses a VGA chip :-)

No TGA Xorg graphics driver for any TGA/TGA-2 chipset

No NUMA support on MARVEL (ES47 et al)

================================================


Tested machines and configurations
----------------------------------

EV6
  DS10/DS15/DS20/DS25/ES40/ES45/ES47
  XP1000
  UP1100

EV5 and EV566
  PC164/LX164/MIATA
  AS500/AS800/AS1200

EV4
  AS250

Graphics adapters
  Radeon 7000/7200/7500/9250
  Permedia 2 (ELSA) and 3 (VX1)
  Matrox Millennium I, II, G200
  3DFx Voodoo 3000
  ATI Rage 128

SCSI adapters
  NCR/LSI/Symbios 875 and 895
  QLogic 1020 and 1040
  Adaptec 2940 and 3960

Ethernet adapters
  Tulip 21140/3 (DE-500)
  Intel 82557/8/9 (DE-600)
  Broadcom 5703