What should a total noob learn before tinkering with DSL or Linux?
Linux - NewbieThis Linux forum is for members that are new to Linux.
Just starting out and have a question?
If it is not in the man pages or the how-to's this is the place!
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
I think first thing you should learn is how to install the distribution you want, without affecting much of the current setup. Once that is done, you can move around looking for making it to work the way you want starting from look and feel to how to install the required softwares and compilers. And if you are onto Mac OS, which is also based on Unix, you should be able to learn commands pretty easily.
I think first thing you should learn is how to install the distribution you want, without affecting much of the current setup. Once that is done, you can move around looking for making it to work the way you want starting from look and feel to how to install the required softwares and compilers. And if you are onto Mac OS, which is also based on Unix, you should be able to learn commands pretty easily.
Hi Chaitanya, Damn Small Linux will be the Default OS setup on the digital photo frame.
Actually I am not into any OS at all. So this is gonna be a huge learning curve for me.
Are you saying that it is not necessary to learn C or C++ then? I know that I have to learn some GUI cos i have to modify the appearance of the screen.
Now I have been assigned with a very important task of trying to figure out how to install and edit DSL or a similar OS on a digital photo frame.
My question to you would be.. what should I learn first before attempting much a new project? Should I learn C++ or GUI or..?
You don't need to know programming to install DSL, or any linux distribution for that matter.
What exactly are you supposed to do with it besides installing it?
If you only need to install it and change some settings then that shouldn't be too difficult,
but if you give more details maybe you will get better advice.
DW: You appear to have made many contributions to DSL and have been instrumental in making it the popular distribution that it is. Why did you leave the project?
RS: There were many reasons why I no longer work on DSL, a culmination of personal attacks and accusations against me, disagreements and irreconcilable differences. Actually, I didn't ever leave, I was in fact exiled and locked out by John Andrews. My posts in the DSL blog consisting of all I wrote was deleted. A list that others were constructing of all customizations of DSL, showing mostly my name as the creator of said innovation, were also deleted. It was messy.
far as I know John hasn't continued DSL...
EDIT: Robert is the guy who invented the "MyDSL" concept, etc
while John was into the Debian hdd install side
seems it was a conflict of philosophy?
C++ is a compiled, low-level programming language, NOT a user interface.
Linux's command line uses the BASH shell. To a degree BASH is a bit of an interpreted programming language, but it's designed mostly as a user interface.
A GUI is a user interface based on graphics and a pointer. Unlike that other popular OS, the GUI is not built-in to Linux. If you want a GUI, you have to install X.org, which is a GUI that runs as a normal program.
Baby steps! You need to compose a well thought out description list of what you wish to attain. The task(s) you've been given seem to be monumental at this time but if you break things down to allow identifying each into a sub group by expansion you will then be able to get to the final product. What is the frames architecture? You need to identify how the frame inits. Will it allow secondary execution(s)? The above link should help you to compose a clear picture (pun intended).
If your task has a time limit of under 1 year, then the best advice would be to hire someone experienced in these matters. If you find the concept of installing an OS on a PC challenging, then porting an OS to a system which has little to no support for doing so is an unrealistic goal. I'm not trying to be disparaging here, just warn you that your objective is beyond non-trivial. To assess whether the task is even do-able is non trivial.
You are going to need to learn a lot about low-level elements of Linux that most end users and even sysadmins never even think about. You are probably going to need to learn a bunch about embedded systems, cross development, and possibly some electronics and lower level digital systems. As a bit of a benchmark, find a forum dedicated to embedded systems, and see the kinds of questions that people are asking, and the answers that they get. Even for products which are designed and documented for skilled developers to port OS's and software to, there are still numerous problems that take a lot of knowledge and experience to solve.
Having said all of this, it is still a Good Thing(tm) to learn a new skill, and building an OS from scratch is a good one. Start by just installing a full-on Linux distro on a PC. Progress by building and installing a scaled down Linux on something less well endowed than a desktop PC, like any number of single-board computers available for few dollars. Learn how Linux boots, and what all of the low-level software elements do, and how to manage them. By then, you will have questions that will lead to your stated goal.
I'd be willing to bet you need more help than you think. A digital frame is not what dsl is ported to. You will have to find out a lot about the design of the photo frame first before you even start on the OS.
If your task has a time limit of under 1 year, then the best advice would be to hire someone experienced in these matters. If you find the concept of installing an OS on a PC challenging, then porting an OS to a system which has little to no support for doing so is an unrealistic goal. I'm not trying to be disparaging here, just warn you that your objective is beyond non-trivial. To assess whether the task is even do-able is non trivial.
You are going to need to learn a lot about low-level elements of Linux that most end users and even sysadmins never even think about. You are probably going to need to learn a bunch about embedded systems, cross development, and possibly some electronics and lower level digital systems. As a bit of a benchmark, find a forum dedicated to embedded systems, and see the kinds of questions that people are asking, and the answers that they get. Even for products which are designed and documented for skilled developers to port OS's and software to, there are still numerous problems that take a lot of knowledge and experience to solve.
Having said all of this, it is still a Good Thing(tm) to learn a new skill, and building an OS from scratch is a good one. Start by just installing a full-on Linux distro on a PC. Progress by building and installing a scaled down Linux on something less well endowed than a desktop PC, like any number of single-board computers available for few dollars. Learn how Linux boots, and what all of the low-level software elements do, and how to manage them. By then, you will have questions that will lead to your stated goal.
Good luck.
--- rod.
I don't have the money to hire a linux professional.
Besides a whole lot more linux pioneers have ported linux onto non-PC systems.
What I am asking for is not exactly rocket science. It is actually a very simple device as described above. Just to see how things work. And it has been done before not only on digital picture frames but other devices as well.
Besides, as chrism01 puts it succinctly, someone who is more experienced working with other os is gonna have trouble with linux as they are too used to things done in their way.
A total noob like me stands a better chance of mastering the curve. And if a total noob like me can do it, why not others?
I am pretty sure total noobs have mastered linux before. How many of you know linux even before u started?
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.
