Im looking to build up a Linux distro for a customer.  All it needs to have on it is enough networking to connect to a Citrix server over a dedicated ADSL Connection.  I know someone posted a link to a tool a while back to help with this, if nobody has that then a decent tutorial would help.  I started doing this for another guy about a year back, and then he bough HP terminals instead.  This dude just needs to run it on some 600Mhz P3s, and he doesnt have the budget for all new machines.

Why cant you use any number of free distros? If you really want to get fancy, you could certainly recompile the kernels. Ubuntu Server, or Fedora should do the trick. Replace the boot splash with your corporations logos of course.

Quote from: maximusotterWhy cant you use any number of free distros? If you really want to get fancy, you could certainly recompile the kernels. Ubuntu Server, or Fedora should do the trick. Replace the boot splash with your corporations logos of course.

nah, he wants ZERO functionality, meaning im prolly better off building it from scratch.  Plus itll look good on a CV if i pull it off, if it falls on its arse i just dont need to mention it.  

#1 on Google seems to be the one Ive heard of the most:

http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/


There was a distro I ran a while back that allowed you to remaster it to a custom ISO--I think it was PCLOS--probably not the best choice for a server, but it was interesting nonetheless.

I still vote for deconstructing somebody elses work and claiming it as your own.

Cheers, ive had a poke around there already, but figured i might be able to save some time (im being lazy).  Ill give it a go, if it works itll look SHINY on the CV.

An slighty easier way would be to do a Gentoo compile from source (if you want to be really uber nerdy ), you can completely optimize for the CPU youre installing on with a few Emerge flags (SSE, SSE2 etc).

It has to be said....RICER!!!

Quote from: maximusotterIt has to be said....RICER!!!

Riding dem spiinaz, Fo shizzle!

Quote from: skidzillaAn slighty easier way would be to do a Gentoo compile from source (if you want to be really uber nerdy ), you can completely optimize for the CPU youre installing on with a few Emerge flags (SSE, SSE2 etc).

thats a thought, have to see how things work out, but i will need _some_ flexibilty with it i think.  There is some variation in the machines im told, but they are all about the same age, and all Compaq rigs.

Theres much easier ways of getting reasonably well-performing systems than stripping all the functionality out.

Some starting points:

- Limit to most essential servies
- Run a lightweight GUI, if you want one at all
- Make sure the boxes have a reasonable amount of RAM.
- Find out what he actually means by "Networking to connect to a citrix server" - is it going to run a terminal emulator or something like that?

Sounds like a lot of unnecessary pain to me otherwise.

Make a custom Ubuntu ISO.

http://freeshell.in/~taggy/blog/2006/12/31/how-to-create-a-custom-ubuntu-distro/

Quote from: BigSoyTheres much easier ways of getting reasonably well-performing systems than stripping all the functionality out.

Some starting points:

- Limit to most essential servies
- Run a lightweight GUI, if you want one at all
- Make sure the boxes have a reasonable amount of RAM.
- Find out what he actually means by "Networking to connect to a citrix server" - is it going to run a terminal emulator or something like that?

Sounds like a lot of unnecessary pain to me otherwise.

its a security and monitoring issue.  The offices the guy has are staffed by morons.  By giving them an ICA client, and access to their applications from the server end the data is easier to lock down.  At the moment its running a mix of Win98SE, NT4, W2k in the offfices, with the sales guys running XP laptops.  Hes already got some company to supply the Citrix they are already using, but we want to lock everything out except the applications they need for work, and also control their internet browsing.  

Seeing as how I have deployed 750 citrix thinstations out in my organisation, I feel like I can offer some advice

Get yourself the thinstation distro. I have used this and customised it to roll out to half the PCs in our company, enabling us to use old hardware as thin stations. I have a build that will run on just about any hardware. The image size is a few MB and I have mine setup to install via floppy/usb - install per desktop takes about 1 min. You can also set it up as a LAN boot.

It boots to a thin client which can be configured to open a browser (To hit the presentation server web interface) or to go straight to a presentation server via config.

If you need a hand, let me know.

Ill expect the consultancy fee, at my usual rate of Ã,£750 per day in the post

*note* Mark only works from 12 noon to 1PM - and expects an hour for lunch  :mrgreen:

Getting a small distro and stripping it would probably be easier.

Quote from: Beaker

Quote from: BigSoyTheres much easier ways of getting reasonably well-performing systems than stripping all the functionality out.

Some starting points:

- Limit to most essential servies
- Run a lightweight GUI, if you want one at all
- Make sure the boxes have a reasonable amount of RAM.
- Find out what he actually means by "Networking to connect to a citrix server" - is it going to run a terminal emulator or something like that?

Sounds like a lot of unnecessary pain to me otherwise.

its a security and monitoring issue.  The offices the guy has are staffed by morons.  By giving them an ICA client, and access to their applications from the server end the data is easier to lock down.  At the moment its running a mix of Win98SE, NT4, W2k in the offfices, with the sales guys running XP laptops.  Hes already got some company to supply the Citrix they are already using, but we want to lock everything out except the applications they need for work, and also control their internet browsing.  

Surely something along those lines just needs a decent security policy and sensible restriction of the root password?