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Hello everyone,
I'm planning to build an OS based on SliTaz or Remaster SliTaz.
I was and still very interested about this 30MB OS and I think it has a successful future.
I have many questions but the first one would be:
1) Is it good idea to do this? I know SliTaz is amazing considering the small size but is it suitable for everyday use? is it good idea to Remaster it and come up with an OS very similar to SliTaz?
If the answer to the above Q is YES then:
2) Where to start reading about that?
3) I'm planning to change lots of apps and other stuff. Is this easy thing to do? is there good references, guides, howto?
4) SliTaz came with a tool to remaster it but how good is it to do this job? or I need another tool?
5) I'm planning to upload my OS (or SliTaz Version OS) so that people can download it and install it, etc. So, will my version be installable and everything?
These are my main Qs.
I know these Qs seem to be general and not specific but I'm not sure how or from where to start?
Thank yous so much 
P.S.
My OS (or SliTaz Remastered) will be based on SliTaz 3.0
1,3,5 : Yes. 2,3,4 : http://pizza.slitaz.org/
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Hello bellard,
So http://pizza.slitaz.org/ is all what I need?
I'm planning to change logos, names, etc etc so will that be a good start for me?
By the way, I used to get emails with each reply to my posts on the old forum so what happened? is this still possible with the new one?
Thank you
salut,
quelque part, ça rejoint ma dynamique de syntèse des manip et autres possibilité.
la 1ere question a se poser est :
quelles limites je veux avoir dans mon projet
à quoi je veux reserver les choses
je veux faire de la bureautique - du developpement - de la domotique - monter des serveurs - etc ...
un vélo n'est pas un voiture, une voiture n'est pas une fusée !!!
comprends-tu ?
commence à faire un cahier des charges de ce que tu veux que ta distro fasse et puis tu réussiras ton projet , si tu ne t'éparpilles pas !
bon courage
philou
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English please 
hello,
somewhere, it joined my Syntesi dynamics of manipulation and other opportunities.
The first question to ask is:
what limits I have in my project
what I want to book things
I want to do in the office - the development - home automation - mount servers - etc. ...
a bicycle is not and a car is a rocket!
Do you understand?
begins to make a specification of what you want your distro and then you make your project succeed, if you do not want to go in all directions and lose you there
good luck
philou
Sorry for my English, but I use a translator on the web
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The distro I'm planning to create which is based on SliTaz is for everyday use and can be used by anyone.
I choose SliTaz because I believe in it and I think this distro has a bright future.
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Is it good idea to do this? I know SliTaz is amazing considering the small size but is it suitable for everyday use? is it good idea to Remaster it and come up with an OS very similar to SliTaz?
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If your distribution brings features Slitaz does lack of, it makes sense. Otherwise, it is a waste of time. Many distributions are just copies of other distributions, with the only differences being the wallpaper and few default apps.
If you can make your distribution with less than a day of remastering using Slitaz's repositories, you are surely just copying the distro.
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Where to start reading about that?
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In Slitaz's documentation, there is a thing called "Scratch Book", with detailed instructions to build Slitaz up from Zero. You can have a look at it, and build your modified version using the book as a guideline.
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SliTaz came with a tool to remaster it but how good is it to do this job? or I need another tool?
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For home use, it is good enough.
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I'm planning to upload my OS (or SliTaz Version OS) so that people can download it and install it, etc. So, will my version be installable and everything?
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You are the one building the CD, so you are the one to know the answer. If you include an installer, the CD will be installable. If you don't, the only way to make a hard drive installation will be by hand.
Iso remasters made with tazlito are supposed to be installable, as far as I know.
Remember; if you hang your distro on the web, you must comply with the terms of all the software you use! For example, for GPLed software, you must ensure the source code of your apps is availible.
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HOO HAA : why don't you try improving Slitaz rather than copying it?
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Hello Black Rider
Definitely, I'm looking for something different. Not much though because that would be my first project ever. I'm trying to learn and have fun but in the same time, trying to create something good.
Problem is, I'm not a programmer and not sure how much programming should be involved in my work but I'm addicted to Linux and I'd like to try something.
I'm not planning to change the code because I have no idea how to do that yet - perhaps one day.
I'll try to add some drivers, apps, tools, etc. Different name and Apps but same core.
I do agree. If the whole thing will be done in one day, then it's a waste of time
Scratch Book? I think I've seen that before. Will take a look
So Tazlito is the tool to make my distro installable? ok, will keep that in mind.
How can I include the source code if the distro is based on SliTaz? I mean, it will be the same source code but different tools and apps.
Again, I'm not planning to play around with the code. Not ready for that.
Thanks a lot
Rokil,
I believe everyone has his/her own way to improve things. I think when I'll use SliTaz as the base that I'll work on, it's a way of improvement.
I was and still very interested in SliTaz. That's why I chose it
Hi all
it is really a good idea to devellop an project open source ..based in slitaz 
and something interesting it is to know how to do this, and to have sucess so... if U have not always read this pdf; i invit U to do this:
http://producingoss.com/
it is a book very interesting, and translate in a lot of languages
have fun
bye
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How can I include the source code if the distro is based on SliTaz? I mean, it will be the same source code but different tools and apps.
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Use your imagination. Slackware solves that issue by just including the sources in the install DVD, so when you get Slackware, you get the source at the same time. Other distributions create an online repository for those who need the source code.
If you use only Slitaz packages (not self-packaged software), it is better to assume that Slitaz is offering the same sources too, so it is not necessary for you to do anything special. However, if you include external stuff, you'd better have the source in your website for download.
Don't worry about coding, either. You don't need to know what a compiler is in order to make a simple remaster. Slitaz mantainers have already done the hard work!
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Thanks Raphael, will have a look
Thanks again Black Rider for your reply
Let's say I want to add for example Firefox and some other apps which are not included in SliTaz yet. Are you saying that I have to add the Source Code or make it available on the website? I mean, I assume everyone can find the source code of Firefox somewhere else, right?
I'm a bit confused. I'm not even thinking to create any software and add it ... last time I was programming was in college and that was many years ago ... can't even remember how to do that? I'm more into other stuff.
So, all what I need to do is:
Add More Apps
Perhaps remove some Apps
Try to add some features (if possible)
Repositories should remain the same. I won't touch anything related to Kernel, etc etc. However, I'm looking for a team and in case I'll find one, I might go beyond that
So far, I'm on my own trying to learn and do something good, if not for people then for me. I want to see how hard/easy that will be. I want to screw things, break things, etc until I understand how things work.
It's going to be fun
Edit:
The most important thing is: I'm planning to add some drivers for Wireless Networks, etc which SliTaz does not have. Not sure how to do that yet but that will be in my next Qs
Let's say you want to:
1- add firefox (and some software already packaged in Slitaz, see http://pkgs.slitaz.org/)
2- add you coolsoft software
3- provide the source of coolsoft
A: create a SliTaz package for coolsoft, see http://doc.slitaz.org/en:cookbook:start
you may push coolsoft in the undigest mercurial repsitory too.
B: Create a flavor http://pizza.slitaz.org/
In step 3 add the firefox package to the list (from available list)
C: Download the flavor
D: extract the flavor : (# tazlito extract-flavor <your-flavor>)
E: in /home/slitaz/flavors/<your-flavor> create rootfs directory
F: copy additionnal files in rootfs (home/slitaz/src/coolsoft-1.0.tar.gz,
home/slitaz/wok/coolsoft/ tree, and installed files of then coolsoft package)
G: in /home/slitaz/flavors/<your-flavor> create rootcd directory and add a README file into.
H: (re)pack the flavor : (# tazlito pack-flavor <your-flavor>)
Congratulation! you can publish the .flavor file to the mailing list!
To build the ISO image:
# tazlito get-flavor <your-flavor>
# tazlito gen-distro
That it !
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Regarding the source code issue:
GPL licenses demand you to be able to provide the source code for those demanding.
If you package firefox, for example, you have to ensure that firefox's source code is availible for the version you are using. If it is availible in their web site, then you have to do nothing. If it isn't, then you must keep a copy and have it in your site for download, or otherwise make the public able to get it. The same goes if you include modified versions (patched, rebranded or whatever).
In practice, many upstream authors don't keep old source code in their sites. Take Snort as an example. When a new version of Snort is released, the previous version is thrashed away from their web. This forces you to update your packages or to provide a copy of the old sources by yourself.
If you use Slitaz official packages, Slitaz team has already solved this problem for you.
If you are packaging your software, then you surely have a copy of the source code, so it would be better to save a backup of it so you can provide it to whoever wants it. Having your own channel of sources distribution will save you the headache of finding out which open source apps keep old versions and which do not. Including the source in the iso image is not a bad idea, if the sources are small enough to prevent the iso from growing very much.
Never forget that GPL is not everything you will find. Other free licenses do not force you to provide the source. When packaging closed source software, TAKE CARE! (I say this because of wireless firmware). Many EULAs are stupid, impose stupid restrictions to distributors or allow distribution under some conditions only. You can have legal issues if you do not read their licenses carefuly. That is why you should avoid closed source things as if they where Satan, unless its license is acceptable for distribution. Nvidia's official .run file would be, for example, an acceptable one for me.
Don't take me worng, I'm not a sectarian from the FSF, but many non-free things are extremely unconvenient.
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HOO HAA: I'm no Guru but this is my humble advised. Don't try to reinvent the wheel. What you are trying to do could be done with Slitaz. If you are attractive to an small Linux distro. Slitaz is your best choice. Believe me, I have tried or looked into most of them. That doesn't mean that Slitaz doesn't need more development and polishing. But there is a buzz word among computer people; "tradeoff", which means that there is always pros ans cons in any computer solution. There is never 100% satisfaction. It takes some times to swallow this but that's the way it is.
Slitaz is linux. And Linux is a operating system with thousands of tools to do almost anything you want to do, customize or change. You don't need to be a Guru to do this. UNLESS you are planning to do something very low level, it doesn't make any sense to learn a low level language like C or C++ to do what you are trying to do. There is shell programming,(and other interpreters), that together with the tools, makes the whole system very powerful and flexible. Even Slitaz package manager is done in shell.
In the Unix/Linux universe you ride in the shoulder of other people. You copy from your neighbor. Its not unethical, It is even encourage. You don't reinvent the wheel. Just watch the licenses.
My advise. Don't!! Stay with Slitaz. It's your best shot. From Slitaz "a new os" can be develop by a person like you.
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