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SubjectRe: Compatible with i386/UP but optimised for i686/SMP
Hello,

> A Linux server provides a complete diskless NFS-root installation to
> any machine that requests it, on demand. Hard links and clever
> scripts keep the storage requirements down, and the network
> configurations for each are generated from templates. NFS swapping
> is also used. These installations cannot all be prepared "by hand"
> in advance because there are too many _potential_ clients, most of
> which will never run Linux but we don't want to rule any out by
> deciding which are supported clients and which are not.
>
> A simple DOS program is run on any PC, off a floppy disk, which
> loads the kernel over the network. The kernel autodetects the
> hardware and simply boots up, not touching the client's disk.
> Often, up pops Xdm and the Windows user is amazed :-) Really, it
> just boots and works. Sometimes a bit of per machine configuration
> is needed, but only for X and the mouse. Console mode always works.
>
> It is not acceptable to spend time "hand installing" anything, or
> going through a standard distribution installation. The
> administrative time cannot be justified. (And it just works
> anyway...).
>
> Some PCs are Pentiums and PPros, some 486s, some are 386s acting as
> cheap printer servers (not even a monitor or keyboard on those).
>
> There is no central database of what machines are connected that may
> wish to use this service. Often Linux is run in this way just to
> find out what is in a machine! :-)

There is a very simple solution: Just make the `Simple DOS program'
detect your CPU type and choose from two or three kernels available
for remote booting.

Have a nice fortnight
--
Martin `MJ' Mares <mj@ucw.cz> http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~mj/
Faculty of Math and Physics, Charles University, Prague, Czech Rep., Earth
"Got mole problems? Call Avogadro, 602-1023!"

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