MicroCore offers just the Linux kernel + core.gz package

Dec 27, 2011 07:52 GMT  ·  By

Robert Shingledecker proudly announced earlier today, December 27th, the immediate availability for download of the Tiny Core Linux 4.2 and Tiny Core Plus Linux 4.2 operating systems.

This new version of Tiny Core brings the initial release of the Tiny Core Plus operating system, which offers an easy way to get started with the Tiny Core philosophy.

Tiny Core Plus 4.2 provides many window managers, including FLWM, Joe's Window Manager, ICE Window Manager, Fluxbox, Hackedbox, FLWM Classic, and more.

"4.2 also intoduces CorePlus a simple way to get started using the Core philosophy with its included community packaged extensions enabling easy embedded frugal or pendrive installation of the user's choice of supported desktop, while maintaining the Core principal of mounted extensions with full package management." - said Robert Shingledecker in the release announcement.

Highlights of Tiny Core Linux 4.2:

· /opt/.tce_dir moved to /etc/sysconfig/tcedir; · Xvesa,tcz, Xprogs,tcz, Xlibs.tcz, fltk-1.10.tcz, flwm.tcz, wbar.tcz, and flwm_topside.tcz were updated; · Xlibs.tcz and Xprogs.tcz were refactored for Xprogs.tcz to include only FLTK GUI apps, making it optional; · fltk-1.10.tcz includes only FLTK libs; · tce-setup was update for embedded initrd extensions using /tmp/builtin; · tce-setup was updated to write cde information to /etc/sysconfig; · tce-setup was updated to support better detection of cde if is not found on CD-ROM; · cpanel was updated to activate only the Xvesa button when Xvesa is loaded; · Default focus on OK button for exittc, for quicker use from keyboard, was updated; · mntttol was updated to call rebuildfstab; · startx was updated to support desktop boot code much better; · startx can now call setupdesktop; · tce-setup.sh and tc-config were updated for refined definition of the base boot code; · Various full paths were cleaned, adjusting /opt/.xfiletool.lst and /opt/.filetool.lst; · Added /usr/bin/exittc script to exit window manager when no apps are used; · Added /usr/bin/backup script that can be used when no apps are used; · .xsession can now store X pid; · Added setupdesktop made out of startx in Xlibs.tcz; · Added Xprogs.tcz startup script that supports X/GUI desktop loading; · .dep files now include fltk-1.10 libs. Supported window managers can now be used without Xprogs; · interface files now support the following window manager extensions: flwm_topside.tcz, fluxbox.tcz, flwm.tcz, hackedbox.tcz, icewm-full.tcz, icewm.tcz, jwm.tcz and jwm-snapshot.tcz. · Many other small bugfixes.

Review image
Tiny Core Plus 4.2 boot loader screen

About Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core, true to its name, aims to provide a fully functional Linux distro, complete with a graphical environment, with the smallest footprint possible.

The whole thing is only about 10 MB. It is designed to be a highly mobile distro coming with just the bare-bones minimum, Linux 3 kernel, Busybox, Tiny X, and Fltk.

It does not come with an extensive suite of applications or functionality, and not all hardware is supported by default. However, extra packages and features can be easily installed, on-the-fly via the built-in tools.

Download Tiny Core Linux 4.2 and Tiny Core Linux Plus 4.2 right now from Softpedia.