Linux Flavour

[The Master]

Which fork of Linux is the GP2X's core formed from?

I'm about to install a dedicated desktop to Linux, and would like as much compatibility as possible between this and the 2X.

I know it's probably another daft question, but please some nice guru help

 

[Trip]

Which fork of Linux is the GP2X's core formed from?

I'm about to install a dedicated desktop to Linux, and would like as much compatibility as possible between this and the 2X.

I know it's probably another daft question, but please some nice guru help

As far as I'm aware the GP2X uses the Linux kernel only, so feel free to use whatever you like

EDIT: Thought I'd better give you a little more info..
All Linux distributions use the same kernel, but sometimes modified or tweaked to include certain drivers etc. (depending on the usage).
The only time that I've ever seen incompatibilities between distributions is when a Package Manager is used to install software.
Source code should be 100% compatible for all systems (although processors can vary of course).

Although I could be wrong?

 

[Parkydr]

The GP2X uses a 2.4 kernel but I wouldn't bother about installing an old version on your PC. The processor's different anyway.

 

[moxie]

I'd agree. Installing a specific distro "to be compatible with the GP2x" doesn't really make sense, from a user point perspective - All modern mainstream distros do all the things necessary to communicate with the little black box. Might differ if you do somehing esoteric like a LinuxFromScratch, But then you're already playing an entirely different ballgame, really.

From a devving point of view I suppose you *could* go more "GP2x compatible" by actually installing on an ARM machine but that seems unlikely.

Pick what you like! Personally, I run Fedora Core 5 on my main box, DeMuDi on the studio PC and Slackware on the really old laptop

 

[mrben]

Although I could be wrong?

No - you're pretty much spot on. The GP2X runs a customised distribution, but is based on the same Linux kernel that is used in any Linux distribution. All recent PC distributions should have no problem with the GP2X - I run Ubuntu, and, once I enable USB on the GP2X, an icon pops up on the desktop for it.

 

[Digitalrat]

Not that it matters but I read something about it beeing a modified RedHat (7 if I remember correctly) distribution a long time ago.

 

[Mudi]

Definitely not redhat, it doesn't use rpms (or any package at all really).

If you want a "gp2x compatible" environment, you could install a 2.4 kernel with glibc 2.2.5 in a qemu-arm environment... but that would be way too much hassle, and even then it wouldn't be compatible since the hardware registers are all different

Install any old distribution (my favorite is kubuntu), get one of the devkits running, get usbnet running, and that's about all you need.

 

[Aimless_E]

I'm sure that the file system arch is standard Linux (as in LSB) with all the usual directories. The kernel as everyone else has said is just a scaled down version of the 2.4 kernel compiled for the ARM arch.

If your planing on developing for the gp2x you'll probably want to use one of the tool-kits found in the file archive. Be Aware that you need to follow the instructions to the letter. Failing to do so and you might end up with all your core Linux libs being over written by ARM ones. (Yes I did this once)

Edit: @Mudi using RPMs does not a RedHat Distro make.....But it helps.

 

[Digitalrat]

Definitely not redhat, it doesn't use rpms (or any package at all really).

A package mangement doesn't make a distro.. And since when does a modiefied distribution need to have all the features of the original distribution?

 

[Mudi]

Well I also figured that the weird architecture and busybox system utilities probably would be more of a pain than necessary to add to an old redhat dist, but hey, what do I know after all...

 

[aapje89]

ehm wasnt the gp2x using a modified version of debian?

 

[firefly2442]

My vote goes for Ubuntu if you are new to Linux.

 

[moxie]

ehm wasnt the gp2x using a modified version of debian?

In the end, when it all comes down to it, all linux distros are modified versions of each other, more or less

 

[slygamer]

Who cares what "flavour" of Linux it is? It's Linux-based. They all cause pain and misery of some flavour. It should have zero effect on what flavour of pain and misery you decide to inflict on your PC.

 

[Tomator]

Who cares what "flavour" of Linux it is? It's Linux-based. They all cause pain and misery of some flavour. It should have zero effect on what flavour of pain and misery you decide to inflict on your PC.

Do I sense a failed Linux install?

Try Gentoo for some real fun, or Ubuntu or SuSe if you're chicken. Refer to Distrowatch.com to learn more about Linux distros.

 

[Orkie]

I don't think the GP2X-Linux is based upon any other distro. They have just thrown together the kernel, BusyBox and some libraries.

 

[Blah]

Take it from me, a former "Windows hippie" power user who recently moved to Linux: Ubuntu owns.

 

[Shikkers]

Take it from me at a former "Windows hippie" power user who recently moved to Linux: Ubuntu owns.

qft

 

[Claym99]

Try out Kubuntu...essentially the same as Ubuntu only it's KDE. Although, I'm not a big fan of the package manager...prefer Ubuntus Synaptic...though I hardly ever use it and prefer apt-get...

Just wiki it.

 

[GeminiDomino]

Real hackers use Slackware

I love it. Not for the faint of heart, though.