| DIY Linux, the easy way |
Aug. 29, 2006
So you want a Linux that's set up with just the applications you want -- no more, no less. What do you do? Well, an expert Linux user does it himself. But, not everyone's a Linux legend. For the rest of us, there are two good choices.
There's a low-end personal option: Instalinux.com's free service, SystemDesigner. There's also a high-end corporate choice: rPath's rBuilder.
Instalinux
At Instalinux.com, you can create installation disks for CentOS 4.3, Debian 3.1 and 3.2, Red Hat Fedora Core Versions 3 through 5, Novell SUSE 9.3 and 10, and Canonical's Ubuntu and Kubuntu 5.10. It doesn't, as you may have noticed, support the latest openSUSE 10.1 or the new Dapper Dan members of the Ubuntu family.
The free, online program lets you design your own Linux system profile. For example, if you want a KDE interface, but not GNOME, for Fedora, you can build it. Once this is done, SystemDesigner creates a network install ISO file. Next, you download and burn this boot image to a CD.
When you boot a system with the CD, the image automatically starts downloading the required files from the net. And, depending on what options you choose and your net connection speed, you should have a customized Linux up and running within an hour or two.
As eWEEK Labs found out in its tests, Instalinux can be darn useful.
On the other hand, it only gives you limited control over your build. If you want to get down and dirty with your build. If you want the right mix of virtualization tools, the right libraries for your development team, and your own customized programs all in one perfect fit of a distribution, you want to talk with rPath.
RPath
This company was founded by Erik Troan, Red Hat's former VP of Engineering, and Billy Marshall, Red Hat's former VP of North America Sales. They know Linux, and they know what businesses want from Linux.
Their experience shows.
RPath Linux is a customized Linux that's ideal for ISVs (independent software vendors) to create their own ready-to-deploy software appliances. If you're looking for more than creating turnkey Linux appliances or servers, rPath has you covered.
Its tool set, rBuilder 2.0, lets ISVs create Linuxes that surround an application with its required components. It also keeps those components up-to-date and in sync with users' own code and customizations; and, it provides a simple Web interface for customers to run their bread and butter administration jobs. It can also be used to create customized Linux distributions as VMware images. This is great for companies that want virtualized software deployments.
That sounds great, but does it work?
Well, our crew at eWEEK Labs liked it. They've also created a slideshow of it and a SugarCRM appliance that was built with rBuilder, so you can get an idea of what it looks like in action.
Finally, if you're the "show me" type, you can download one of RPath's ready-made rBuilder software appliances -- these include an Asterisk PBX (private branch exchange) phone appliance; a Wiki appliance; and a safe Web-browser appliance -- to see what one can build with rBuilder.
Based on my own experiences, I think you'll be impressed. Whether you just want a personalized Linux distribution for your own, or a serious virtual machine for your company's latest application, these services give you what you need.
-- Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
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