During the last few day I managed to finalize a first version of NIKTARIX, NIKTARIX is a new Knoppix like Live CD for the ppc platform I am working on.
It was build from scratch using code from KNOPPIX and KANOTIX and almost only Debian Sarge binaries where used. At the moment I have only tested it on two Genesi ODW/PowerPC and it seems to work quite nice. I don't know how it does on other powerpc 's and Mac computers, in theory for mac's it would only need a kernel, yaboot etc. But lacking a macintoch myself I could not build a kernel and test it. If I can get my hands on a mac or an other powerpc I will do my best to make it work on those too and let you know.
Before continuing developing, I wanted some feedback on NIKTARIX so I can figure out what to add/remove/change/fix in future versions based on ppc users needs. Please keep in mind that NIKTARIX may contain serious bugs and quite some work has to be done to get it in shape. Things like adding KNOPPIX utils and features that are missing at the moment, finding a host for the project,making a website, forums, writing some documentation etc, are only a small
part of things that have to be done.
NIKTARIX atm contains among other's:
kernel 2.6.11, KDE 3.3.2, UNIONFS, Mozilla / Firefox, Openoffice, GIMP

Small notes about NIKTARIX :
Some features are missing either because they are not ready/ported
yet, some of them are i386 specific and can not work on the ppc platform, and some others could not compile yet.
At the moment only the english language strings are included. Other languages will follow when ppl have a need for them.
Knoppix cheatcodes _can_ be used, just put them at the end of the line in the OF prompt.
UNIONFS takes a while to load when booting, just be patient.
UNIONFS means that you can work like if it was from hard disk while it is running from CD. You can for example install/remove .deb files


To boot it use from the OF the command :
boot cd niktarix root=/dev/ram rw init=linuxrc

Here is the link for anyone who wants to test it:
http://www.ellak.gr/pub/knoppel/NIKTARIX_0_03.ISO

Be sure to verify the .iso file with:
http://www.ellak.gr/pub/knoppel/NIKTARIX_0_03.MD5SUM


You can send any comments, bugsreports and bugfixes to
niktarix@knoppel.org

Many thanks go to Genesi, Jorg Schirottke, Sven Luther, Fabian Franz and all other ppl that helped.

Have fun
Nick Niktaris

Congratulations!

I ve just tested it and it works fine on my Pegasos II. You can find some (low quality) screenshots here

Great work Nick (the Nectarix!), works like a charm here. Despite the long boot time (definately acceptable, how long does the Knoppix x86 load?) I had absolutely no errors when running it, I even write this message from it (Mozilla Firefox!).
How can I help adding my own language?

Great work Nick (the Nectarix!), works like a charm here. Despite the long boot time (definately acceptable, how long does the Knoppix x86 load?) I had absolutely no errors when running it, I even write this message from it (Mozilla Firefox!).
How can I help adding my own language?

Glad you like it.
Bootup time is one of the TODO's. It should boot much faster. The "problem" is caused by UNIONFS. I still haven't found why it does that.
All languages that are supported in knoppix are supported in niktarix too. The only thing missing are the language strings. They will be added in time based on ppl's need. To enable support for your language just add "lang=fr" without the quotes after at the end of the OF boot line for French language. You can ofcource replace "fr" with your language. What is your language?

Regards
Nick

Thanks, my language is turkish, so in our case it is 'tr'. But, does this add only keymap support or localization as well?

The only thing that will _not_ be Turkish will be the locate strings. E.g. in kde you will be able to write and read Turkish, but the kde messages will be English. These strings will be added in some next version

Regards
Nick

Good, anything I can do to help?

Hi Nick,

great work!

little things, that I missed:
-1280x1024 screen resolution
-maybe you could compile the bootline args
"root=/dev/...." into the kernel as CONFIG_CMDLINE.
Then one would not have to type them.

Best wishes,
Peter

Thank you all for wanting to help.
There is a first todo list located on the CD.
Anyone wanting to help can contact me at
niktarix@knoppel.org


Nick

hi, i've just downloaded iso and burnt it but startup script doesn't detect my gfx card (voodoo3 2000 agp) and X refuse to start. i could start X using "kdm" command but i don't know password for user. Does anybody know passowrd for knoppix user?

In NIKTARIX (as in KNOPPIX) there are no passwords for the user knoppix nor for root.
You could always change the password for user knoppix with passwd if you want.
normally X starts via command

etc/X11/Xsession.d/45xsession

So try this first.
While booting there is some info displayed about the graphics card and the monitor. What does it say?
More importand though is that you mail me some info about that voodoo card so I can add it to the supported card in the future. I would need a "lspci -n" and a "lspci -v" of your card, together with a module that is known to work under linux.


Regards
Nick

Hi Nick Niktaris,
the LiveCD don´t boot on my "OldWorldMac"(G3-DT266/beige)

the same CD boot on a Ibook-G3/800 (NewWorldMac)

Any Idea?


Only i found this:

http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/p ... ex.html.en

Pos. 4.5.1

Regards Kasch

Booting Linux using a CD has been not possible on Old World Macs for years.

Now it looks like there has been progress in this field recently.
Ralf Saalmueller from Germany announced his OldWorld Linux Install CD called PPC4Linux a few weeks ago:

Ankuendigung einer OldWorld Linux Install CD

PPC4Linux works with Debian Woody, Ubuntu 5.04 and 5.10, but not yet with Debian Sarge.

He offers to make a bootable CD for people who send him
(1) an original Mac OS 9.1 CD
(2) a blank CD
(3) an adressed and stamped envelope to send the CDs back.

Due to copyright considerations (Apple's legal department), Ralf also needs a statement that gives him the "order to produce a bootable CD with BootX using the attached Original MacOS 9.1 CD as a service" (in German, the statement reads "Auftrag über die Erzeugung einer startbaren CD mit BootX aus der beiligenden Original MacOS 9.1 CD als Dienstleistung").

He will do this for free, but just one CD at a time.

For details:
r.saalmueller at ppcnux.de

Regards,

Walter.

Hi niktarix,

Any improvements and new downloadable iso files of Niktarix?

Guvenc