14 replies to this topic

[AdvMutant]

Recently I met a guy, a geek from the 11-12th grade. He advised me to start programming C/C++ on Linux, because he saw me using TurboC. He said that 'real programmers' install Debian w/o GUI, only text mode, and use it together with nano and gcc to edit, compile, and run code. He also showed me links2(text-based browser), I was really surprised when he opened Facebook with it. Eventually I decided to give it a try. I found the Debian CD I burned a while ago and installed it(with no GUI) on VMware Player. After playing with it a little, it's almost better than XP(other than the fact I need to be root to do everything). This is a beginning of a beautiful friendship(both with the geek and Debian)...
Now, I just finished reading this, and it gave me an excellent idea. Not sure if it's possible, however.

I always liked messing around with the internet. Setting up a server, sending over data(never managed it to), and simply surfing the web. And since all I'm doing with Linux is plain text, maybe I can build a small LAN server with it? I can then work on windows XP, connect to my Linux machine, and operate it from Windows' CMD. Doesn't it sound awesome?
I can't just buy a computer for it because it's very expensive. I also prefer to do work myself, because that's the fun of doing a project and it's also cheaper.
I just read about Ubunto, which needs very low system specs -
300 MHz x86 processor
64 MB of system memory (RAM)
2GB Space
I have a budget of ~70$. What I'm aiming for is a small computer, which can boot and run without a monitor, keyboard or CD drive. It'll use a flash drive instead of a HDD, and will have a USB Bluetooth adapter. I need a slow processor and a motherboard, I plan making it portable by using 4-6 batteries to power it. Is there a way to do it?

Thanks, Mike.

[John]

He lied, 'real programmers' use Vi and laugh at people who use nano/emacs, 'good programmers' use tools that help them do the job the best and fastest, like a descent IDE and other RAD tools.

Regarding your question, I think that link you posted is your answer?

[AdvMutant]

lol I'm sure he did. I'm doing this project because it's something fun to do, I don't think I'll be using it to program, but it could be very cool and interesting.

And no, it isn't. It's just a device that you can connect to a computer to run Linux. It has 1GB of memory and a Bluetooth adapter, but it can't run without a computer. I'm planning to make an iMac-like machine, that can run on 4-6 batteries and work as a low-end WLAN server, so it has it's own IP address.

[jwxie518]

Quote

He said that 'real programmers' install Debian w/o GUI, only text mode, and use it together with nano and gcc to edit, compile, and run code.

Tell him stop preaching about linux and stop preaching about the whole brainwashing-geek mind to other people....
If you are a good programmer - you use whatever you feel most comfortable with.

True experienced one tends to use linux over MS because most of the linux distro are open-source, so if there is a software problem, or somehow a modification is necessary, one can do it with minimal effort as long as they are good at it.
You want to modify windows? haha... not that easy.
you want to modify mac? hahaha... not that easy.

[AdvMutant]

Guys, don't get mad. He said that he prefers to work like that with languages such as C, and I understand him - if I'm working with TurboC, I'll be just fine with nano.
And please focus on the main topic.

[John]

Buy an arduino with an ethernet shield.

[AdvMutant]

Arduino - Hardware
You mean this? I was thinking more about getting some minimal hardware for a PC and placing it in a small case.

[mrlemke]

AdvMutant said:

Guys, don't get mad. He said that he prefers to work like that with languages such as C, and I understand him - if I'm working with TurboC, I'll be just fine with nano.
And please focus on the main topic.

nano still has some problems you may not want to put up with, I know I don't even though it's my favorite CLI editor. You can't do multi-line syntax highlighting correctly (such as highlighting a python doc string or multi-line comment) and the undo/redo is experimental (for version 2.2.x only I believe). Frankly, there's some things better suited to console and others to the GUI. To be most productive, achieve a correct balance between the two.

[AdvMutant]

I like nano, it's perfect for my simple yet effective standard.

[WingedPanther]

Another option: install Ubuntu to a USB drive as a Live image, and run from there on an "as needed" basis. This works as long as you can boot from USB.

Personally, I prefer jEdit for editing, but like command-line compiling.

[AdvMutant]

I've done that a long time ago, but you're missing the point. I want it to be standalone.
However... You just gave me a great idea. Since I don't have too much money I don't think I can assemble a whole system from scratch, it's very unnecessary. Instead, I can buy a cheap flash drive, and install a virtual machine on it by linking the machine to a physical drive. It means, I'll have a bootable flash drive that I can also run as a VM. I'll install server packages on it, and use it as a LAN server on my desktop.
But won't it kill the flash drive if used too much? It'll be plugged in all the time...

[Alexander]

AdvMutant said:

But won't it kill the flash drive if used too much? It'll be plugged in all the time...

If I recall most cheap flash drives, basic operations (Writing -- buffer cleaning -- entry verification – erasing – rounds counting) five thousand times will kill it. Will not last months on end as a web server the very least if it is used frequently.