Carputer Distro?

[xurious]

Think this is the right sections of the forums. I've tried searching for a distro that's slightly set up for my needs, but I am nearly clueless with linux. I am willing to take any plunge and pull every hair out to get this set up, but here's what I need:

1. Plays MP3's - Yes I know there is certain legal issues with this.
2. Run the linux equivalent of netstumbler, believe is it is kismet.
3. On boot, use a wireless card to connect to a specified network and sync with a folder. This is to keep a small amount of mp3 files synced and never worry about taking the carputer out except for hardware failures.
4. Have the actual boot partitions and system partions read only. So when I get to my destination I can just kill the car. Something similiar to a live cd.
5. Load times from boot to GUI less than 30 seconds.

Now I know there is many ways of doing this. I'm just trying to think of the easiest way. Is it possible to edit something like DSL with the proper files and settings and burn it to a disc, having it be a liveCD that mounts the local drive and boots to ram, nullify the concern for instant poweroff?

Now I know HDD's are very sensitive to shock, so I was thinking of using a 1gig CF card and adapter as the place to put music.

Hardware isn't to much of a concern. I'll just get mad and keep trying to compile kernels(something I've never done) until it all works

[i92guboj]

Think this is the right sections of the forums. I've tried searching for a distro that's slightly set up for my needs, but I am nearly clueless with linux. I am willing to take any plunge and pull every hair out to get this set up, but here's what I need:

1. Plays MP3's - Yes I know there is certain legal issues with this.

That entirely depends on how patents apply on your country. I am not an expert on legal issues. Anyway, any distro can support mp3, it is just a matter of recompiling the required support or to include additional packages with codecs. That shouldn't be a problem, but it is completely a distro specific issue.

No idea about 2. I don't know what netstumbler is.

3. On boot, use a wireless card to connect to a specified network and sync with a folder. This is to keep a small amount of mp3 files synced and never worry about taking the carputer out except for hardware failures.

No problem, though the concrete details will again depends on many factors: what do you exactly want to do and what distro will you be using.

4. Have the actual boot partitions and system partions read only. So when I get to my destination I can just kill the car. Something similiar to a live cd.

Any posix system can do that, including any linux, unix or bsd clones.

5. Load times from boot to GUI less than 30 seconds.

This depends on the hardware you'll be using, the kernel you use and the services you need to start at boot time. The less services required, the faster it will boot.

Since you are looking for a very custom solution, I advice you to try Gentoo. Then you can compile your own system with the options you want or need, and your own kernel, tuned for your device. The problem is that Gentoo is not quick to get into. You will have to be willing to learn a bit.

There might be also small distros for that concrete usage, though I don't really know about any.

Now I know there is many ways of doing this. I'm just trying to think of the easiest way. Is it possible to edit something like DSL with the proper files and settings and burn it to a disc, having it be a liveCD that mounts the local drive and boots to ram, nullify the concern for instant poweroff?

You can play with dsl and get something from there, but I can't help there since I never used it, and I don't know what its current status is.

[xurious]

Gentoo keeps appearing on the list of distro's to use. I'm thinking that's going to be the one. As for the learning curve, it can't be any worse than women. And Country would be USA.

[i92guboj]

Gentoo keeps appearing on the list of distro's to use. I'm thinking that's going to be the one. As for the learning curve, it can't be any worse than women. And Country would be USA.

Well, the learning curve is not a bad one. If you don't mind reading a bit and actually using your neurons for any other thing than clicking "Next". It is not that hard. I have seen lots of persons with zero experience in linux being successful on Gentoo.

It is just that the regular human being is always scared about the this s/he don't know. I don't live in the USA and I can't tell you if there is any legal issue about using mp3 decoders around there. Not that it matters in which regards practical effects. You can install and compile anything you want.

[xurious]

Well, the learning curve is not a bad one. If you don't mind reading a bit and actually using your neurons for any other thing than clicking "Next". It is not that hard. I have seen lots of persons with zero experience in linux being successful on Gentoo.

I love tinkering, so I'm always hitting before next it seems. I've just used windbloze for so long, that I take a lot for granted. EG: Going to nvidia, dl'ing my drivers and then clicking install. Or any such windows program. I've gotten fubar'd trying to compile things, running binaries in *gasp* bash, confused when my distro wasn't on the list of binaries to download, etc etc.

But then again, I've never actually got help before.

[i92guboj]

I love tinkering, so I'm always hitting before next it seems. I've just used windbloze for so long, that I take a lot for granted. EG: Going to nvidia, dl'ing my drivers and then clicking install. Or any such windows program. I've gotten fubar'd trying to compile things, running binaries in *gasp* bash, confused when my distro wasn't on the list of binaries to download, etc etc.

But then again, I've never actually got help before.

That's the big difference with Gentoo. Once you enter the Gentoo forums you will notice soon. You can always ask for help there, and the documentation is excelent.

A newcomer is never supposed to know the whole story, and people around there is very tolerant and helpful, that is, if they see you are also making your best and actually following the handbook and that kind of stuff.

I don't know if Gentoo is for you or not. You might try it and be deceived, such is life. But if that ever happens, it is not going to be due to lack of support.