SEUL: outline of an end-user distro

[steven.darnold@suncity.gen.nz (Steven Darnold)]

Éric wrote:
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-> I think we can't do with i386/486 computers : X is unable to 
-> be launched on them.  The end-users would like a *graphical* 
-> installation, with fancy picture/graphics.  They don't a 
-> << DOS-like >> (it's what thez said when they see a great 
-> and usefull text based console!) interface.
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People that stupid deserve M$Windows.
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-> Why not do a text based installation, we can't juts do that.
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What?  No user-friendly Linux for me?
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It's funny how several different groups are all beavering away 
to provide a gooey point-and-click Linux for the Pentium crowd.  
But NOBODY is providing a compact, user-friendly distribution 
for 386's and low-end 486's.
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I'll make the point again:  there are lots of 3/486's out 
there.  They are treasured possessions in the third world; 
and even in the affluent West, there are some people who can 
only afford to buy a secondhand 3/486.  It seems to me that 
these people deserve a user-friendly Linux.  Particularly 
since they have been abandoned by Micro$oft.
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Oh yes, there are plenty of Linux-on-a-Stick distributions:  
hal91, muLinux, tomsrtbt, LRP, Trinux, DLX, etc., etc.  It's
amazing what you can squeeze onto one floppy.  muLinux even
has a one-floppy X.  My my, aren't they clever.  Wonderful
for rescue or for impressing friends.  But would you want to
use them all the time?  No way.
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Then there's Monkey, Dragon, Firebird, MicroLinux, DOSLinux, etc.  
They drop right into your M$ filesystem (no repartitioning hassles)
and provide a great introduction to Linux.  But that's all it is 
-- an introduction.  Sooner or later you need to install a real 
Linux.  
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Next stop:  RedHat, Slackware, Debian.  The Full Monty.  Too 
bloated for an old 3/486.  Unfriendly to those with limited 
resources.  Yeah yeah, RTFM and prune prune prune.  Been there,
done that.  Poor newbie doesn't have a chance.    
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So what's the poor 3/486 owner to do?  There don't seem to be 
any good options out there.  Certainly no user-friendly ones.
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Cheers,
Steven