Linux Journal: Getting Small with Linux, Part 3

“This time around, I want to talk about some of those
specialized applications. The real power of Linux is as a network
operating system. When dealing with Linux and the impressive group
of (occasionally hyperactive) developers out there, anything is
possible. Sure, you can play Civilization: Call to Power; and Quake
on Linux, but the real reason Linux is so cool is not because it
plays well, but because it works well. Better yet, it networks
well. Allow me to present today’s micro contenders as examples. But
first, a question.”

“How would you like to save a couple thousand dollars on
that new firewall/router by making use of that old 486 SX/25 you’ve
got lying around? What? You took out the hard drive? No problem; we
don’t need it. Yes, those old Ethernet cards will do just
fine.“

“In the blue corner, weighing in at one diskette, is the Linux
Router Project. This single-floppy distribution is designed to be
used for building inexpensive routers, terminal servers and just
about anything else. Not everything will work off the pre-built
floppy, but quite a bit will. Before I get into the nitty-gritty,
let me point you to their web site at http://www.linuxrouter.org.
There, you will find that for the developers of the Linux Router
Project, doing what they do is partly a technology thing and partly
a cause. As evidence, the subtitle on the main page of the web
site: “Embedding the bird for the sake of all humanity.”

Complete
Story