miniBSD
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miniBSD: the mini FreeBSD system

About

miniBSD is a project to develop a set of scripts that shrinks a running FreeBSD system to a small sized miniBSD distribution suited for small media like USB pens and CF cards.

The size of the distribution is usually 12-15M (it fits in a 16M flash) and contains everything you usually need to run a full FreeBSD system in a confortable way. We decided to start this project after reading about a similar idea on Martin Kasper's site (see credits below) and mainly because we need a FreeBSD system that could be fitted in a small compact flash without loosing too much of a full FreeBSD system ease of use. So it is half way between a PicoBSD system (floppy size) and NanoBSD or penBSD.

miniBSD project provides a set of scripts that, starting from a running FreeBSD system (4.x, 5.x, 6.x and -CURRENT), automagically collect the necessary binaries, libs, config files and finally creates the disk image that can be dumped on a CF card or USB pen.

miniBSD is currently running in many custom configurations in different production enviroments. We have deeply tested it on EPIA mainboards but it is supposed to work fine in every i386 system compatible with FreeBSD itself. It is a optimal choice to develop routers, bridges, firewalls and vpn gateways.

Credits

miniBSD is mainly developed by gmarco, vic, flag, luca and dave but we are open to contributions and welcome patches from everyone.

We also want to thanks :
- Manuel Kasper for the original idea about how to reduce a FreeBSD system. Manuel has a great page here that explains everything.
- Freesbie team and in special way dave for all his work and contributions.
- Marco for ideas and web developing.
- 404 Creative Studios for this cute web layout. Please visits their pages
- Paola for creating the little Eddy (full size img), the miniBSD's mascotte.
- The FreeBSD team and users for supporting and developing this wonderful OS.

Copyright © 2005 404 Creative Studios