A tiny Linux image along the lines of the Docker hosted base.
It isn't trying to be a Docker or Alpine, it's just a tiny runnable image. I find it interesting and useful for running an x8_64 Linux under QEMU on my Kindle Fire tablet. Tiny things, test CLI tools.
The project's author, Rob Landley, was maintainer for BusyBox for about a year, but disagreed with BusyBox originator Bruce Parens over GPL 3.0 licensing.
Landley's current idea of a multi-tool binary for Linux userland, ToyBox, is the basis for this tiny runnable system image.
uclibc was spun off by someone else as uclibc-ng with a release just last month. Wikipedia mentions it, but unfortunately squashed the two together haphazardly.
"Antipodeans" is more jarring to me what a weird way to describe people. Seems to be mainly Australia and New Zealand but people in Spain would also be Antipodeans to Aus and NZ.
Although the self hosting thing doesn’t make it an origin in my book. More of a quine? The first Linux release would be the original. As for aboriginal I don’t think the metaphor even works.
But still, very cool to have a tiny system that can get far enough to rebuild itself.
Not sure where the use case is today, docker has small images and so do other VM based images. Maybe for a mid-level custom build, special NAS or something?
I think it doesn't need to have a use case. It's low level enough that it's like asking what the use case is for cat. IE, it's a tool or even merely a component, or possibly a reference environment, not a product. (sure it's also kind of a product, it's obviously not litterally equivalent to cat, I'm just saying there is more than one way to look at it)
Someone may or may not use it in anger for something some time, but things like this need to already exist before other people can come along later and stick the existing lego blocks together.
It's an interesting project. I wasn't aware it also built minimal Linux images. It seems like a great base for a new distro, just bring your own package manager. Nix would be a great fit for this.
Yeah that's not going to go down well with first nations Australians. They're sensitive about cultural appropriation, with some justification. I don't think the argument of the Latin origin would be given much heed. Then again, likely no-one will notice a small software project.
There are other indigenous cultures which use the name, for example Aboriginal Canadians. I'm not sure why any of the groups would care about the naming of the project though. The naming controversies I'm aware of are about the names used for the indigenous people, not completely external names. It feels weird to assume it would be an issue, unless there's some specific cases you have in mind?
What is there to elaborate? The term is used in multiple contexts. If you think that there is someone who is more right to exclusively use it for their thing, feel free to tell.
Yes and no. Aboriginal peoples world 'round have been displaced and slaughtered. The name conjures all meanings of the word, as is the nature of words, consequently there is a distinct and predictable reflex to associate this name with atrocity in a general sense.
Naming is hard. Offense unintended is often perceived as neglect or callousness. Names can change; history cannot.
