Once upon a time a mini linux OS called m-dist...

u2t4c6s8n

New member
Hi, I follow a long time this wonderful site and now it's time to seek help!

I discovered an OS Linux called M-dist that seems perfect for my obsolete PC (without hdd :facepalm:). But there are no other mirrors to download this "music distro" in addition to the developer's website. Then file is really just a message from the author:

«Hi there! Sorry, due to a DDOS where m-dist was downloaded over 3100 times in one day on 22.05.13 it's currently unavailable due to hosting costs. Thanks for your understanding. Phil Kerr»

After several attempts, it seems impossible to contact Phil Kerr, so I just have to hope for someone who has tried m-dist and can share it.

Code:
[highlight]File details[/highlight]
Name: [B]m-dist-0.1-alpha4.iso[/B]
Size: [B]~140MB[/B]
MD5 key: [B]4db302dc3c597f700e67fb7ceaaa185b[/B]

Let's keep our fingers crossed! :thumbs up:
 
The more down side is the 256MB RAM. Some time ago, I tried Ubuntu with poor results, then I discovered Puppy and now I can't complain. M-Dist, as Puppy, requires few resources. I think a similar distro is the only way to keep alive this machine (whitout neurosis :cursing:). Thank you.
 
My very first search result for "m-dist" was this: m-dist
Which includes a direct download of the ISO: http://plus24.com/m-dist/mdist-0.1-alpha4.iso

Alternatively, if your linux-fu is up to snuff, you could roll your own (probably in about a day)
Do a minimal Slackware (9.1 is what they used, but you might get better results with the latest long-term support version) install with XFCE as your windows manager.
Then install Alsa, kaconnect, jack, ecamegapedal, vkeybd, qsynth, muse, ardour, jamin, and hydrogen.
That way, you can have it fully-installed on your system rather than going the live disk route.

Softpedia also has a mirror: Download m-dist 0.1 Alpha 4 - Softpedia
So you could download both and compare checksums to ensure it's not malware*

* Or at least ensure that if it is malware, the entire thing is pooched universally.

Personally, I've never gotten any of the minimalist distros to play nicely with one of my old PCs. (I mostly tried Damn Small Linux. Never got around to puppy). These days, I mostly rely on "server" versions of Red Hat derivatives and just use the command line for everything.
 
Softpedia also has a mirror: Download m-dist 0.1 Alpha 4 - Softpedia
So you could download both and compare checksums to ensure it's not malwa
All mirrors I found link to http://plus24.com/m-dist/mdist-0.1-alpha4.iso but this file is a text/plain (191 bytes) and contains the developer's message.

Alternatively, if your linux-fu is up to snuff, you could roll your own (probably in about a day)
Do a minimal Slackware (9.1 is what they used, but you might get better results with the latest long-term support version) install with XFCE as your windows manager.
Then install Alsa...
It's a great idea but very difficult for me. If I don't find at least one of the 3100 downloaders, it's the only solution, otherwise I have to detonate my pc :o
 
I never really understood the desire to use an ancient PC with an overcomplicated and obsolete OS for recording. Is it the sheer challenge of it? Stubbornness? Fear of modern software?

The world is full of machines that run modern operating systems, capable of incredible things, and with full support of active development communities. And there's always dedicated portable recording hardware if you have some sort of phobia about using Mac or Windows. There are tablets, laptops, desktops...hell even phones can run multitrack software. I just can't fathom wanting to attempt a recording project on a 20 year old computer and an unsupported OS.
 
I never really understood the desire to use an ancient PC with an overcomplicated and obsolete OS for recording. Is it the sheer challenge of it? Stubbornness? Fear of modern software? ...
Yeah, maybe it's a little bit of stubbornness. After all, for me it is an exciting hobby. Obviously if it's my job, I would purchase all it offers the modernity, unfortunately nowadays it takes little time to expire ;)
 
I'm mostly doing video productions on Arch but moving back over to Slackware. I would not recommend using a Linux... or any other OS from 2003 for anything. Right now, I would suggest the latest Slackware with light weight software... however with 256MB RAM it's probably time to scrap it.... you can probably find a better computer on the side of the road on trash night.
 
... however with 256MB RAM it's probably time to scrap it.... you can probably find a better computer on the side of the road on trash night.

Lol... but I can still manage the midi keyboard, I tried Puppy Studio 3.3 and work. Fortunately Muse also supports the Yamaha PSR-530's instruments. I can go on and on with this old junk! «It – could – wooooork! (quot.)» :eek: :D
 
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I never really understood the desire to use an ancient PC with an overcomplicated and obsolete OS for recording. Is it the sheer challenge of it? Stubbornness?

Pretty much. We do it because we can! Plus, a lot of us hate to throw out "perfectly good" hardware just because it's obsolete.

I hadn't opened the .iso file. I see now that you're right about that.

Yep. As with all things linux, the solution is to build it yourself from scratch! :D
 
The other aspect is that many of these old computers turn into appliances. My old edit desktop is now a DIT workstation running Slackware... basically just copies large video files from one drive to another, generates and checks md5 hashs, and generates parity files for archiving. Depending on the project some of those tasks can take over a week. I'll probably have a dedicated rendering computer by the end of the year.
 
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