Subject: Re: offer: custom CDROMs of netbsd
To: None <current-users@NetBSD.ORG>
From: Guenther Grau <s_grau@ira.uka.de>
List: current-users
Date: 12/06/1995 02:56:15
Hi,

since someone brought it up:

> 	I'd like to offer to write people CDROM's of netbsd1.1.  Keep

I want to do the same. But before doing so, i'd like to ask core, if they have
any objections to this? If not, then I'd be happy to offer the same service :-)

> in mind that I'm not offering particular expertise in the creation of
> special bootable or whatnot CDs.  Simply put, our company has a CDROM
> writer that I can use after work.  I will make reasonable efforts to
> make CDs bootable --- if my equipment supports it and someone sends me
> code.

I bought a CD-writer for exactly this purpose. I am currently working on a
collection of software I'd like to distribute along with NetBSD. I'd also like
to make sure, that all the archives on the CD are working properly on NetBSD,
at least on port-Amiga and on port-i386. Another concern for waiting
until things have settled down a little bit after the release, so that I'd be
aware of any problems that might occur with NetBSD-1.1 :-)

I don't think that you can make a CD bootable, at least not that easy. What
you could do, and what I also want to try out, is make a CD that you can run
NetBSD from, i.e. boot into another OS and start NetBSD from there or have a
bootloader load the kernel image from the CD and start it afterwards. That way
people wouldn't have to install NetBSD to just try it. They could see what
NetBSD looks like by just running it from the CD. The problem would be, that
it would be quite slow. I want to try it out at home and see how fast it's
going to be.

> 	What can you use these for?  Well... you can make more space
> on your hard drive having source offline, etc.  You can install with
> them (possibly requiring a miniroot of somesort).

Hmm, should be doable without a mini-root. 

> 	Anyways, I'm willing to cut CDs for about $30 Cdn.  These will
> be one-off CDs that would include binaries and source for your NetBSD
> platform.  Space permitting, I'd be happy to lump on some GNU software
> as well.  I'll have to add shipping to that and I'd prefer that you

Most people have asked me to put X on it as well, so you might consider this
as well. 

> send me Canadian $$.  Postal shipping to the US is on the order of
> $1.50 to $2.00 Cdn, I'm told.  FedEx is about $15.00

As I bought the CD-writer just for this purpose I want to get at least a
little bit back of what I invested. Therefore the price of my CD will be
around DM 45, but I want to donate some money from each CD I sell to the
NetBSD-Project, once most of my expenses have been covered. 

> 	If someone deems it appropriate to post this to the announce
> list, they are welcome to.

Same with me :-) I would like to test things for another week or so, before
I'd actually offer my CDs to the public.

  Guenther