2 <! $FreeBSD: src/release/picobsd/doc/src/TODO.html,v 1.6 1999/08/28 01:33:24 peter Exp $ >
4 <h1><center> Small FreeBSD ToDo List.
7 <p>This list represents various tasks which are being collected from
8 discussions on freebsd-small, and which represent the general
9 direction and needs of using FreeBSD for small installations.</p>
11 <p>The tasks are arranged by how important they are to the overall
12 idea and goals of the project. If you are interested in doing some
13 part of the work, please contact the coordinator of PicoBSD project
14 (<A HREF="mailto:abial@freebsd.org">Andrzej Bialecki</a>).</p>
18 <h2>Short term tasks:</h2>
22 Eliminate need for patching FreeBSD source tree - either by
23 keeping our own version of Makefiles, or by adding (many) knobs to
24 the standard ones. (NOTE: this will be resolved in v. 0.45).
27 Provide options for building separate kernel and FS images of
31 Add some "wizards" to help people new to Unix configure "dialup"
32 and "net" for most common tasks.
35 Replace most of currently used scripts with Makefiles.
36 (NOTE: this will be resolved in v. 0.45).
39 Add simple authentication module to oinit.
42 Fix kzip to be able to produce kzip'ped ELF kernels.
43 (NOTE: currently we work around it by using kzipped /boot/loader).
46 Write better documentation. This is very important - the most
47 common configurations should be described in detail, step by step.
50 Collect our experiences with using FreeBSD with SBCs, flash disks
51 etc, and write a short practical guide to embedding FreeBSD.
56 <h2>Medium term tasks:</h2>
60 Change currently used crunched binaries to something more flexible
61 - as it is now, even small change in set of programs requires
62 rebuilding of the whole image.
65 Change the building process so that it allows to easily choose
66 (with finer granularity) needed components of the target system.
69 Make use of recently added KLD to allow for easy adding and
70 removing drivers when running stripped kernels.
73 Investigate pros and cons of using the new boot/loader together
75 (NOTE for v.0.43: it was simply mandatory to start to use it :-)
78 Provide options for building systems which operate from
79 (basically) read-only media, such as CD-ROM or flash disk. Such
80 system doesn't need to keep all root FS in memory, but only small
81 fraction of it for /tmp and /var.
84 Integrate DHCP into "dialup" version.
87 Rework oinit to be more modular, and write additional modules
88 (remote access, SNMP (?), authentication, shell(), configuration
92 Provide a remote access (telnetd/login/shell) module for the
93 "router" version. Make the shell() module more predictable and
94 compatible with common sense :-)
97 At last prepare usable version of ISP floppy, and test it (some
98 basic tests with server PPP). This involves among others a version
99 of PPP which supports Radius.
105 <h2>Long term tasks:</h2>
109 Either port ROMfs from Linux, or write our own replacement for it.
112 Describe the configuration tasks and parameters of PicoBSD systems
113 in terms of hierarchy of categories - this is needed to start
114 working on the next two points.
117 Design a flexible and efficient scheme (not necessarily compatible
118 with currently used set of shell scripts) for storing and editing
119 system configuration in some form of hierarchical DB.
122 Design a user interface for configuration of system parameters
123 and services, meeting the following requirements: hierachical,
124 logical, helpful (hinting), providing ability to automate certain
128 Reduce memory footprint.
131 Add other language versions.
134 Throw some more effort in porting the newer version of W (graphical
135 UI), so that it uses VESA color modes. IMHO it's worth it.
141 <h2>Other half-baked ideas...</h2>
143 <p>(fill this in :-)</p>
150 <p><i>Send your comments, ideas, and most importantly the code itself, to
151 <A HREF="mailto:abial@freebsd.org">abial@freebsd.org</a>.</i></p>