README
======

Welcome to the Aloofix Distribution Builder - version 0.9.0.

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> *NOTE:*
>	This is a 'beta' release - rough around the edges. Do not
>	perform a build in an environment not tolerant of mishaps, and
>	don't even think about running it in production.

> *ANOTHERNOTE:*
>	Version 0.9 is a resurrection of the Aloofix project. The
>	build system was completely rewritten between version 0.8 and
>	0.9. Versions prior to 0.9 are no longer supported.

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Aloofix is a minimalist Linux distribution optimized for running in
virtual machines. It combines requirements from virtual environments
and the world of embedded computing to provide a basic framework for
the creation of more sophisticated sets of Aloofix instances.

Aloofix is distributed as a distribution builder, consisting of a set
of shell scripts used to create Aloofix instances.  A base
distribution contains busybox, dropbear, e2fsprogs, glibc, linux,
opkg, syslinux, and zlib. The distribution builder includes a simple
installer to allow installation from an ISO image to a hard disk
image, as well as recipes for building additional packages. Expect
more packages to be added over time.

The primary development is done in KVM, but should run fine in
Virtualbox, the various VMware products, or User-Mode Linux. Support
for Xen and EC2 has been started, so expect it to run in those
environments at some point in the future.

Refer to the INSTALL file for instructions on how to build
Aloofix. The NEWS file contains high-level information on changes made
over time. The git logs have details on each and every change. Check
out the BUGS and TODO.txt files for an indication of shortcominsgs and
plans.

The Aloofix Distribution Builder is free software: you can
redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General
Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either
version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
General Public License for more details.

See the LICENSE file for details on copying, usage, and other
legal topics.

Aloofix Home page: <http://www.aloofschipperke.com/aloofix>
Project Page: <http://sourceforge.net/projects/aloofix/>

Feel free to send suggestions, bug reports, and other contributions.

Enjoy,

Kevin Johnson
<http://www.aloofschipperke.com/>