I have a debian machine. It's got tons of stuff on it, but no package files.
I have another machine, this one with no Linux at all on it. I insert a floppy into the second machine, attach a null-modem cable between the two, fire up the clone-server on the first machine, and start up the second. The second machine goes through the installation process. It calls the first machine to see what packages the first has installed. It then requests the full packages, which the first machine regenerates on the fly from it's disk of installed packages. To do this, you would have to keep some more state concerning the pristine state of config files, etc. (You don't, e.g., want the second machine to ge a copy of your passwd file.) Other than that, though, it'd be great if any Linux machine could serve as an installation base for any other machine you want to install on. It seems to be doable, and it'd really leverage off of the free nature of the beast. I can see it now; someone wants to install Linux on their machine, I just take my laptop, attach a cable, and let it go. No digging for a CDROM, you can just do it right there. I'm just dreaming, right? __ Todd Graham Lewis Linux! Core Engineering Mindspring Enterprises [EMAIL PROTECTED] (800) 719 4664, x2804 -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]