<p><strong>Embedding Debian GNU/Linux in a 32MB CompactFlash.</strong> Bao C. Ha describes in <a href="http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT4540125636.html";>this article</a> the techniques he used to reduce a Debian install to less than 32MB. Boa started with a Debootstrap created 121MB bootable Debian filesystem with VPN/firewall/router functionality. By removing documentation and compressing the root filesystem using the cloop kernel module, Boa reduced the size to 27.6MB. The resulting <a href="http://people.debian.org/~bao/";>CompactFlash image</a> is designed for the <a href="http://www.openbrick.org/";>OpenBrick</a>, a small hardware platform optimized for Open Source/Free Software solutions.</p>
<p><strong>Debian 3.0r1 CD Images.</strong> Steve McIntyre <a href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-cd/2002/debian-cd-200212/msg00177.html";>announced</a> that he has created a set of CD images for updating from Debian 3.0 to 3.0r1. The images were originally made as two full CDs containing all 11 supported architectures, but upon <a href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-cd/2002/debian-cd-200212/msg00182.html";>feedback</a> from Jason Andrade, Steve created separate CDs for each architecture. Although this will take up more disk space, it should be easier for users and also save bandwidth.</p> <p><strong>Cleaning up after messy packages.</strong> Joey Hess was <a href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2002/debian-devel-200212/msg01504.htm l">wandering around</a> in /etc and noticed a lot of mess left behind by package removals gone bad: dangling symlinks, abandonded directories and so on. He came up with the idea of a Debian package that in its postrm checks for any bits of detritus left behind by other packages, and cleans it up.</p>
