Re: Programming in Linux – Cold Start.

[Ludovic Brenta <ludovic@ludovic-brenta.org>]

Austin Obyrne writes on comp.lang.ada:
> Is it possible to purchase a CD ROM of an Ada compiler (I detest
> longwinded downloading and the possibility of a load of malware coming
> with it).

It is possible to purchase a *set* of *DVDs* with or without malware on
them, at your option.

It is possible to purchase a network-install *CD* containing the Linux
kernel and the installation program; this installation program then
fetches the packages from the nearest mirror to install them.

It is possible to purchase a USB stick with the Linux kernel, the
installer, and as many packages as will fit on the USB stick.

It is possible to download the entire distribution, with or without
malware.  If you opt for no malware, choose a distribution that uses
multiple cryptographic hashes (SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512; yes all of them)
to authenticate the binary packages you download.  One such as Debian,
for example :)

With the net-install bootable CD-ROM, you download and install only what
you need and nothing more.

Last weekend, I salvaged a 5-year-old Debian 5 "Lenny" installation
whose root password was lost, on an old laptop whose CD/DVD reader drive
was dead, and that would not boot from a USB stick.  I booted this
laptop *from the network* into a Linux kernel and Debian installation
program (which also works in rescue mode) served from my main laptop,
and upgraded the machine to "Jessie" (testing) which is not even
released yet :) all the while leaving the Windows XP installation
untouched.

As others have mentioned, you can install on a dedicated partition (dual
or triple boot) or into a virtual machine (requiring enough physical RAM
for both the host and guest OSes simultaneously).

You could even buy a Raspberry Pi with Debian and GNAT on it :)

The possibilities really are endless.

-- 
Ludovic Brenta.