4MLinux is a lightweight distribution made for both the 32 bit and 64 bit architectures.
The distribution is developed in Poland, and was first released in 2010.
The distribution comes in two different version, 4MServer, and 4MLinux. 4MLinux requires 128 MB of RAM when installed to an HDD, and 1024 MB of RAM when being used as a live CD/USB.
Whereas, 4MServer requires 256 MB of RAM when installed to an HDD, and 2048 MB of RAM when being used as a live CD/USB.
Update:
4MServer 24.0 (and later) has the server software available out of the box, so there is no need anymore to run the install.sh script.
The 4MLinux Server has its own web interface, which can be opened here: Menu -> Miniserver -> MiscTools -> LAMP
Note:
Make sure that you have Firefox (or Chromium, or Opera, or SeaMonkey) installed to be able to access the interface. All these web browsers are available here: Menu -> Extensions -> NetApps.
The 4MLinux Server Web Interface consists of the following two items: LAMP Admin (http://localhost/admin) and Webmin (http://localhost:10000). LAMP Admin makes it possible to configure all the main LAMP server settings.
Note:
You will need the admin's password, which has been randomly generated and written to the file named .admin_passwd located in the root's home folder.
Webmin (highly modified to mach the 4MLinux Server settings) ships with an eye candy theme called Authentic Theme.
Note:
4MLinux uses the "us" keyboard layout by default. This can be changed by editing the /etc/kbd.conf file with, for example, Midnight Commander or the Webmin File Manager.
4MLinux uses UTC by default. This can also be easily changed by running the tzselect script in your terminal or via the Webmin interface.
Users and their permissions are created in real time by the scripts, which start servers. It is also possible to manage users and groups by hand using either command-line tools or the Webmin interface.
Some passwords are randomly generated and distributed within the server if needed (see the point 3 above and the point 13 below).
The root's password can be changed with the passwd command (directly or via Webmin).
Custom mount points can be added by editing the system-wide configuration files (see the note below) or with Webmin. LVM and RAID devices are supported out of the box, too.
Note:
The /etc/fstab file in 4MLinux is dynamically generated during each boot, so it does not make sense to edit it. Use the /etc/automount.conf and the /etc/fstab.local files instead.
By default, only a firewall and two daemons (SSH and Cron) are started during the boot.
Note:
The 4MLinux Server autostart script is /usr/share/server/autostart.sh, while the system-wide autostart script in 4MLinux is /etc/init.d/autostart.sh
The distribution is developed in Poland, and was first released in 2010.
The distribution comes in two different version, 4MServer, and 4MLinux. 4MLinux requires 128 MB of RAM when installed to an HDD, and 1024 MB of RAM when being used as a live CD/USB.
Whereas, 4MServer requires 256 MB of RAM when installed to an HDD, and 2048 MB of RAM when being used as a live CD/USB.
 |
| 4MLinux is a lightweight distribution made for both the 32 bit and 64 bit architectures. |
4MLinux Review and Installation Guide.
Installation.
Mount the 4MLinux Installation CD (or USB, or the ISO image downloaded by you), go to the folder named lamp, and execute the install.sh script in your terminal. Done! |
| Mount the 4MLinux Installation. |
Update:
4MServer 24.0 (and later) has the server software available out of the box, so there is no need anymore to run the install.sh script.
Web interface.
The 4MLinux Server has its own web interface, which can be opened here: Menu -> Miniserver -> MiscTools -> LAMP
 |
| The 4MLinux Server has its own web interface. |
Note:
Make sure that you have Firefox (or Chromium, or Opera, or SeaMonkey) installed to be able to access the interface. All these web browsers are available here: Menu -> Extensions -> NetApps.
Web interface: LAMP Admin.
The 4MLinux Server Web Interface consists of the following two items: LAMP Admin (http://localhost/admin) and Webmin (http://localhost:10000). LAMP Admin makes it possible to configure all the main LAMP server settings.
 |
| The 4MLinux Server Web Interface consists of the following two items: LAMP Admin and Webmin. |
Note:
You will need the admin's password, which has been randomly generated and written to the file named .admin_passwd located in the root's home folder.
Web interface: Webmin.
Webmin (highly modified to mach the 4MLinux Server settings) ships with an eye candy theme called Authentic Theme.
 |
| Webmin (highly modified to mach the 4MLinux Server settings) ships with an eye candy theme called Authentic Theme. |
Note:
Read also: 4MLinux 29.0 Stable Released.Webmin requires an initial setup. The command to perform this setup is "webmin" (execute it in your terminal).
General server setup: keyboard layout.
4MLinux uses the "us" keyboard layout by default. This can be changed by editing the /etc/kbd.conf file with, for example, Midnight Commander or the Webmin File Manager.
 |
| 4MLinux uses the "us" keyboard layout by default. |
General server setup: system time.
4MLinux uses UTC by default. This can also be easily changed by running the tzselect script in your terminal or via the Webmin interface.
 |
| 4MLinux uses UTC by default. |
General server setup: users and groups.
Users and their permissions are created in real time by the scripts, which start servers. It is also possible to manage users and groups by hand using either command-line tools or the Webmin interface.
 |
| Users and their permissions are created in real time by the scripts, which start servers. |
General server setup: passwords.
Some passwords are randomly generated and distributed within the server if needed (see the point 3 above and the point 13 below).
The root's password can be changed with the passwd command (directly or via Webmin).
 |
| The root's password can be changed with the passwd command. |
General server setup: custom mount points.
Custom mount points can be added by editing the system-wide configuration files (see the note below) or with Webmin. LVM and RAID devices are supported out of the box, too.
 |
| Custom mount points can be added by editing the system-wide configuration files. |
Note:
The /etc/fstab file in 4MLinux is dynamically generated during each boot, so it does not make sense to edit it. Use the /etc/automount.conf and the /etc/fstab.local files instead.
General server setup: autostart.
By default, only a firewall and two daemons (SSH and Cron) are started during the boot.
Read also: How to install GuixSD Linux distribution built around the GNU Guix package manager.Edit the /etc/server/autostart.conf file to add more of them.
 |
| By default, only a firewall and two daemons (SSH and Cron) are started during the boot. |
Note:
The 4MLinux Server autostart script is /usr/share/server/autostart.sh, while the system-wide autostart script in 4MLinux is /etc/init.d/autostart.sh
4MLinux, this particular distribution, in addition to light is very different as indicated by its developers, and to highlight something is that it does not include a package manager. That's right, the only way something can be installed in this distribution is from the source. That, of course, can lead to a nightmare for some and especially for the beloved / hated dependencies. But if we really think about it, it could be an important advantage, especially if we are looking for a distribution that could be considered an ideal desktop for end users with specific use cases. If those users only need to work with a browser, 4MLinux allows that while preventing users from installing other applications than anything to do.
ReplyDelete@Giampaolo Rossi.- The inclusion of servers makes 4MLinux stand out from the competition of light distributions. In addition to that the distro does everything possible to simplify the administration of these servers.
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