Making things smaller (was) familiar extension for software in ram

Yes, this is needed, but...

Obviously, one other thing you can do is delete apps you don't want/need:
there are many more packages than people can fit at once into 16 meg (or
probably 32 meg).

Another option for the technically minded is to help with the work at
making things smaller. We are, for example, removing dependencies of
the base software load on Xt, Xaw, Xmu. I completed this work
on the base small X apps (e.g. xhost, etc.) Carl Worth is working on
this for the garfitti app; there may be one or two more lying around.
That will save 1.1 megabytes (uncompressed) of libraries, and some
RAM.

There are some others we need to convert to some other toolkit (e.g.
gtk or fltk) or convert to python, or get replacements for.

These include:
        mixer
        xfd (shouldn't be loaded at all, IMHO; we should replace with
                something better in python with AA support).
        xvkbd (keyboard app; various people are looking into replacements).

So work here would have immediate payback.

Beyond that, there is work in Xlib that can save about .5 megabytes
(uncompressed). Keith and I will likely get back to this project
in July; anyone interested in helping, drop us a line.
                                - Jim

--
Jim Gettys
Technology and Corporate Development
Compaq Computer Corporation
jg_at_pa.dec.com