1 . What is this? This is an SDCard image featuring a Gentoo Linux operative system targeting the MIPS Creator CI20. ======================================================================== 2 . What is MIPS Creator CI20? It's a Linux and Android development system from MIPS/Imagination Technologies. It incorporates an Ingenic JZ4780 SoC which includes a 1.2GHz dual core MIPS32 processor and Imagination PowerVR SGX540 GPU. More information can be found at: http://elinux.org/MIPS_Creator_CI20 ======================================================================== 3 . What is included in the SDCard image A Gentoo Linux stage4 with the following packages installed on top of the stage3: app-admin/sudo app-editors/nano app-editors/vim app-portage/eix app-portage/gentoolkit lxde-base/lxappearance-obconf media-gfx/feh media-gfx/gimp media-sound/volwheel net-fs/nfs-utils net-misc/dhcpcd net-misc/wicd net-p2p/transmission www-client/midori x11-base/xorg-server x11-misc/fbpanel x11-misc/gmrun x11-misc/obconf x11-misc/pcmanfm x11-misc/slim x11-terms/rxvt-unicode x11-themes/gentoo-artwork x11-themes/gentoo10-backgrounds x11-themes/gnome-icon-theme x11-themes/gtk-engines x11-wm/openbox The root password is 'root', and there is also a normal user account called 'user' which password is 'user' as well. ======================================================================== 4 . How can I use it? You need to burn the gentoo-stage4-ci20.img to an SDCard. To do that just issue the following command (assuming your SDCard is /dev/sdb): dd if=gentoo-stage4-ci20.img of=/dev/sdb Note: make sure there isn't any /dev/sdbX partition mounted and also run "sync" after the process finishes. Now you need to flash the NAND memory of the MIPS Creator CI20 using the SDCard. Follow these steps: -set the JP3 jumper to 2-3 position -insert the SDCard -power on the MIPS Creator CI20 The LED will turn red, then off, then red again and finally blue. The blue color means the NAND is being flashed. When it finishes the LED will turn red again. Now, turn off the MIPS Creator CI20, remove the SDCard and set back the JP3 Jumper to 1-2 position. The next time you power on the MIPS Creator CI20 it will boot Gentoo Linux from the NAND. Further information about this process can be found at: http://elinux.org/CI20_Distros ======================================================================== 5 . Ok, it works. What about now? Now you should be facing the SLIM (x11-misc/slim) display manager. Just type 'user' as the username, and 'user' again as the password. The Openbox (x11-wm/openbox) window manager will appear, along with a panel (x11-misc/fbpanel) at the bottom which includes (among other things) a volume control (media-sound/volwheel) and network manager (net-misc/wicd) icons. The panel will have a customised Gentoo icon from the x11-themes/gentoo-artwork package, and the desktop will have a Gentoo background from the x11-themes/gentoo10-backgrounds package. That background is set up using feh (media-gfx/feh). If you click in the Gentoo icon you will see the menu and you will be able to run some applications like a web broser (www-client/midori), an image manipulation program (media-gfx/gimp), a download manager (net-p2p/transmission), a file browser (x11-misc/pcmanfm) or a terminal emulator (x11-terms/rxvt-unicode). However, if you prefer to run the applications by typing their command name, just pres "Alt + F2" and the application launcher (x11-misc/gmrun) will appear.