If you have less than 8MB memory and want to install via NFS you may get the message "fork: out of memory". To handle this problem, use fdisk to make a swap partition (fdisk should be on the install floppy or take one of the mini Linuxes described above). Then try to boot from the install floppy again. Before configuring the NFS connection change to another console (for instance by pressing <ALT><F2>) and issue swapon /dev/xxx (xxx = swap partition ). Thanks to Thomas Schmaltz.
Bruce Richardson has written a HOWTO on installing a modern Linux distribution (specifically Slackware 7.0) on to laptops with 4MB RAM and <= 200MB hard disks.