Bare Bones Linux

[jrbush82]

I'm curios on if there is a distrobution that gives you the bare bones to linux. Pretty much, just the kernel, and anything you would need to compile programs, extract them, and install them. With only one flipping Window manager installed and such. Anybody know of one?

[speddling]

that's the reason I'm gearing up to remove Mandrake from this box I'm using now.

I think the saying goes...
:cool: Debian :cool:

[ph34r]

Slack or Debian would be my choice, or perhaps you would be interested in LFS (http://www.linuxfromscratch.org)

Anyway, just about any distro should be able to install minimally like that. Just pick a "custom" or "expert" install.

[jrbush82]

I understand all the custom install stuff, but I don't want to have to go through each and every package (over 800 with mandrake, maybe more!) and select stuff... When you install windows, you get the basics, if u need anything else, u download it and install it... does any distros do that?

[speddling]

with debian you can install a base system and then apt-get just what you need/want.

.... I've not done it myself, so someone else may have a more detailed answer. as I said I'm getting ready to do it... maybe next weekend.

[jrbush82]

how good is debian, I'm kinda newbie to the whole linux thing, but I'm good with computers, and a quick learner at that... would debian be a good idea?

[ColdPack]

Debian is perfect for what you want to do.
You can install a very minimal system to start with. From there you can use the "apt-get" command to download any packages you want and it will find any dependencies and install those, too. Sounds like just what you're looking for.

DEBIAN WEB SITE!!! (http://www.debian.org)

[ 18 February 2001: Message edited by: ColdPack ]

[jrbush82]

thx a lot... the thing I've been noticing that I like about mandrake is the rpm packages and tools for rpms, thats possible to do with debian also correct?

[speddling]

Debian uses "deb's" in place of "rpm's" and apt-get will download the deb package for the program you are looking for.

definately spend some time here and at the debian website.... also search at www.google.com/linux (http://www.google.com/linux) there are a few debian specific sites similar to this one.

[jrbush82]

It seems that rpms are more frequent, will this be a problem you think?

[speddling]

no I don't believe so.... there was a post a day or so ago that listed a link to Craig's resource list... I don't remember the topic.. sorry.

[Sterling]

Let's put it this way: compared to Debian's packaging system, RPMs are barely better than the way Windows does things. (Of course, this is just me being emphatic, but there is a big difference.) The dependencies are much more intelligent, the packaging rules are stricter (resulting in better-behaved software), and apt-get upgrade is schweet!

It also doesn't have the same reliance on graphical config tools. All of the config files I've looked at so far have been insanely well-commented, with commented-out examples for practically anything one could want to do with them.

Ok, enough raving about how good Debian is. ;)