DSL Ideas and Suggestions :: Absolute SMALLEST (barebone)



why smaller? is 50mb not small enough?
For barebones you might try tiny linux, which is for eg old 486's, based on slackware.

Anything useful has to be installed after the base install.  I have no idea if it's any good.
I think what you guys are really asking for is to be able to easily make exactly what you want. If DSL would put a pen drive icon on the desktop which had critical programs such as hardware detection, drivers, and networking in a minimal "system" folder and a "programs" folder that holds independent programs which can be added or removed at the whim of the user.

I'm saying that after booting from the pen drive there would be a pen drive icon that you could open and then click the "programs" folder then add or remove what you wanted.

Additionally for a truely minimal system a "specific configuration" tool would be cool. I'm thinking right click on the desktop, go to tools and then click "save specific configuration and minimize DSL". This would eliminate all hardware detection and any unused system files for that pen drive. This would make a non flexible installation. You would not be able to change any hardware unless you booted from CD again and re-installed the full DSL.

However a system that was pared down as i suggest would boot extreemly fast. I have a "couch computer that is fanless and diskless, I use it to surf the web while watching tv or listening to music. The computer is always on but if it would boot faster i might be inclined to turn it on only when I'm sitting at the couch.
Quote
I think what you guys are really asking for is to be able to easily make exactly what you want. If DSL would put a pen drive icon on the desktop which had critical programs such as hardware detection, drivers, and networking in a minimal "system" folder and a "programs" folder that holds independent programs which can be added or removed at the whim of the user.


Mhhh, great input on a subject that may  become crucially  important.

There is a trend towards a distributed computing paradigm where comps have no hard disks and users carry usb sticks in their shirt pocket. The advantages: security, flexibility, mobility.

In my opinion DSL is ideally positioned to take the lead in this process, but it may need to increase its awareness of customer, er ... sorry,  user needs.

By the way, I think that  DSL may have a strong commercial appeal if pitched properly. Maybe a double-track "do-it-yourself-for-free" and "we-take-care-of-you-for-some-bucks"  DSL offer could benefit all the members of this community.

Just a suggestion.

tito

original here.