[lug] compact linux distributions

[Brian Stiff]

> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 21:27:51 -0600
> From: David Anselmi <anselmi at anselmi.us>
> Subject: Re: [lug] compact linux distributions

> Brian Stiff wrote:
> > I'm looking for a fairly flexible,
> recently-maintained
> > compact distribution, hopefully based on Red Hat
> or
> > Debian.  I want to build a compact streaming media
> > player for the garage so I can listen to my mp3's
> > while I twist wrenches.
> 
> What do you mean by compact?  If you have 1GB of
> disk space you can run 
> Debian testing out of the box.  I have a web & mail
> server in <700MB of 
> disk with 64MB of memory on a machine that's close
> to 10 years old.

Sorry, I should have been more specific WRT the
"compact" label.  I'm hoping to avoid using a hard
disk, so a small read-only compactflash-based
installation is more along the lines of what I'm
after.  Lori Reed's suggestion of using Damn Small
Linux is looking like the winner so far.  I'd run
across it earlier and dismissed it for some reason,
but apparently I've been breathing enough brake
cleaner fumes or something to have re-arranged my
priorities, so upon re-visting, it's looking good.  

> 
> I think that Debian is easier to minimize than the
> RH distros, based on 
> my experience with RH9 and FC2.  And aptitude's
> tracking of 
> automatically installed packages rocks for just that
> (let me know if you 
> want details).
> 

It's looking like Damn Small supports apt-get, so I'll
be able to put together the image I want, then fairly
easily get it up to date.  

I realize that most distributions can be pared down to
a "minimal" sort of installation, but I've had limited
success with that sort of endeavor.  I had hoped for
something that was already pretty well put together,
so I wouldn't have to spend too much time playing
hit-and-miss with the software.  Call me lazy, but I
prefer to play with hardware more than software. 

-B

> 
> 



		
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