[conspire] Small distros: antiX on a 128MB RAM PII, instead of Puppy Linux

[Rick Moen]

Putting antiX's data into the same format, and adding one vital line to
each entry:

antiX
  Installable live CD
  Based on Debian Testing
  No DE.  WM is IceWM w/ROX Desktop (default), Fluxbox, JWM, wmii, or dwm
  Realistic minimum hardware:  128MB RAM
  Rolling distro

Bodhi Linux
  Installable live CD
  Based on Ubuntu
  DE is Enlightenment
  Realistic minimum hardware:  probably 256 MB RAM.
  Release distro

CrunchBang Linux
  Installable live CD
  Based on Debian Stable
  No DE.  WM is Openbox
  Realistic minimum hardware:  128MB RAM
  Release distro

Lubuntu
  Installable live CD
  Based on Ubuntu
  DE = LXDE _or_ WM = Openbox
  Realistic minimum hardware: 256 MB RAM
  Release distro

Swift Linux (comments are based on the upcoming version)
  Installable live CD
  Based on Debian Stable and Linux Mint Destop Edition
  DE = LXDE
  Realistic minimum hardware:  probably 256 MB RAM
  Release distro


This is part of my getting back to 'On what basis do you choose a
distro?'  One major trend over the last decade is installable live CDs,
derived from Knoppix, which was based on the Linuxcare Bootable Business
Card (BBC).  Another is to closely base a distro on either Debian
Stable, or Debian Testing/Unstable, or Ubuntu.

That pattern was set by Jorg ('Kano') Schirottke's Kanotix and Warren
Woodford's SimplyMEPIS.  Both kDE-centric projects lost adherents (and
inspired launch of additional distros) through careless strategic
errors.  E.g., Woodford started using Debian Stable as his base for a
KDE4-based live CD.  But base packages were too far from the cutting
edge, so he switched to Debian Testing but didn't take care, encountered
a quality glitch, massively overreacted and retooled to be based on
Ubuntu, then flip-flopped back to Debian Stable core + packaged binaries
based on Debian Testing and Ubuntu source code.

In other words, he's been all over the map.

Meanwhile, Kano started with Knoppix, moved to Debian Unstable, then
moved again to Debian Stable, which was a rather dumb move.  That dumb
move inspired a developer exodus to found the Sidux installable live CD 
based on Debian Unstable.  Sidux is now called Aptosid, an inspired its
own splinter offshoot, Siduction.  (Both offer numerous DEs and WMs, not
just KDE.)  Kano keeps plugging away at it, and recently added LXDE, but 
Kanotix doesn't have much mindshare any more.


All of that history is so I can say that modern distros must have a
credible plan for maintenance and further development.  SimplyMEPIS 
and Kanotix kept zigzagging, after starting with the bright idea of 
providing an advanced graphical installer that left you tracking a major
distro.

Also:  Notice the distinction between rolling and release distributions.
All maximally-novice-friendly distributions and all commercially
supported distributions are release-based, _but_ much-desired newest
versions of desktop software are most practically found on rolling
distros.

A 'rolling distribution' is one that doesn't release but rather keeps 
continuously introducing new packages (on Internet package repositories)
and progressing in that fashion.  Typically new installation images
_are_ released periodically, but the aim of those is to start following
the continuous track of new packages, after installation.

The major DEs (especially KDE, GNOME) are often problematic on rolling
distros because of dependency snarls.  However, lighter WM-based setups
typically have no such problems on them.