Tiny interesting distros

[kneekoo]

The following list will be updated whenever someone recommends a new tiny/light distro that is likely to be a candidate as a foundation for Mint CE. Of course, moderators can also update my post if I go M.I.A. for a while. I just wanted to have the most interesting tiny/small distros inside one post, so they can be reviewed for the foundation of "Mini Mint".

1. Tiny Core Linux
This one is probably the smallest Linux distribution that has a GUI - v2.4.1 has 10.6MB. I only tried it once but someone who knows his/her way around Linux could find this as an interesting point to spin off.

2. SliTaZ GNU/Linux
Version 2.0 of this distro is much more complete and polished than Tiny Core, being very well put up together, with enough applications to start with and all in an ISO of only 29MB. exploder already took a look at it but no other word about it.

3. Puppy Linux
Currently at v4.3 (105MB), Puppy Linux has undergone a massive redesign lately, due to staff changes. The first look is very appealing and the good name Puppy Linux gained over the years could make it a possible candidate for a Mini CE.

[lagagnon]

Isn't it amazing what people can do when they have the source code! It opens up entire possibilities for everyone. I have TinyCore installed with Opera - I use it when I want to boot my desktop really fast for a quick Internet check and shut it down again quickly. Boots in something like 14 seconds all up.

[vrkalak]

Reading the Developers Blog of PuppyLinux . . . they are even working on an UbuntuPuppy and a DebianPuppy, amoung other versions of PuppyLinux.

Maybe, somewhere in the future is a MintPuppy?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

X-Pud 0.9 . . . 59 MB
. . . very nice well thought out, yet simple.

Mini.ISO . . . 29 Mb . . .
. . . a pre-curer for installing the core basics of Ubuntu

Anti-X M8 . . . 150 Mb
. . . a tiny Simply Mepis off-shoot, uses IceWM. Very nice, good graphics and apps installed.

TinyMe 2009, Acorn Alpha . . . 105 Mb
. . . looks good in the LiveCD, but can't get it to boot.

[piratesmack]

Puppy is my favorite tiny distro. With the devx squashfs module it makes a great little development system.

Probably would't be too hard to build a Mintified Puppy with Barry's woof scripts.

[nadir]

i too like antiX a lot, but its about 350MB i think. I wouldnt know if that still is tiny.
http://antix.mepis.org/index.php/Main_Page
it comes with a lot of comfort like a control center...

grml and/or hag aint bad too (hag is bout 350MB too, grml is between 150-200MB).
http://grml.org/
http://hag-linux.eu.org/
both i wouldnt call outstanding newbie/user friendly, though they are not difficult to use.

i heard good things bout feather linux (128MB), but i think i never used it:
http://featherlinux.berlios.de/

dsl aint maintained no more ?

[FedoraRefugee]

What is the objective here? To take a micro distro and turn it into Mint? If so I have one question; which Mint tools will you include and how much do THEY weigh? Okay, I have another question...What is your target size? What are your goals? Are you looking for a 50MB distro? If so then I doubt you can do that with even the basic Mint stuff. Are you just looking for sub-600MB small? If so why not try building something from say Arch? Just use a minimal WM on a base install and add the Mint tools. You do know someone is already working on a Mint LXDE version and there is also a Mint Fluxbox version. Choice is good, but this is just getting confusing.

[Superewza]

Now why has nobody mentioned Damn Small Linux yet?

Feather
Puppy
Arch

[FedoraRefugee]

Now why has nobody mentioned Damn Small Linux yet?

Feather
Puppy
Arch

Dont get me wrong, I love DSL. It was the first micro-distro and it is still an awesome distro to run.

But it is probably not mentioned because it is STILL running a 2.4 kernel and I also believe it is not being developed anymore. It has been static for years now.

Likewise, I believe feather my be a dead project, but I am not certain of this. I could be wrong.

Puppy is an awesome choice! I havent used it lately but I know a LOT of people who rave over it.

I do use Arch and it is a stripped install running only Fluxbox and the bare essential apps I need. I would not call it a micro-distro though. You can strip any distro and slack and debian especially are pretty equivalent when used in a bare minimum install instead of the traditional kitchen sink iso.

[Superewza]

DSL uses the 2.4 kernel because it features a lot more support for older hardware, which was originally the whole point of the the distro: to revive your slow, old computers.

I haven't actually used Feather, but it looks much the same as DSL.

Puppy is bordering on the edge of lightweight/normal distro. It's great, but it isn't the best choice if you're looking for a tiny distro. Just if you want something smaller than usual.

Arch is still smaller than usual, and is like Puppy but for the more advanced user.

[FedoraRefugee]

Arch has the same kernel and modules as any other linux, in fact it is rather cutting edge. The only difference is that since you build it yourself you can make it as small as you like. But you would be hard pressed to get in at under 400MB even running a basic WM.

You can do the same with any distro, I know a guy that has stripped Fedora down to just over 100MB. (would you still consider it Fedora? Hmmm) Debian would be easy to strip, Ubuntu and Fedora are a little more gnomecentric but it is still not hard. Just be aware you will kill the DE before you can build it from the ground up. No biggie if you can work from init3.

The truth is the extremely limited hardware which was the reason for distros like DSL are pretty much history now. You can get a decent P4 from a dumpster anymore, when you can build a 2GB RAM dual core for under $300 there is really little excuse to run JUNK that is over 10 years old.

That is not to say that micro-distros are not attractive to some, but even distros like Puppy, which used to be 50MB too, tend to grow as people demand more capability. Which was my whole point in my first post in this thread.

[nitehawk]

when you can build a 2GB RAM dual core for under $300 there is really little excuse to run JUNK that is over 10 years old.

...yeah,..this is basically true,..yet there are STILL those of us on the lower end of the spectrum (who would find it extremely difficult to shell out even $300). If it wasn't for my dear (recently retired, former electronic tech) older brother, giving me the b'day gift of my P4,...I would just be SOL stuck with my 3 old P3s. I do use them, though. (Mint7 with LXDE runs nicely btw). Puppy is great, but who knows it's future? Vector is pretty terrific, but I have some little "glitches" with it. Personally, though,..I find that adding a very lightweight desktop (or WM) like LXDE to already fast-performing, low-ram usage distros work pretty well on older computers. (Mint is working good on my P3s this way).

[Fred]

I like Puppy. I use it as the basis for a tool kit which I keep around to fix broken things with.

There are other good ones too. I just prefer Puppy.

Fred

[nitehawk]

@Fred...
Puppy seems to be the distro I keep going to, also. Goooood little puppy,..goood little puppy!

[Superewza]

www.puppylinux.org/

Is it just me or has something very strange happened to that site?

[FedoraRefugee]

lol, they've been hacked apparently.

The real site is .com and not .org.

[Superewza]

I preferred their .org site more, it was better designed.

[nitehawk]

Is it just me or has something very strange happened to that site?

...yeah,...it has been hacked,..and there is discussion about it on their forum.

[thx1138]

Besides Puppy AUSTRUMI is another great live distro (the iso is about 108 mb).
http://cyti.latgola.lv/ruuni/
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=austrumi
Important: You have to choose English on boot, you can't change the language after the distro has booted.

[Shaine]

Puppy Linux website has been up and running well since that November hack. I love Puppy Linux, truly amazing to see an OS running completely out of your RAM. Loads into RAM, you can remove the disc or USB while it runs. Resurrect old slow PCs, awesome for rescues, carry it on USB and load into anyone's computer without even touching the HDD and leave witout a trace

[timber]

MacPup is pretty nice. Has a comfortable feel and nice graphics.
I was amazed with the number of applications in such a small package.
Felt right at home there and would like to install it as one of my alternate boots when my CD is working again or I manage to boot from my HD with it.
I tried it using VirtualBox.
Sure is fast ... as are most all of the above mentioned.