Re: [tlug] A Distro Question

["Kenneth Burling" <meyaden_emrys@example.com>]

> From: Patrick Kellaher <kalmite@example.com>
> Reply-To: Tokyo Linux Users Group <tlug@example.com>
> To: Tokyo Linux Users Group <tlug@example.com>
> Subject: Re: [tlug] A Distro Question
> Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2007 01:28:57 +0900
>
> Kenneth Burling wrote:
> > I have a question about distributions.
> >
> > I am wanting to build a new computer some time in the next couple of 
> > months, or maybe reutilize an old one.  One of the things I would like to 
> > do, is that one one of the hard drives I will install Ubuntu or some other 
> > reasonably solid/stable distro.  One one of the others, I wish to install 
> > a system that will basically need to be built from the ground up.
> >
> > Which distributions are good for this sort of thing?  I want to find one 
> > that will let me install a bare minimum system, and a compiler.  A working 
> > copy of lynx might be good as well, but that can be compiled after the 
> > fact also if need be.
>
> First hello everyone, I'm new to this list and TLUG.
>
> I just have to throw my two cents in about your second install.  I would 
> recommend Slackware.  You can install just the bare min system (just the 
> 'a' "disc"), a list of what is installed is here:
>
>    http://ftp.riken.jp/Linux/slackware/slackware-11.0/slackware/a/
>
> From there you can install gcc/make/autoconf from the d "disc".  Just be 
> careful Slack doesn't do dependency checking.
>
> Slackware has been around since the beginning and is extremely stable.  If 
> you are not looking to manually bootstrap a system as Gentoo does then go 
> for it, but Slackware screams "./configure; make; make install".  You can 
> find pre-compiled packages on linuxpackages.net, but what is the fun in 
> that?  If you want to learn Linux, Slack is for you.  Almost all 
> configuration is needed to be done via the flat files and you might even 
> need to configure X (xorg.conf) yourself before it will work.
>
> Note:  If you see a guy walking around Tokyo with a Slackware shirt on, it 
> might be me.  Ubuntu is the only other distro that I found that holds a 
> candle to Slack... and even then it is designed for a different audience.
>
> Pat


Thanks for the input that everyone has given.  For the moment, I am
playing arround with LFS on my laptop.  :P  I might do the new system
that way when I build it as well.  The current live CD doesn't boot into X,
but if you type startx it is there. hehe.

I will let everyone know how my quest goes. ^.^

---
Ken