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Minimalist Linux
Minimalist Linux
Originally this thread was made to help me choose a Linux OS with a desktop environment that can fit within a limited amount of space (512Mb). The native OS that came with the Thin Client (WYSE: V90L XPE 800Mhz, 512Mb RAM, 512Mb IDE/SATA Flash HDD) had Windows XPE which presented lots of virtual memory issues over a short period of uptime (1 or less days up)... there was only VMWare View, Cisco VPN, and whatever drivers needed for its hardware and spanning desktop.
Since the start of the thread, there has been no bites, but, I have since found some solutions that I will share. There are still some obstacles I am working out, but hopefully they can be ironed out.
My needs are limited, whereas the Thin Client will only be used as a vehicle into the Virtual Machine cloud. I need:
* A Stable Linux OS that will fit within the hardware scope of the thin client
* A VPN Client
* VMware View Client
* An extended or spanning desktop for dual monitors
I've been relativity lucky that all the minimalist distributions have been mostly compatible with my hardware. It seems that my software needs are common and packaged already... in one form or another. Most of the distros are stable, and will work longer than a couple days of uptime.
Below is a list of distros I am testing:
MasterSplinter
9 Posts
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May 29th, 2015 01:00
Using a Thumb-drive to boot into another OS off the WYSE Client... I've found Slax 6.1.2 to be real useful. It is now running locally on the V90L's 512MB Flash HDD.
It can be followed here:
www.slax.org/forum.php
I'll be looking through this forum to see if I can get an extended or spanning desktop working.
MasterSplinter
9 Posts
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May 29th, 2015 01:00
SliTaz 3.0 is very cool too... only 80mb Desktop environment!! Very easy to install and has a package manager.
"SliTaz GNU/Linux is a mini distribution and live CD designed to run speedily on hardware with 256 MB of RAM. SliTaz uses BusyBox, a recent Linux kernel and GNU software. It boots with Syslinux and provides more than 200 Linux commands, the lighttpd web server, SQLite database, rescue tools, IRC client, SSH client and server powered by Dropbear, X window system, JWM (Joe's Window Manager), gFTP, Geany IDE, Mozilla Firefox, AlsaPlayer, GParted, a sound file editor and more. The SliTaz ISO image fits on a less than 30 MB media and takes just 80 MB of hard disk space."
MasterSplinter
9 Posts
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May 29th, 2015 01:00
The fastest and smallest Linux OS with a desktop environment (and a huge repository) that I've seen is TinyCore.
"Tiny Core Linux is a 10 MB graphical Linux desktop. It is based on the Linux 2.6 kernel, BusyBox, Tiny X, Fltk, and Flwm. The core runs entirely in memory and boots very quickly. The user has complete control over which applications and/or additional hardware to have supported, be it for a desktop, a nettop, an appliance or server; selectable from the project's online repository."
MasterSplinter
9 Posts
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May 29th, 2015 01:00
...Also Porteus is worth looking into... unlike Slax (at the moment), it is still being developed and the community is active.
"It's small (under 300Mb) and insanely fast which allows you to start up and get online while most other operating systems are left spitting dust. Porteus comes in both 32 & 64 bit and aims to keep on the bleeding edge. It also supports several different languages and the user forum has language sections."
MasterSplinter
9 Posts
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June 1st, 2015 03:00
PapugLinux
PapugLinux is a minimal GNU/Linux live CD based on the Gentoo Linux distribution for x86 computer architecture.
The live CD allow you to run the operating system without installing anything on your hard drive.
The goal of PapugLinux is to provide a minimal but functional free operating system and to be runable on most computers, from 128mb old systems to the latest powerful configurations.
v11.1 .iso is ~250Mb
MasterSplinter
9 Posts
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June 1st, 2015 03:00
This works and fits on the 512Mb SATA/IDE drive. Still working out dual display video issues on all distos.
"Macpup 525 is the latest and is based on Puppy Linux 5.2.5 ,"Lucid Puppy", An official woof build of puppy Linux that is binary-compatible with Ubuntu Lucid Lynx packages. This contains all the apps from Lucid puppy with the addition of Firefox 4.0.1. Extra apps like Opera or Gimp are available for easy download from the Quickpet App on the ibar or the Puppy Package Manager. This version also includes the Enlightenment E17 window manager. The EFL libraries version 1.0.999 and E17 version 59456 where compiled and installed from source.
MasterSplinter
9 Posts
0
June 1st, 2015 03:00
I could use suggestions for xorg.conf syntax on extended or spanning desktop for my thread, here:
porteus.org/.../viewtopic.php
I believe drivers to be working fine with OpenChrome.