Quick, name three Linux distributions: You probably thought of some of the big players, such as Ubuntu, Debian, openSUSE, or Red Hat. What they have in common is that they target current desktop and server hardware, and they provide huge (yet similar) selections of current Linux applications, covering all categories, including office, multimedia, development, and gaming. Typically you download a large DVD ISO image and write it to a USB stick- or burn a DVD if you still have a DVD drive - then boot it and launch the installer. All of these modern general-purpose distributions let you reassign disk space and create a boot menu from which to select the new OS from a menu of systems installed on the hard disk.
If you think of Linux as one of these big, sprawling distros, get ready for something different. This month, we focus on small Linux alternatives. Many of these small Linux distros are live systems: You boot them from a USB stick when you need them, and you typically don't install them on a hard disk; however, some of them do have regular installers. This article examines some general-purpose small distros that attempt to give you a full Linux desktop experience (or server experience, in the case of Alpine), but that cope well with limited hardware resources.
Another article in this issue describes some special-purpose distributions that turn your computer into a media player, a retro-gaming machine, or a rescue system. In a third article, I discuss a few small Linux distributions for the Raspberry Pi.
I tested the lightweight distributions described in this article (see Table 1) on a 14-inch Lenovo Ideapad 100-14IBY from 2015 (Quad-Core Celeron N2940 at 1.8GHz and 8GB RAM) and in VirtualBox VMs.
Puppy Linux
Denne historien er fra #274/August 2023: The Best of Small Distros-utgaven av Linux Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra #274/August 2023: The Best of Small Distros-utgaven av Linux Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Tracking your finances with plain text accounting Plain Numbers
If you're tired of tinkering with spreadsheets, using hledger and plain text accounting offers a simpler method for managing your finances without vendor lock-in
Dependency resolution with apt-get and apt Evolutionary Tale
Over the past 30 years, the apt family has played an important role in dependency resolution for Debian distros.
Cryptomining with Litecoin Traveling Lite
Although not as popular as headliners like Bitcoin and Ethereum, Litecoin is one of the oldest crytocurrencies, and it offers some useful features, such as dual-mining with Dogecoin.
Software Update SnoopGod
SnoopGod delivers an Ubuntu-based pentesting distribution with an emphasis on security education.
Kernel Trouble
This deep look at how intruders attack an out-of-date kernel should be enough to convince you of the need to stay vigilant.
Using Wake-on-LAN for a NAS backup Power Saver
Put your backup server to sleep when you don't need it and then wake it on demand using the Wake-on-LAN feature built into network adapters.
Time Travel
Mike Schilli uses a Go program to check whether a strategy for trading stocks is making gains or losses on the basis of historical price data.
URL filtering with Pi-hole Into the Funnel
Supporting browser plug-ins, network-based DNS blockers like Pi-hole help protect you against online tracking and unwanted content.
Artificial intelligence on the Raspberry Pi Learning Experience
You don't need a powerful computer system to use Al. We show what it takes to benefit from Al on the Raspberry Pi and what tasks the small computer can handle.
MakerSpace Manage your greenhouse with a Raspberry Pi Pico W Sheltered Growth
You can safely assign some greenhouse tasks to a Raspberry Pi Pico W, such as controlling ventilation, automating a heater, and opening and closing windows.
