A question on distributions


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Ok, here is my quandary, and I hope you may have an answer for me. I have been using Archlinux pretty much forever. Anyways, I went to upgrade my notebook without rtfming the upgrade to systemd. Long story short, notebook doesn't work anymore, and i'm sad. Anyways, here is my question. Are there any other linux distributions that you guys can think of off the tops of your heads that include NOTHING except the base os, xorg, and a DE? No extra applications period. I would stay with Archlinux, but I don't like the idea that they change something like that and then get rid of the ncurses installer. wtf. Anyways, thanks for the help.

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I was mad that they got rid of the ncurses installer as well. After a couple installs though, it wasn't really difficult to install without it.

There are usually very slimmed down only install what you need versions of most of the distributions. I know Ubuntu and Fedora have it. Crunchbang is also a good alternative. There's Gentoo too but I would stay far away from that distro.

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I miss the old installer too sort of, but if you have a second PC, I found the new Arch install process simple enough with the beginners guide open in front of me.

If it's any consolation, the migration to systemd was a bit of a catastrophe in my opinion. It was basically a case of keeping an eye on the Arch website for when they'd distribute updates that broke stuff. Migration scripts would have helped no end.

If you're looking for something easy to install, both Ubuntu and Fedora have decent GUI installers much like Windows. Fedora I know from experience doesn't take long at all to get up and running. You can even pick a Spin ISO to make things even easier. :)

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Coming from Arch, you should be comfortable with Slackware. When asked for software to be installed, choose Expert and deselect the items that you do not need.

Another posibility would be to go with Salix, based on Slackware and focusing on only the desktop/laptop user.

Good luck!

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Coming from Arch, you should be comfortable with Slackware. When asked for software to be installed, choose Expert and deselect the items that you do not need.

Another posibility would be to go with Salix, based on Slackware and focusing on only the desktop/laptop user.

Good luck!

Yep, I think I have found my replacement. Thank you for that. I used Slakware a LONG time ago, and Slax is exactly what I am looking for with the Basic install. Thank you!

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Yep, I think I have found my replacement. Thank you for that. I used Slakware a LONG time ago, and Slax is exactly what I am looking for with the Basic install. Thank you!

You said Slax, did you mean Salix? Slax is only a Live CD.

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You said Slax, did you mean Salix? Slax is only a Live CD.

No there are ways to install it-

http://gr8idea.info/...ax/install.html

http://www.slax.org/...&parentID=34951

Which basically is -- copy files over to hard drive- then run grub.

I think there was at one time a script that used to do this ....

I am looking for it- script that I used to install it on a 700mhz IBM laptop a friend wanted to use on the the go.

Though I would have suggested -- D.S.L. One command after booting live and it will install. - Then he can with one more command add the GNU.

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

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Yeah, I meant Salix. I did use Slax a long time ago, but Salix is what I decided to give a spin.

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hmm, maybe I am just not that into Linux as some of you. I run arch as my primary distro on my RPI, Desktop (VM), and a couple of devices at work. I didn't have any issues with the removal of the rc.d stuff. I had to systemctl a couple things, but all in all aside from some broken gnome stuff (which a recompile of certain parts) fixed, I had no problems.

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