Best Linux

[pcurtis]

Hi All,

I know that this is much down to personal taste but can anyone recommend a good distro of Linux for Lazarus?

I need something Debian / Ubuntu based without the unneeded software bloat, basically the OS + desktop.
Lubuntu promised a small install footprint but that turned out to be 8Gb (a total joke). I think my needs should fit into under 1 Gb.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[ccrause]

I'm using Linux Mint Mate, not sure what the size of a minimal install is though. Running on a lightweight notebook without hickups. You seem to use Mint, does it not fit your needs?

[pcurtis]

No Mint is a good system, I've used it for years, but I'm looking for an OS without the preinstalled bloat (Libre Office, ...)

[trev]

I'm looking for an OS without the preinstalled bloat (Libre Office, ...)

FreeBSD: No pre-installed bloat, just the OS.

A FreeBSD installation requires a minimum of 96 MB of RAM and 1.5 GB of free hard drive space. However, such small amounts of memory and disk space are really only suitable for custom applications like embedded appliances. General-purpose desktop systems need more resources.

[pcurtis]

I'll have a look.

[dbannon]

You can install any of the mainstream Ubuntu versions in 'basic' mode, just the desktop and a browser from memory.  However, you do get the silly Snaps they insist are a good idea. Plenty of advice on how to remove them available. 

But even then, you will be a long way from "under 1 Gb." Unless you are willing to skip a reasonable Desktop GUI, you will struggle to get under a Gig.

I install a number of distros onto VMs for testing. I personally recommend Mate as a Desktop and think the Ubuntu version (in a LTS) of that is about the best.  Debian Testing with XFce is not too bad (and free of snaps).   

Davo

[PascalDragon]

I personally use Arch Linux, however it's a more hands-on distribution. It does however have a nice installation guide.

[pcurtis]

@dbannon - Whats a "snap"? Before I download a version of Ubuntu how do I do a "basic" install?

[gour]

I know that this is much down to personal taste but can anyone recommend a good distro of Linux for Lazarus?

I need something Debian / Ubuntu based without the unneeded software bloat, basically the OS + desktop.

Although it's not Debian/Ubuntu based, but I must say that I'm using Linux since 1999 and am very happy with Fedora/Xfce. 

[MarkMLl]

You can install any of the mainstream Ubuntu versions in 'basic' mode, just the desktop and a browser from memory.

You can at a pinch install Debian with no desktop etc., then add a minimal desktop environment and whatever packages you want. However there's some truly weird interdependencies which could probably be removed if the maintainers stopped and thought for a few moments, although I suspec that in these days of systemd, Network Manager, Modem Manager and so on that's rapidly getting more difficult.

TBH, if I were looking for something minimal and robust I probably wouldn't choose any of the mainstream OSes. But I'm not sure what I would choose, and I suspect that software support- i.e. with a bank-approved browser etc.- would be non-existent.

MarkMLl

[marcov]

Get a larger harddisk/ssd. Talking about bloat is so nineties. People routinely throw multi terabyte HDDs in the trash, and even 128GB SSDs are recycled with RPIs.

It shouldn't be your first selection criterium wrt a *nix distro

[pcurtis]

F**ck you. I am disabled and in a hospice. Do you want to buy me a disk?

[pcurtis]

@gour - I started out with RedHat.

[Zvoni]

Was on Ubuntu/Debian for some years now.

Changed to Manjaro-Cinnamon and never looked back.
For Manjaro there are some community-driven flavours in "Minimal"-configuration.
And IIRC there was one such "minimal" for Ubuntu, too, but i would have to look it up at home (@work right now).

OH, and i agree with trev:
FreeBSD base-OS install is in about 5 minutes.
Depending if you want to use binaries or build your own packages from ports (poudriere recommended) it's another 1 hour (binaries) or days (ports) depending on the "power" your machine has.
Note: FreeBSD is very "picky" regarding WiFi-Adapters --> check Hardware-compatibility first if it's a Laptop
the most common Desktop/WM's are MATE, Awesome, i3wm
....but you asked for Linux, so...... 

[MarkMLl]

Paul /please/... that wasn't necessary. You should have said something at the start of the thread about not having the wherewithal to upgrade your systems (and that you were in such-and-such an area and that any donations would be gratefully accepted :-)

I think my comment about cautious installation of Debian etc. still stands, but otherwise there are distreaux like Lubuntu which are specifically for the resource-constrained.

MarkMLl