Linux and Free Software :: suckless.org

"Dedicated to software which sucks less"
http://www.suckless.org/

This is a new site, so the software available is mostly created by one person, but I like its philosophy....similar to that of DSL in that smaller is often (usually?) better. Modern applications are getting much too fat, slow, and messy. Complexity is the enemy of good programming.

I have been using the dwm window manager since v0.2, and lately have been using it almost exclusively. There is not and probably will not be a myDSL extension for it, at least not by my hands, due to the fact that all configuration is source-based, but it builds without trouble in DSL with gcc1.dsl & XFree86-dev.dsl. It will probably do the same with gcc1-with-libs, but I don't have one of those packages at this time. Just wanted to mention that dwm is perfect for some of the geekier DSL users =o)

Dmenu is a great tool for any X activies in which the user needs to be presented with a list of choices. Scripting for dwm is much simpler than for a whiptail or fltk list.

There are some interesting programs over there. I think the name is very fitting.

Someone please save me from KDE (one reason I use dsl so much = Fluxbox). I hear the new KDE is/was supposed to be less bloated and slow. The new Fedora CEO says he wants to make that huge, sluggish, waddling, tottering, reckless development platform slimmer and faster too. Haven't looked at new releases of either. I'll believe it when I see it. I think one part of their problem is with things that use a lot of Python eg Fedora and Open Office (also slow). Apparently Open Office contains its own custom python interpreter. Python may be fashionable, look nice and have a lot of white space, but it runs as slow as a wet week.

Interesting site BTW ...

Must look into dwm sometime.

Quote (WDef @ Oct. 29 2006,09:40)

I think one part of their problem is with things that use a lot of Python eg Fedora and Open Office (also slow). Apparently Open Office contains its own custom python interpreter. Python may be fashionable, look nice and have a lot of white space, but it runs as slow as a wet week.

OpenOffice.org uses UNO, so it can interface with python (but uses relatively few python extensions.). However, the biggest bottleneck in OOo is the requirement of Java to run. In any case, python certainly executes faster than bash, or any other *nix shell.

What would be really interesting would be if there was some list of minimalist applications available somewhere (as, oftentimes I'm forced to develop/hack on my own.)

*inadvertent double post - deleted*

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