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Topic: A more modular distro...?, Morphix

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stian

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Posts: 5
Joined: Dec. 2004

Posted: Jan. 06 2005,14:53

Hi !
I have just started using DsL, and it really rocks!

But have you considered making it more modular, like Morphix?
eg. giving the user an option of a base image with none of the apps like Ted and xpaint installed?

A modular design might also give you fewer nags on your forum of what is installed or not with the latest release :;):

Thanks

mikshaw

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Posts: 4856
Joined: July 2004

Posted: Jan. 06 2005,15:18

Being a dialup user, and also not a user of several of the included applications, I like your idea. However, if I understand it correctly, DSL was built to be a useable general-purpose distro including as much as possible within the 50mb limit. Your idea is contrary to this.
I've played with the idea of remastering DSL, removing Xmms, emelfm, Monkey, Sylpheed and all the other stuff I never use, and replace them with apps I do use (mutt, mplayer, aterm, etc). This seems like a big task, but since I haven't yet tried it may turn out to be fairly simple.

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roberts

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Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: Jan. 06 2005,16:33

DSL is already a modular system. It is based on a useable 50MB limit.

The current mydsl gui has downloads to a user specified location.

Or use wget or a capable browser to download and save an extension
then use mydsl-load or emelfm to load and run the extension.

The mkmydsl script which has been in place since v0.7.3 allows one to quickly
and easily make a mydsl.iso without the complicated remastering process.
It also allows for other startrup options, etc.

By downloading and saving, you can try out an extension,
if you like it, then keep it in your local libary.

Otherwise delete it. When you have accumulated your favs and ready to burn.
You run the mkmydsl script.

This method keeps the slower modem users in the loop.

No redownloading the base.iso with all their extensions selected thereby downloading a large mydsl.iso

Some users create GB mydsl.iso using this modular method.

How "big" is your mydsl?

The strength of this is the "try before" you burn concept and download in parts.

We could easily strip DSL to a tiny useable base, but then we would force eveyone to have to go through such a process.

I think DSL's way is a better way.

AwPhuch

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Posts: 1404
Joined: April 2004

Posted: Jan. 06 2005,16:36

Right!

That was discussed a while back and pretty much things were set in stone...minimal with the maximum available "basic" utilites needed to make a useable desktop...the MyDSL system allows for even more personalization.

Not many people know how to modify an iso (let alone burn it as a bootable CD) by keeping it as simple as possible (KISS) you eliminate alot of the confusion...I for one am glad John and roberts both set me straight on this issue

Brian
AwPhuch

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stian

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Posts: 5
Joined: Dec. 2004

Posted: Jan. 06 2005,18:44

Thanks for clarifying.
Seems you have a pretty clear concept for DsL.

I was mostly asking because I am lazy, and was hoping for someone to clean up DSL for me ;)
I'll probably have to read some remastering FAQ's and do some tinkering with DSL on my own.

4 replies since Jan. 06 2005,14:53

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Damn Small Linux Board » Damn Small Linux » DSL Ideas and Suggestions » A more modular distro...?