How is DSL going to stay alive?

Forum: User Feedback
Topic: How is DSL going to stay alive?
started by: jus407

Posted by jus407 on Dec. 23 2005,18:53

No offence i love dsl i just discovered it a few days ago and i cant wait to burn the dsl to a cd so i can install it on my cp but how do you (the moderators of dsl) expect to keep dsl alive? everone will stop using it if you just keep everything the same which you will have to sooner or later cause in order to add to the os you will be adding more mbs to it and pretty soon it will not be able to stay under 50 mb are you just going to keep the basics under 50mb and then allow add-on packages like windows uses the automatic update for security fixes will you have a 'Game package' or 'Apps package' that are optional?

Posted by roberts on Dec. 23 2005,19:02

This is what they told us two years ago.
But then you never know what may be comming around the corner

Posted by mikshaw on Dec. 23 2005,22:33

My guess:
The Linux kernel doesn't need to be upgraded nearly as often as many people actually do it. Personally I haven't seen anything in the kernel since the first 2.4 release that has made my computing any more enjoyable or productive, so the bloat of 2.6 and later can probably wait quite some time (I can see an argument for a commercial server, but that is not DSL).
As far as applications go, maybe more people should think about *why* programs always seem to get fatter as they have new releases. Much of that bloat is simply bigger and "prettier" interface elements rather than necessary improvements. Name just about any fat KDE application, and there is usually a comparable tool using console, curses, fltk.

Several years down the road when all you can fit in 50mb is the kernel and a core selection of tools, broadband connections will be faster and more prevalent, the myDSL system (or its offspring) will be more flexible, and creating your own personalized system from a 50mb base will probably be an extremely simple task.

A few years beyond that, DSL might not have the large user base it has now, but i don't see that as a problem. There will always be something good to work with, whether it is DSL, a fork of DSL, or something entirely different. Considering it's free, open-source, and non-profit i don't see why it would matter anyway....nobody loses out even if everyone stops using it. On the contrary, many of us have already gained knowledge and ideas that can be applied to future projects. We'll just pick up something else...maybe an entirely new operating system....and use what we have learned from DSL to make the future better.

Posted by crusadingknight on Dec. 24 2005,00:21

Quote (jus407 @ Dec. 23 2005,13:53)

Kernel, coreutils, etc. development is slowing down - there is only so much that needs to go in there. The assumption of a 50MB core and kernel is completely contrary to evidence, since, in a few years, linux will be largely mature, and coreutils (and other core tools) only add minor optimizations, small features, and bugfixes now. Anyway, as mikshaw said, app sizes are greatly reduced by using FLTK and (pd|n)curses, and other no-frills UIs, instead of UIs which make use of virtually contructed 10-level inheritance (GTK+) to save development time.

Posted by vees on Dec. 24 2005,01:00

There are other ways around these problems such as specially compiled kernels, more myDSL extensions or even mini credit-card *DVDs* if thight become too hard. My guess, however, is that even in its current architecture DSL has a lot of staying power!

Posted by ubl on Dec. 24 2005,01:28

I remember all the things I could do with the commodore 64... now I wonder if I could get dsl on one...Thanks for this wonderful OS and all the help. Seasons greetings and best wishes for the next orbit.

Posted by AwPhuch on Dec. 24 2005,17:46

Quote (roberts @ Dec. 23 2005,14:02)

This is what they told us two years ago.
But then you never know what may be comming around the corner

Yah and its funny how DSL has been in the top 10 at < http://distrowatch.com/ ...oh > wait its number 8....and it has been there for as long as I can remember...it has been holding its own against all the "major" distros for like you said 2 years!

Brian
AwPhuch

Posted by Rick Richardson on Dec. 25 2005,16:57

Does anybody have any recommendations for a distro meant for USB Pen Drive with 512MB??? 10 times as many packages as DSL.

Posted by faroutscience on Dec. 25 2005,17:38

// 10 times as much as DSL

Just use mydsl to add the packages that you like.

Jeff

Posted by ubl on Dec. 26 2005,22:49

The real beauty about DSL is that it IS only 50mb. Improvements can only make it better, not bigger. This makes a frugal upgrade, not only possible but quick and easy, as you only need to replace the image on your hard drive. Pure genius! Thanks roberts!

Posted by starcannon on Jan. 01 2006,07:48

50mb is more than enough, if you want to add more the DSL system allows for that. Base install should I hope remain small and fast, its awesome havin the same speed on this little Pii 366celeron/256mb RAM as i feel on my XP2800/1gb RAM. Anyway i'm sure those of us who like to keep our older hardware alive will always have room on our harddrives for 50mb of Pure Penguin Power

just another view on it.

Rob