Friday Links: Arch Linux, Tiny Core, From Mac to Linux
August 7, 2009 by Clair Ching
Filed under applications
On Arch Linux
My co-worker now uses Arch Linux. He had problems using the RT kernel of Open SUSE. He’s had too many issues with it so he looked for something else that would answer his needs when it comes to the RT kernel and a look-and-feel that he wanted. He found out about Arch Linux, a simple and lightweight distribution. This distro is known for:
- using BSD style init scripts
- its binary installation
- high level customization
- its nice package manager: pacman
- text-based installer
- being more lenient, compared to something like Debian, when it comes to non-free packages
Newbies might feel that Arch Linux could be daunting because it’s more for people who would like to tinker around with stuff. I suppose that it takes some getting used to and an inclination for this.
TIny Core Linux
Yet another minimalist live distro, Tiny Core Linux is also capable of running from a CD or USB device or installed to a hard drive. Users can boot from this and then be configured so that users will have a fully functional desktop system of his/her choice. Tiny Core Linux is said to be more than just a rescue system because it’s designed to become your main system. Interestingly tiny, this distribution has an ISO which is only 11MB. I am curious so I might try it out soon too.
Kim Cascone switches from the Mac OSX to Ubuntu Linux
A lot of Mac users I know are very loyal and wouldn’t dream of switching to something else whether it’s Linux or Windows. But lo and behold! There’s a story on createddigitalmusic.com that talks about switching from Mac OSX to Ubuntu. The switching was triggered by problems with his Powerbook G4 showing signs of age and te possibility of upgrading to a MacBook Pro but at the cost of $3,000 — aiya! That is a whole lot of money and then the cost of time to tweak his set up and software to fit his needs. Read his story as he tells you about using a refurbished Dell Inspiron Mini 9 with Ubuntu pre-installed and how it wasn’t just about the cost, but it’s also about the software he uses now.
