Ultra-lightweight, alternative FOSS distro

5 months ago by lmemsm to c/fosi

I build a lot of lightweight, cross-platform C/C++ programs from source. I enjoy finding unusual, low dependency programs, building them and patching them when needed. For a long time, I've wanted to put together a collection or even a distro with some of my favorite lightweight FOSS. Since the programs are cross-platform, the base could be almost any Free OS such as Linux, BSD or even FreeDOS.

My original idea was to gear this for educational use. However, it might be better targeted toward hobbyists and makers. It would include many of the programs I mentioned in my post, plus others. The end result would be an ultra-lightweight system compared to mainstream Linux distributions. It would be fast and efficient on new computers but would still be very responsive on older hardware.

I originally experimented with ways to use nano-x, sixel or framebuffer. I'm now thinking of using an older but updated X11 build (something similar in spirit to TinyCore's KDrive but unique). The project would include build scripts, patches and original source so the entire distribution could be reproducibly rebuilt. The goal is a low dependency system that doesn't require a giant toolchain just to build it. I want to create something that one person can realistically maintain. I have a lightweight build system/package manager I created that I've been using for 20 years. I also have over a thousand cross-platform build scripts.

If this kind of ultra-lightweight, cross-platform toolkit appeals to you, I’d love to connect. I'm searching for people who enjoy discovering low dependency, portable C or C++ programs, patching them or building alternatives for low resource computing. I’d like to form a small group of people who want to brainstorm and trade ideas, discover, reproducibly build or test software and help shape what this project could become. If you're interested in lightweight FOSS, let me hear from you.

partial_accumen 1 point 5 months ago

Depending on the importance of matching exactly on some of your goals, what you're talking about creating may already exist.

There's an existing thin client distro that does potentially 60% to 80% of what I see your goals are. Its called Thinstation. Check it out at https://thinstation.org/ . It starts with the same core premise as you describe: lightweight, performant on new and old hardware, X11 (but not mandatory), and includes its own build environment that is surprisingly user friendly.

Its been 12 years or so since I last used it, but I deployed this at a company I used to work for. I was able to get the entire OS, Window Manager, and 3 critical desktop applications into a 104MB disk image.

I don't think Thinstation is an exact match for what you describe, but it may not be far off, and it may be easy for you to simply build a package or two of your own items to match what you want to achieve.

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lmemsm 1 point 5 months ago

Thank you for the suggestion. I've seen that project and it's great for client-server models. What I'm trying to put together is somewhat different. I would like a distribution to be able to run while fully offline. It would be useful to people who don't have the hardware power to run a server or don't have reliable Internet access. My focus is more on a self‑contained environment for lightweight, portable C/C++ software, reproducible builds, and minimal dependencies. Appreciate the response.

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partial_accumen 1 point 5 months ago

I'm not suggesting using a thin client to access a separate server (even though that is primarily what Thinstation is designed for). I'm suggesting using the thin client distro itself, fully offline, as a standalone computer. A thin client device is, by its nature, is very lightweight in the sense it has all the hardware support to accept keyboard/mouse input, display output, and a local file system to contain minimalist executables. However, it usually doesn't include all the extra extraneous "full features" of an OS that would otherwise be supporting the many general computing use cases. As in, you're not getting OpenGL support in Thinstation OS as it ships, where a regular distro would.

You can load Thinstation on the local disk block device and have an operational PC without any connection to a network.

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lmemsm 1 point 5 months ago

I appreciate the suggestion for Thinstation. It's a nice project, but unless I can build the entire system from source in a fully reproducible way, it doesn't really fit my goal. I'm aiming for something where every component can be rebuilt and patched by anyone, end-to-end, without relying on a pre-assembled distro.

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partial_accumen 1 point 5 months ago

Gotcha. I like lightweight computing options, so I'll be following your public efforts on this.

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