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http://cyti.latgola.lv/ruuni/index_en.html

I tend to like Austrumi linux (same deal, 50 megs), but it really needs someone who knows what they are doing to do an english language version. I would call it a half english distro at this point, but if you can live with some of the menus/apps being not english (such as mplayer, the default media player), it is very nice and functional and fast. I tried but I fail it on making one, perhaps I'll try again. But dialup and ethernet connection work great, the browser is fine, etc. It's wicked fast once it is booted, much faster than any installed to harddrive version of any OS on any machine that I have ever tried.

..I'll plug Austrumi, similar size at 50 megs, 2.6 kernel, loads right to RAM and ejects the disk (freeing up the optical drive), and now comes with enlightenment 17 as the stock windows manager.

I can build a reasonably good enough system (reusing my old drives and case and ram, etc, just doing a mobo/cpu upgrade)(or do it from some old pentium junker), AND load the OS and apps for what a copy of OSX or XP costs normal retail, and with OSX you are stuck running the hardware they pick out and choose for you, plus it is mostly non free software and a ton of the extra apps cost serious folding money.

    I am right this second running Austrumi 1.20,(just DLed and burnt it today and booted it for a test drive) at only 50 megs under windows manager Enlightenment 17, runs entirely from RAM,meaning it is about as fast as stuff can run basically,plus it frees up the optical drive, I mean, nothing from mac or windows can touch it, either from a systems resources point of view or from a speed or functionality point of view at *50 megs total*, or from a cost in cash POV. Then you can go to any of the big name brand full sized linux distros of choice if you want to fit your machine of choice, at virtually any budget, ten bucks used at the thriftstore to ten million dollars custom high end hardware at acme advanced secret research, inc..

Theres really no comparison what you can do with Linux as opposed to whatever you can drag away from from Apple or MS. They make you fit their idea of computing, Linux lets the individual custom tailor what they want to do with computing. Except maybe for running a few niche or necessary/obscure applications, but for over-all generalised use...no comparison any longer. You can take the linux kernel and run on any sized low budget normal machine all the way up to multi node super computers with about any sort of application you can think of, all for minimal to zero initial software cost. Thats what is so cool about linux, eXtreme flexibility, and you got a choice from totally free in cost to pay for as much handholding as is necessary. *Choice*

- good integration and commercial support-you can go for free to whatever you want to spend with linux support, unlimited

- carries the name of a recognized brand-Linux is so far mainstream now, every single major media outlet has carried numerous articles for years, it needs no further introduction, its like saying, "welcome to the 21st century, we have cars now, check em out!"

- something different that has a reputation for rock solid stability-WAY more config diffs under linux then under mac or windows and stability is a non issue, its *there*, it is a major bragging point.

- user-friendly-pure command line for the fattest gray haired gurus all the way to very nice looking (this e17 is *nice*) and functional GUI, its the same deal realistically now, user friendly for most any user, and you have a LOT more choices with linux

And the most important part?? Freedom. You can look at any tiny detail and change it to whatever you want, total freedom. You aint getting that from apple or MS.....

Look at the one laptop per child project, arguably the largest planned technological rollout to the most people ever conceived, the goal is stick a laptop in the hands of every kid on earth eventually. This will be known in future history as a serious major turning point once it starts happening, and it looks pretty good it will. Now, they had to choose,the softare is a critical part of this ambitious undertaking, they looked at it, MS and Apple-not even in the running for a project of this grand a vision. Default resource hogs and no freedom at all knocked them out early in the considerations.

http://cyti.latgola.lv/ruuni/index_en.html is a much better alternative to DSL. Full version of abiword rather than the diddly rtf editor you get with DSL. Full spreadsheet (gnumeric). Full copy of the gimp, mplayer...I could go on.

Blueflops, 2 floppies, that's it, net connection, graphical web browsing, irc, etc. Outstanding, I run it on an old toshiba lappy with 16 megs ram and a floppy drive.

Austrumi 50 megs of coolness and no more. It does need more RAM though than a lot of other small distros, 128, but it loads into the RAM then, spits the CD back out freeing up the optical drive, and is wicked fast.

A better alternative to damn small linux is austrumi. Full versions of Abiword, the Gimp, gnumeric, mplayer etc., rather than the cut-down alternatives DSL tends to include. Also, in the medium range I recommend SLAX.

Austrumi is an incredible 50mb distro. Rather than mini programs, it includes full versions of abiword, gnumeric, the gimp, mplayer, inkscape, skype... loads of things.

Austrumi is a better business card CD. And for a mini cd, try SLAX.