Linux Distro Elive Emerges Alive After 8-Year Hibernation (theregister.co.uk)

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Linux Distro Elive Emerges Alive After 8-Year Hibernation (theregister.co.uk)

Posted by msmash on Tuesday September 11, 2018 @05:20AM from the how-about-that dept.

Designed to run on minimal hardware, Elive is very much a passion project of its leader, Samuel F Baggen. Based on Debian, the first version took a bow in 2005. The second stable version made an appearance in 2010 and it has been a long eight years for the third stable version to become available. The Register: Elive has an impressively low bar to entry, with hardware requirements for the distribution coming in at 256 MB RAM and a 500 MHz CPU, meaning that some very elderly silicon is theoretically going to be able to enjoy the highly polished Enlightenment desktop. "Theoretically" because after The Register took Elive 3.0.0 out for a spin on a relatively low-powered laptop, we'd frankly baulk at running it on anything much slower than a 533MHz Core 2 with at least 512 MB RAM. However, the Enlightenment UI is undeniably an attractive desktop, particularly if a macOS-alike dock is your thing, and runs at an impressive lick even on hardware that lacks graphics acceleration.

At its core, Elive is based on the Debian 8 distribution (aka Jessie), using the 3.16 kernel and version 0.17.6 of the Enlightenment X11 Window Manager. It comes replete with a full set of applications, including the ubiquitous LibreOffice and Gimp, along with a variety of productivity and entertainment tools, some of which are Elive's own. Unlike the previous version of Elive, 3.0.0 removes the requirement of donating to the project in order to install the thing locally (although Baggen was quick to tell The Reg that cost-free alternatives existed, but often with annoying processes).

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it has no purpose that is already met by iggymanz · 2018-09-11 05:25 · Score: 2

plenty of low memory/disk Linux distros out there for i386...
And there are the BSD too, OpenBSD desktop can work with 32MB of RAM and 250MB disk, just as example.
1. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:32 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  I love BSD! It's Unix without the faggotry, zealotry, and drama that comes with Linux.
2. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by commodore64_love · 2018-09-11 05:56 · Score: 2
  
  My favorite "tiny" Linux distribution is "Puppy" because it's just so cuuuute ;-) And only needs 64 MB and a 486 CPU. Of course for actual real work Lubuntu is my preferred lightweight system.
  - I had to laugh when the article said "we recommend 512 MB". I'm still running an ancient Pentium 4 with XP on that exact amount of memory. I figure: Until the power supply or hard drive dies, I'll just keep using this ancient unit to watch youtube, read Gmail, etc.
  It's almost twenty years old! (Although my Sears TV has that beat... it surpassed 40 years a few months ago. I used to play Atari games on it!)
  
  --
  "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
3. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by iggymanz · 2018-09-11 06:00 · Score: 1
  
  it's faster to type 'systemd' than that phrase
4. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:20 · Score: 1
  
  That's about the only case where systemd is faster.
5. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by iggymanz · 2018-09-11 06:20 · Score: 1
  
  damn small linux can go down to 16MB on 486
  more RAM is recommended though 8D
6. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 07:13 · Score: 0
  
  I'm joking, but I really want to ask ... Where am I supposed to get a 533mhz Core 2 to even run this on? "Low Power" doesn't mean anything when the recommendation is to run it on a non-existent chip.
7. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by tkotz · 2018-09-11 09:14 · Score: 1
  
  If the goal is low power, an under-clocked modern CPU may be a better option to an older CPU.
8. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by iggymanz · 2018-09-11 10:20 · Score: 1
  
  for fast, you should see a server when systemd goes full retard and takes everything up and down again in an endless cycle. it does that really really fast.
  I've yet to meet a serious systems admin in charge of hundreds or thousands of servers that thinks systemd is good think. they all say something akin to "maggot infested shit" in more diplomatic tones
9. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Raenex · 2018-09-11 14:23 · Score: 1
  
  I'm sure hackers like going through your Gmail too. Seriously, running XP? When's the last time that OS got a security update? When's the last time the browser you're running on it did?
10. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 17:03 · Score: 0
  
  I understand your point, but to further extend my poking fun - the lowest the Core 2 line's FSB went was 800mhz. I'm not sure what motherboard you could have found that would have let you go lower than that. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
11. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 18:06 · Score: 0
  
  I would hate to see the state of your computer if you think that updates are some magic bullet that keeps shit secure. It's possible for software to be "finished" and that every update brings more bugs. It's also pretty easy to secure any system, regardless of how old it may be.
12. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Raenex · 2018-09-11 18:32 · Score: 0
  
  I would hate to see the state of your computer if you think that updates are some magic bullet that keeps shit secure.
  I guarantee you it's better off than a system running with known exploits.
  
  It's also pretty easy to secure any system, regardless of how old it may be.
  No it isn't.
13. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 18:34 · Score: 0
  
  I boot the live puppy iso off a flash drive for troubleshooting PCs :D
14. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 18:37 · Score: 0
  
  Damn Small Linux is brilliant, ran like lightning on my ancient P2 233 (Overclocked to 266) :D
15. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by thanatermesis · 2018-09-12 05:14 · Score: 1
  
  it has no purpose...
  Definitively you didn't tried it saying this kind of comment No offense, it is a very DIFFERENT system and the goal is absolutely not low resources, check the new homepage to see all the characteristics, low resources is just one of the much features and an important one
16. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 17:18 · Score: 1
  
  I guarantee you it's better off than a system running with known exploits.
  Better known exploits than unknown ones like on your "agile", trial-and-error, end-user beta test pile of shit.
  
  No it isn't.
  Yep, it's easy. You're just a noob who doesn't know how to use a computer.
17. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Raenex · 2018-09-12 19:41 · Score: 1
  
  Better known exploits than unknown ones like on your "agile", trial-and-error, end-user beta test pile of shit.
  You're legit retarded.
  
  Yep, it's easy. You're just a noob who doesn't know how to use a computer.
  Then describe your secure setup. Making claims without evidence is meaningless.
18. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-13 05:48 · Score: 0
  
  You're legit retarded.
  Says the child who thinks Windows 10 is secure.
  Also "legit retarded" is incorrect grammar. You should have stayed in school in received at least a basic education.
  
  Then describe your secure setup. Making claims without evidence is meaningless.
  You mean like how you made the baseless claim that only software currently receiving "updates" (read: changes which aren't all good) can be secured?
  It's not my job to educate you but if you want to pay for my time, then we can talk. My starting pay is $150/hour with a minimum of 40 hours.
19. Re:it has no purpose that is already met by Raenex · 2018-09-13 07:56 · Score: 1
  
  Says the child who thinks Windows 10 is secure.
  I never said it was secure. I said XP and the outdates browsers that run on it are trivially insecure with known exploits.
  
  It's not my job to educate you
  But it is your job to substantiate your claims. What is claimed without evidence can be dismissed. If it was easy to secure then we wouldn't need to pay a super "genius" like you for consultation. We'd just look up the recipe online and do it.
LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:28 · Score: 1

Windows 98 ran on 32 MB of RAM and a Pentium 1. It had an entire suite of GUI programs available. Even this bare bones modern OS needs 256 MB and is barely usable. It's sad how far performance has fallen over time.
1. Re:LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:35 · Score: 1
  
  TOS and GEM ran on my Atari ST with 1MB of RAM and a full suite of GUI apps available. Could even do multitasking with MultiTOS and a 4MB upgrade. Get off my lawn.
2. Re:LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:46 · Score: 1
  
  "could do multitasking with 4 MB upgrade"
  Not impressed. My Commodore Amiga did multitasking from day 1 (1985) with only 1/4 MB of RAM. It also was used to create CGI for television shows like seaQuest (all three seasons) and Babylon 5 (seasons 1 and 2).
3. Re:LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:51 · Score: 0
  
  None of my computers work. idky.
4. Re: LOL by c6gunner · 2018-09-11 06:08 · Score: 1
  
  The first video toaster ran on an Amiga 2000, which came with a full 1 MB of RAM (not 1/4) and could be upgraded up to 9 MB. The guys working on seaQuest likely had them fully upgraded, or they may even have been using the Amiga 4000 version which came standard double the RAM of the 2000.
5. Re:LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:16 · Score: 0
  
  But Win98 did not have systemd..
6. Re: LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:25 · Score: 0
  
  didn't video toaster have a commercial with Wesley Crusher in a leather jacket talking about how it gave video production to the people and stuck it to the man?
7. Re:LOL by LordHighExecutioner · 2018-09-11 07:07 · Score: 1
  
  We had OpenVMS on a microVAX (16 MW of RAM, IIRC), together with AllIn1, and four users connected to it with VT320 terminals, and this was in 1989...
8. Re: LOL by c6gunner · 2018-09-11 07:32 · Score: 1
  
  I don't remember the commercial, but Wesley Crusher did work on development for the Toaster 4000.
9. Re:LOL by tkotz · 2018-09-11 09:12 · Score: 1
  
  Though technically possible. Win 98 on an original Pentium would NOT have been a pleasant experience. I remember people installing it and booting up to show they could then immediately going back to actually keep the machine usable. And I'm assuming office 97 is in the suite of programs. Oh the pain. An original Pentium was a great DOS machine, but just stop there.
  I think modern OSes are a lot more conservative on the minimum requirements as people expect a certain level of usability.
  On a "i686" class machine, I'd assume this distro would out pace windows 98 in any side by side test being that in the late 90's I preferred Debian to Windows 98 and every version of Debian seems to eek out a little more performance on a given piece of hardware. Especially with modern approaches to old crushers like boot time, multitasking and virtual memory management.
  And then you would have to to come to terms with the modern web.
  Side note: Win 98 SE is probably my favorite version of windows.
10. Re:LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 09:34 · Score: 0
  
  Even more Not impressed -- my Coco II did full preemptive multitasking in 1982 with OS-9 and 64KB RAM (and UNIX pipes and redirection with dynamically-loadable device drivers -- suck on that Linux with your 'new loadable kernel modules'. Nyah nyah. :)
11. Re: LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 10:53 · Score: 0
  
  Windows 98 ran on a 486-33 with 8 megs of RAM.
12. Re: LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 11:25 · Score: 0
  
  Yes, exactly. I remember running OS/2 Warp and Windows 95 on a 486-33. It ran way faster than early Macs did. Those were terrible. Atari ST's and Amigas looked like rocketships in comparison.
13. Re: LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 00:26 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah, had to be an Amiga 4000. No fucking way they were rendering on a stock 7.16 Mhz 68000.
14. Re:LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 06:26 · Score: 0
  
  Had 98SE on a P1 133 with 40MB of RAM (as a tertiary outdated PC). It ran just fine, IE5 and Winamp and Quake and Doom 2, just as an additional seat on the LAN tucked in a corner.
  The video was probably S3 PCI 1MB on-board. 800x600 16bit was a fine res anyway with refresh perhaps 75Hz on a low end 14" or 15" CRT.
  It's all about the RAM and still is today. You can probably run some turd like Windows 7 or 10 on a 64bit Pentium 4 with 8GB DDR2 just fine.
  Windows 98 on a 486 with 32MB RAM might run better than Windows 95 on a Pentium with 8MB RAM.
15. Re: LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 06:31 · Score: 0
  
  486-33 with a VLB graphics card and 256K L2 cache was a more powerful machine than it seems. Such a machine is actually competent at running Duke Nukem 3D.
  Two friends had those specs, with 8MB of 9 bit RAM.
Distros like this are needed. by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:35 · Score: 0

Now Microsoft has given up on non sse2 processors thee is a fleet of aging hardware without an OS to use. Please find homes for them.
So, it has a faster development cycle than Debian? by El+Cubano · 2018-09-11 05:38 · Score: 1

So, it has a faster development cycle than Debian?
I kid! I kid! I've been a Debian user for a very long time and thoroughly love it. But looking back at how long the Sarge release took, it is difficult not to poke fun at it now.
Article is wrong by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:41 · Score: 5, Informative

The article claims Elive 3.0.0 is based on Debian 8. This is incorrect. Elive 3 is based on Debian 7, which is several months past the end of its end of life date, even for the LTS repo. This means Elive users will not have any security updates. It is not a good idea to install this OS.
1. Re:Article is wrong by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:24 · Score: 0
  
  Samuel F. Baggen has announced the release of Elive 3.0.0, a major update of the project's Debian-based distribution with a customised Enlightenment 17 desktop user interface. This version is based on the 32-bit variant of Debian 8 "Jessie" and, unlike the previous stable version (2.0, released more than eight years ago), Elive 3 is free of charge and unlimited in any way: "After 8 years of silent development, the third stable version of Elive is out. The result is simply amazing and the integration is gorgeous; it is not even possible to describe every inside feature. The new website only contains a small portion of its characteristics. Unfortunately not everything is rainbows and perfection and the lack of resources delayed the release being too much. This has lead to old packages and drivers, but despite that, the final result is really worth it. Elive 3.0 is the most useful system ever made, perfect for the daily use, rock solid, beautiful and full of hidden features, with every effort to make it usable for any user level. This version is most powerful, maintaining its lightness in resources and a blazing fast responsiveness. And even better, the final stable version is entirely cost-free and limitless, with all its features." See the release announcement for further information. Download (MD5, pkglist): elive_3.0.0_stable_hybrid.iso (3,133MB), elive_3.0.0_stable_usb.img (3,271MB).
I like the look & 'sound' of it... apk by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:42 · Score: 0

I like the look (I've always liked the MacOS X 'dock') & sound of it (designed to be resource efficient etc.)!
* Who knows? I just MAY "give it a go" in the future!
APK
P.S.=> That & QUBES (this one sounds VERY smart on security)... ak
Ready for Robot Chicken guest open ... by fahrbot-bot · 2018-09-11 05:43 · Score: 2

It's Elive!

--
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
NEWSFLASH: apk 2lrn2 engrish by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:48 · Score: 0

prease 2b learnink 2 engrish.
They aren't pretty though. by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 05:50 · Score: 0

Enlightenment's philosophy is, that a pretty DE and being free of bloat are not mutually exclusive, and to put its money where its mouth is, simply offers them both.
1. Re:They aren't pretty though. by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:02 · Score: 0
  
  Enlightenment looks really dated though.
  KDE Plasma is modern and awesome.
2. Re: They aren't pretty though. by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:07 · Score: 0
  
  But KDE could become close source at the drop of a hat..
3. Re: They aren't pretty though. by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 07:32 · Score: 0
  
  Could you elaborate?
4. Re: They aren't pretty though. by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 16:55 · Score: 0
  
  I'm going to guess it's FUD related to long-closed issues with QT.
  
  https://www.kde.org/community/...
No, YOU learn to do good things like me by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:07 · Score: 0

See subject: Via APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux/BSD h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p
Yields more security/speed/reliability/anonymity vs. any 1 solution (99% of threats use hostnames vs. IP address most firewalls use) more efficiently/FASTER + NATIVELY 4 less!
Vs. "Bolt on 'MoAr' illogic-logic" slowing you hosts speed u up 2 ways: Adblocks + Hardcode fav. sites u spend most time @ vs. competition loaded w/ security bugs (DNS/AntiVir) + overheads slowing u (messagepass 'souled-out' to advertisers easily detected & blocked addons + firewall filtering drivers) & their complexity leads to exploitation!
* ONLY 1 of its kind in GUI 4 Linux/BSD!
(Better vs. Windows model in speed/efficiency/merge)
APK
P.S.=> Protects vs. script trackers/ads/DNS request tracking + redirect poisoned or downed DNS/botnets/malware downloads/malcript/email malicious payloads... apk
A good things 100's of 1,000s worldwide use by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:08 · Score: 0

Your software is just fine - well written, functional... I'm going to continue using the Host File Engine by mmell February 17, 2017

Your premise that hostfiles are a good way to deal with advertising and malvertising is quite valid - by JazzLad April 20, 2016

his hosts program is actually pretty good by xenotransplant August 10 2015

his hosts tool is actually useful for those cases in which one does indeed want to locally block stuff outright while consuming minimum system resources by alexgieg September 25 2015

I like your host file system by Karmashock September 09 2015

that APK guy, I use his host file by rogoshen1 Tuesday March 03, 2015

I personally use a HOSTS file blocker produced from a genius called APK by 110010001000 October 27 2017
* Linux model = faster/more efficient
APK
P.S.=> APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://www.google.comsearch?s...
just do a minimal debian install? by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:19 · Score: 0

I don't see what the point here is when you can do a minimal 32bit Debian install. I don't get all the need for 38920 Debian forks that do nothing beyond just select a list of pre-installed packages for you.
Source? by MAXOMENOS · 2018-09-11 06:19 · Score: 1

Hi AC. You're stating that Elive is based on Debian 7; can you tell us how we can validate this for ourselves? Much obliged.

--
Finding God in a Dog
1. Re:Source? by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:39 · Score: 1
  
  1. Download Elive. Boot from the live disc.
  2. Open a terminal and run either
  2a) usb_release -a
  or
  2b) cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian*
  Both show the project is based on, and pulling packages from, Debian 7 Wheezy.
2. Re:Source? by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 07:01 · Score: 0
  
  There's a lot of folks who wouldn't know the answer to that question. In my opinion, it's up to the original author to fill in the blanks. Now kindly fuck off.
3. Re:Source? by rahvin112 · 2018-09-11 07:02 · Score: 1
  
  I have a hard time believing it as well because the base kernel on Jesse (debian 8) is 3.16 and the base kernel on Weezy (debian 7) is 3.2 (3.02 if you aren't familiar with the numbering).
  The article is clear the base kernel is 3.16 indicating Jesse. Maybe it's a mix but I'd like to see this confirmed.
4. Re:Source? by MAXOMENOS · 2018-09-11 07:04 · Score: 1
  
  Thank you.
  
  --
  Finding God in a Dog
5. Re:Source? by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 11:50 · Score: 0
  
  The article is misleading in regards to the 3.16 kernel. The Elive 3 distribution ships with two kernels: 3.2 (from Wheezy) and 3.16 (which was backported from Jessie). The article only mentions the latter. But it appears to be the only backported package.
  The rest of the distro, including SysV and various other ancient packages are from Wheezy. Even the web browsers, which you;d think they'd update, are old. I think Firefox is still on version 52 and Chrome is 48.
  Don't take my work for it, there is a full package listing on DistroWatch: https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=elive&pkglist=true&version=3.0.0#pkglist
6. Re:Source? by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 23:29 · Score: 0
  
  I have to agree based on the package lists and browser version this shouldn't be on a network. It might be fun to play with in a VM but don't use it as a daily driver.
At last! by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:20 · Score: 0

The year of the Linux desktop is at hand.
THAT'S NOTHING! by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:23 · Score: 0

My Pet Rock did multitasking since the dawn of the solar system, with no RAM AT ALL. It was used to smash countless rocks over the head, form planets, serve as the foundation of mountains, and even is a nice sex toy!
Also, its UI is prettier than all of the above combined!
Did I win?
I tend to agree & why... apk by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 06:28 · Score: 0

See subject: When a 27++ yr. user of Windows shifts over in me & LIKES it? You have a point. I see a COUPLE small things acting funny (but they are overcomeable easily albeit via terminal command overrides (shouldn't BE thus, but the "dependencies" locks in Linux STILL need work @ GUI level imo as a dev)) in KUbuntu's DISCOVER program freezing/halting on updates via it's GUI which is gotten past via:
sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt -f install
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
In a tty terminal + sometimes (2x a day usually) KDE sometimes "lags" for ~ 30-70 seconds BUT recovers itself @ least.
* I've been on KUbuntu (again) for ~ 3-4 months now & LIKE it (big improvement since 2010 version in 18.04 patched fully now (see discover issue above)).
APK
P.S.=> After my Win7 64-bit DvD distro disk "bit it" FINALLY after 10++ yrs. OR so? Linux again it was (tried it 1st in Slackware 1.02 in 1994, was shitty, then RedHat in 1999, still shitty but better & had X gui support for me finally for hardware I had & then 10.10 KUbuntu in 2010 (was close but no cigar then, NOW? It is))... apk
1. Re: I tend to agree & why... apk by c6gunner · 2018-09-11 07:06 · Score: 1
  
  imo as a dev
  lol
Re:So, it has a faster development cycle than Debi by rahvin112 · 2018-09-11 06:57 · Score: 1

They mostly fixed that and appear to have sustained a 18 month release cycle over the past few years since wheezy came out.
Better headline by thegreatbob · 2018-09-11 07:06 · Score: 1

Might have gone with "Elive apt-get updates after...", you know, because it's Debian based, and not Gentoo. I crack myself up. Sorry, I'll show myself out.

--
There is no XUL, only WebExtensions...
Why no RaspPi image? by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 07:14 · Score: 0

If they are targeting this low (500Mhz and 512Mb) maybe they should consider releasing a Raspberry Pi image too.
Of course, x86 binaries would be incompatible but as a desktop platform RaspPi3 makes much more sense and perform better than, say, a Pentium III 600Mhz. Alas, with todays SBCs is hard to justify using anything from last century.
1. Re:Why no RaspPi image? by DontBeAMoran · 2018-09-11 07:27 · Score: 1
  
  Even the Raspberry Pi Zero, at only 5$USD, has a 1GHz processor and 512MB RAM. From the description of Elive in the sumary, it should be enough computing power and RAM to run easily it.
  On a Raspberry Pi 3, with a 1.2GHz Quad Core 64bit CPU and 1GB RAM, it should be running as fast as a regular desktop computer with a modern OS.
  
  --
  #DeleteFacebook
c6gunner FAKE NAME, tell ya what: by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 07:25 · Score: 0

Your software is just fine - well written, functional... I'm going to continue using the Host File Engine by mmell February 17, 2017

Your premise that hostfiles are a good way to deal with advertising and malvertising is quite valid - by JazzLad April 20, 2016

his hosts program is actually pretty good by xenotransplant August 10 2015

his hosts tool is actually useful for those cases in which one does indeed want to locally block stuff outright while consuming minimum system resources by alexgieg September 25 2015

I like your host file system by Karmashock September 09 2015

that APK guy, I use his host file by rogoshen1 Tuesday March 03, 2015

I personally use a HOSTS file blocker produced from a genius called APK by 110010001000 October 27 2017
* b>SEE SUBJECT+ below...
APK
P.S.=> When YOU do better than THAT by our /. registered peers, then talk (from behind your FAKE NAME for your FAKE LIE of a "so-called" WASTED life) - ok? apk
1. Re: c6gunner FAKE NAME, tell ya what: by c6gunner · 2018-09-11 14:59 · Score: 1
  
  Your software is just crap - written in crayon, fictional... I'm going to continue using the Host File Engine as a punchline to a joke by mmell February 17, 2017
  Your premise that hostfiles are a good way to deal with advertising and malvertising is fucking insane - by JazzLad April 20, 2016
  his hosts "program" is actually a broken batch file by xenotransplant August 10 2015
  his hosts tool is actually useful for those cases in which one does indeed want to be a laughingstock while consuming excessive amounts of alcohol by alexgieg September 25 2015
  I like your tinfoil hat by Karmashock September 09 2015
  that APK nut, I can't get him to stop talking about his piece of shit file by rogoshen1 Tuesday March 03, 2015
  I personally use a HOSTS file blocker produced from a genius called APK by 110010001000 October 27 2017
  APK
  P.S.=> When YOU do better than THAT by our /. registered peers, then talk (from behind your FAKE NAME for your FAKE LIE of a "so-called" WASTED life) - ok? apk
Puppy Linux by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 07:33 · Score: 0

IMHO, Puppy Linux does the low requirements thing better than Elive.
Puppy Linux
Looks like a good start by thePsychologist · 2018-09-11 08:31 · Score: 1

Someone should help make a mirror of this distro, as it has run out of bandwidth for downloading it seems. It's also 32-bit only.

--
"What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson
There is no 533Mhz Core 2 Duo... by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 09:35 · Score: 0

Must have mistakened it for the FSB of some processors.
And please, resurrect Yggdrasil Linux too! by guacamole · 2018-09-11 09:35 · Score: 1

I love Yggdrasil, but after 1995 it became somewhat difficult to use. Porting Linux 3.x patches to 0.95 has been notoriously troublesome and we still haven't got the Meltdown patch.
1. Re:And please, resurrect Yggdrasil Linux too! by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 10:11 · Score: 0
  
  I still have the plug and play Yggdrasil cdrom I remember when I first tried it. It was awesome seeing X running on my 486. The only bad thing was the monitor I had couldn't do 1024x768 non-interlaced and wow was it bad interlaced. I mean look at it for 15 minutes and get a splitting headache bad.
  The performance was actually pretty damn impressive too.
2. Re: And please, resurrect Yggdrasil Linux too! by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 11:03 · Score: 0
  
  The big problem with zLGX (what the first Fall 1993 version of Yggrasil linux was called) was the glitch in the installer.
  It was set up to basically mirror the bootable system image to your hard drive. Unfortunately it was not possible to not install the entire source code though it was designed to be possible. I had a 600 MB esdi hard drive, but with the source packages the install would bloat to over this size.
Browser by markdavis · 2018-09-11 10:07 · Score: 2

The real problem comes when you try to use a modern web browser with such a low-powered system. Some web sites might fare OK, but the current main web is such a crapzone of intense and unbelievably big javascript, forced video, HUGE images that it forces the client to scale, transparencies, fly-outs, mouse-overs, stupid animated transitions, hooks into a zillion other sites, that ANY browser that CAN render it halfway decently is going to gobble up all your memory and CPU resources with just a single, terribly slow page.
So although such a system might work fine for some types of projects, but as a desktop, it would be pretty bad.
Ironically, I just updated my browser, and have 5 tabs open half-screen, with ads blocked, and is doing NOTHING, yet it is consuming 50% of an entire core (hasn't done THAT before, but has since the update two days ago, it pretty constant). Top shows one of the processes at 50% CPU, yet about:performance says NOTHING about anything using resources. The tabs are 4 static/old forums, Slashdot, Hotmail, Youtube. And the Youtube one is just sitting on a listing of videos with nothing playing and no animation. If I close that tab, wham, back to a very low CPU, except it didn't work this last time I closed it. Annoying on a powerful 6 core system... but it would be crippling on a old/weak 1 or 2 core system.
1. Re:Browser by Artemis3 · 2018-09-11 11:29 · Score: 1
  
  Install uMatrix or your favorite script/annoyances blocker, among other measures (such as blocking video autoplay, flash, etc).
  Use a browser that lets you disable "multi process", I know Waterfox allows this. Others let you change the number of threads, I set those to 1.
  Configure it to always start your last open tabs, that way you can close and open the browser periodically (don't leave it open unattended).
  The current browser developer mindset is that THEY are the OS, they will eat all your cpu cores and ram because only they matter, they don't behave well to the other running apps...
  I'd rather have a slower browser that leaves a lean OS than a fast browser that makes everything else grind to a halt. This is why i tend to use Firefox forks, but not Firefox itself because that has gone too bloated. Chromium is a backup, i keep to very few tabs and close asap, because it WILL eat your resources, like it or not..
  
  --
  Artix
  Your Linux, your init.
2. Re:Browser by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 06:41 · Score: 0
  
  Some years back it was decent. You probably can still browse a couple slashdot tabs, a half dozen wikipedia, some webmail if not too heavy.
  But if you're running a 500MHz CPU, the browsers now require SSE2 for their just-in-time compilers and thus won't even run at all. (you can probably cheat by getting a binary tarball of Firefox 45 ESR, etc.)
  Use elinks, dillo, lynx or simply ssh -X into a newer machine.
  Pentium 4, Atom, Athlon 64, VIA C7 will not have this problem.
3. Re:Browser by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 06:58 · Score: 0
  
  I went from Firefox 52 ESR to 60 ESR and find it to be well easier on my system even though it runs more processes and is supposedly bloated.
  The preferences GUI is deficient : you have to uncheck "Use recommended performance settings" to get the option to set the number of content processes (I chose 3 instead of 4). This is a violation of GUI conventions, the preferences should be visible and greyed out.
  Nothing much to complain about otherwise. It's a massive performance and stability improvement. Well I haven't tried it on 1GB or 512MB system RAM.
  It also won't jump around : supported for a year and a month from now, you'll have to upgrade to 68.2 ESR then.
13 Years Only? by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-11 10:47 · Score: 0

Just 13 years since their first stable release? Phffftttt!!
GNU Hurd has been under development for the last 27 years and still hasn't hit v1.0. Top that you mere amateurs!
c6gunner needs more #1/6 by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 00:53 · Score: 0

Apk has the answer for that - really... kill automatic updates by adding a hosts file entry setting updates.steam.com or whatever to 127.0.0.1. You have to find the right hostname for each software you want to block updates on by raymorris (2726007) on Friday July 06, 2018

APK your posts on this and the hosts file posts, and more, have never been in error and/or bad advice by BlueStrat (756137) on Wednesday June 21, 2017

I support APK's stand on the hosts file and can't see why it's not used more than it is. My hosts file is 144247 lines long (4,332 Kb) it & a firewall serves me very well - by Trax3001BBS (2368736)

ABP is insufficient as a solid hosts file does everything APK reminds us about fast turtle September 17 2013

You need APK's hosts file - by Teun (17872) on Wednesday August 06, 2014

"I don't much like APK, But in certain cases im sure his host file shit works for the plebs that don't know how to protect them self." by Highdude702 (4456913)on Sunday July 15, 2018
APK
c6gunner needs more #2/6 by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 00:58 · Score: 0

APK solution STILL relevant Thud457 June 11 2015

Actually, APK is totally right on this count. Adblock Plus on Firefox mobile is a dog on older, or lower end, phones. A hostfile based adblocker makes for a much better experience in this context. Of course, your phone has to be rooted, which isn't the case with Firefox + adblock." - by chihowa on Saturday May 16, 2015

In a footnote, I would like to note that I find your hosts file admirable - by vel-ex-tech (4337079) on Tuesday November 24, 2015

APK's monolithic hosts file is looking pretty good at the moment - by Culture20 on Thursday November 17

you're right about hosts files - by drinkypoo (153816) on Thursday May 26

APK, I know people give you a lot of shit regarding hosts, but please don't ever stop - by nasredin (958927) on Friday June 12, 2015 @03:34PM
APK
P.S.=> More coming... apk
c6gunner needs more #3/6 by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 01:01 · Score: 0

I say the following as a caring human being who agrees with how useful HOSTS files are: Your zeal is to be respected - by dave420 (699308) on Monday September 08, 2014

But I love APK!The power of the hostfile compels you! by ratboy666 (104074) on Friday January 29, 2016

APK was right all along! C:\WINDOWS\HOSTS is the solution ;) - by sabri (584428) on Friday October 21, 2016

No complaints from me, I like APK's spam. Reminds me to use a host file. Also, his stuff is free. - by aaaaaaargh! (1150173) on Tuesday November 17, 2015

APK was right! Is it time for us to point Sourceforge to a non-address in our hosts files, and let Sourceforge know we have done same? - by wonkey_monkey

I'm a fan of apk. Yes he trolls, but he only trolls where it's contextually appropriate. I respect that - by Noah Haders (3621429) on Wednesday July 29, 2015
APK
P.S.=> MORE coming... apk
c6gunner needs more #4/6 by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 01:03 · Score: 0

APK is kinda right... I've given up on JS based adblocking and gone to blackholing in /etc/hosts, just like it was back in the 90s. The computational load has gotten intolerable for any ad-blocking using JS. I've tried his hosts file generating software. It works. - by bmo (77928) on Thursday October 15, 2015

get around to 'installing' a hosts file list, not sure which one, likely the one from someonewhocares.org. If it works as well as what I used for a while about ten years ago, I'll be happy. And grateful to APK for the lesson and the reminder. - by kermidge (2221646) on Wednesday March 27

I actually went and downloaded a 16k line hosts file and started using that after seeing that post, you know just for trying it out. some sites load up faster. - by gl4ss (559668) on Thursday November 17

dammit MS, you proved APK right about something by lgw

APK
P.S.=> More coming... apk
c6gunner needs more #5/6 by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 01:11 · Score: 0

the Host File Engine performs exactly as promised - by mmell (832646) on Thursday February 16, 2017

(APK) is still right a hosts file really does work. It even blocked a some of the video ads that were inserted into a stream OrangeTide February 10 2016

I do use APK's host file on all my systems at home by OrangeTide December 01 2017

I've never tried to belittle (APK's work), I've flat out said it's good - by BronsCon (927697) on Thursday February 11, 2016 @06:48PM (#51491263)
APK
P.S.=> More coming... apk
c6gunner needs more #6/6 FINAL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 01:21 · Score: 0

c6gunner you're OUTNUMBERED 34++:1 you FAKE NAME (for your FAKE LIE of a "so-called" life, a WASTED life) do-nothing "ne'er-do-well".
APK
P.S.=> See https://linux.slashdot.org/com... & https://linux.slashdot.org/com... & https://linux.slashdot.org/com... & https://linux.slashdot.org/com... & https://linux.slashdot.org/com... + https://linux.slashdot.org/com... ... apk
1. Re:c6gunner needs more #6/6 FINAL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 04:20 · Score: 0
  
  APK forgot to include context with those quotes because then people would see that he vastly overstates his ability and what hosts is capable of. Plus most of those commenters also state that APK is a raging asshole, spammer, incompetent, or in general a shit head. If after close to 2 decades spamming his crap here APK can only manage 34 not completely critical reviews of his work it must really be shit. How many orders of magnitude more people have stated that his work as absolute garbage.
2. Re:c6gunner needs more #6/6 FINAL by Anonymous Coward · 2018-09-12 07:58 · Score: 0
  
  Yet everyone quoted likes and uses his work saying hosts are more security and speed for them. You lose and are jealous of apk. Nobody says good things about you.