Puppy is a super-light distro which loads into RAM and can
be booted from USB every time. I choose not to do an
install, but rather allow puppy to create a "pup save" file
which allowed my configurations (Dvorak, wifi connection)
and added software (Lynx, Nano (the heck?)) to be ready if
the day ever comes where I want to boot da Pup up from da
stick again. (Alternatively, pup is purported to have built
in tools to etch an "insta-fork" iso, and I could put that
on the bootable USB -- how cool is that?)
I played with it out of a spirit of true digital minimalism
and some vague dream of one day being able to go around to
people's old computers and give them new life. The second
goal would probably be possible if I had more of a real-life
social network, but as for the first goal -- I must say that
Puppy Linux Bionic Pup has a very different view of
minimalism than I do.
To me, minimalism is about the terminal. As noted
parenthetically above, out-of-the-box there is no Lynx and
no Nano, which have become absolute staples of my computing
existence, but worse than that OS swallows alt+<number> as
a way to toggle between terminal tabs and instead uses them
for virtual desktops (which, yuck. . . in this guy's
opinion). And, yeah, yeah, I'm sure I'm supposed to know
how to remap the keys, and it should be an honor and
privilege to mess with that. But since everything I ask
Mint to do runs zippy fast on both of my computers, I'm not
exactly going to put this on the top of my to-do list.
Also, there is no apt, with installation occurring through
the Puppy Package Manger, which in fairness I had no
problems using.
So while Puppy represents less my idea of Zen in the art of
information, but is instead cramming as much Windows-like
functionality with cool utilities in as little memory as it
can, it should be appreciated as a remarkable achievement in
those terms. It is the real Windows-XP killer, in that all
those old XP machines stored in all of those closets, under
beds, and actually being used *should* be given the Puppy
Treatment.
--
This work is hereby in the public domain.
Do what you want with it.
