Completely revamping Ubuntu and Adding features- How would I go about this

[tehhh1337]

Hey everyone,

So this question is kind of a big one I guess. The goal of the project I'm working is to create an entirely new OS. Obviously writing one from scratch in this day in age is kind of a waste of time, so I thought I'd base it off Ubuntu.
I'm pretty much planning on editing everything via the source code, (no customization programs, this OS needs to have an ISO file at the end that you can burn to a CD, without any of my personal files, but with all of the features and programs that I plan to write. No strings attached.) How would I go about doing this? I know many programming languages, so I think it's just a matter of getting the source code and editing it. I've done some preliminary research on this, but I can't quite figure out how to get it done. Secondly, I'd like to build new packages to have on the default OS (end product). These aren't just nifty programs, but actual OS features (like the unity bar, that's a prime example of a program I might make). How would I go about this?

Thanks.

[Megaptera]

Have you had a look here: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/ Quoted "Linux From Scratch (LFS) is a project that provides you with step-by-step instructions for building your own custom Linux system, entirely from source code."

Hope this helps?

[tehhh1337]

Thanks for the reply. I've actually looked at that before and it looks extremely complicated, but I do agree it seems like the most viable (although not preferable =[ ) option.
If there's any other resources out there, feel free to let me know. I'll keep this thread open for replies.

[user1397]

first you have to ask yourself, what is the end goal here? Are you just doing this as a challenge for yourself or for fun? Are you trying to add features to ubuntu that it does not already have? Are you trying to make a new distro and plan to maintain it for other people to be able to download and update it?

If you want to just base it off ubuntu, I don't think making a whole new distro is the best option. Maybe instead you could focus on contributing to the code of any program, such as unity, or start a new program.

I'm not trying to be a buzzkill, but another ubuntu spinoff or another completely new linux distribution may not be the most prudent thing in the world right now... Fixing bugs/adding new features or cleaning up code to already existing programs is time better spent in my opinion, or of course making your own new program if you've got a kickass idea

[tehhh1337]

Well yeah in any other case you're 100% right, but in this scenario it's actually prudent that I my own written OS, simply due to the fact that the features I need to have do not exist, and as of my knowledge don't exist in the minds of any other developer either.
As for the end goal, it would be to create an entirely new OS and eventually, long from now however, distribute it.

[lykwydchykyn]

New OS, or just a new desktop environment?

A system like Ubuntu is put together by selecting components from a vast pool of available open-source code, and fitting them together into a reasonably cohesive whole. You don't just "download the source code for Ubuntu"; it's not just one monolithic program with a single set of source files. Pick some component that you want to tinker with, and start there. Then decide if it's simpler to modify something already written, or write the component yourself from scratch.

[tehhh1337]

I'm thinking an entirely new OS. If I just tinkered with Ubuntu, and called it my own I feel like that would be kind of ....lame...

[lykwydchykyn]

The goal of the project I'm working is to create an entirely new OS. Obviously writing one from scratch in this day in age is kind of a waste of time, so I thought I'd base it off Ubuntu.

I'm thinking an entirely new OS. If I just tinkered with Ubuntu, and called it my own I feel like that would be kind of ....lame...

I'm confused about exactly what you are wanting to do here.

Can you be specific about what types of things you intend to change? That might help us point you in the right direction.

[mastablasta]

otherwise for starter install ubuntu minimal iso. add what you want and hten use remastersys or system imager or what is called now to cretae the iso.

ofcourse you would still need to change branding and such...

[iamkuriouspurpleoranj]

At the level you're interested in Ubuntu, you should probably use Debian as a base.