Is Ubuntu minimal install really dead?

[cortman]

Is there seriously no option for a minimal desktop installation of Ubuntu?
I'm talking a system that installs only the CLI, but comes with all the desktop driver support. That's why server really isn't what I'm after.
I have a hard time envisioning what need the "Alternate" image fills- it installs the full desktop without giving any option as to packages to hold back. The only distinguishing characteristic is that it downloads the packages as it installs, but if you have a good enough internet connection to download while installing, why not just download a standard image?
Perhaps I'm missing something. I was really hoping to make my own Openbox spin on Ubuntu, but it doesn't look likely.

[darkod]

I see the Alternate CD mostly to install RAID and/or LVM which are supported much better than on the standard cd.

As for the minimal install, I don't understand, did you try the minimal cd or not? It still exists for download.

[cortman]

Thanks for the redirect, Darko. I haven't gotten it going yet but that seems to be what I was after.
My question would be why it isn't on the downloads page? But no matter.

[1clue]

Don't take this as a hate post, it's certainly not -- I use Ubuntu as my primary workstation, so I do NOT hate it. :)

Every now and then whatever distro I'm using makes it difficult for me to load what I want to run, which is often enough just what you posted about. Couldn't find the minimal image.

When that happens I usually go take a look around at other distros. Maybe try one out in a VM or even on a real filesystem so I can boot from it. It's good to see what else is out there, and good to "clear datum" in your head to see what actually makes your distro be your distro.

My "other" favorite distro right now is Gentoo. Maybe not for you, it's a source-based distro so you need to compile everything that goes on your system, with a couple exceptions if you choose to take them. On that distro, your only choice is "minimal" and then you start adding options on. It becomes truly YOUR installation, they draw the line much closer to a bare install than almost anyone else.

Good luck and have fun.

[darkod]

I would say, we all think in different ways. :)

One reason I would see in not putting the minimal cd together with the rest of the images is maybe to avoid confusing people new to ubuntu. Even as it is, there is often confusion among first time users. Imagine with even more images. :)

[1clue]

Why not have thumbnail screen shots of what you get?

The regular image gets a small desktop image, the minimal gets a command prompt on a black screen, with "no UI pre-installed -- do it yourself!" under it.

[cortman]

As you say, 1Clue, I tried another distro. I started out wanting to run Crunchbang, but too many driver issues. Then Bodhi, but same issues. Ubuntu ran fine but Unity was slow. Ubuntu 11.10, with Unity removed and Openbox installed was a little faster but not much. Finally I settled on Fedora LXDE spin, which supported everything out of the box and is nice and lightweight. For some reason Lubuntu 11.10 wouldn't, while Ubuntu 11.10 did. Go figure.