View Full Version : Why are other distros so bloated?
Boomy
March 2nd, 2007, 05:21 AM
Why are there so many distros out there that span multiple cd isos? Ubuntu still fits on one cd and has almost anything an average user could need. I mean some are 6 isos? wtf? I don't know about you, but I don't even want to waste my time with that. :confused:
I just downloaded the Edgy iso in under 20 minutes....:guitar:
Dr. Nick
March 2nd, 2007, 05:32 AM
The 6 isos would be nice if you used it on a computer without internet access, their are tons more gigs in the ubuntu repos that need internet to access.
Also some distros come with multiple desktop environments like gnome, kde, xfce etc while ubuntu breaks them up into separate distros.
I myself am a fan of the 1 iso though :)
steven8
March 2nd, 2007, 05:43 AM
I always look for one disc distros. However, I just install ubuntu. . .and then installed the 204 updates from the web. :)
Skia_42
March 2nd, 2007, 05:51 AM
Dvd .iso's aren;t that bad if you have a dvd burner...
maniacmusician
March 2nd, 2007, 06:06 AM
Dvd .iso's aren;t that bad if you have a dvd burner...
yup. More and more people do these days.
The multi-disk approach is really only beneficial for people that have bad or no internet access. Ubuntu is a very internet-oriented system, so it pretty much sucks with dialup access or no access at all.
muguwmp67
March 2nd, 2007, 06:57 AM
I thought most multi-disk distro's only truly required the first disk.
I hear the post-install update pain. I did find a solution to this though. I do a netboot install, and install everything off of the internet. Install takes twice as long because everything gets downloaded from the repos.
But....no post-install updates!
SunnyRabbiera
March 2nd, 2007, 07:00 AM
well most multi disk distros offer extra software on thier disks.
Multi disk distros are handy to those with not that good internet acess
K.Mandla
March 2nd, 2007, 08:37 AM
Kinda funny, but I usually think of Ubuntu as a bit bloated. I forget there are five- and six-disc distros out there. :roll:
steven8
March 2nd, 2007, 08:43 AM
I thought most multi-disk distro's only truly required the first disk.
I hear the post-install update pain. I did find a solution to this though. I do a netboot install, and install everything off of the internet. Install takes twice as long because everything gets downloaded from the repos.
But....no post-install updates!
I didn't consider it painful. No biggie to me. I kick it off and check back on it now and the nto see how it's doing.
purdy hate machine
March 2nd, 2007, 08:50 AM
bloated
adj.
1. The most commonly misused word in the Linux community.
](*,)
There’s nothing bloated about multiple cd distros, no one is forcing you to install the additional packages.
23meg
March 2nd, 2007, 09:01 AM
If being bloated means having many packages, together with Universe and Multiverse, which have their equivalents in discs 2 to n (where n > 2) of most multi-CD distros, Ubuntu may be more bloated.
The main point where Ubuntu differs from those distros is that it doesn't let you select what packages to set up at install time, but instead sticks to a set of defaults which the user can later modify. Hence the lack of need for lots of CDs at install time.
This also allows for a clear separation of Free and non-Free, as well as supported and unsupported software.
FyreBrand
March 2nd, 2007, 09:09 AM
I thought most multi-disk distro's only truly required the first disk.
I hear the post-install update pain. I did find a solution to this though. I do a netboot install, and install everything off of the internet. Install takes twice as long because everything gets downloaded from the repos.
But....no post-install updates!The multi-disc installs usually only require disc 1 and 1 or more of the rest depending on your install. So if you install FC6 they will tell you (now they didn't used to) what discs you need to download to install let's say gnome. That way you don't have to download all 6 if you're not installing kde.
Kinda funny, but I usually think of Ubuntu as a bit bloated. I forget there are five- and six-disc distros out there. :roll: Hehe. I've been reading your blog lately. You like the super lean and light don't you. It's a great read by the way and very useful. It's been really helpful at work. Thanks.
bloated
adj.
1. The most commonly misused word in the Linux community.
](*,)
There’s nothing bloated about multiple cd distros, no one is forcing you to install the additional packages.No one is forcing anyone to do anything, but unless they tell you what cd's you need for your particular install you still have to download and burn 5 or 6 discs. Even on my medium speed 1.5Mbit connection that takes quite a while. Thankfully Fedora and SUSE will let you know now which discs you need for a specific setup.
igknighted
March 2nd, 2007, 12:23 PM
Why are there so many distros out there that span multiple cd isos? Ubuntu still fits on one cd and has almost anything an average user could need. I mean some are 6 isos? wtf? I don't know about you, but I don't even want to waste my time with that. :confused:
I just downloaded the Edgy iso in under 20 minutes....:guitar:
Easy, lots of people would rather have a repo on CD/DVD rather than on a server far away. Also, if you don't want extra CD's, don't download them. Most only require the first one or two to install. In fact, you could create a light system with those CD's because most distros not named *buntu allow you to select the packages you want to install, not just get everything on the CD (if you choose to, that is). A lot of the 'bloat' rumor that hovers around many of these distro's is from people who install everything and then say "wahhhh, its so big!!" Well, you installed it like that. I use Fedora a lot (and did in fact download the DVD... mainly because it was downloading overnight anyway, and I was out of blank CDs and had a mountain of DVDs... w/e) and it is as light and trim as Ubuntu because I only install what I want.
By this logic Debian is the mother of all bloat, at what, 14 cds or 2 DVDs?
Dragonbite
March 2nd, 2007, 02:59 PM
Ubuntu and 1-disk distros are great providing they include everything you want to set up "out of the box". All deviations from this require the internet to download what you want.
Gentoo runs a 2-disk process..
1 for partitioning, installing the OS and setting up Portage. If you are able to get online from there then that's all you need because you can update Portage and then install the latest versions of only what you want.
The 2nd CD includes just the packages for the more popular programs to get you started (server or workstation orientated). This includes offering Gnome, KDE and Xfce desktops.
Having a multi-CD distro, as was mentioned before, is good if you have slow/no internet access but again, if you don't download them like the day it comes out you'll still be running online for updates! Multi-CD distros also come in handy if you cannot get your internet connection working.
With Red Hat 5 coming out very soon I'm aiming to hold off on installing CentOS 4.3 for CentOS 5 so things are a little more "up-to-date" and shouldn't require much in the way of immediate updates.
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