It depends on the nature of effort. I don't mind putting time consuming effort, ie, if it's only a question of time. I mind putting in brain racking effort. The last time I used Linux (and the only time) 5 years back I saw command prompt being used to install a software! I dont want that kind of effort really.

I dont consider installing softwares on MS Windows an effort at all. The Windows has made cool environment when it comes to installing softwares. You get to choose where it should go and what with its wizard like setup.

Of course in literal sense having to install additional softwares is an effort. Any work is greater than no work. I was asking for an easy work. Or at least I hope I could be clear now. And as I keep saying if I have to uninstall the default softwares from my Linux OS, its more work. I just prefer to start from empty and be cautious. It doesnt have anything to do with OS or the ecosystem itself being very hard to use (example, Windows). Of course I would love to see built in file explorer, required libraries like flash, administrator tools, all system level tools basically. I just don't want end consumer level GUI apps built in. Or at least this is the kind of environment I'm asking for.



It depends on the level of one control one wants. I need a certain level which I tried to explain in my question what that is. When I say I want X level of control, its not a direct answer or solution to say oh you want control, then why not have Y level of control?. I really do not know what LFS is or how cool it is (to my requirements), but from whatever I have come to know of it reading about it online, it's really not what I'm after.

I consider LFS as an additional info you guys have passed on to me, appreciate it, but no not a solution, and I wont be ever using it.



I'm the one who will set it up for her. So the intended user is me. From what I know she will hardly use the machine outside of office suite related work. If she turns out to be a geek, I will rethink my OS choice, and probably come here to ask another q!

I think the next step is for you to spend some time using linux. Discussing it here will not give you as much experience as actually spending a few days using linux.

When pizzerias offer combo pizzas (like Meat Lovers or Veggie Special) they are NOT limiting your freedom to choose toppings. You always have the option to start with a plain cheese pizza and add the toppings of your choice. The combo pizzas on the menu are simply a shortcut/convenience so people can order the most popular options with minimum effort. Linux distributions are like pizzas... and if you want to learn more about pizza, but haven't eaten any pizza in the last 5 years, that's a good place to start!

No. Windows 'bundles' software to in an effort keep its dominance. Most linux distros include software becuse they believe that people have got used to windows having IE, WMP, etc. out of the box and that users think that an OS should come with those things.

Its not that hard to find distros that will let you install whatever you want during the install process. However, they will not be as 'easy' as a distro that comes with a media player, internet broswer etc. already installed.

BTW, if you have a atom + Intel 945 chipset video, ubuntu, mint etc will not be any easier than debian (or other many other distros). The main reason why they are seen as eaiser is due to the 'hardware drivers' tool that lets you install closed source drivers from a GUI. Since you wont have closed source video drviers, and possibly wont need or have closed source wireless drivers, they arent any easier.

One of the nice parts of debian is that you can choose exactly what to install into the OS when you do the intial install. Its not as easy as using the defualt install though....

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@cascade9

Are you talking about Debian itself or a variant of it? Could you suggest to me a simple and easy to use Debian?

Translation ... "Pizza for lunch today!!!!" I'm in!

I never said combo pizzas are limiting or there is something wrong with such pizzas. I only talked about why its not my kind of pizza. It may suit some people, and I will buy them too, but I don't want to eat it myself.



So isn't my question as straightforward as Where do I find a good restaurant that gives me plain pizzas but also would deliver it right at my doorstep? I ask this because I have had hard experiences before where I had to go to restaurant myself and align in a queue just to pay, even worse didn't let me swipe my card but had to pay money in cash! Now for an analogy kindly consider the last good restaurant I visited in Windows which delivered pizzas quite comfortably even if pizzas themselves are not very great.

I think my requirement is quite clear long before itself. The answer should be either such restaurant doesnt exist in Linux area or they exist like this and that and this or that may suit you, or they do totally. Anything that answers that answers my question. I hope I wont have to hear more lecture on customizability-easiness trade off.

Plea to everyone, kindly read previous posts..

You've had several good distro suggestions already... did you try any of them?

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@snowpine, I will try. I'm on the verge of. I'm creating 3 extra partitions now. Will let you guys know surely..

Then either you were using the 'wrong' distro, and/or you were following commands you found online. Quite often people will suggest gettign software from the command line because its easier than saying 'open this-> click that-> search for this-> etc.'.

Even though is most cases you dont have to install software from the command line, I dont see what the big issue is with installing things from a command line anyway....

Maybe linux isnt for you then. Or maybe it is, and you're over rating the windows software.

Its a _lot_ easier to install things with most linux distros than it is with windows.

You want a distrop that comes with flash and other 'back end' stuff, but you dont want a media player or browser installed 'out of the box'?

Thast the equivalent of wanting a pizza on a rye base, goats cheese, with cheap and nasty tomato paste and sausage. Not a common request at all. There might be a distro with that, but I really, really doubt it.

Either learn to 'roll your own', or use a distro that allows you to select exactly what software is installed 'out of the box', deal with some preinstalled software, or go back to windows.

Debian itself, though soem debian based distros allow you to do the same thing.

Debian isnt that hard to use, and apart from some situations (e.g. very old hardware) I'd normally suggest using debian over a debian based distro.

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Here is an excellent tutorial for make-your-own-Ubuntu. It is the equivalent of buying a Boboli pizza crust and then adding the sauce/cheese/toppings of your choice:

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/minimal

The author is one of the most respected posters at Ubuntu Forums, and I highly recommend browsing through the various tutorials on his site.

Other distros have this capability, too---it is not a uniquely Ubuntu feature.

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