LinuxQuestions.org Reviews

DavidMcCann · 08-11-2012, 12:18 PM

AntiX now has its own rolling-release repository based on Debian testing, rather than being a Mepis respin. I tested the full version, which took just 2.5GB of HD space.

The CD boots to give you the options of installing, reading help, or configuring the live session in various ways. The installer is still the excellent Mepis one, with lots of help available. There’s no opportunity to encrypt /home.

Three window managers are installed and selectable at log-in: Ice (the default), Fluxbox, and the weird wmii. Software includes LibreOffce, Iceweasel, Claws-mail, Pidgin, Mtpaint, Gnome-mplayer, and, for very small systems, the Ted wordprocessor and Dillo web-browser. All ran from the CLI without warnings, although LibreOffice complained about not having Java. All media codecs and the Flash plug-in were pre-installed. Media files played perfectly, even my “mp4 from hell”. A useful control centre has been added to make configuring a simple window manger a little easier. Unlike many Debian derivatives (e.g. Ubuntu), I could select my USB speakers without having to write scripts.

My only problem was that Flash turned out to be the version that doesn’t work with Pentiums I-III or 32-bit AMD chips: not very handy for older computers.

AntiX runs perfectly in 128MB, and with care you could get by in 64MB. The obvious competitor is Swift, and the main difference is that AntiX has a rather better installer.

rokytnji · 05-27-2013, 05:16 PM

I am running

Code:

$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: biker Kernel: 3.9.2-antix.1-amd64-smp x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.7.3) 
           Desktop: IceWM 1.3.7 Distro: antiX-13-rc1_x64-full Luddite 3 May 2013
Machine:   Mobo: Acer model: Aspire 5534 version: V1.10 Bios: Acer version: V1.10 date: 08/26/2009
CPU:       Dual core AMD Athlon X2 L310 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 svm) bmips: 4787.9 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 1196.978 MHz 2: 1196.978 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI RS780M/RS780MN [Mobility Radeon HD 3200 Graphics] bus-ID: 01:05.0 
           X.Org: 1.12.4 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on AMD RS780 GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 8.0.5 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:14.2 
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.9.2-antix.1-amd64-smp
Network:   Card-1: Atheros AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) driver: ath9k bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: 
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller 
           driver: r8169 ver: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 2000 bus-ID: 08:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: 
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 250.1GB (23.1% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MK2555GS size: 250.1GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 7.6G used: 3.4G (47%) fs: ext4 ID: /home size: 86G used: 6.4G (8%) fs: ext4 
           ID: swap-1 size: 2.10GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 65.0C mobo: 0.0C 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 110 Uptime: 3:16 Memory: 492.0/3703.6MB Runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 4.7.3 
           Client: Shell (bash 4.2.45) inxi: 1.9.6

which is AntiX 13 RC1 64bit version on a Acer Aspire 5534 dual core AMD, ATI Radeon graphics chip, 4gig of ram, DVDRW laptop.

Everything worked out of the box and I was able to use the new Grub screen in AntiX live cd with F key options for setting Languages, Automount drives,Video driver, Window Manager default screen, all before booting up. The MLX in the boot line stands for xtra lean for older gear than mine. 32 bit core,base,and full isos are3 at

http://sourceforge.net/projects/antix-linux/files/Testing/

xdelta upgrade from beta 2 iso to rc1 must be run using

Code:

$ apt-cache policy xdelta
xdelta:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1.1.3-9
  Version table:
     1.1.3-9 0
        500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ unstable/main amd64 Packages

I ran the xdelta rc1 patch on the 64bit beta 2 iso, on one of my 32bit Linux laptops that has xdelta installed. Runs fast. Runs good. Lot's of AntiX personal goodies like

Code:

harry@biker:~
$ cd /usr/local/bin
harry@biker:/usr/local/bin
$ ls
adddesktop.sh             change-jwm-theme.sh  persist-makefs
add-key                   cli-installer        persist-save
add-start                 conkytoggle.sh       phonebookadd.sh
antixcckeyboard.sh        desktop_tool.py      phonebookantix.sh
antixccmouse.sh           diskusage            phonebookcat.sh
antixcc.sh                du-excludes          phonebookremove.sh
antixccslim.sh            exitantix.sh         phonebooksearch.sh
antixmousedefault.pl      exoodles             ps_initrd.sh
antixmousedefaultsize.pl  fancy-prompts.bash   ps_mem.py
antixmousesize.pl         fancy-prompts.zsh    remastercc.sh
antixmousexmodmap.pl      fluxbox-xdg-menu     remaster-live
antixmousexset.pl         icewmcc              remaster.sh
antixscreenshot.sh        icewm-xdg-menu       restart-X
antixsnapshot             icons-toggle.sh      roxuri
antixsnapshot-gui         id_version           Rox-Wallpaper
antix-system.sh           inxi                 run-mksquashfs
auto-fluxbox-menu.sh      inxi-gui             slim-login
auto-icewm-menu.sh        jwm-xdg-menu         toram-eject
auto-jwm-menu.sh          login_background.sh  unplugdrive.sh
block-advert.sh           mountbox             update-default-desktop
build-jwm-themes.sh       new_usb.sh           update-jwm-themes.sh
burniso                   paneltoggle.sh       user-management
change-fluxmenu-theme.sh  persist-config       wallpaper.py
change-icemenu-theme.sh   persist-enabled      zram

Which are personalized for AntiX by the developer and excellent AntiX team members there.

AntiX, not just for old computers anymore. Final should be out soon for AntiX 13.

@ DavidMcCann

GTKYouTube Viewer comes in AntiX 13 for older computers. You watch youtube via mplayer and a internet connection.

rokytnji · 05-27-2013, 05:22 PM

Forgot to include

Quote:

'''28 April 2013'''

'''antiX-13 full flavours available for testing.'''

antiX-13-beta3 full isos available for testing in 32 and 64 bit. (c670MB)

*3.6.11 antiX kernel for 32 bit
*3.7.10 antiX kernel for 64 bit
*3.8.10 antiX kernel available in the repository for those who want/need a more up to date version.

* Dist-upgrade to 28 April 2013
* Debian Wheezy repo.
* Iceweasel-20.0-1 browser.
* Default window manager is IceWM with a Rox desktop. Fluxbox, JWM, wmii and dwm are available.
* SpaceFM desktop option at boot.
* Better boot menu integration for unetbootin live usb.
* Installer improvements.
* 32 bit uses older flash for PII/PIII.
* Double entries removed from menu.
* Various under the hood bug fixes.

from

http://antix.freeforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4299

By the way. Swift Linux is a respin of AntiX linux with some Mint Linux flavoring. Lots of the same tools in Swift but has a different flavor due to respin.

Quote:

Swift Linux will be based on Debian Stable instead of Debian Testing. Despite these changes, the spirit of antiX Linux and Linux Mint will remain in Swift Linux.