Minimal X install

brianL · 11-06-2009, 04:44 AM

A generator.

adamk75 · 11-06-2009, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh000

Well, no, because I have said several times already that xv and xine are included as a mistake, and do not belong in the list.

I have not removed them because they are so glaringly obvious, and because I hoped people would help me with reducing the fonts and libaries, and then of course they would be removed from the final list.

Fascinating...

On another thread, you advocate minimal installations in slackware and informing new users of what software does so that they can make intelligent decisions about what to include in their own installations. You do so because you believe that installed but unneeded software is a higher security risk. A noble cause, certainly.

You clearly admit that including those items was a "mistake". Yet you refuse to edit your original post where you list them because they are so "glaringly obvious". Well, maybe to you and I, but certainly not to a new user.

I'm curious how you have managed to reconcile these conflicting ideas?

Adam

MysticalGroovy · 11-06-2009, 08:44 AM

anyone wants to share a set of tagfiles for installing a minimal slackware 13 system with X+xfce running?

I still havent managed to create my own mini-slack system, Ive always had problems with running X, or the size of the system wasnt minimal at all.. (700++mbs....)

so please....

sahko · 11-06-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticalGroovy

anyone wants to share a set of tagfiles for installing a minimal slackware 13 system with X+xfce running?

I still havent managed to create my own mini-slack system, Ive always had problems with running X, or the size of the system wasnt minimal at all.. (700++mbs....)

so please....

I can give you my x/tagfile. It results to having a fully featured xorg installation no matter what DE/WM you install. It mostly cuts out uneeded fonts (leaves only dejavu and those required to start the xorg-server), drivers, scim and utilities i consider deprecated for the most part. It includes all proto files cause some of them are needed during possible compilation of packages especially those of X.

http://grbzks.pastebin.com/f5d22777c

PS. you might wanna replace xcursor-themes: SKP with ADD

MysticalGroovy · 11-06-2009, 10:28 AM

thx m8

I'll see if what can i do with ure tagfile

Josh000 · 11-06-2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnashley

Most of us are thinking of only programs in the 'x' package series. To me the best way to define minimal for the purpose of the idea, is to just think of trying to get X to run -perhaps with no window manager at all. For that only a very few libs are needed.

That is rather ridiculous though. An X install by itself would be useless without the associated fonts and libraries.

IMO.

I have updated my list to go with the two others.., webbrowsing and movies still work fine, I magine most stuff would unless it needed special fonts or something.

Code:

/var/adm/packages/x11-skel-7.4-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xauth-1.0.3-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xcompmgr-1.1.4-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xdg-utils-1.0.2-noarch-3
/var/adm/packages/xdm-1.1.8-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xev-1.0.3-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xf86-input-evdev-2.2.5-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xf86-input-keyboard-1.3.2-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xf86-input-mouse-1.4.0-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xf86-input-synaptics-1.1.3-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xf86-video-ati-6.12.2-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xf86-video-vesa-2.2.1-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xinit-1.1.1-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xinput-1.4.2-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xkbcomp-1.1.0-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xkbevd-1.0.2-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xkbprint-1.0.1-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xkbutils-1.0.1-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xmessage-1.0.2-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xmodmap-1.0.3-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xorg-server-1.6.3-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/xproto-7.0.15-noarch-1
/var/adm/packages/xsetmode-1.0.0-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xsm-1.0.1-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xterm-243-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/xtrans-1.2.4-noarch-1
/var/adm/packages/xz-4.999.8beta-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/font-alias-1.0.1-noarch-2
/var/adm/packages/font-misc-misc-1.0.0-noarch-3
/var/adm/packages/font-xfree86-type1-1.0.1-noarch-2
/var/adm/packages/fontconfig-2.6.0-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXfont-1.4.0-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/libXfontcache-1.0.4-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libX11-1.2.2-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/libXTrap-1.0.0-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXaw-1.0.6-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/libXcomposite-0.4.0-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXcursor-1.1.9-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXdmcp-1.0.2-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXevie-1.0.2-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXext-1.0.5-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/libXfixes-4.0.3-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXfont-1.4.0-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/libXfontcache-1.0.4-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXft-2.1.13-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXi-1.2.1-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/libXrandr-1.3.0-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/libXrender-0.9.4-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXres-1.0.3-x86_64-2
/var/adm/packages/libXt-1.0.6-x86_64-1
/var/adm/packages/libXtst-1.0.3-x86_64-2

What other stuff can I remove?

Ivshti · 11-06-2009, 11:13 AM

What does xz to do with X? It's an archive software that uses the lzm algorithm.

xterm is also not needed if you use other terminal.

samac · 11-06-2009, 11:14 AM

Josh000

What I would do is remove a package, say libXrandr, modify /etc/inittab to runlevel 3, and then restart the X server ctrl,alt,backspace, and see if it works, if it does try your important programs to see if they work, if all is good keep removing packages until you break X. You will then see the wisdom of setting your runlevel to 3 in inittab. Reboot, re-install the removed package and keep going until you are happy.

samac

Josh000 · 11-06-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnashley

I find the normal list of -what, 250+ packages? to be obnoxious. But it may be more about understanding what-needs-what or just the idea of only having what you really need -a Boy Scout thing, maybe.

I agee with this...but I think it is something *every* distro does(except arch maybe)...., is simply install all of X because it is simpler and doesnt matter.

Which is why I think it can be good that in Slack X is not just one package, and that people can learn, or have an idea about the different components, and get what they don't need off their machine...

Quote:

Originally Posted by adamk75

Fascinating...

On another thread, you advocate minimal installations in slackware and informing new users of what software does so that they can make intelligent decisions about what to include in their own installations. You do so because you believe that installed but unneeded software is a higher security risk. A noble cause, certainly.

You clearly admit that including those items was a "mistake". Yet you refuse to edit your original post where you list them because they are so "glaringly obvious". Well, maybe to you and I, but certainly not to a new user.

I'm curious how you have managed to reconcile these conflicting ideas?

Adam

Hi Adam,

That's an interesting point, so I will try to clarify my position.

I like to do a minimal install in the more literal sense of the word. Having actually only what I need to use my system in the way I want to use it.

I feel I learn stuff from doing this, and like the feeling of knowledge and control I have over my system.

This is not however, what I would advocate for new users. When I argue against a full install, I do not mean for a new user to use menu/expert mode, but rather some of the package sets, which is a nice middle ground.

Of course, if a user has some Linux experience with another distro, or understands computing concepts quite well, I may suggest menu/expert mode, because I think it can be a great learning experience, even if you choose to install everything, reading the package descriptions and getting to know slackware can be useful, IMO.

I intended this list as being useful to others who had similar goals, not to guide new users with a minimal install. For this reason, I did feel that xine and xv were obvious to any users who would want to reduce their X install.

It had not occurred to me that new users may want to do this straight of the bat, however if that is the case, there are two other lists, as well as my updated list that people can use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sahko

I can give you my x/tagfile. It results to having a fully featured xorg installation no matter what DE/WM you install. It mostly cuts out uneeded fonts (leaves only dejavu and those required to start the xorg-server), drivers, scim and utilities i consider deprecated for the most part. It includes all proto files cause some of them are needed during possible compilation of packages especially those of X.

http://grbzks.pastebin.com/f5d22777c

PS. you might wanna replace xcursor-themes: SKP with ADD

Hmm, I think this is maybe the nicest one so far. Good job

gnashley · 11-06-2009, 01:33 PM

As I said, no two people will have the same idea about what minimal means -your essential may be my bloat. So, the only way to start is by using a strict defintion of 'minimal' -a philosphical definition, as that will provide the most information abotu what is essential in every case. From there, every list would be different according to what the person wants or needs. Some people don't even want any window manager at all. If one presumes to start with a small list which includes any WM at all, then that one should be the twm which is part of X itself.

I do not assume that a minimal list would be 'practical' for most people. Anyway, I've done lots of 'minimal' type thingies and the way to start is with just one package and start adding, not by beginning with all and removing one at a time. BTW, the xorg server doesn't require any Xlibs.

Josh000 · 11-06-2009, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnashley

BTW, the xorg server doesn't require any Xlibs.

Ahh, I really did not know that!

Can I safely emove most of the libs from my minimal list then?

Will this prevent many applications from running, or only some x tools from running?

Agree with the rest of your post BTW, which is why I defined in what context I was using minimal.

lumak · 11-06-2009, 01:47 PM

Honestly, I don't see why people are going back and forth as something as silly as the definition of 'minimal'

What does it matter?

None!

Get over your selves and just split the list into several parts of REQUIRED,RECOMMENDED, and OPTIONAL. With REQUIRED being the section for packages that everybody will need no matter what. RECOMMENDED for packages that contain libs or the bare essentials for anything remotely usable, and OPTIONAL for packages containing useful packages that make a desktop usable for watching a video, surfing the net, or provide common ground to installing something more.

Even a list split up like this would be subject to needless scrutiny.

That being said, anybody want to help maintain a wiki page on this topic?
http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/...inimal_Install

I'm sure there are already wiki lists out there for this, but I think the format presented provides a good base ground to users looking for just a quick list to base their own tagfiles on.

Josh000 · 11-06-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumak

Honestly, I don't see why people are going back and forth as something as silly as the definition of 'minimal'

Either do I.

Despite me very clearly defining what I meant, people felt the need to apply their own definitions and interpretations.

*shrug*

Quote:

That being said, anybody want to help maintain a wiki page on this topic?
http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/...inimal_Install

I'm sure there are already wiki lists out there for this, but I think the format presented provides a good base ground to users looking for just a quick list to base their own tagfiles on.

I would be interested, but I don't have much free time, so don't know how often I would be able to update it.....