Barebone Linux

[Fanta206]

These may be silly questions but I'm having trouble understanding the precise reason for so many different distros. I realise that every distro has it's own selected packages and serves a different purpose.... I have a few questions...

• What happens if you just compile the Linux source code (not a distro, just linux) onto a hard drive and install a boot loader? Am I being naive or would this boot up a "barebone linux"? If not, what would it do? Would It fail because it needs extra work?
• Is the Linux core compiled WITH every ditribution and "hard wired" to it (so to speak) or can you update the linux core yourself (without updating the distro)?
• Why are they called "distros" they're clearly "distris". This has confused my understanding and always leads me to mis-spell distrobution.. I mean, distribution .

[oz]

Hello and welcome!

What happens if you just compile the Linux source code (not a distro, just linux) onto a hard drive and install a boot loader? Am I being naive or would this boot up a "barebone linux"? If not, what would it do? Would It fail because it needs extra work?

It's not as simple as that. I'd recommend that you follow the thread linked below relating to a project where one of our members is working on putting together a barebones Linux system:

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/cof...w-project.html

Is the Linux core compiled WITH every ditribution and "hard wired" to it (so to speak) or can you update the linux core yourself (without updating the distro)?

You can install different kernels, additional kernels, or modify the current kernel to your liking.

Why are they called "distros" they're clearly "distris". This has confused my understanding and always leads me to mis-spell distrobution

It is slang only, and I'm not sure there are any rules when it comes to slang terms. Most application spell checkers should pick up any errors with the misspelling of distribution.

We hope you'll have fun with Linux should you try it!

[Freston]

What happens if you just compile the Linux source code (not a distro, just linux) onto a hard drive and install a boot loader? Am I being naive or would this boot up a "barebone linux"? If not, what would it do? Would It fail because it needs extra work?

That would be almost like installing 'Linux From Scratch'. Yes, another distro

The thing is, though, assuming you compiled your kernel (Linux) correctly and added the bootloader, you would be a long way from having something usable.

Linux would load. It might even mount / (the root partition), but as there's no init, there's nothing to hand over control to. After loading Linux, init should take over and load all the rest.

Without this, you'd have no gettys waiting for someone to log in, no shell to log in to and basically you'd have a box with blinkenlights...
Amazingly good at assigning chunks of memory, switching tasks, reading block devices, but without processes to claim memory, claim CPU time or reading/writing to disk.

Is the Linux core compiled WITH every ditribution and "hard wired" to it (so to speak) or can you update the linux core yourself (without updating the distro)?

Yes, you can upgrade your kernel independent of your distro. Depending on your distro, this may be more difficult or more easy, mainly because it might upset your package manager and/or auto-update mechanisms.

Why are they called "distros" they're clearly "distris". This has confused my understanding and always leads me to mis-spell distrobution.. I mean, distribution

Because it sounds a bit like 'turbo' and everyone likes the word 'turbo'

[Rubberman]

IMO, the major difference between distributions is the package manager they use, and the pre-compiled packages they provide, along with the kernel version they distribute. You have a choice between current/bleeding-edge and stable. Example: RHEL 5.x and clones use kernel 2.6.18 versions, and associated packages - not the most current, but very stable. RHEL 6.x and clones use 2.6.32 kernel versions, and more up-to-date software packates - again, not the most current, but stable and support more recent hardware. The good thing is that all of these distributions can be burnt onto a 25p CD/DVD disc, or USB thumb drive, and tested to see if they meet your needs. So, play with them (a 4GB thumb drive can be used multiple times to run live USB distributions - see Unetbootin for details) and decide for yourself what will work best for you.