There are hundreds of Linux distributions and users choose the one based on their day-to-day tasks. Some of the popular Linux distros are Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora, etc. Other than this I also suggest users choose a lightweight distro when they’re starting to use Linux. But, In this post, I’ll talk about the Lightweight Linux distributions and why Lightweight Linux distributions may be bothersome. Although there are benefits of using Light Linux distributions there is also a fact that I experienced through my blog readers.
Linux was originally developed as a free operating system for personal computers based on the Intel x86 architecture but has since been ported to more computer hardware platforms than any other operating system. Because of Linux free and Open-source nature, Linux source code has been used, modified by the hundreds of developers around the Globe. Any developer can download the source code of Linux and modify it for whatever the use – Personal or Commercial. This time choosing Linux for a newbie can be troublesome because of these many Linux distributions but thanks to the bloggers who make the selection easy and less troublesome. Of course the LinuxAndUbuntu is somewhere at the same path to make Linux easy for newbies & advanced users both.
Some of the most popular Linux distributions are Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora. If a newbie wants to adopt Linux, he is most likely to get these three Linux distributions when he searches the Web. But, as a newbie, he won’t directly switch to any of these Linux distros because of their alienating looks for Windows users. But new Linux users can start their exploration with many easy to use Linux distributions out there.
A lightweight Linux distribution is less in size. Whereas normally Linux distribution has size 1GB+, the lightweight Linux distributions are only in between 500MB to 800MB, some are even lesser than that. The smaller size is due to the fewer numbers of packages included in the OS. For advanced users having not installed large numbers of packages, is not a problem but for a newbie that can be a problem. While the user is tinkering with his Linux box, he configures different applications, and in Linux, most packages require some other packages to be installed what is called dependency. In simple terms, A dependency of an application is the requirement without which the application won’t work properly or won’t install at all. For example, if you’re installing XDM (Xtreme Download Manager), it depends on Java. If the JAVA is not installed XDM won’t install). A new user can take it as a problem with the system, but that’s just the requirement of the application that the user system does not have. A lightweight Linux distribution does not have hundreds of packages installed, approximately every application that is installed in lightweight distro requires dependencies. Sometimes dependencies are available in the official repositories but many times that’s not. When the dependency is available in the repositories the terminal will download and install it automatically for the application to work properly but in otherwise, the application won’t install.
Linux distributions have been well maintained for specific types of users, from a one-day Linux user to the Linux geek and professionals. Developing the Lightweight Linux distribution is an idea to just use some specific, most common/used applications in the OS. Lightweight Linux distros have the only a couple of basic applications that normally every user has on his machine, for example, Web browser, Audio/Video player, File manager, Office suite, Image viewer, etc. One can simply install any Lightweight distribution and is ready to surf the web, do official works, play music, etc. Even Lightweight Linux distributions don’t have a large number Of updates to download just after installing it. Although there are many benefits of using lightweight Linux distributions, one can install it instantly, no need to download large size of updates, lightweight Linux distributions are faster also. I’m always using a lightweight Linux distribution in my PC, in case my primary distribution which is Ubuntu, gets damaged, I can recover my data from a lightweight Linux distribution.
Depending on what title of the article looks like, one might assume that I hate lightweight Linux distributions. But, It’s NOT. I use lightweight Linux distributions, I love lightweight Linux distributions, I find lightweight Linux distributions faster than other distros loaded with thousands of packages. But a new user will never like to see the dependency errors whenever installing any applications. That’s just annoying when happens again & again.
