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OS/1337

A minimalist yet useable, CLI-Oriented Toybox/Linux Distribution.


INDEX


Core Features

TUI (GUI but in CLI!) - based interface

"Make Terminals Great Again!"

80x25 terminal (per default) with options to even run in 80x24

Resource-Efficient

"Less is more!"

  • Lack of X.org/Wayland/... and 'bloated' GUI apps per default make it extremely low-power friendly.
  • Can run on extemely low powered systems.


OS/1337 is still in early development and has yet to make an initial release.


Besides the basic core system, it's kept very lean just to enshure it's not bloated, with only concessions being made to reduce avoidable and burdensome inconveniences and incompatibilities.

Simply because a battle-tested, well maintained, versatile and with ample drivers equipped Kernel exists and rewriting it solely for the purpose of not using it is at best childish if not foolish.

  • OFC there are various other kernels that could also be used, like the ones of OpenBSD & FreeBSD or even Illumos [nee OpenSolaris] but that would just exceed the scope of this project. Feel free to DIY tho...
    • Linux as a Kernel however has by far the most versatile support for architectures and hardware installed.

Simply because the absolute bare-minimum System should comfortably fit on a 1.440kB FDD.

Because Glibc is a mess that tends to brick systems at the slightest minor version update, basically requiring recompilation or everything.

After all, even a simplistic system should have the ability to install and uninstall applications.

  • It's very bare-bones, but it does it's job...
    • And yes it's a fork of SSPM.

Because a Package Manager without Repository is pretty much pointless.

  • Even tho it mostly contains just binaries to yoink and use.

To allow for easier setup and customization...

  • Also helps finding misconfigurations.

To enable reproducible builds and spins.

  • Furthermore delivering transparency.

Target Devices

  • To be used on Systems that are being accessed via Terminals like:
  • "Slim Clients" & "Thin Clients"
    • hp t620
      • OFC that thin client is still fast enough to run BunsenLabs Linux and Tails but that doesn't mean it'll remain this way for very long...
  • Legacy Systems too slow or never designed to even run any fancy modern GUI that requires 3D acceleration
  • Select SoC's and Embedded as well as legacy devices.
    • Raspberry Pi Zero W
      • Simply because it's technically "the cheapest computer one can buy brand new" with an MSRP of $5(P i0)-$10(Pi0W) and because everything that runs on a Pi0(W) shold also run on the Pi0W2 and any other Raspberry Pi SBC due to being backwards-compatible to the ARMv6r11 SoC being used.
    • more depending on whether or not someone wants to build for and maintain them.
      • A "generic ARM64+UEFI" image is desireable, but sadly hardware to test on is not available to the maintainers as of writing.

In theory it could also be used as a "Rescue System" or similar, but there are better tools out there like Rescatux and Trinity Rescue Kit.

See Project Goals for OS/1337


Target Audience

Expedient Linux Users and *nix enthusiasts.

This is basically "Hard Mode Linux" and if you're scared by looking at a terminal window or seeing someone using it, then you are NOT ALLOWED to use it!

Please realize that this isn't intended for people freshly switching to Linux.

  • Unless you have like decades of Unix Experience, this will be hard.

So please shift your expectation accordingly!

People who demand a tiny Linux distro that is yet still useable.

DO NOT (!!!) expect The amount of Software and Support you'll find for Ubuntu or any other mainsteam distro here.

If you just want a lightweight & Portable Desktop OS, consider Tails, BunsenLabs Linux or if you want something for guest and strangers to use, Porteus Kiosk.

  • OS/1337 wants to make TinyCore look "phat" in comparison.
    • OFC this is achieved by virtue of sacrificing a Xorg/Wayland-based GUI!

In fact, the "core" system is just toybox/Linux + musl with dbclient, the SSH Client-part of Dropbear.

  • The "base" system only adds dropbear, enc, ne and nail.
  • The "main" system offers tmux, curl, lynx, aerc, btop, mc, aria2 on top of that.
  • The "xtra" system then includes all packages except "servers" and "development tools".

Counter-Indications

Please refrain from using OS/1337 if you just want to "Fuck Around and Find Out"!

This goes espechally to Linus Sebastian of LinusTechTips who has weapons-grade "Tech-Illiteracy" [unsarcastically!] and a toxic followership to flex!

OS/1337 is not a "DOS"!

Not everything that has a Text Interface is an "MS-DOS clone"!

Your experience with any *DOS won't help you here...


Name

OS/1337

It's a wordplay upon OS/2, OS/360, OS/390 & z/OS.

  • Naming it OS/3 or OS/420 was deemed too risky from a trademark standpoint, and one could reason it's meant to spread confusion among users of OS/2 or the OS/360 - z/OS family.
    • Exacerbated by the fact that it's neither made nor endorsed by IBM and doesn't support the same z/Architecture as the aformentioned Mainframes.
  • It's a homage to old terminal Systems as well as to the clichee of "Hackers" that must always work with amber and/or green consoles on their ThinkPads and MacBooks wearing Fawkes Masks and black Hoodies.

Inspirating Project

Floppinux is a minimalist Linux distro designed to run from a single 3,5", 1440 KB Floppy Disk.

  • It's based on BusyBox and a current Linux Kernel.
    • But strips basically most of the unused features out of it.


"Shut Up And Let Me Download!"

"Sharing is Caring"

Ready-to-Use Binary Versions are only distributed via magnet: links over BitTorrent in order to enshure resilient availability and speed for everyone.

  • Just use Transmission or LibreTorrent for Downloading if you don't know how.
    • If your ISP blocks BitTorrent get rid of your ISP or use a VPN.
  • Just don't be antisocial and use Tor to Torrent because all you'll do is exhaust valuable bandwith of exit nodes whilst compromizing your own anonymity.
    • This is free software, not some pirated stuff!
      • If you think BitTorrent has no "legitimate use" then you are banned from using OS/1337.
    • Same goes for those that just download from the severely bandwith-restricted webseed and/or only leech the torrent.

And before anyone asks:

YES we are aware of ClownFlare existing.

We won't solve scalability issues by creating de-facto monopolists or oligopolists!
Otherwise it would be pretty ridiculous to advocate for decentralization, multi-vendor & multi-provider solutions if not done so in real life, because one would otherwise contribute to the increasing Enshittification of the the Internet.


See Also:

Frugal Computing