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An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

lwn.net

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Re: An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

#71

Post by dhc02 »

fraudster wrote: post #55
LeoPanthera wrote: post #5

This is one of those things that I've always been too scared to ask so I'm just going to ask it now: Is there a distro designed exclusively for running docker (and perhaps other) containers that also contains a friendly web UI for people who have no idea how docker actually works? I'm familiar with Proxmox, but it doesn't natively support docker.

Kind of a left-field pic, and def not exclusively for running docker, but TrueNAS Scale offers a nice abstraction for running docker containers, with the simple webui interface you're asking for. I believe it uses K8s under the hood, and it's coupled with NAS software, but this seems maybe the closest to what you're asking for that I've seen. https://www.truenas.com/docs/scale/scaletutorials/apps/docke...

I was going to suggest this, too. TrueNAS Scale is the quickest and most "it just works" version of bare metal --> docker containers with a web-based UI that I have experienced.

Re: An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

#73

Post by neckardt »

tooltower wrote: post #72

This article says "subscriber-only content", yet I'm not a subscriber. How am I able to read this article?

At the top of the article it says:

> The following subscription-only content has been made available to you by an LWN subscriber.

Looks like someone with a subscription submitted the link to HN, allowing us to read the article.

Re: An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

#74

Post by MichaelMoser123 »

slondr wrote: post #39
MichaelMoser123 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

still they do have a strong focus on size reduction, like using musl instead of glibc.

As pmOS folks (and anyone running alpine on their desktop or server) will happily tell you, size reduction is not a goal only relevant to container runtimes.

today i learned about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PostmarketOS - "an operating system primarily for smartphones, based on the Alpine Linux distribution" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PostmarketOS

"Alpine Linux was chosen as the base distribution due to its low storage requirements, making it more suitable for older devices. Excluding the kernel, a base installation takes up approximately 6 MB"

i guess that would also make a more secure phone, one that is less likely to call it's mother ship.

thanks for the tip!

Re: An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

#75

Post by gerdesj »

neckardt wrote: post #73
tooltower wrote: post #72

This article says "subscriber-only content", yet I'm not a subscriber. How am I able to read this article?

At the top of the article it says: > The following subscription-only content has been made available to you by an LWN subscriber. Looks like someone with a subscription submitted the link to HN, allowing us to read the article.

Yes, it's always been that way with LWN and the contract is that as a subscriber, you don't take the piss. It seems to work well I think. LWN get's citations - basically internet points for news sites, we all get info/news and crucially LWN gets paid. I think that attitude also gets LWN a lot of kudos because they have somewhat decoupled their subscriber income from their content. Here on HN you are reading LWN subscriber content with their blessing.

I've been a low level subscriber for 20+ years now. I remember when it seemed the financial model came very close to unravelling - 2002ish. Despite that, the apricot coloured site has managed to flourish and continues to flourish.

LWN is quite a phenomenon. Cheers: Jon.

Re: An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

#76

Post by gtirloni »

candiddevmike wrote: post #24
dicknuckle wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

RancherOS if you're looking to use something heavily tested but it's got a few weird features like most of the OS also being in containers. If you want something light to play with and get a vanilla docker experience, your best bet is likely Boot2Docker with Portainer.

The existing RancherOS is no longer being maintained, you probably shouldn't be using it anymore: https://rancher.com/docs/os/v1.x/en/support/ Rancher is working on a new version.

Hasn't 2.x been released for a long time now?

Re: An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

#77

Post by arjvik »

gtirloni wrote: post #76
candiddevmike wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The existing RancherOS is no longer being maintained, you probably shouldn't be using it anymore: https://rancher.com/docs/os/v1.x/en/support/ Rancher is working on a new version.

Hasn't 2.x been released for a long time now?

Really? I loved the original RancherOS, would love to see the new version!

Re: An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

#78

Post by senectus1 »

LeoPanthera wrote: post #5

This is one of those things that I've always been too scared to ask so I'm just going to ask it now: Is there a distro designed exclusively for running docker (and perhaps other) containers that also contains a friendly web UI for people who have no idea how docker actually works? I'm familiar with Proxmox, but it doesn't natively support docker.

lol given the plethora of diverse responses you got.. your fear was well founded.

Re: An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

#79

Post by guestbest »

donatj wrote: post #62

Back in the very early aughts I used to carry around to friends houses a binder full of movies also containing a bootable CD with some linux distro that existed explicitly for playing media. I don't recall the name, it's likely long dead. When whatever movie we wanted to watch failed to play on their computer, likely due to codec problems (it used to be a hassle before VLC) I'd pop the bootable Linux CD in, reboot an…

Knoppix was great for that. It wasn’t the lack of VLC necessarily that was the problem it was all those proprietary codecs that essentially install anti-cheat rootware that would also DMCA anyone who made open source codecs that could read the media.

Re: An overview of single-purpose Linux distributions

#80

Post by bee_rider »

kccqzy wrote: post #65
imachine1980_ wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry what these means?, can you explaine it again whit more details?

It's already well-explained in the linked article: > OpenSUSE MicroOS has a read-only root file system, using Btrfs. Transactional updates are handled by a SUSE-specific wrapper script around the package manager zypper, transactional-update. This creates a new Btrfs snapshot of the root file system and then performs an update of the system. If the installation was successful, the script marks the new snapshot as the…

I think in your original comment maybe there is a slightly confusing typo? Is “company“ supposed to actually be “computer” or something like that?
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