An inside look at a small distro
Distro Walk – NuTyX

© Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash
Thierry Nuttens, the developer of NuTyX, shares a behind-the-scenes look at a small Linux distribution.
Today, the emphasis in Linux is on the major distributions. NuTyX GNU/Linux [1], however, looks back to an earlier time, when a distribution was the work of a single user or at best a small group of developers. Inspired by Linux From Scratch (LFS) [2], Thierry Nuttens has developed NuTyX over the past 16 years to provide a transparent, maximized system that can be appreciated by all levels of users (Figure 1). Intrigued by this passion project, I invited Nuttens to talk about his efforts. His answers provide an in-depth look at how one small distribution is run.
Linux Magazine (LM): Why did you start to develop NuTyX?
Thierry Nuttens (TN): I tend to always want to understand the inner workings of what I put together. NuTyX is no exception to this rule. When I started discovering this system of explanation, more than 17 years ago, I didn't understand much about the free software world. What interested me the most was to have a high-performance, reliable, and easy-to-maintain system. My vision of Linux changed radically when I discovered the Linux From Scratch project, a project where (almost) everything is explained, from building a chrooted system to building the build toolchain to finally get a working operating system built yourself. Even today, I am still learning from this project and its simple and transparent maintenance.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.