I wrote a review article about antiX core today

This week I have been exploring Debian based systems that offer strong, flexible networking. All of them are specialized, to some degree; some are definitely special purpose systems; others are highly customizable systems that you can tailor to best meet your specific needs.

I've looked at Easy Peasy, Jolicloud, Debian Live, and I've come back to antiX core today.

Easy Peasy is what its name implies, a really easy system that is designed to work simply and well on small mobile systems, especially netbook systems. It is strong in network computing and social networking.

Jolicloud is alway what the name implies, a special purpose system designed to work exclusively in a powerful network environment with network based "Cloud" applications.

Debian Live is a great customized environment where you can request a custom build of a Live Debian ISO image that meets your specifications.

The antiX core proof of concept is similar to these other great alternatives in the sense that its name matches its function. Unlike the other released implementations of antiX software, the antiX core is just that - the core components of an antiX system, coupled with some raw, but functional tools that enable you to build a highly customized system that has only what you choose to install.

By default, the antiX core comes with only a Linux system kernel, the core GNU utilities, the Debian packaging system, and a few installation and configuration scripts, from which you boot the antiX core, install it to a device, then add the software you want to use. At its most basic state, it does not even include a graphical user environment, so those who want to use it to create a Web server environment or an ancient console based system can do that, but you can also use it in a manner very similar to an Arch Linux system, where you add only the software that you want, and nothing else.

The results can be outstanding, and they have been for me. I installed xorg, the X server, an LXDE and Xfce4 desktop environment, the Iceape, Iceweasel, and chromium-browsers, and a couple of additional text editors. Later I added a few more fonts and tools. That was it.

The result is a REALLY fast system, faster than anything else I am using in fact. I really like it. It is fast - I said that more than once for emphasis, but its also flexible, and it provides only what you configure, nothing more, nothing less. What I have built represents what I prefer to use in my personal computing environments.