It was great to meet so many of you at the Penguins Unbound meeting on Saturday. Check out my Linux page at http://www.jasonhsu.com/linux.html . I have included instructions for installing and configuring antiX Linux and other distros. As I mentioned there, antiX Linux is now my main distro. It should be its own distro instead of just another version of MEPIS. It should be one of the top ten distros. Here are the reasons I like it: 1. Like Puppy Linux and unlike Debian and Ubuntu, antiX installs in just a few minutes. Debian takes a long time to install - as long as Windows does. Of course, the time you need to install Debian depends on the speed of your Internet connection. 2. Like Puppy Linux and unlike Ubuntu, antiX is lightweight and fast. Even on an 11-year old laptop (what we're using for an IEEE study group called Project Phoenix) with only 256 MB of RAM and a 500 MHz processor, antiX is fast. The very same computer struggled with Windows XP and the full Ubuntu and Xubuntu installations. (This computer originally had Windows 98, was "upgraded" to Windows 2000, and "upgraded" again to Windows XP. When people talk about "upgrading" an OS, they sure aren't referring to speed.) 3. Like Puppy Linux and unlike Debian, antiX is user-friendly. Using Puppy Linux has really spoiled me, as it conditioned me to expect all other distros to install and run quickly and be user-friendly. I might get hate mail from Debian fans, but I find Debian to be too difficult to configure properly. I have also tried a minimal Ubuntu installation (start off with the command-line installation and add packages), but it's not as user-friendly as the full installation. I just never liked the idea of having to download a package just to be able to shut down properly, and I like the idea of having all the basic stuff up and running quickly. 4. Unlike Puppy Linux, antiX Linux is compatible with the Debian repository. Puppy Linux is working on compatibility with the Debian repository, but it's not ready for prime time. Right now, Puppy Linux is great for the average person on the street but not for those who need the more specialized applications (like programming microcontrollers) that only the larger repositories provide. antiX Linux is the lightest and most user-friendly distro with Debian repository compatibility. In other words, antiX Linux is the best of both worlds - the speed and ease of use of Puppy Linux but with the superior repository of Debian/Ubuntu. I recommend antiX Linux for the following groups: 1. Those on old, power-challenged computers who need something lightweight but also need specialized software packages 2. Ubuntu users using marginal computers: Ubuntu has a history of putting more bloat into its newer versions while terminating support for its older versions. As a result, many users get cut off, because their computers can't cut the mustard. Ubuntu has its merits, but operation on older, less powerful computers is not one of them. I wouldn't recommend Ubuntu for those with under 512 MB of RAM. I bet that in a few short years, even 1 GB of RAM will be marginal for Ubuntu. 3. Those who can't configure Debian but don't have enough RAM and processor speed for fast Ubuntu operation. -- Jason Hsu, Linux user <jhsu802701 at jasonhsu.com>