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Topic: Arch needs to go on a diet! (Read 2461 times) previous topic - next topic
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Arch needs to go on a diet!

I have been looking at ways to reduce iso image size and was shocked to find that next to firefox (no real surprise) linux-firmware takes the crown weighting in at:

Code: [Select]
287.30 MiB	linux-firmware

Have so far switched to Netsurf, removed man pages, themes and even thinking of deleting locales to save space.

When I started making isos for ArchBang we shipped at around 450mbs latest version topped over 700mbs!!!!

Maybe I need to start thinking of going over to musl....
Mr Green ArchBang Iso Developer

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #1 –
I agree it is big.
But why to limit to the 700MB ?
CDs and even DVDs are dead, people mostly use USB.
Rather than size focus on stability, functionality and usefulness.

But it all depends on what you want to create.
I am sure you could create some small specialized ISO for specific HW,
but if you want good live media you want to have good HW support
(which mean a lot of "unused" firmwares, man pages (rarely used on live media, but can save someone), locales, etc...)

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #2 –
For me its more about reducing build times (iso) and reducing bandwidth. To me most users are simply trying install quickly and easily so most of the gui apps we ship with are more than likely never used. Let face it live you can pretty much install anything with a working network connection.

As you say I cannot really cut back on hardware support. We like to ship with the basics a terminal, browser and file manager. At least you still install with or without a network connection. With net is of course better as you can visit Artix/ Arch wiki for help.

Forgive my rant, if I posted on Archlinux forums it would be binned, deleted and burnt......  :D
Mr Green ArchBang Iso Developer

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #3 –
@mrgreen Hi there. If I may throw in a quick off-topic: Is ArtixBang going to keep the same repo structure as Arch or Artix?

The reason I ask is that if ArtixBang keeps the Arch repo structure, then I'm personally happy as it means a piece of important software (the VPN  GUI for Private Internet Access - which is fantastic & can't be replaced with script) will install & run for me as they support the Arch repos layout (they need "core"). So it would certainly make me happy if I could use your coming distro as I'd be able to be systemd free, & be able to use my beloved pacman package management again. :)

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #4 –
@handy If you give me the package name then I could check if it will work for you. Artix replaces core as such to avoid systemd being dragged in.... We ship with [extra] and [community] enabled (core is there too!). More that Artix supplies packages and service files that are free from systemd deps...

You are always welcome to email me any questions should you need too  :D
Mr Green ArchBang Iso Developer

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #5 –
Quote from: mrgreen – on
@handy If you give me the package name then I could check if it will work for you. Artix replaces core as such to avoid systemd being dragged in.... We ship with [extra] and [community] enabled (core is there too!). More that Artix supplies packages and service files that are free from systemd deps...

You are always welcome to email me any questions should you need too  :D

@mrgreen I've sent you an email (I think? as I didn't see any kind of confirmation, just a screen change).

Note: I didn't mention that I can run the VPN in Artix, I just can't run the GUI (which is the package that I linked to in the email) - which brings a whole lot more to the scene than what I can do with just OpenVPN.

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #6 –
Looking at aur can only see:

Code: [Select]
aur/pia-bin 1.6.0-1 (0)
    A tool that aims to help data controllers build and demonstrate compliance to the GDPR. Developped by the French CNIL.
aur/pia-launch 20180207-1 (6)
    A simple wrapper for OpenVPN for use with Private Internet Access
aur/pia-manager 1.0.5-1 (3)
    A VPN configuration tool for PIA
aur/pia-nm 24-2 (6)
    Network manager configuration files for Private Internet Access VPN
aur/pia-tools 1.1.2-1 (13)
    OpenVPN hook for privateinternetaccess.com

pia-launch looks like the latest version, rest look out of date. Gui may have links for systemd (not really dug into it). Website states it works with Archlinux. ....
Mr Green ArchBang Iso Developer

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #7 –
@mrgreen, the PIA-GUI works in Devuan (sysv), Refracta (openrc), & MX 17 (sysv & systemd-shim), due to the PIA-GUI having been modified some months ago now to run on Debian (& not just Ubuntu how it used to be). Plus Arch was, (plus a couple of other distros that I can't remember were) added at the same time.

So, Arch based distros that use the Arch repo system can use it whether they are using systemd or not. I've learned from experience that systemd is not the issue. It is the repo structure that is knocking Artix out of being able to use this software, not a lack of systemd. Manjaro users can use the PIA-GUI due to their repo structure, not due to them using systemd.

Please forgive me for making the same point over & over mrgreen... ;)

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #8 –
Well Artix needed a way to get around [core] packages from base that would of course drag in systemd. Long shot would one of the trusted user repos hold PIA?

Maybe test under a virtual machine turn off Artix repos then load PIA... re-enable (just thinking out loud).

You have nothing to forgive, very very very concerned that something does not work under Artix when clearly it should.  8) 
Mr Green ArchBang Iso Developer

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #9 –
linux-firmware
I was waiting for this to download on an update recently. Probably 99% of it is totally useless on any given system and the only reason it is being updated is because of someone else's firmware too. On an ISO you have to have a good range of hw support though. But Debian Gnome used to fit on a single CD and that's not even a lightweight DE. While you can add more and more the real penalty is when you update, because you end up downloading things over and over again which is totally pointless if you don't need them.
GCC seems to make bigger binaries as it develops so it is not just code growth either.

Is the PIA GUI open source or not? It doesn't sound like much to change the name of a repo or add some new ones to what I guess must be a trusted download list  if that's all that is needed. Who ported it to Debian?  That sounds harder as their package management is totally different. Why not 'bug' the developers of the GUI, it might be trivial for them to fix this as they already know how it works in detail?
PIA seems to be a fee paying VPN service, if they are the GUI maintainers they may be paid professionals who would be only too happy to assist their customers.  ;)

Re: Arch needs to go on a diet!

Reply #10 –
@mrgreen, thanks for looking. :)

@#######, the PIA "people" make the GUI (that's all I know in that regard). PIA are in the process of making their software all open-source. I don't believe that they are there yet. It is true though, when it IS all open-source then there really should be a relatively simple solution.

I have threatened to contact them & ask them to modify their code to suit Artix. I just don't like dealing with bureaucracies. My problem I know. ;)