I love my Linux Lite! On decent hardware it is light, fast, simple, and best distro for newcomers to Linux, bar none.
On older hardware, especially legacy hardware, not so much anymore. I can’t run it nimbly on the old Dell Dimension, so I’m loading up an ultralight OS on it called AntiX. Reading up on this distro and it’s mid-weight sibling, MXLinux, I found some very cool stuff that has me thinking hard about even my newer machine.
MXLinux has some great advantages for a mission-critical computer:
1. – It is based on Debian Stable.
That means several things: Ubuntu-based distros are famous for including beta and beta-quality stuff in their updates! Debian Stable simply does not. Breakage in Debian Stable is very rare. So there’s really no need for a “Mint-Updater” to filter out the high-risk, dangerous system-breaking stuff. That’s a biggie for me.
It also means access to the huge, vast, far-flung Debian repositories of free and open-source software. The largest on Earth. No beta stuff, not cutting-edge, the latest and greatest, but definitely more reliable.
2. – Systemd is there, but not used in MXLinux.
A lot of software depends on systemd now, so installing just about anything from the Gnome project and other software means you have to have systemd as a dependency. But MXLinux doesn’t use systemd as it’s init, nor as the invisible lord and master of every process and daemon on the system, as it does in both Debian and Ubuntu and most of their derivative distros. For most users – including me, actually – this is not any big deal. But in the back of my mind I wonder what systemd may become as it takes over more and more functions in Linux in the future.
3. – In addition to the Debian Stable repositories, MXLinux has their own, with up-to-date and tested software. No more adding PPAs just to get this or that bit of software. That is a big deal to me, since I think it’s dangerous to add PPAs to your software sources.
Just for these three things, I would thing seriously about adopting MXLinux as my “default” distro, especially on modest hardware.
AntiX has no systemd at all, by the way! Debian-base, systemd-free. That’s going on the old Dell Dimension.
Robin's Rants and Raves 
Hmm maybe I will switch over my main desktop to MX Linux I have a few sketchy ppas that I am using I might run a live version first and see how it goes.
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Uusally more of an ArchLinux fan but I’ve heard good things about AntiX. Will try to run it on my weakling netbook.
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Elelme smiles. Glad you found MX-17. Like LinuxLite, it just works.
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There is point # 4 that you should examine and then add it to your blog post 😉
4. – MX Tools – yeah baby, so cool, so, useful… !
Indeed! Thank you. It really is okay for newbies and even technophobes like me!
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As much as I like MX, it seems like I may have to reverse back to Linux Lite, after all.
It looks like MX is moving toward UEFI, possibly, and I can only Legacy Boot. But that is
a no-lose situation, either way. Two definite winners after seeing several losers, for sure.
Besides, I missed the old Forum at Linux Lite!
Possibly see you there….
Elelme
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You can continue almost indefinitely with MX17. It eventually goes to “Old Stable” instead of “Stable,” but it has a zillion and twelve users and is still supported! Look at all the people still using Mepis11 for goodnessakes! If you go to Linux Lite, don’t use it without Ralphy’s cool tools – especially the Updater!
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Thanks! A very helpful response!
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I am happy to get that advice, like I noted….
But even happier to see the possibility of having SYSTEMBACK in MX17.
Yes, I saw your note at the MXForum. WAY TO GO!!!!
That would be the game-changer for me! (It was a favorite of mine, as you know.)
SO, might get to stay with MX!7 after all.
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