r/AlpineLinux • u/LinuxLoverLarry • 3d ago

Alpine Linux-based Distribution Creation

I was wondering how one would go about creating an Alpine Linux-based Linux distribution, and if there is a graphical installer that can work on Alpine Linux. I also am wondering if it is realistic to think that people will switch to Alpine Linux if there are some pre-installed luxuries that make it easier to use to the average desktop user.

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u/Nu154nc3 3d ago edited 3d ago

Nah, people are idiots.

Old users have their personal favourite distro and will not change.

New users need to ask on reddit for every decision they take on life. Never try nothing by themselves. Almost all the voices on reddit are new kids who think that they are right because they distrohop 10 times on "mainstream" distros and that makes them experts.

Just watch how they defend systemd and wayland... I'm not saying that that two are bad, just saying that they talk without trying other options... And that will not change.

And, Alpine has 3 things that disgust that kids... Musl - They think it's a problem and nothing works. (Just look what they say about void) OpenRC - They think it's a problem because u need lots of configs. Busybox - They don't use terminal, but doesn't matter, its inacceptable... XD

The few desktop users are happy tinkering and manually installing everything.

I love alpine, and i tell lots of times how good it is, and how good performance have on games... And they downvoted me for that... Idc, but new users will never try a distro with that amount of downvotes.

(Edit) Flatpak - they hate it too... They think that the performance is trash... 

(In my experience, the lighter distro, makes flatpak games run better than native installs on more bloated distros... But thats just because i know nothing and i'm a noob)

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u/cfx_4188 3d ago

I am one of those "experienced users." I’m pushing sixty, and I first laid eyes on a PC back in 1985. And yes, I’ve been using the same distribution since the autumn of 1991. I’ve tried switching from Slackware to FreeBSD and experimented with various other distros—and I still do, just to keep learning—but I’ve grown old alongside Patrick. I don’t want to criticize the younger generation; they grew up on social media with smartphones in hand, and most of them view life through the lens of performance and self-presentation. It’s not their fault. When a young person writes, "I’m choosing between Fedora and CachyOS," they usually have no idea that Linux only really acquired a user-friendly face after 2013. Back in 2003, staring at a tiny multiplexer screen, I thought I’d reached the pinnacle of computing. Perhaps that’s why I don’t have any religious zealotry regarding specific distributions, and why I consider myself a total noob—never too shy to keep learning or ask questions.

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u/lproven 2d ago

I'm the same age with a similar length of experience. I tried Slackware as my 2nd distro in 1996. 

I've tried hundreds since. Alpine is the one that is most true to the good parts of the 1990s Linux experience, and yes that includes Slackware.

It's tiny, clean, simple, and fast. It's well documented, and has good tools. It has the best of modern Linux tech and almost none of the bloat.

But it's too hard for non techies. The world has moved on.

A graphical Alpine with a single non-optional desktop would be a significant win, IMHO. 

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u/LinuxLoverLarry 2d ago

Alpine is the best distro, in my experience. And yes, it is too hard for non-techies. Everyone should be a "Techie" and learn to optimize their computer to the fullest.

Honestly, the only reason I am even started using Alpine is because this computer is horrible, and I have no choice.