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Every distribution of Linux I find has its own version for everything (specially Firefox). Is there a distro with the original packages, updated when Firefox (or any other) make a release, and not when that release gets to the repositories?
@developmentalinsanity says Gentoo is updated fast, but are their sources originals or modified?
eloyesp
Posted 2010-10-08T13:09:29.413
Reputation: 403
0
I would recommend three options, depending on how important it is for you to use the unmodified source, and your reasons for doing so.
1) LFS - short for Linux From Scratch, this un-distribution helps you build everything from original sources, making for strict adherence to your requirement. The downside is that maintenance is a formidable chore, since there is no one testing and patching for your configuration--you're the only user!
2) Gentoo - probably your best bet. You can choose your adventure, giving you the ability to do a stage 3 (installing from a bootstrapped environment, and building your system from there) , or a stage 1 (much more like LFS) but with someone doing testing and patching. The packages are darn close to mainstream.
3) Arch is also pretty close to mainstream, but slightly less so than Gentoo. Bleeding-edge sources are available with config/build packages from the community repo.
Those are really your options if you don't want to get a CS degree focused on OSes and spend your life compiling.
Bryan Agee
Posted 2010-10-08T13:09:29.413
Reputation: 367
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Half joking answer: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/
Seriously, the distros don't update immediately because they perform additional testing first to ensure that the updated packages work with the rest of the system. If you want to be close to the source, Gentoo might be suitable. If you want convenience, but also staying fairly close, I'd recommend Fedora. YMMV.
developmentalinsanity
Posted 2010-10-08T13:09:29.413
Reputation: 2 310
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Pretty much by definition, a Linux distro has its own packages, not the original ones. You seem to be asking for a distribution that isn't a distribution.
CarlF
Posted 2010-10-08T13:09:29.413
Reputation: 8 576
yes, thats what I'm looking for. But I'm would not the only one that look for that, this stripped GNU/linux could be usefull in testing. On the other side, CRUX (distro) make something like that, but discard documentation and languages. – eloyesp – 2010-10-12T18:13:33.717
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There's a PPA that keeps up with the latest stable releases for ubuntu which would work.
Journeyman Geek
Posted 2010-10-08T13:09:29.413
Reputation: 119 122
3But, Gentoo sources are original or modified. I mean, if I install firefox with portage is it firefox or a custom "gentoo-firefox"? – eloyesp – 2010-10-08T13:42:49.207
@El_Hoy: +1 for a nice comment/sub-question – dag729 – 2010-10-08T13:53:16.957
3@El_Hoy My understanding is that Gentoo use original sources, plus some patches/scripts necessary to make the build work cleanly. It depends on the author of the ebuild how much patching is done. – developmentalinsanity – 2010-10-08T15:20:41.743
Gentoo largely patches more used software with their own patches to improve cooperability. But for instance Firefox can be USE'd with
bindistwhich should do a distro-independent "binary distribution" version. Similar flags may exist, don't know for sure. – nperson325681 – 2010-10-08T16:37:51.987@progo: thanks for the info, but what is need is to disable bindist (it's enabled by default because of copyright of the logo). – eloyesp – 2010-10-12T18:07:59.503