Bloat

[anticapitalista]

I keep reading reviews of distros(I know I should stop) and one comment that often comes up (not just for antiX/MX) is that 'distro X is bloated'.

Usually, that's it. No explanation of what is 'bloated' except 'it comes with apps I don't use' (emphasis mine).

eg antiX is bloated (1.4GB iso size), but EndeavourOS (c.2GB iso size) is bloat-free.

So, to you, what is bloat and more importantly why and how.

Thanks

(I posted this over at antiX forums as well).

[asqwerth]

I still remember checking out linuxbbq, and they released tons of no-X isos. I only tried those initial ones where they included XFCE or LXDE. And one openbox release.

On the forum, some of the main characters used to say things like "X is bloat". Only half jokingly.

[Jerry3904]

I have no idea what those comments are supposed to mean--but they do manage to irritate me!

[JayM]

Once in an earlier lifetime I was doing IT support and system administration at a large city's fire department and was installing Windows NT Server on a, well, server. The installer was of course interactive so I had to spend my time sitting at the console and watching the installation in case I got prompted to do something or make a decision and I remember the time spent while it installed all of the NT wallpapers. Who the heck needs wallpaper on a server? That an example of what what I consider unnecessary bloat.

In the case of antiX or MX I suppose it would be if every language pack for every app, every available web browser, and stuff like that were included in the ISO rather than letting users install (and uninstall) whatever they like after the OS installation was finished.

I remember a few months ago that a few people were complaining about the "bloat" in MX because of the apps that were preinstalled, so m_pav came up with an MX-19.x Base respin for them. Some were complaining that that was still bloated. Others who installed it struggled trying to use it as their daily driver OS due to the things that had been removed. Can't win for losing.

Some people seem to want the developers to release custom versions of the distro just to suit them rather than spending a few minutes adding and removing packages to tailor their system to their own needs.

[oops]

...
eg antiX is bloated (1.4GB iso size), but EndeavourOS (c.2GB iso size) is bloat-free.
So, to you, what is bloat and more importantly why and how.

Do not worry, that's mean nothing, some people discuss only to discuss.
This is the depthness of things that counts, not the form and the words packaging.

[Adrian]

To me bloat is a mark of low IQ from the people who complain about it. :)

[dolphin_oracle]

I really wanted to call MX-21 something based on bloat. the pufferfish name on the original pre-alphas came from that.

in retrospect, it should have been bloaty-mc-bloatface

[JayM]

I really wanted to call MX-21 something based on bloat. the pufferfish name on the original pre-alphas came from that.

in retrospect, it should have been bloaty-mc-bloatface

The name "wildflower" always gives me an earworm.

[Buck Fankers]

I keep reading reviews of distros(I know I should stop) and one comment that often comes up (not just for antiX/MX) is that 'distro X is bloated'.

I found bloat on my MX - it is my data folder

No, antiX and MX are not bloated.
Complainers just want to look knowledgeable in Linux world. Little do they know...

[SwampRabbit]

Comments about bloat annoy me too, but in the end I find them funny, especially when they say “it has too many apps but they may be good for some users”.

Why even say it’s bloated then?

The OOTB experience for new and every day users is what is important, I think that is covered pretty well. Not too much, not too little.