antiX () is a

Linux distribution A Linux distribution, often abbreviated as distro, is an operating system that includes the Linux kernel for its kernel functionality. Although the name does not imply product distribution per se, a distro—if distributed on its own—is oft ...

, originally based on

MEPIS MEPIS was a set of Linux distributions, distributed as Live CDs or DVDs that could be installed onto a hard disk drive. MEPIS was started by Warren Woodford and MEPIS LLC. The most popular MEPIS distribution was SimplyMEPIS, which was based pri ...

, which itself is based on the

Debian Debian () is a free and open-source software, free and open source Linux distribution, developed by the Debian Project, which was established by Ian Murdock in August 1993. Debian is one of the oldest operating systems based on the Linux kerne ...

stable distribution. antiX initially replaced the MEPIS

KDE KDE is an international free software community that develops free and open-source software. As a central development hub, it provides tools and resources that enable collaborative work on its projects. Its products include the KDE Plasma gra ...

desktop environment with the

Fluxbox Fluxbox is a stacking window manager for the X Window System, which started as a fork of Blackbox 0.61.1 in 2001, with the same aim to be lightweight. Its user interface has only a taskbar, a pop-up menu accessible by right-clicking on the d ...

and

IceWM IceWM is a stacking window manager for the X Window System, originally written by Marko Maček. It was written from scratch in C++ and is released under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License. It is customizable, relatively light ...

window managers, making it suitable for older, less powerful x86-based systems. Unlike Debian, antiX does not use the

systemd systemd is a software suite that provides an array of system components for Linux operating systems. The main aim is to unify service configuration and behavior across Linux distributions. Its primary component is a "system and service manage ...

init system In Unix-based computer operating systems, init (short for ''initialization'') is the first process started during booting of the operating system. Init is a daemon process that continues running until the system is shut down. It is the direct ...

; instead, it provides images in which either

SysVinit In Unix-based computer operating systems, init (short for ''initialization'') is the first process started during booting of the operating system. Init is a daemon process that continues running until the system is shut down. It is the direct ...

Runit runit is an init and service management scheme for Unix-like Operating systems that initializes, supervises, and ends processes throughout the operating system. Runit is a reimplementation of the daemontools process supervision toolkit that ...

are set as the default init system.

Features

antiX is lightweight and suitable for older computers, while also providing cutting edge

kernel Kernel may refer to: Computing * Kernel (operating system), the central component of most operating systems * Kernel (image processing), a matrix used for image convolution * Compute kernel, in GPGPU programming * Kernel method, in machine learnin ...

and applications, as well as updates and additions via the apt-get package system and Debian-compatible repositories. * Starting with version 19, antiX offers

sysVinit In Unix-based computer operating systems, init (short for ''initialization'') is the first process started during booting of the operating system. Init is a daemon process that continues running until the system is shut down. It is the direct ...

and

runit runit is an init and service management scheme for Unix-like Operating systems that initializes, supervises, and ends processes throughout the operating system. Runit is a reimplementation of the daemontools process supervision toolkit that ...

as a choice for the init system. * Starting with version 22, antiX is offered

elogind systemd is a software suite that provides an array of system components for Linux operating systems. The main aim is to unify service configuration and behavior across Linux distributions. Its primary component is a "system and service manage ...

-free for both 32-bit and 64-bit architecture. * Starting with version 23.1, antiX has new apps: antiX TV, antiX Radio, Finder, antiX SAMBA manager, and several others. * Starting with version 23.2, antiX Full comes with two kernels: Legacy 5.10 and Modern 6.1. antiX has extensive support for "

live CD A live CD (also live DVD, live disc, or live operating system) is a complete booting, bootable computer installation including operating system which runs directly from a CD-ROM or similar storage device into a computer's memory, rather than lo ...

" and "

live USB A live USB is a portable USB-attached external data storage device containing a full operating system that can be booted from. The term is reminiscent of USB flash drives but may encompass an external hard disk drive or solid-state drive, thou ...

" modes, booting quickly and running independently of the system's disk.

Window managers

antiX comes with a default desktop built on top of the ROX or Zzzfm file managers, with the

GTK GTK (formerly GIMP ToolKit and GTK+) is a free software cross-platform widget toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs). It is licensed under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License, allowing both Free software, free and ...

library and using

as the

window manager A window manager is system software that controls the placement and appearance of window (computing), windows within a windowing system in a graphical user interface. Most window managers are designed to help provide a desktop environment. They ...

. antiX-full and antiX-base include these stacking window managers: * Lightweight: Rox-IceWM (default), IceWM and ZzzFM-IceWM * Minimalist: Rox-Fluxbox,

and ZzzFM-Fluxbox * Very minimalist: Rox-JWM, JWM and ZzzFM-JWM Running the ROX or Zzzfm variants provides desktop icons and a drag-and-drop function. Conky provides system monitor availability.

Versions

antiX is available for

IA-32 IA-32 (short for "Intel Architecture, 32-bit", commonly called ''i386'') is the 32-bit version of the x86 instruction set architecture, designed by Intel and first implemented in the i386, 80386 microprocessor in 1985. IA-32 is the first incarn ...

(32-bit) and

x86-64 x86-64 (also known as x64, x86_64, AMD64, and Intel 64) is a 64-bit extension of the x86 instruction set architecture, instruction set. It was announced in 1999 and first available in the AMD Opteron family in 2003. It introduces two new ope ...

(64-bit) architectures, and comes in four versions: * Full, Includes X, four window managers,

LibreOffice LibreOffice () is a free and open-source office productivity software suite developed by The Document Foundation (TDF). It was created in 2010 as a fork of OpenOffice.org, itself a successor to StarOffice. The suite includes applications ...

suite, and a 'Package Installer' which allows installation of a full range of applications (1.7 GB) * Base, Includes X, four window managers, and a 'Package Installer' which allows the user to choose their own application suite (1 GB) * Core, No X, command-line installer without encryption, enables the user to have total control over the install (520 MB) * net, No X, command-line installer without encryption, enables the user to have total control, no desktop environment by default (220 MB) These four AntiX versions were joined by MEPIS in 2014, developed in cooperation with the

community to form

MX Linux MX Linux is a Linux distribution based on Debian stable and using core antiX components, with additional software created or packaged by the MX community. The development of MX Linux is a collaborative effort between the antiX and former MEPIS c ...

. MX Linux uses

Xfce Xfce or XFCE (pronounced as four individual letters, ) is a Free and open-source software, free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. Xfce aims to be fast and Lightweight software, lightweight whil ...

as the default

desktop environment In computing, a desktop environment (DE) is an implementation of the desktop metaphor made of a bundle of programs running on top of a computer operating system that share a common graphical user interface (GUI), sometimes described as a graphi ...

, is based directly on

Stable, is highly stable and gives solid performance from a medium-sized footprint. Since November 2016,

is listed as a separate distro on DistroWatch.

Releases

The releases of antiX are named after prominent left-wing figures, groups and revolutionaries.

References

External links