++++
12/28/2021
  ++++

Puppy is a super-light distro which loads into RAM and can 
be booted from USB every time. I choose not to do an 
install, but rather allow puppy to create a "pup save" file 
which allowed my configurations (Dvorak, wifi connection) 
and added software (Lynx, Nano (the heck?)) to be ready if 
the day ever comes where I want to boot da Pup up from da 
stick again. (Alternatively, pup is purported to have built 
in tools to etch an "insta-fork" iso, and I could put that 
on the bootable USB -- how cool is that?) 

I played with it out of a spirit of true digital minimalism 
and some vague dream of one day being able to go around to 
people's old computers and give them new life.  The second 
goal would probably be possible if I had more of a real-life 
social network, but as for the first goal -- I must say that 
Puppy Linux Bionic Pup has a very different view of 
minimalism than I do.  

To me, minimalism is about the terminal.  As noted 
parenthetically above, out-of-the-box there is no Lynx and 
no Nano, which have become absolute staples of my computing 
existence, but worse than that OS swallows alt+<number> as 
a way to toggle between terminal tabs and instead uses them 
for virtual desktops (which, yuck. . . in this guy's 
opinion). And, yeah, yeah, I'm sure I'm supposed to know 
how to remap the keys, and it should be an honor and 
privilege to mess with that. But since everything I ask 
Mint to do runs zippy fast on both of my computers, I'm not 
exactly going to put this on the top of my to-do list.  
Also, there is no apt, with installation occurring through 
the Puppy Package Manger, which in fairness I had no 
problems using.

So while Puppy represents less my idea of Zen in the art of 
information, but is instead cramming as much Windows-like 
functionality with cool utilities in as little memory as it 
can, it should be appreciated as a remarkable achievement in 
those terms. It is the real Windows-XP killer, in that all 
those old XP machines stored in all of those closets, under
beds, and actually being used *should* be given the Puppy 
Treatment. 

--

This work is hereby in the public domain.
Do what you want with it.