Enlightenment is a rather unusual desktop environment. It is in fact, more of a Window Manager as it lacks taskbar, panel and even menu. Yet, unlike many lightweight environments, the Enlightenment desktop is full of eye candy features one would expect from a full blown environment but using only a fraction of the resources. There are subtle animations tucked in almost on every element of the desktop widgets.
The desktop has a first boot wizard that enables one to select various aspects of the desktop that define its behaviour and appearance. For example, one gets an option to select the text size in the windows, which is a really useful feature and even more so, if one is running Enlightenment on a high DPI (means how many dots per inch or pixels per inch it supports) display.
Enlightenment, also known simply as E, is a compositing window manager for the X-11 window system.
Since version 20, Enlightenment also supports Wayland and is shipped with some Linux distributions such as Bodhi Linux and Pentoo.
Enlightenment includes functions to provide a graphical shell and can be used in conjunction with programs written for GNOME or KDE. When used together with the Enlightenment Foundation Libraries (EFL), Enlightenment can be referred as anEntire Desktop Environment.
Some reflection, on Binary System and early computer environment is worth mentioning. I started with Live Linux CDs, that is after having being fully fed up with Microsoft Windows. I had to run 42 Floppies to get Windows 95 running on an IBM Computer with 512MB RAM and 4 MB Video RAM. I still have it in Ceylon but not in working order. When we were building our house,
I used to give the Mason Bass, the old metal gadgets for our indoor steps’ alignment in 90 degrees, as a form of concrete reinforcement. One of them was Commodore 64 Computer. I would have give even our first computer for similar reinforcement of concrete but my son did not agree. That is why it is still surviving and unlike the desktops of today, they were heavy and metal framed. The motherboard was huge unlike a motherboard of a NUC with an integrated Graphic Card. They consumed lot of electricity and needed lot of ventilation fans to keep them cool.
Coming back to installation floppies, the most common 3.5-inch floppy disk can hold only 1.44 MB of data, while the earlier 5.25-inch disks commonly held 360 KB or 1.2 MB. These, along with 8-inch disks (initially 80 KB), were the standards, respectively, the 1990s, 1980s, and 1970s, before being replaced by higher capacity media like CDs and USB drives.
Installation Floppy for Windows System were;
Windows 3.0/3.1:
6–11 disks (3.5" or 5.25")
Windows 95:
13 Distribution Media Format (DMF) disks
or 26–28 standard 3.5" disks.
Windows 98:
39 DMF disks.
Windows NT 3.1:
22 disks
After one day of toiling, with the help of CachyOS and Reborn OS, I got the GRUB in working order of my NUC. Now, I have 9 distributions including ELive running. There are 3 Debian, 2 Testing (Forky), 1 Stable Trixie and also Emmabantus running Trixe.
Warning
Choose this distribution if you have only and old hardware. It would run with 500MB (Conky showing the RAM use) but it shoots up to 1.5GB, if you are running programs.
Minimum RAM I recommend is 2GB.
It is old Bookworm kernel and compatible only with Debian. By the way, it is based on Debian. It is incompatible with all the ARCH distributions. It ruined my GRUB and I have reinstalled CachyOS and REBORN OS. No bother, I can install 4 ARCH derivatives, in the time I spent installing Elive. Besides, I can install Enlightenment Desktop on top of GNOME of DEBIAN. There is also Enlightenment Organization which promote this Desktop.
After several look up for the Live USB for free iso image download, I found a torrent file of a folder consisting of 6.9GB with two images of 32 bit and 64 bit.
DEBIAN also takes a long time to install since it supports many Desktops on the first install. One can avoid this by downloading only one Live image say, GNOME, KDE or XFCE. Do not download Source Code images and they cannot be installed. DEBIAN Testing images are released every 2 weeks and the last one I downloaded was faulty and I could not use it to install Testing Debian. It is less than 4GB and it carries some fault. There are no torrent files for Testing images but the image I downloaded some time back is working fine.
In the meantime, I lost all my Linux images, saved in a NTFS Partition. I have now converted this to EXT4 and installed another instance of Debian GNOME.
Installation details of Elive.
It started at 13.32PM.
At 13.42 I formatted /partition 9 which had second instance of REBORN OS.
It is detecting the 18 partitions in my NUC.
It is already a bit of a pain but I am not yet annoyed.
At last I got the layout of my Partition Table.
Selected partition 9 with 16.7GB.
It is still brewing grog or alcohol but this is the Month of Wesak and I do not consume alcohol at all.
It wants a password for a new keyring.
Obliged.
I did not want Google Chrome to snooping.
234 dollar contributions in 10 days.
I decline any contributions because I do not have an account in Australia.
I would have obliged, if I was in CEYLON.
It is configuring the installation.
I hope it would not ruin my GRUB.
I declined Chrome Browser and SNAP of UBUNTU.
It is running the Terminal and removing redundant stuff.
I am a patient retired doctor and I have gone through this rigmarole from 32 bit time. Hence no major mishaps along the way.
THANK You Elive.
Long Live Linux is my motto.
I would have an account on ELive in my book Linux Essentials. No reservation intended.
I have already Enlightenment Desktop on top of GNOME, IceWM, Blackbox and Openbox window managers included.
I loved Enlightenment Desktop from 32 bit time. With all the animations I cannot resize the Terminal Window to read what is going on the background. This is something, I learned from ARCH Linux. Iread every comment made in the Terminal.I take seriously every comment they make in the Terminal on Python 3 plus.
It is 14.17PM and already one hour gone.
Not yet finished.
REBORN OS finished installation in 12 minutes and that is why I use ARCH instead of Bookworm of ELive. However, I am going to keep it as the 9th distribution in my NUC.
It is finally doing the GRUB and Init.
Anyway it is better than Prism Linux and GARUDA Linux that ruined my GRUB.
Finished at 14.28PM, 2 minutes short of 1 hour.
Did It ruin my GRUB?
Yes, it did.
By the way, I had the Elive Image in a 8GB SD Card and it would remain there for sometime.
It is saying it is updating my GRUB.
It has only one user but others can be added.
No Root User but a Sudo.
This violates the Linux Principle.
Well it got the GRUB in order with a beautiful Plymouth but ARCH derivatives not booting.
I am booting it now at 14.38PM.
Thank You again.
My NUC has no Audio but I jacked, my son's USB Audio Jack and I am currently listening to a random sample of music.
Thank You for the Music Elive Linux.
I have no hesitation in recommending it to Newbies but read my above comments.
One has to learn to be patient in LINUX Installation.
That is a cardinal rule.
It (ELIVE) has come a long way.
I am going to install AbiWord now.
It already has Audacity.
Added Lmms (Grand old Linux Audio Studio Utility) and AbiWord.
AbiWord accessed my current working book on Linux Essentials.
Thank YOU.
Linux ROCKS on ELIVE Linux.
15.00PM and my it is my Tea Time.
Coffee I made at 12PM has gone cold but I would have it now, like some ice coffee.
It is bit cold in AUSTRALIA.
It is 16.04PM and I am still listening to music.
THANK You for the MUSIC.
The video quality is poor and they are old time music when video technology was very poor. Transferring them to digital tend to loose quality anyway. My eyesight is poor anyway.
By the way, MPV Player of Linux is excellent.
The Elive project has published a new stable release of its Debian based distribution featuring the Enlightenment desktop. The new version uses Debian 12 (Old Stable) as a base and offers both versions 16 and 27 of the Enlightenment interface.
The unique features on this release include OpenRC as an optionalInit System available during installation for users who prefer a SystemD alternative that adheres closely to the UNIX philosophy. Synthwave Player is an impressive new music player developed for months by Elive is included as a default. An extremely light weight application forVoice Control forhands free interaction (no-AI), and is optional. Desktop Clock: A simple, lightweight desktop clock that we made for the E16 desktop. Enlightenment 27: A preview of the last Enlightenment E27 with a few Elive features included is included by default to use and play.
This will be the last build of Elive including the very solid Debian 12 back ports and with all the stability needed. It is in an extremely polished system, a perfect LTS snapshot of Elive Stable."
Elive 3.8.50 runs SystemD by default, but users can optionally run SysV Init instead with the selection made during the installation process. When SysV init is selected, OpenRC runs as the service manager on top of SysV init.
Elive, or Enlightenment live CD, is a Debian based desktop Linux distribution and live CD featuring the Enlightenment window manager. Besides being pre-configured and ready for daily desktop use, it also includes "Elpanel" - a control centre for easy system and desktop administration. Elive is a non commercial, cost free operating system designed for everyday use, and it offers a much faster, friendlier and feature rich alternative to an expensive proprietary OS.
With Elive, computers up to 15 years old can be transformed to high performance machines with a stunning interface fully customisable.
I think Elive tried become a commercial entity but failed. It is now crowd funding its project which is a good thing. It looks like the Project Leader who started it has joined the team.
It keeps on supporting 32 bit computers.
Its 64 bit version is 4.2GB.
Enlightenment Project
Enlightenment was launched in the 1990s by Carsten “Rasterman” Haitzler as an easy to use Window Manager (WM) for X11. Since then it has expanded to include the one million lines of C code that form the Enlightenment Foundation Libraries (EFL) and a diverse set of applications. There's a vibrant and active community of developers and users who work on and use the code every day.
Enlightenment is classed as a “desktop shell” as it provides everything you need to operate your desktop or laptop, but it is not a full application suite. This covers functionality including launching applications, managing their windows and performing system tasks like suspending, rebooting, managing files and so on.
The Enlightenment Project is moving towards using Wayland as the base display system, while Enlightenment itself is to become a full Wayland compositor in its own right. This takes time, and there have been some bumps along the road, but the goal is that support for X11 will be eventually be discontinued (perhaps many years down the road).
Enlightenment is built on top of the Enlightenment Foundation Libraries (EFL), using the libraries written for the user interface as well as those for the Compositor itself. This means that any improvements made to EFL are included in the Enlightenment Compositor.
Enlightenment also serves the Window Manager and Compositor for Tizen, due in no small part to its efficiency and breadth of features.
See About Enlightenment for more details.
Elive CD- Live Image
The Elive project has published a new stable release of its Debian based distribution featuring the Enlightenment desktop. The new version uses Debian 12 (Old Stable) as a base and offers both versions 16 and 27 of the Enlightenment interface.
The unique features on this release include OpenRC as an optional Init System available during installation for users who prefer a SystemD alternative that adheres closely to the UNIX philosophy. Synthwave Player is an impressive new music player developed for months by Elive is included as a default. An extremely light weight application for Voice Control for hands free interaction (no-AI), and it is optional.
Desktop Clock:
A simple, lightweight desktop clock that we made for the E16 desktop.
Enlightenment 27:
A preview of the last Enlightenment E27 with a few Elive features are included by default to use and play.
This will be the last build of Elive including the very solid Debian 12 back port with all the stability needed to run.
It is in an extremely polished system, a perfect LTS snapshot of Elive Stable."
Elive 3.8.50 runs SystemD by default, but users can optionally run SysV Init instead, with the selection made during the installation process.
When SysV init is selected, OpenRC runs as the service manager on top of SysV init.
Elive, or Enlightenment live CD, is a Debian based desktop Linux distribution and live CD featuring the Enlightenment Window Manager.
Besides being pre-configured and ready for daily desktop use, it also includes "Elpanel" - a control centre for easy system and desktop administration.
Elive is a non commercial, cost free operating system designed for everyday use and it offers a much faster, friendlier and feature rich alternative to an expensive proprietary OS.
With Elive, computers up to 15 years old can be transformed to high performance machines with a stunning interface which is fully customisable.
I think Elive tried to become a commercial entity but failed. It is now crowd funding its project which is a good thing. It looks like the Project Leader who started it has joined the team.
It keeps on supporting 32 bit computers.
Its 64 bit version is 4.2GB.
This posted with Commodore Linux.
Thank YOU.
It has Synaptic Package Manager and first was AbiWord and second was Firefox. Next of course Audacity and Lmms.
Audacity is already there and I go for Blender, now.
It is OK.
To begin with it is a big iso of nearly 10GB.
TrixiePup64
TrixiePup64 (11.2/2601) is a lightweight, Debian-based Puppy Linux distribution derived from Debian 13 "Trixie," designed for speed on older hardware. It features 64-bit and 32-bit versions, supporting both Wayland (using Labwc) and Retro X11 environments, while booting entirely into RAM. It includes APT/Synaptic package management.
Built upon Debian Trixie (Debian 13).
Wayland Version:
Uses the Labwc compositor, SFWbar and zzzFM, featuring Xwayland for compatibility with X11 applications.
Retro Version:
Features a traditional X11 desktop for older systems.
Performance:
Designed to run efficiently on low specification hardware, often running completely in memory for high speed.
Package Management:
Full access to APT and Synaptic Package Manager for installing software.
TrixiePup64 2601:
Released in early 2026, utilizing the Linux 6.12 kernel.
TrixiePup64 11.2:
A notable release in late 2025 focusing on updating components from the Trixie source. A variant offering, with specific builds utilising LXQt 2.1, KDE Plasma or Cinnamon, providing a more modern desktop experience while maintaining compatibility with Debian 13.
Root Usage:
Similar to other Puppy versions, users generally operate as root by default. However, some versions like PuppEX allow for a standard user login.
Installation:
Uses "frugal" installs to a hard drive and supports UEFI/non-UEFI systems.
Save Session:
Allows saving changes at shutdown to a folder on a hard drive or USB partition.
Some users consider it less "traditional" than older Puppies (like BionicPup), noting that the Wayland versions can have issues with drive icons and taskbar customisation.
S15Pup64
S15Pup64 (or S15Pup-64) is a 64-bit edition of Puppy Linux, specifically designed to be lightweight, fast, and binary-compatible with Slackware 15.0 components. It is designed to run efficiently on both older and modern 64 bit hardware.
Base:
Built using Slackware 15.0 packages (SPup).
System Usage:
Like most Puppy distros, S15Pup64 runs entirely from RAM, allowing the boot medium (USB/CD) to be removed after booting.
Release Information:
Available as a 64-bit ISO, often featuring updated kernels (e.g., 6.x series) to support modern hardware.
Desktop Environment:
Typically uses lightweight window managers like JWM (Joe's Window Manager) and Rox-Filer.
Package Management:
Includes the Puppy Package Manager (PPM) to install additional software, compatible with Slackware packages.
File Persistence:
It uses a layered file system. A "frugal" install is standard and changes are saved to a save file/folder on shutdown.
Commonly Used Components:
Rox-Filer: File manager.
JWM: Window manager.
Palemoon/Firefox:
Often the default browser.
Booting Problems:
If S15Pup64 fails to boot, it is sometimes suggested to use Unetbootin for creating a USB install.
Package Management:
Sometimes, the Package Manager may continue to download after installation is complete but it often works regardless.
4-bit Apps on 32-bit S15Pup:
There is a 64-bit compatibility SFS (addon) available to run 64-bit applications on a 32-bit S15Pup installation.
ToOpy
ToOpPy Linux is a French distribution based on Puppy Linux. The project provides a lightweight distribution which includes many small utilities and can be run either from a live disc or installed on the hard drive.
If I find a guy with a 32 bit computer not working. I would boot one of these images and analyse the problem first hand, with the hardware including Graphic Card and RAM. If I cannot boot Puppy Linux, I am certain the RAM is at fault and I discard the hardware, since finding a RAM card for these obsolete hardware is not worth the trouble.
Vanilla DPUP is an excellent Puppy Derivative which has an excellent collection of Linux utilities, whereas, Vanilla OS is a useless, distribution based on Debian which has no software to run on first Live Boot. If I remember right Vanilla OS could not configure WiFI when, I tested it year ago.
It is immutable release and not flexible, defeating the very objectives of Linux and Free Software. I lost interest in and it is trying to entice developers, making mint out of hard working developers. My opinion is do not try it at all and waste your valuable time.
If you do not believe me run both Vanilla Puppy and Vanilla OS on Box utility and see the difference for yourself.
Pretty obvious Puppy Linux comes on top.
Flathub does not know how to queue one application after another.
It tries to do everything at one go, hence it gets chocked.
Linux philosophy is one job at a time with less time allocation for less demanding tasks.
Target Audience
EasyPup 7.2.1, often associated with the EasyOS/Quirky project by Barry Kauler is a specialised, lightweight Linux distribution designed to blend the traditional Puppy Linux experience with the innovative "frugal" and containerized features of EasyOS.
Frugal Installation Focus:
Unlike traditional installations, EasyPup installs to a hard drive or USB stick in "frugal" mode, taking up only a single folder, which allows it to coexist easily with existing operating systems on a partition.
Image Based Distribution:
It is provided as an image file that can be written to a USB flash drive (4GB+ recommended) and will automatically expand to fill the drive, rather than relying on traditional ISO files.
"Run in RAM" Capability:
As with most Puppy variants, it can be loaded entirely into RAM for high speed performance, running well on older machines or low RAM devices.
Version Upgrades and Snapshots:
It supports atomic upgrades, replacing a few files rather than thousands of packages and allows for snapshots to roll back or forward, providing a secure way to manage system changes
Lightweight and Pre-configured:
It comes pre-installed with lightweight software such as web browsers, media players and file managers, making it functional immediately after booting.
Key Differences from Traditional Puppy Linux:
While it shares the same Puppy Linux philosophy, EasyPup 7.2.1 offers a more modern, structured approach aimed at better security and manageability.
Better Security:
It aims to run each application as its own user, increasing protection.
Easy Container Mechanism:
It includes the ability to run applications in isolated containers ("Easy Containers"), which keeps them separate from the main system.
Modern Tools:
It incorporates tools like EasyShare for network management and multiple package managers (PKGget, SFSget, Flapi, Appi)
I have installed Puppy Easy OS on a USB stick.
It has lot of problems, basically due to its container technology. Containers can be used for many uses but mainly for Virtualisation.
What it does is to mount something foreign on top of a very basic operating system.
What it tries to do is to work without link libraries.
Linux is not resource hungry. It allocates and prioritise resources as and when needed. All these techniques are mitigated or vandalised by containers.
In good old days strength and beauty of Puppy were it's small footprint of about 100MB. It has expanded to 1000MB and showings it's vulnerability.
It looks like its seems are bursting.
Gnome has a better Virtualisation package called Box Utility. The beauty of Box Utility is it gives one the ability to try individual packages within the Container.
It consumes lot of RAM and it need fare amount of hardware capacity as reserved space to run Box.
Flathub is inherently bulky.
Yes, Puppy should move forward with new technology but with extreme caution.
It's package installer is FlatPak and it is painfully slow. I wanted to Install Audacity, KDN Live and my favourite browser Firefox but it is getting frozen in mid air like a jet plane without jet fuel. I tried Brave browser and the same outcome. I generally have at least 3 browsers working for me in addition to Firefox.
They are Dillo and Falkon and Konquorer.
Yes FlatPak is a pain compared to Synaptic Package Manager of Gnome (Debian). I have 8GB of RAM and that is enough for my daily work.
If Easy Pup cannot allocate my RAM in an equitable way, I am not going to recommend it to any guy or girl. Currently, there are only a few Puppy derivatives available in 64 bits but luckily I have a collection of old Puppy Images with me, including Ubuntu and Debian derivatives.
Pluses
On the plus side it configures WiFi effortlessly.
Chrome browser is OK.
It allocates entire 8GB USB to a EXT4 File.
Puppy on a USB is my favourite when I am on the move.
Thankfully, today is a holiday and I can drop to sleep while these actions are running in the background.
I re-did everything.
It is all due to container philosophy which is pretty slow.
One should install one application at a time.
Flathub does not know how to queue one application after another.
It tries to do everything at one go, hence it gets chocked.
Linux philosophy is one job at a time with less time allocation for less demanding tasks.
Emmabuntüs Linux
Emmabuntüs is a French based, community driven Linux distribution designed specifically to refurbish old computers, support humanitarian projects, and provide a beginner friendly computing experience. Derived from Debian, it is known for its out of the box readiness, including a wide array of pre-installed software, making it ideal for schools and non profit organisations in France and Africa.
The name is a portmanteau of Emmaüs (a humanitarian organisation) and Ubuntu. It is designed to extend the life of hardware, reducing electronic waste. It was developed by the French based "Collectif Emmabuntüs" over the past 15 years. It is used extensively for refurbishing computers for schools and associations in France and Togo.
Security Enhanced Distributions
I am not a guy who worries about security.
Linux is secure, if one uses user account in addition to root account and has a good password.
Ubuntu always use only one partition and has no user account. That is why I shun Ubuntu as a daily driver.
While Kali Linux is paranoid and I have never used it or tested it all my life.
I begin to hateT ails Linux simply because I cannot use it as a live USB which it did support when I was using it in the past. I always had a USB with Tails installed in it.
Whonix Linux is supposed to be good, if one is security concerned.
I have tested it in the past but not lately.
I begin to like Parrot OS when it was based on light weight MATE. It had Home Edition in addition to Security Edition.
For the sake of completeness, I have made a short theoretical account here. I must state that I have have not tested them within this side of a decade.
Parrot OS is now Debian based. It is a security oriented distribution featuring a collection of utilities designed for penetration testing, computer forensics, reverse engineering, hacking, privacy, anonymity and cryptography. The product, developed by Frozen box, was based on MATE as the default desktop environment but the latest version7 is based on Debian 13. It has two images one called Home and the other Security.
Whonix is a free, Debian based Linux distribution designed for advanced security, privacy, and anonymity. It routes all internet traffic through the Tor network using a unique two virtual machine architecture, preventing IP leaks and de-anonymization.
Whonix utilises a Dual-VM architecture that separates the network operations into two distinct virtual machines. This VM connects directly to the internet and is solely responsible for routing all incoming and outgoing traffic through the Tor network.
This VM sits on a completely isolated internal network and cannot access the internet directly. Its traffic must pass through the Whonix-Gateway.
Because of this isolation, even if the workstation is compromised, the attacker cannot discover the actual IP address or physical location.
Whonix uses a hardened base system based on Kicksecure, which implements strong security defaults and system protections. It makes DNS leaks virtually impossible since the operating system enforces Tor-only connections.
Boot Clock Randomization prevents timing fingerprinting.
Kloak keystroke anonymizer conceals typing style.
Allows one to spin up a temporary Whonix Workstation that erases all traces and activity once closed.
Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System) is a security focused, Debian based Linux distribution designed to preserve privacy and anonymity.
It is primarily run from a live USB without altering the host computer, automatically routing all internet traffic through the Tor network and leaving no digital footprint after shutdown.
Tails runs directly in the computer's RAM rather than writing to the hard drive or SSD.
When one shuts down or restart the session disappears entirely, preventing traces of the activity from being recovered late.
All network traffic is forced through the Tor network. This conceals one’s physical IP address and location, making it extremely difficult for third parties to monitor the personal internet activity.
Tails comes with a suite of built in security applications, including the Tor Browser, KeePassXC (for password management), and encryption tools for files and emails (like OpenPGP and Electrum for cryptocurrency).
Encrypted Persistence:
Though Tails is designed to be "amnesic," users can set up an encrypted "Persistent Storage" partition on the USB drive. This allows one to save files, bookmarks and specific configuration settings between uses while keeping them protected.
Kali Linux is officially listed as originating from Gibraltar. The distribution is based in Gibraltar.
While its "origin" is listed as Gibraltar due to company registration and base operations, it is a global, Open Source Project with contributors and users worldwide
Development:
It is maintained and funded by Offensive Security, a company that provides cybersecurity training and penetration testing services.
Company Registration:
Records indicate the existence of "Kali Linux Limited," which is registered in Gibraltar.
History:
Kali Linux was released in March 2013 as a rebuild of BackTrack, which was previously developed by the same team.
Kali Linux is an Open Source, Debian based Linux distribution designed primarily for digital forensics, penetration testing and ethical hacking. Developed by Offensive Security, it features a vast collection of specialised cybersecurity tools, a custom patched kernel and a strict security model suitable for both professionals and students. It includes over 600 pre-installed tools for information gathering, vulnerability analysis, wireless attacks, password cracking, and reverse engineering.
Security Defaults:
Network services are disabled by default to keep the system secure out of the box.
Features a specialised Linux kernel patched for wireless packet injection, making it ideal for Wi-Fi assessments.
The system automatically receives continual updates, so you do not need to reinstall the entire OS for new features.
Penetration Testing:
Evaluating systems and networks for security weaknesses.
Digital Forensicsand Incident Response (DFIR):
Tracing activities, analyzing data, and investigating security incidents
Ethical Hacking:
Used in a controlled test environment to test systems only with explicit authorisation.
