alternative operating-systems
to escape Systemd virus

alternative operating-systems - the best

[2022/08,2023/05]

1. FreeBSD

FreeBSD is the best of all alternatives.

Extra info: FreeBSD vs Linux.

2. LinuxFromScratch (LFS)

You can build your own Linux system the way you want based on LinuxFromScratch (LFS).

This author plans to build his own LFS system named Jimix.

3. Alpine Linux

Alpine Linux boots by OpenRC init system. Alpine begins as a minimal system, yet can be built way up to a ZFS server (OpenZFS has documents specific to Alpine). Note to some users; Alpine may be so minimal as to be deficient. Forex, Alpine installer is so simple it always formats as EXT4, no choices offered. But Alpine is developing rapidly [2023/05].

alternative operating-systems - very good

[2022/08,2023/05]

OpenBSD

If FreeBSD did not exist, this author very probably would be using OpenBSD.

Positives of OpenBSD:

• Includes the Emacs-like editor mg in base system, hurray!
  Only OpenBSD recognizes Emacs users cannot use vi, v.v., so includes both.
  mg (one of the MicroEmacs forks) is maintained as part of OpenBSD.
• Default shell is Korn shell ksh for both ~root and users.
  (FreeBSD base is limited to less-capable sh and csh.)
• manpages nicely configured with PAGER=less and colorized.
• pf packet-filter/firewall is not merely installed -- it runs -- by default.
• By default, its version of rc.conf disables almost everything, per OpenBSD mantra of "secure by default".

Negatives of OpenBSD:

• Lacks two huge features FreeBSD has: ZFS and jails.
• Still based on UFS/FFS2.
• Still partitions storage into /var /home /tmp (apparently, to increase their security, probably disables setuid on some) but ZFS has obsoleted such partitioning.
• Scroll-Lock key cannot scroll up (like FreeBSD).

alternative operating-systems - perhaps

[2022/08,2023/04]

Void Linux

Void Linux uses runit as its init system. Void Linux is unique, seems nicely polished, live images with variety of GUIs to try, installers for Raspberry Pi.

Haiku (BeOS clone)

Haiku is worth watching. Currently in very long beta stages, yet has proven reliable inside emulation. (More about BeOS/Haiku.)

Or no operating-system?

A computer with FORTH has no need of an operating-system.

alternative operating-systems - REJECTED

[2021/06,2023/05]

[REJECTED] NetBSD

NetBSD has a deficient firewall (NPF). This author needs UNIX system with a firewall that can block by user/UID, so with regret, had to reject NetBSD (otherwise, NetBSD would be a very good alternative).

[REJECTED] MINIX

A kernel ought to be just that, a kernel, the tiny core of the system. MINIX is a good example. MINIX-3 is semi-compatible with NetBSD. Regrettably, rejected MINIX 3, since project has become dormant [2022/08].

[REJECTED] Gentoo

Tried Gentoo but hit a show-stopper. Tried OpenRC stage3, but Gentoo's own OpenRC init system is infected with a piece of Systemd (head-smack!). Tried configuring USE variable to prevent installing Systemd and other garbage, but emerge stubbornly failed. Concluded time/effort instead would be better spent on LinuxFromScratch (LFS).

[REJECTED] Devuan

Tried installing Devuan Beowulf on emulator. Selected runit as init system. But failed to install runit, because AFAICT, no runit-init package was included in installer. That defeated the whole purpose of Devuan which is to offer choice of init systems (head-smack!).

[REJECTED] GNU Guix

Dilemma in Guix-1.3.0 installer: It will refuse to install anything unless connected to Internet, but it cannot connect to Internet because necessary drivers were hacked out of kernel for not being pure open-source (head-smack!).

[REJECTED] MacOS

Mac computers and MacOS (made after ~2010) are nothing more than you-pay cash-registers.
And HELL NO to finger-print scanners and face-recognition!!