Not to be mixed up with Porteus, PorteuX is a portable Linux distribution that is designed to be lightweight, incredibly fast, modular, and can be immutable if necessary. Drawing inspiration from Slax and Porteus, it offers users a choice of 7 different desktops: Cinnamon, GNOME, KDE Plasma, LXDE, LXQt, MATE, and Xfce. The latest version, 1.7, features the Linux kernel version 6.11.4, along with updated desktop environments, applications, smaller ISO sizes, and various fixes.
Size and Features
The KDE version of PorteuX is a bit larger than 500 MB, specifically 551 MB for KDE 6.2.1 and 502 MB for KDE 5.23.5, while the other versions remain under the 500 MB limit. The lightest version is the one based on LXDE 0.10.1, which is only 431 MB. It’s important to note, however, that there are no web browsers, email clients, or office software bundled with it. The distro includes packages such as glibc 2.40, gtk 4.16.3, gnome-shell 47.1, kmod 33, samba 4.21.1, wayland 1.23.1, qt 6.7.3, and Python 3.11.10. To maintain its lightweight nature, non-essential tools commonly found in other distros, like vim, have been excluded.
Improvements in Version 1.7
A significant number of fixes focus on addressing problems in Xfce 4.18, but improvements have also been made for GNOME, LXDE, and Cinnamon. The release notes highlight at least 45 changes, and the PorteuX team describes version 1.7 as "a big release" that aims to provide "an exciting and hopefully fast and stable system for everybody" who is willing to try it out.
For those interested in having multiple portable Linux distributions available on a single USB stick, there’s a 9-in-1 32 GB USB drive available on Amazon for $19.99. This stick, configured by EZISTOL, comes preloaded with Ubuntu, Mint Cinnamon, MX Linux Xfce, Elementary OS, Linux Lite Xfce, Manjaro KDE, Peppermint, Zorin OS Xfce, and Pop!_OS.
Conclusion
PorteuX is an appealing option for users seeking a lightweight and flexible Linux environment. It’s designed for speed and efficiency, making it a suitable choice for various computing needs. With the latest updates and a robust selection of desktop environments, it encourages exploration and use among Linux enthusiasts.
