{"id":3289,"date":"2023-09-19T22:13:43","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T02:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/?page_id=3289"},"modified":"2025-08-12T15:42:41","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T19:42:41","slug":"gparted-clonezilla-2-small-gnu-linux-distros-special-purpose-linuxes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/tech\/operating-systems\/linux\/special-purpose-linuxes\/gparted-clonezilla-2-small-gnu-linux-distros-special-purpose-linuxes\/","title":{"rendered":"GParted &#038; Clonezilla: 2 Small GNU\/Linux Distros \u2013 \u2018<i>Special *PURPOSE* Linuxes<\/i>\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #bf0041;\">(<strong>8\/08\/2021<\/strong> \u2013 Some links had expired and were removed for this transfer) <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Linux has been screwed up for at least the 25-years I have been following it. Not only is the so-called \u201cDesktop\u201d Linux <a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/itsfoss.com\/desktop-linux-torvalds\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Fragmented<\/a> into over 2000++ \u2018<em>Fragments<\/em>\u2019, <strong>*<u>EVERYTHING<\/u>*<\/strong> <em>in \u2018n around<\/em> Linux is also <a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/itsfoss.com\/desktop-linux-torvalds\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Fragmented<\/a>\u2026yes, especially the Linux Communities. For example:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/GNU\/Linux_naming_controversy\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">GNU\/Linux naming controversy<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Within the <a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Free_software\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">free software<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Open-source_software\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">open-source software<\/a> communities there is controversy over whether to refer to computer <a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Operating_system\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">operating systems<\/a> that use a combination of <a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/GNU\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">GNU<\/a> software and <a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linux_kernel\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Linux kernel<\/a> as \u201cGNU\/Linux\u201d or \u201cLinux\u201d systems.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3291 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1d8b3-gnu-linux-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"644\" height=\"302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1d8b3-gnu-linux-1.jpg 644w, https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1d8b3-gnu-linux-1-500x234.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 644px) 100vw, 644px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Nothing ever seems settled wid Linux\u2026or GNU\u2026or is it GNU\/Linux!?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Too many <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/itsfoss.com\/desktop-linux-torvalds\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">cooks<\/a><\/strong> spoil the broth.<\/li>\n<li>Too many <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/itsfoss.com\/desktop-linux-torvalds\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">choices<\/a><\/strong> overwhelm the consumer\/customer\/user.<\/li>\n<li>Too many <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/itsfoss.com\/desktop-linux-torvalds\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">desktop choices<\/a><\/strong> held Linux back from succeeding as a desktop operating system?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As Linus Torvalds says, \u201cDesktop Linux\u201d is not for \u201c<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Pzl1B7nB9Kc\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">normal people<\/a><\/strong>\u201d \u2013 \u2018<em>\u201cOne of the problems Desktop\u201d Linux has is it\u2019s not made for \u201cnormal people, and by normal people I mean, obviously nontechnical people\u2026\u201d<\/em>\u2019<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Linus Torvalds on why desktop Linux sucks\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Pzl1B7nB9Kc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Well, that <em>simple \u2018n truthful<\/em> statement has been obvious to actual Worldwide <em><u>normal<\/u><\/em> Desktop\/Laptop OS users for decades, which is one of the many reasons why \u201cDesktop Linux\u201d has remained stuck at around 2+-% of the Worldwide Desktop\/Laptop OS user market share for decades\u2026\u201dDesktop\u201d Linux is currently @ just <strong>1.66%<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Are Linux Distros about to become <a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/edu.gcfglobal.org\/en\/computerbasics\/understanding-applications\/1\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apps<\/a> for other OSes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Looks like Windows 11 is going to offer Android apps along wid the Linux apps. Chrome OS has also been offering Linux apps. Have read Android offers Linux apps or is going to offer them. Apple\/Mac\u2026I don\u2019t know anything about them.<\/p>\n<p>Other than Ubuntu \u2018n Fedora there is not much demand for \u201cDesktop\u201d Linux, so there will be <em>little to no<\/em> need for other OSes to even consider adding the other Linux Distros to their app selections. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/linux\/linux-newbie-since-1996\/newbie-pages\/special-purpose-linuxes\/\">Special <strong>*PURPOSE*<\/strong> Linuxes<\/a><\/em> would be an exception, of course.<\/p>\n<p>Windows 10\/11 and Android are already top OSes in Desktop \u2018n Mobile categories, and it looks like Chromebook\u2019s Chrome OS has moved ahead of Apple, at least temporarily, in the Desktop\/Laptop category.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Top 3 operating systems in 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s review the top 3 operating systems in the world, Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, and Google Chrome OS.<\/p>\n<p>Some operating systems are designed by groups of people around the world, like the open source, freely available operating system Linux, while others are commercial products made by one company, such as Microsoft\u2019s Windows and Apple\u2019s macOS. For ages now, every annual report on desktop operating system market share has had the same top two contenders: Microsoft\u2019s Windows in a commanding lead at number one and Apple\u2019s macOS in distant second place.<\/p>\n<p>But in 2020, Chrome OS became the second-most popular OS, and Apple fell to third. That\u2019s according to numbers from market data firm IDC and a report on IDC\u2019s data by publication GeekWire. Chrome OS had passed macOS briefly in individual quarters before, but 2020 was the first full year when Apple\u2019s OS took third place.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The modern \u2018<em>Technological World<\/em>\u2019 moves <em><u>waaaaaay<\/u><\/em> too fast for \u201cDesktop\u201d Linux to keep up. However, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/linux\/linux-newbie-since-1996\/newbie-pages\/special-purpose-linuxes\/\">Special <strong>*PURPOSE*<\/strong> Linuxes<\/a><\/em> are <u>not held back<\/u> by the attempt to become a \u201cDesktop\u201d Linux OS.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Special_PURPOSE_Linuxes_as_Companion_OSes_for_Windows_1011\"><\/span><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/linux\/linux-newbie-since-1996\/newbie-pages\/special-purpose-linuxes\/\">Special *PURPOSE* Linuxes<\/a><\/em> as Companion OSes for Windows 10\/11<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Puppy Linux isn\u2019t the only great \u2018<strong><em>Companion OS<\/em><\/strong>\u2019 for Windows 10\/11. However, FossaPup64 9.5 (AKA Puppy Linux 9.5) has been my one of my favorite<a href=\"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/linux\/karmis-top-10-linux-distros\/\"><strong><em> Linux Distros<\/em><\/strong><\/a> for a long time, because of its \u2018<em>Portability &amp; Rescue<\/em>\u2019 abilities, but also for its \u2018<em>Companion OS<\/em>\u2018 usefulness.<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/linux\/linux-newbie-since-1996\/newbie-pages\/special-purpose-linuxes\/\">Special <strong>*PURPOSE*<\/strong> Linuxes<\/a><\/em> offer all kinds of ways to use Linux as a Companion OS, a secondary OS, a utility OS, etc. Even after 25-years, I am still finding great ways to use Linuxes that can actually offer a useful \u2018<em><u>Purpose<\/u><\/em>\u2019 to Windows 10\/11 users.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1) <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/gparted.org\/index.php\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">GParted<\/a><\/strong>: has been a personal favorite \u2018<em>Utility OS<\/em>\u2019, that is often considered just an app. Have wanted to incorporate it into Windows 10 for a long time, but it wasn\u2019t offered as a choice until recently, in the testing area of the Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI (<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/github.com\/microsoft\/wslg\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">WSLg<\/a><\/strong>). It\u2019s close to being fully operational in Windows 11, when it comes out later this year. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/gparted.org\/livecd.php\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">GParted Live<\/a><\/strong>: \u2018<em>is a small bootable GNU\/Linux distribution for x86 based computers. It enables you to use all the features of the latest versions of the GParted application<\/em>.\u2019 Haven\u2019t really used the Live version much at all.<\/li>\n<li>2) <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/clonezilla.org\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Clonezilla<\/a><\/strong>: an excellent \u2018<em>Utility OS<\/em>\u2019 for Linuxes. Surprisingly, most \u201cDesktop\u201d Linux users don\u2019t know how to use it\u2026probably spent most of their time trying to keep their favorite \u201cDesktop\u201d Distro OS working, and haven\u2019t considered just doing a backup image of their Distro. Of course, doing a backup image of most \u201cDesktop\u201d Linuxes is a waste of time anyway, because they\u2019ll just break again after restoring the image. Linuxes like Puppy Linux, Ubuntu Linux, Fedora Linux, AlmaLinux OS, and CentOS Stream Linux are easily backed up \u2018n restored wid <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/clonezilla.org\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Clonezilla<\/a><\/strong>. I also have images of some other Distros made, if they were difficult to install, or took a <em><u>long long<\/u><\/em> time to install, or if they required money, etc., e.g. Redcore Linux, EOS Linux, Kali Linux, Elive Linux, Vanilla Arch (<em>Gnome \u2018n Cinnamon<\/em>), Manjaro Architect (<em>huge, hard to get iso, and slow install<\/em>), and a few others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/gparted.org\/index.php\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">GParted<\/a><\/strong> \u2018n <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/href.li\/?https:\/\/clonezilla.org\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Clonezilla<\/a><\/strong> are both small \u2018n stable Linux \u2018<em>Utility<\/em>\u2019 OSes, that can also be useful \u2018<em>Companions<\/em>\u2019 to Windows 10\/11.<\/p>\n<p>Will add this post to the <a href=\"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/linux\/linux-newbie-since-1996\/newbie-pages\/special-purpose-linuxes\/\"><strong><em>Special *PURPOSE* Linuxes<\/em><\/strong><\/a> page.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>LINUX IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES \u2013 you never know what you\u2019re gonna get!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(8\/08\/2021 \u2013 Some links had expired and were removed for this transfer) Linux has been screwed up for at least the 25-years I have been following it. Not only is the so-called \u201cDesktop\u201d Linux Fragmented into over 2000++ \u2018Fragments\u2019, *EVERYTHING* in \u2018n around Linux is also Fragmented\u2026yes, especially the Linux Communities. For example: GNU\/Linux naming &#8230; <a title=\"GParted &#038; Clonezilla: 2 Small GNU\/Linux Distros \u2013 \u2018Special *PURPOSE* Linuxes\u2019\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/tech\/operating-systems\/linux\/special-purpose-linuxes\/gparted-clonezilla-2-small-gnu-linux-distros-special-purpose-linuxes\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about GParted &#038; Clonezilla: 2 Small GNU\/Linux Distros \u2013 \u2018Special *PURPOSE* Linuxes\u2019\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3254,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"iawp_total_views":11,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3289","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3289"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3289\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3299,"href":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3289\/revisions\/3299"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/karmismusingstech.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}