Venom Linux

Overview

Venom Linux is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Linux From Scratch (LFS). It uses a rolling release model and adheres to the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle, offering highly customizable systems for experienced users. Created by developer daemonbsd56 (inspired by CRUX Linux), it is hosted on SourceForge and GitHub. Venom Linux supports the x86_64 architecture and is suitable for desktops and servers, offering desktop environment variants such as XFCE, LXDE, and MATE. It uses the scratch package manager (a custom build tool) and emphasizes simplicity and customization, making it suitable for LFS enthusiasts or those seeking a minimalist system. The project is active but updates are slow, making it suitable for advanced users seeking custom builds.

History and Development

• Origin:
  • 2020: The Venom Linux project was launched by developer daemonbsd56 as a custom distribution of Linux From Scratch (LFS). Inspired by the KISS principle of CRUX Linux, it aimed to provide a simple and fast source code build system.
  • Early versions were based on LFS 11.1 and introduced the scratch package manager.
• Development History:
  • 2021: Venom Linux 3.0 was released, based on LFS 10.1, kernel 5.10, and providing XFCE and LXDE desktops.
  • September 12, 2022: Venom Linux 4.0 was released, based on LFS 11.3, kernel 5.18, with support for the MATE desktop and improved scratch tools.
  • 2023: The project remains active on GitHub, with community contributions to ports and documentation, but no major new releases.
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by daemonbsd56 and the community, hosted on SourceForge and GitHub.
  • Supports English and some Chinese (depending on the desktop environment). Documentation includes a wiki and contribution guide.
  • A Reddit user called Venom Linux "a modern take on LFS."
• Open Source License:
  • GPL v3 (core scripts), MIT (some tools).

Key Features

Venom Linux is built around source code, the KISS principle, and customization, making it suitable for advanced users. Here are its key features:

1. Source Build System
   • Based on Linux From Scratch (LFS), it builds software from source code using the scratch package manager.
2. Rolling Update Model
   • Based on LFS, rolling updates ensure the latest packages.
3. Multiple Desktop Environments
   • Supports XFCE, LXDE, and MATE desktops, and consumes approximately 300-500MB of RAM.
4. KISS Principle
   • Simple, with few dependencies and transparent source code, it outperforms complex distributions like Ubuntu.
5. Hardware Compatibility
   • Supports x86_64, with a minimum requirement of 1GB of RAM and 10GB of disk space (2GB of RAM and 20GB of disk space recommended).
6. Security and Privacy
   • Supports the ufw firewall and custom encryption.
7. Development Support
   • Supports Python and Git, and uses scratch build tools.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages

• KISS Principle:
  • Simple builds, superior to the complex Arch Linux AUR.
  • X's post claims, "Venom Linux 4.0's scratch package manager makes LFS even simpler."
• Source code transparency:
  • Based on LFS, superior to Ubuntu binaries.
• Rolling updates:
  • Latest software, suitable for development.
• Community-friendly:
  • Active SourceForge, with a wiki.
• Low requirements:
  • Suitable for older hardware, better than the high-configuration configuration of Qubes OS.

Limitations

• Slow updates:
  • Last version 4.0 (2022), better than CRUX but not as active as Arch Linux.
• Community size:
  • Smaller than Arch Linux, with limited Chinese documentation.
• ARM support:
  • No official ARM version, inferior to Raspberry Pi OS.

Summary

Venom Linux is a free, open-source Linux distribution based on Linux From Scratch (LFS). The latest version 4.0 (as of September 12, 2022) is based on LFS 11.3, kernel 5.18, and supports the x86_64 architecture. It is based on the KISS principle, source code building and customization, and provides XFCE/LXDE/MATE desktops. Venom Linux's simplicity and source code transparency are prominent, but it is updated slowly and has a small community.