On 25/02/18 08:54, @lbutlr wrote: > On 2018-02-25 (00:37 MST), John Fawcett <j...@voipsupport.it> wrote: >> I normally start out with the minimal set of packages and only add >> software that I need to those. While make was already there, the >> compiler and m4 were missing. I installed the compiler but forgot m4, so >> it was my fault really. > I used to do the same back int eh 90s where trying to slim down the OS was > really worth the effort. Now though, a full base install is well under a > handful of GB, or less than 1% of a small hard drive. > > The package that don't matter are just taking a little bit of space, and it > is hardly worth building a system by hand to save a tiny amount > (percentage-wise) of space. > It's now become a habit, but the main reason behind it in my case was not to save space, but to increase security (admittedly probably only marginally). The idea is that with less software there will be a smaller surface of attack and potentially less vectors that can be used by a malicious user or attacker. This is one of the reasons you might not want to run a compile environment on the production system.
John
