Source Mage is an independent, source-based Linux distribution aimed at system administrators and experienced users who want extensive control over how their system is built.
Software is managed through Source Mage’s Sorcery package management system. Packages are known as “spells” and collections of spells as “grimoires”. When a spell is installed, Sorcery downloads the upstream source code and compiles it locally. Users can select build options, dependencies, compiler flags and other settings rather than relying on precompiled binary packages.
The distribution does not impose a particular desktop environment. Its main grimoire is restricted to free and open source software, while separate collections are available for software which does not meet those requirements. Source Mage uses its own init-script infrastructure together with simpleinit-msb rather than systemd.
| Working state: | Active |
| Desktop: | User choice |
| Init Software: | simpleinit-msb / Source Mage init scripts |
| Package Management: | Sorcery |
| Release Model: | Rolling |
| Platforms: | x86_64, i686 |
| Home Page: | www.sourcemage.org |
| Developer: | Source Mage Linux developers |
| This article is part of our Big List of Active Linux Distributions and Open Source Operating Systems. |
What's a Linux distribution ("distro")? |
| A distro provides the user with a desktop environment, preloaded applications, and ways to update and maintain the system. Each distro makes different choices, deciding which open source projects to install and provides custom written programs. They can have different philosophies. Some distros are intended for desktop computers, some for servers without a graphical interface, and others for special uses. Because Linux is an open source operating system, combinations of software vary between Linux distros. |
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