Ubuntu without pre-installed software?

[Johnny Rosenberg]

I've always wondered why there are a lot of things pre-installed in
Ubuntu and most other GNU/Linux-distributions. Maybe I'm not like the
rest of humanity, but I always end up uninstalling everything,
replacing it with the stuff I prefer anyway. It would be easier to fit
Ubuntu on a CD too, faster to burn it or create the USB stick.

For example: LibreOffice. Why? Yes, why? If I want it, I'll install it
with the debs from http://www.libreoffice.org/ (and I usually do,
since I find it a lot better than the Ubuntu repository one).
Brasero? Why would I want burning software that don't convert my 24
bit FLACs to 16 bit before burning, but rather throws an error in my
face (maybe that's corrected by now, on the other hand, I guess I
should try it again…)?
Thunderbird? Why? I do my mail stuff with a web browser. Don't need an
email client at all.
Firefox? Okay, keep it, that allows me to download my preferred web browser.

I wish there was an alternate Ubuntu CD for a minimal install. Just
the necessary stuff for getting started: A web browser, Firefox is
good enough, the software centre, all those command line tools, of
course, Gnome, Unity, Compiz but pretty much not much more than that.
No LibreOffice, no Gimp, no Totem, no Brasero, no Rhythmbox and so on.
Or there could be a CD that lets you select or unselect software
during install, then you can install the rest of what you need from
the software centre.
Or a CD that does a minimal install of Ubuntu, then opens a somewhat
modified software centre. There could be something like a guide
letting you know that you need, for example, a media player, then it
displays maybe the top ten rated ones, letting you choose one or more
of them for install, then tells you that you might need some office
stuff, a firewall, web browser and all that, and you can always select
nothing if you like.

Well, that was just some thoughts.


Kind regards

Johnny Rosenberg
ジョニー・ローゼンバーグ