Ubuntu without pre-installed software?

[Tom H]

On Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 2:23 PM, Johnny Rosenberg
<gurus.knugum at gmail.com> wrote:
> 2012/9/17 Tom H <tomh0665 at gmail.com>:
>>
>> One poster in this thread wanted a CD installer to pick and choose
>> this or that aspect of an install. This is already possible, albeit
>> not via a GUI. In Ubuntu, you can create a "less heavy" install than
>> the ones that are produced by the live CDs by using the alt, server,
>> or mini ISOs or by doing a netboot install and adding packages as you
>> see fit. I cannot see Ubuntu choosing to publish yet another type of
>> CD to cater to those who want to pick the packages to install atop a
>> minimal install with a GUI given the fact that the alt ISO's being
>> dropped as of 12.10.
>
> I have never tried the netboot install, how does it work? Can I
> install Ubuntu with just the most necessary stuff with it? Maybe I'll
> try that one next time (a couple of months after april 2014).

1) I forgot to list debootstrap as an installation option...

2) There's no relationship between the size of an installer and the
size of an installed system (except for live CDs of course). You can
use the smallest installation method to install a full Unity system
and you can use alternative CD (or DVD installers if they exist) to
install the most basic X-less system.

3) Both the netboot kernel and initramfs and the mini ISO are in a
netboot directory on the ISO download servers.