process accounting crossed with package data = slim system?

pbhj · 10-22-2007, 10:10 AM

I'd like to be able to use the data from /var/log/pacct to trim my system down. If I use that data to look at all packages that haven't been involved in processes active on the system then I could ditch packages automatically.

Anyone know of anything that does this sort of automatic cleaning either using pacct or some other means?

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some refs for pacct

http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/...ccommands.html
http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Process-Accounting/
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6144

gnashley · 10-23-2007, 10:41 AM

I've never heard of such a program that would do that and it sounds like a pretty bad way to decide what's needed on your system.

To trim your system down, I'd start by removing the package that produces that output! Removing something just because it hasn't been used in a while doesn't mean you won't be needing it soon.
For slackware, the best way I've found to decide what's needed by what is to use a program called slackdeptrack. It will examine each package installed on your system and run ldd on all the libs and binaries in that package and cross--reference that info against the other packages.

H_TeXMeX_H · 10-23-2007, 02:29 PM

From my experience, on any OS, I strongly recommend that you keep only programs that you need, but always have a backup. Why ? Because Murphy's laws do apply. I have many good examples from the times I've had to do school projects and term papers and stuff like that. One program bites the bullet and I'm screwed. It's much less likely that both the main and backup program will both fail at the same time, both irreversibly within a reasonable amount of time.

gnashley · 10-23-2007, 04:43 PM

I used to have a pretty good HOWTO on installing a minimal Slack system, but don't publish it anymore as it is out of date. Still, I have no problem to install a runnign system with X and a desktop environment in less than 250MB without cramping my style, except for needing compilers, etc. A system which can recompile itself needs round 400-500MB. And these figures mean using regular packages without deleting docs, header files or other non-essentials.
Anyway, a few months spent working on trimming down your system will teach you a great deal about what really makes you system tick.