If you separate Linux into all its operating system as interchangeable parts, you can stored them each in its own file system and compile them with library of dependency files.

Linux kernels are limited to hdd operating system, drivers operating system and network operating system. then you have many window manager operating system, KDE, Gnome and such with its own application programs.

Finally, you have the browser operating system.

For tiny Linux, we only need livecd, ramdisk operating system and browser.

For Midi, we only need to add any of the window manager operating system, tk, gtk+, qt, and eclipse. All the application with be included in the individual graphical user interface system.

This means, very obviously, you can have individual file system separating each window operating systems as interchangeable parts just swap them in and out of your distro, by disk storage solution.

Any distro with such organized operating system will find themselves with less dependency issues, because, each file system is independent, with its level of backward compatibility. Levels of backward compatibility is the life saving system necessary in Linux operating system to service latest as well as oldest computers. ie., VGA, Svga, Xtreme video or Xorg, 2D, 3D, etc. in its video order of backward compatibility in suitable file system, ix86 platform installation.

Many applications are not provided with backward compatibility, when commandline software is forced into gui interface. However, gui interface is easily added by a program to write a program and can limit the commandline input to only those commands without conflicts.

This architecture is obviously important to keep in mind, when you start a distro for keeps. This is also the beginning of writing microkernels for replacement of logic driven bloated codes of too many choices left on one single hardware defined computer?