Even though Linux operating systems have very low minimum hardware requirements anyway, there's always room to get even leaner, or just enough.

SUSE Linux Enterprise JeOS (pronounced "juice"), the beta "Just enough" operating system from Novel, is a lightweight and bare-bones version of the company's SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. The code base is SLES 10 Service Pack 2. The stripped-down operating system is intended specifically for virtual appliances. Applications certified to run on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server will carry that certification onto the JeOS platform as well.

By ripping out general purpose software, such as graphical desktops, word processing applications, and media packages, the resulting base OS is smaller and much more efficient: two pluses when working in the virtual environment. Yes, it's possible to sit down and rip out unwanted components from the standard OS, but it's always easier to build up from the absolute minimum and adding additional packages from SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, than it is to go the other way.

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