https://sourceforge.net/p/x-lfs-2010/
I have an old license 4.2 i love the front-end interface, the 15 mb install size, the power! Even after i upgrade - i'm not trading it in i'm keeping it and getting a full upgrade so i can keep it.
However I wanted (needed) and LFS (linux from scratch) to keep it up and running on NEWER (2010) deskop (ie, along side Firefox 20.0 - which using debian or redhat who, Mathematica 4.2 would be BROKEN), and old linux kernel dont like my new computer.
.... "they kept breaking X11 and Mathematica 4+" on linux, the distros, fsf, whoever. I kept fixing it.
I wanted (was forced into) to have a %100 fully sourced linux system (RUNTIME - hot building of %100 of any part of OS), to keep (malware) from injecting wares that attack X11, older X11 apps, etc. Any anyway shouldn't a "fully sourced" linux be able to build from scratch with ease? Why wasn't it always so?
X-lfs GNU/Linux from termcap and gcc up to firefox-20.0 and more. It is %100 GNU/Linux from source compiled on your box (and ready to change) "without any known build fails", overnight (1 Ghz cpu)
X-lfs can run Mathematica 4.2 fully and reliable, no crashes, no broken fonts, X11 can run mm on remote desktops one command without vnc (is libc6, but also libc5 for the converters), again %100 OS is fresh with no unsourced OS bins. (note: you have to be old-school and know how to set up X11 fonts given the scripts to do so)
It might work on newer (> 4.2) i dont have a license for each to try to see what wont work.
the term "fully sourced" was beaten around linux but rarely if ever true, to compile src involved (involves) many build stops fixes - distros kept building base (compiling toolchain and base OS chroot) as separate and not a thing the distro was prepared to do - and try to build their packages one quickly found build errors.
X-lfs is a light weight "actually fully sourced OS", 1.5 Giga Byte installed (8G w/source built and unclean); caveats (ie of limited scope of upgrades) listed on the page, it can't do everything it's "lite" (ie, bluetooth supported but no bluetooth apps built), but it does run many bins and it's own compiled bins.
https://sourceforge.net/p/x-lfs-2010/
enjoy
