linux-audio-user:

I've been running a Debian Wheezy DAW (i386, Xfce, realtime kernel, Audacity, Rosegarden, various synthesizers, etc.) for the past week or two.  It sort of worked.  But, it's clearly not ready for taking on stage for a performance.


I checked for backports of more recent DAW titles, but none are available.


So, today I rebuilt the machine using Debian Testing (Jessie).


I started by downloading the 288 MB "netinst" ISO image.  This was followed by 100's of MB of downloads to install the base system, graphical desktop (Xfce), laptop packages, SSH server, and print server.


I fed my list of desired general-purpose, kernel, and DAW packages to Apt and it wanted to download another 1+ GB of files (!).  I shook my head and lit it off.


After several hours of hogging my 1.5 Mbps Internet connection, I noticed that Apt was downloading a 323 MB documentation package.


Since when is documentation a *required* package?


For that matter, when is 288 MB a "small" installation image?

And, there are other issues with Debian (such as cdrkit/ isoinfo).


So, it's time for me to look for another Linux distribution.  Are there any recommendations for a Linux distribution that:

1.  Works correctly.
2.  Is efficient in both space and time.
3.  Offers a kernel suitable for DAW use at install time.
4.  Offers current DAW software binary packages.
5.  Provides simple OOTB *user* and *administrator* experiences -- e.g. minimal technical wrenching around under the hood.

TIA,

David

p.s.  I read the recent thread on the same topic and researched some of the responses (archive server down at the moment).  The apparent favorite, Arch Linux, fails criteria #5 (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pro_Audio).  The runner-up, Ubuntu Studio, is 2+ GB and therefore fails criteria #2.  The also-ran, Debian, fails #1, 2, and 3.