On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 12:45:19 +0100
Rainer Weikusat <rainerweikusat@???> wrote:

> I'm looking for an upgrade path for a Debian wheezy installation I
> can't keep forever. I wouldn't mind some rough edges as I'm perfectly
> capable of fixing any bugs I could conceivably encounter myself but
> I'd prefer having a workable base to start from over "Linux From
> Scratch".

I think you're asking where to go after Wheezy. My research tells me
the following.

* If you can wait for Devuan to go stable, that's your easiest route
forward.

* Manjaro OpenRC is fairly easy to install and admin. It's a rolling
release. It's fairly easy to alt-init the OpenRC with runit, s6,
Epochy, or Suckless Init + daemontools-encore + Littkit. It's a
rolling release, so use the appropriate backup procedures. Be aware
that Manjaro itself is a systemd distro, and the OpenRC edition is
there by the largesse of the larger community, which could be
withdrawn.

* Funtoo is an install-by-compiling rolling release similar to Gentoo,
that has committed to never allowing systemd to set foot on its turf,
and has some "mixins" to actively prevent systemd encroachment caused
by stupid "upstreams" requiring systemd. I would highly recommend
installing Funtoo on a fast Qemu VM a coupld times before trying it
on metal. With Funtoo, do bare metal backups, because scratch
installation is at least a 10 hour affair.

HTH,

SteveT

Steve Litt
July 2015 featured book: Rapid Learning for the 21st Century
http://www.troubleshooters.com/rl21