openbsd has everything i need in base for servers and desktop: x11, cwm, xterm, tmux, vi, httpd, etc. it's well documented, has consistent minimalist apis, and sane defaults.

base takes 2gb on disk and fits in 128mb ram (to run a modern web browser you need 4gb on disk and 4gb ram)

you can install openbsd on bare metal in a few minutes.

openbsd

on servers

• deploy vm on openbsd.amsterdam €71/year
• configure httpd(8)
• enable https with acme-client(1) and let's encrypt
• forward outgoing mail to a remote smtp server
• configure nsd(8)

on desktops

• install openbsd
• customize xenodm(1) login screen
• configure login.conf(5) and sshd(8) for yubikey
• use x11 clipboard with xclip(1)
• set default programs with xdg-mime(1)
• dock laptop with with xrandr(1), xinput(1), xrdb(1), and sysctl(8)

i run -stable on my laptops and servers.

my dotfiles .xsession .xdefaults .cwmrc .tmux.conf .exrc

misc

• encrypt disk with bioctl(8) and crypto
• set time zone
• edit text with vi(1)
• generate ssh keys
• mount disks with... mount(1)
• mount exfat file system on openbsd
• mount file system via media transfer protocol on openbsd
• find disk name and partition with sysctl(1) and dmesg(1)
• upgrade openbsd
• upgrade openbsd on openbsd.amsterdam
• upgrade openbsd on vultr
• make bootable image geteltorito(1) and dd(1)