Well accepted 3 variations of Debian is the norm. live CD version is there.
When I made the transition to old laptops the wireless adapter was consistently a problem, so I moved to derivatives because I could install them as OS. They have their own strengths and weaknesses. I want Debian back on my stinking old computers installable for sure, rich and no frills. I also want just enough next to assembly codes of select general applications. Is reduction-ism the word for it? Like one additional distribution, worked on and with forever. Or, am I too lazy to keep stepping up? Is there another way to absorb improvements transparently?