Programming and Distribution Questions Q4OS vs. antiX

The keyword over the years is "persistence". I remember the Windows days when you downloaded an .exe file and it worked. You could come back and it was there. "And we liked it like that." - Old Grumpy Man Now in Linux, I make changes and it comes back blank/default. My changes didn't matter? How can someone get a program and actually have all the files they need without all this pip install crap? I recently tried Q4OS which brings back nostalgia from the 2000-2010 era. I also like MX Linux, Fluxbox, and probably antiX (haven't tried yet). Puppy Linux, SliTaz, and Porteus are ultra-lightweight distros. However, you still need to build the OS to your desires. This is what I am learning about this Totten project. How much modification do you want to do? Do you want to add air to your tires, do you want to change your oil, do you want to replace a tire, do you want to test the battery, do you want to change the car lights, do you want to fix the actuator for locking, etc...