Back on topic now, no offense to PMB(BSD has a future just like linux does).

Debian is not really considered to be a minimalist or power user distro, but it CAN be. It does give enough options in the setup program to really limit the programs that get installed. Its a very good start, better that redhat, but i'd recommend you not spend way to much time trying to make it perfect, because Slackware is a mush more "standard" distro as you may call it. It deosn't use any of those .rpm or any other packaging file types floating around the net, and the developers are really good in limiting the software that gets pre-installed. The major distro's are 5+ cd's because they have 50 different apps that do the same damn thing. Like all the VI clones and BASH replacements, i mean WTF!?!?!