[LUNI] Re: Easy to use/install Linux distros?

[Larry Garfield]

Chad Perrin wrote:

> If you do a minimal install of Debian Testing (when it asks if you want 
> to use Tasksel, Aptitude, dselect, or apt-get, choose to use apt-get to 
> individually install packages after system installation), then install 
> only what you're going to use, you should end up with a really clean and 
> low-bloat system.  That's what I call a "lean and mean" installation of 
> Linux, as opposed to the usual "kitchen sink" approach.  Install SSH, X, 
> less, vim, the window manager of your choosing, and whatever else comes 
> to mind as you need it.  Avoid Gnome and KDE for your GUI environment, 
> and you should be able to keep the system from being too weighted down 
> -- I recommend WindowMaker, XFCE, IceWM, BlackBox, PekWM, or something 
> else highly functional but slim on resource usage.

I second the Debian route for weaker hardware.  A Debian Sarge 
NetInstall will get you a very up to date but bare-bones system.  Just 
skip any of the tasksel options (eg, "Desktop Environment", "Web 
server", etc.) and the only stuff it will download will be newer 
versions of the base system components.  When you're done you'll have a 
fully functional 2.6-based system with the latest hardware support (make 
sure you install the 2.6 version, not 2.4, as upgrading can be a pain at 
times) and core utilities (find, grep, awk, etc.), but no servers, 
desktops, GUIs, or apps aside from vi and nano. :-)  Then install 
whatever lightweight stuff you want.

-- 
Larry Garfield			AIM: LOLG42
larry at garfieldtech.com		ICQ: 6817012

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