Looking for optimal low system req software pkg ?

Asked by Aztec13

I just did a fresh install,and Im new to Linux-UBUNTU so far I love the look. I just want to configure everything with the absolute bare minimum in mind because i only have 256RAM 863 PENT and 10GB hard drive so I would like to do something a bit less then normal.I also would like a bit of ability to play Microsoft software if I can pull it off w/o hitting me too hard in the Gigas.

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Jim Hutchinson
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Przemek K. (azrael) said :
#1

Maybe you should try Xubuntu? Or just install xubuntu-desktop on your existing Ubuntu installation.
Xfce (Xubuntu's desktop enviroment) is much less resource hungry than Gnome (Ubuntu's desktop enviroment).

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Aztec13 (aztecanleatherempire) said :
#2

I was looking at Easy UBUNTU last night is it possible that it may be a more viable option then xubuntu ? I dont have any idea which desktop enviro is best for me. the thing is for perfect example as I was attempting to get my media config down I was looking at this tutorial to set up the media. and i saw 3 or 4 separate programs that play mp3's and another 3 that play dvd. then the ones i did see that were a little bit of everything and looked like what i was looking for,that stuff I couldnt judge properly enough cuz they were off KDE or Gnome and I dont have a clue. I rarely ever use anything like microsoft office. but i am intersted in the asp .net mySql server and all that from data base office component.I saw open office also has this now on dataserver so I will eventually get around to figuring that out. but it is all i want. I can use Abi word processor instead of writer can't I dump open office for the space then ? which enviro should I want out of the kde,gnome,etc ? To confuse matters I need my media to support the mp4 player I have. I want to play songs off my mp3 player. I see one that says its for ipod but dont know if it means my "fake" chinese ipod will work or just originals.A few days ago I was at firefox site for add ons so w/o thinking I saw the flash player under the plug ins knowing i would need it I grabbed it,but never did any terminal command install etc so I dont know where that stands,but i to be sure installed it in a tutorial but it never said anything abou a firefox plug in i needed. Is this taking up 2 times the space now on the disc ?i wish I knew just what I could use and wash my hands of all this. Arent there cache and memory cleaners similar to c cleaner I can get for my software config also ? Please help.

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Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said :
#3

Easy Ubuntu isn't a distribution like xubuntu, ubuntu or kubuntu. It's just a tool for making it easy to add in common apps that don't ship with Ubuntu because of license restrictions. For a low end system use xubuntu if you want a version of ubuntu. Otherwise, there are some very lightweight linux distros out there. Damn Small Linux is probably the smallest. With your specs I'd try xubuntu. You shouldn't need to add anything additional. It will do all the basic stuff. Although you will need codecs for mp3 support and such. You might be over analyzing this. Pop in the live CD and play around a bit. See what works and what you seem to be lacking (if anything). It could be painfully slow running off the CD but it will give you an idea. Or you can just install it. It doesn't take too long and you can always install over it again if you want to.

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Aztec13 (aztecanleatherempire) said :
#4

So now what ? I just put the gstreamers,ubuntu restricteds,mplayer,mplayer FFplugin, new distros all added,firefox and my browser-desktop settings are just incredible.I cant lose the way it is as of now is a fluke.I could never get it back the way it is now have a extension that runs greasemonkey scripts and the same deskto color combos are being picked up in my gmail.Buttons and all.This is this most appealing I have ever had my browser set up.I like a color scheme used by a tribe in Mexico that uses neon green,Florescent purple,with babyish blue,&yellow. As crazy as it sounds it really works.And it is an easy read.The browser dropdowns are barely noticeable in the formentioned green until hovered on and they come in strong in purple.Then inside the menus the neon green looks very highlighter like.I didnt mean to brag about my Comp theme sorry.but I do have to say I used this Firefox theme called "PimpZilla" lol You must see it ! Very cool.Must see.With all that said im sure you now see there is no turning back and I cannot just start from scratch.What are mty options then ? Why would I NOT want xbuntu instead ? The thing is before I decided on UBUNTU I researched it very very thoroughly and I recall kicking those same options around but deciding on just going with UBUNTU. One thing I want to ask about this too is I saw 2 flash players that they might be good for me. I have seen my computer play flash perfectly. So I know it can be done.Now and the way its been is real choppy.I pretty much have to let it play and then watch it once it has played out. These 2 I saw GNASH swf viwer 1 and Gnash viewrer for KDE (Firefox)
if i choose one of these wouldnt it maybe be better ? Thanks for your help,I am really getting tired of this,and id like to start learning python now that I have it.and figure this OS out when It is where I want it.Thanks again.

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Przemek K. (azrael) said :
#5

You will not lose anything if you install xubuntu-desktop package on your existing Ubuntu installation. You can find that package in Synaptic. After installing Xubuntu you can choose your desktop enviroment (Gnome, Xfce) in GDM (the screen where you enter your login name).

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Aztec13 (aztecanleatherempire) said :
#6

what about then all the livcss2 & win32,mplayer,codecs,etc I put in,will it stay on or will it switch them out.Do i need both KDE and Gnome ? I see the Gnome is much more favored by most users.The reason i wanted to know what i may lose is i saw that easy ubuntu had a easier string of commands. i dont want to stray to far from the main tree of linux.

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Przemek K. (azrael) said :
#7

Everything will stay.
You don't need KDE if you don't want to use it.

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Aztec13 (aztecanleatherempire) said :
#8

Okay I am set up it seems,with just about all I need.I should be able to play most any forms of media. it cost me including the install,etc a disc space weigh in at 2GB used space.what is damn small linux ? And I dont understand what would putting in XUBUNTU do for me ? You say in GDM or Gnome, but what does that add up to doing in real life ? if it doesn't take anything (disc spc) off how would adding more on top of what is already causing noticeable speed differences or lack thereof help me ?What about switching my flash player for the Gnash lightweigt version ? In windows there is a pkg called K-Lite codecs that has 3 different levels of power config. They play everything but are very basic w/o any frills.is damn small linux similar ? What about my firewall,etc ? Or a weekly maintenance file & registry cleaner ? And one thing I relly wanted to ask about is Evolution. Do I really need it ? Isnt it like thunderbird ? I dont want any stuff tied into my desktop like that. As long as my gmail pops up when I click on a mail to: I don't need anything else. Or now that I have this Mplayer movie player can't I remove the other one ? Wouldnt I want to, I saw ina perfect desktop tutorial they left both in.and there were about 4 mp3 players.

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Best Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said :
#9

If you are trying to set up a low resource system, you do not want to install Gnome, KDE and XFCE. Each of these is a window manager (i.e. they control the look and feel of your desktop). They all run on a similar set of applications and the core setup of Ubuntu. Xubuntu is the version of Ubuntu that uses the XFCE window manager. It's the most lightweight of the window managers that Ubuntu offers. It also lacks some of the apps found in regular Ubuntu. You can add them later if you want. The goal of xubuntu is to just offer a comparable desktop to ubuntu (using gnome) but with fewer resources being needed.

If you have regular Ubuntu installed and running fine then I wouldn't mess with adding other window managers sfce, kde for example) as you will just use up drive space.

Damn small linux is a different distribution of linux that uses a very small amount of disk space and low resources. It is about a 50MB download vs the 600+MB for Ubuntu. If ubuntu is installed and running fine don't worry about these other options. I only suggested it as an option since you wanted a lightweight setup.

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Aztec13 (aztecanleatherempire) said :
#10

my computer is running okay.I'ts more important I learn what features UBUNTU has.I am going to be installing and showing other people in a few weeks.Thanks.Your info helped alot.