Re: Debian Light Desktop - meta package
2006/4/11, Daniel Dickinson <alemc.2@bmts.com>:
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> On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 13:44:57 -0300
> "André Luiz Rodrigues Ferreira" <andrelrf@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi !
> >
> > I'm creating a meta package for install a lite desktop for old
> > machines with poor hardware.
>
> That's an admiral goal, however I would be prepared for a great deal of
> frustration. I worked on this for a while last year, but I wasn't
> happy with what I ended up with.
>
> > I would like to receive opinions about my packages list:
> >
> > - x-window-system-core
> > - xfce4 (beautiful!)
>
> You may want to offer a choice of window manager. On low-end machines
> I'm partial to WindowMaker, but IceWm, FluxBox, or BlackBox are also
> good choices.
>
> > - gdm
>
> If you're going to pull in gnome depencies anyway gdm is a good choice,
> otherwise wdm may be better (but AFAIK wdm isn't keyboard-only
> friendly).
>
> > - gftp
> > - mozilla-firefox
>
> I would also install dillo that the user has a choice between a fast,
> but no javascript, css, java, flash, etc support (dillo), or a slow (on
> the hardware you describe) browser that is otherwise great.
Dillo is faster. I used here but some sites doesn't open very nice and
Dillo doesn't have compatibility with the WM (copy and past functions
for sample).
> > - mozilla-thunderbird
>
> On a P1?! No way. Thunderbird is slower than molasses in January. I
> would recommend Sylpheed or Sylpheed-claws as a much faster/better
> alternative. In fact I have recently switched to sylpheed-claws on my
> personal workstation (Duron 850M/2.2G) because it's so much faster,
> keyboard-friendly, and I'm finding it a better piece of software.
Yes! Sounds good. Is more one option....
> > - menu
>
> I'd recommend against making an install task that is both about console
> and GUI. Console vs desktop should be different tasks IMO. They
> could, however, be part of the same cd (set).
>
> > - gcalctool (or xcalc)
> > - evince
>
> Any particular reason for not just using xpdf?
Evince have more resources and combine with the Xfce interface.
In the reality I would like to keep the applications with the same
appearance. Possibly gtk2.
> > - eog
> > - gaim
> > - zip
> > - unzip
> > - arj
> > - bzip2
> > - file-roller
> > - gnome-utils
> > - inkscape
> > - gimp
> > - abiword
>
> This is what I would use too, but I know someone who swears by LyX on
> low-end machines, so you may want to check it out. LyX is a GUI for
> LaTeX (and maybe DocBook, but I'm not clear on that) that is apparently
> easy to get started with and works well for writing reports and
> technical documents.
I will add in my list...
> > - gnumeric
> > - gnumeric-plugins-extra
> > - gnome-system-monitor
> > - firestarter
>
> Those all look good. You may also want to toss in a couple of small
> graphical games.
>
> > I made some tests with sucess in my machines with the following setup:
> > Pentium 166 MHZ - 64 MB RAM - HD 2 GB
>
> What do you mean by success? Installs and can load, or you have tried
> to do some of your usual activities and found the experience
> reasonable? I know that when I was working on this, that I was getting
> frustrated by the speed (though come to think if it, I was also using
> 32 MB RAM) of firefox and some other apps. I also found that the 1.2
> GB drive I had was pretty cramped, and that I couldn't install
> everything I had on the cd I made up (and which I already considered
> cramped).
Yes, with 64 MB RAM the things happens a little more fast. The firefox
is slow but only until start.
> Having said that, I have been considering trying again, now that a
> medical condition is under control and not interfering with my ability
> to focus, if I can find the time between work (which at present is not
> even computer related) and the various other projects I have on the
> go. If you need a tester I will likely be able to help.
Ok!
> Also I have a number of scripts and things that I was making to make
> life easier for this project. I was also trying to go the debian's
> package list to categorize everything, and to pick out and test various
> apps that could be useful on a low end machine.
Send me...
Perhaps we can use in Debian...
> Best of luck!
>
> Daniel
>
> P.S. I have cc'd you because I don't know if you are subscribed to
> debian-devel or not.
>
> - --
> And that's my crabbing done for the day. Got it out of the way early,
> now I have the rest of the afternoon to sniff fragrant tea-roses or
> strangle cute bunnies or something. -- Michael Devore
>
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--
Andre Luiz Rodrigues Ferreira (si0ux) <andrelrf@gmail.com>
*******************************************************************
Unix is very simple, but it takes a genius to understand the simplicity.
(Dennis Ritchie)
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