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Ask HN: Looking for a really lightweight Linux distro for my netbook

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Re: Ask HN: Looking for a really lightweight Linux distro for my netbook

#31

Post by rcthompson »

SkyMarshal wrote: post #25
jhancock wrote: post #14

ubuntu 10.04 netbook edition runs very well on my 5 year old laptop (thinkpad x41, the 'netbook' of its day).

It runs very well on my Asus Eee PC 1000HE as well. http://www.ubuntu.com/netbook And I also prefer the 10.04 version to the 10.10 version. No idea what Ubuntu was thinking with that new space-wasting sidebar in 10.10. Can download the older version here: http://mirror.pnl.gov/releases/10.04/

They switched to a sidebar because all screens are widescreens now. Having toolbars on the top or bottom just worsens the situation. If your netbook screen is only 1024 x 600, you don't need to lose even more vertical resolution to a task bar.

Re: Ask HN: Looking for a really lightweight Linux distro for my netbook

#32

Post by srean »

Like many who have commented here I am a big time Arch linux fan. However if setting up X seems something that you do not want to deal with, you can give Chakra linux a try. Its based on Arch so you get a lean set up. But the installer does some of the heavier lifting for you. Off late they have been moving away from Arch though.

You could also run prelink after the install to make the startup time of your applications snappier.

Often time I do wish there was a more Debian stable'ish equivalent of Arch to put on servers. A distribution that is optimized but does not tip toe the bleeding edge as much and does not have a rolling release cycle.

Re: Ask HN: Looking for a really lightweight Linux distro for my netbook

#34

Post by barrkel »

kalessin wrote: post #12

"A really lightweight Linux distro", this doesn't makes sense at all. The Linux kernel is the same for everybody, it depends on what your are running on it. Pick your favorite distro, just install a tiny window manager, avoid running background applications and that's it. If you don't have a favorite distro, then all depends on your Linux skill and/or the time you have. Good distros have already been given in this th…

There's a huge variation in default installs depending on which distro. He was asking which distro, not which kernel.

Re: Ask HN: Looking for a really lightweight Linux distro for my netbook

#37

Post by rwl »

thecombjelly wrote: post #26
gdl wrote: post #2

If you're not afraid of the command line (or are willing to learn), Arch is as lightweight as you want it to be. The initial install is very minimalist and the package management system makes it almost trivial to build up from there. Install Openbox and Chrome and you're all set with a pretty lean system. http://wiki.archlinux.org/

I run Arch on my $175 eee PC and it works far better than any of the other distros that I've tried. It also helps A LOT to run a very light weight window manager. I've found the StumpWM (as a bonus written in Lisp) is a great fit, although Ratpoison would be good as well. Another advantage with StumpWM or Ratpoison is that they don't draw window borders and there is no task bar etc, so you have quite a bit more space…

Have you tried Debian? I run Debian on a desktop, but my sense is that its hardware support for netbooks lags a bit. I'd be interested to know how easy it is to get working on an Eee PC. (And the OP might as well: a Debian base install seems like it might be a nice compromise between the kitchen-sink approach in a base Ubuntu install and the configuration required by something like Arch -- though I don't really know.)

Re: Ask HN: Looking for a really lightweight Linux distro for my netbook

#38

Post by w1ntermute »

xtho wrote: post #30
_b8r0 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's more involved than doing it on Ubuntu. To be honest the hardest thing you're likely to do is getting X running, closely followed by picking a window manager. Sound and Wifi are generally straightforward on Arch. To put it in perspective, I use Arch on a P3-850-based Sony Vaio with 128mb of Ram and it flies. The main things you'll get from Arch on a netbook are: * Rolling release means that you don't have to do d…

> Rolling release means that you don't have to do distribution upgrades. This goes beyond the OP's question. How does arch handle changes in essential components like the switch to upstart in ubuntu? Does this work well with rolling releases?

I've been an Arch user for ~1 year (Gentoo before that), and "essential component" upgrades seem to take place just fine. For example, there was a recent shift from Python 2 to Python 3 as the primary Python interpreter, and there were no noticeable problems.

Re: Ask HN: Looking for a really lightweight Linux distro for my netbook

#40

Post by thecombjelly »

rwl wrote: post #37
thecombjelly wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I run Arch on my $175 eee PC and it works far better than any of the other distros that I've tried. It also helps A LOT to run a very light weight window manager. I've found the StumpWM (as a bonus written in Lisp) is a great fit, although Ratpoison would be good as well. Another advantage with StumpWM or Ratpoison is that they don't draw window borders and there is no task bar etc, so you have quite a bit more space…

Have you tried Debian? I run Debian on a desktop, but my sense is that its hardware support for netbooks lags a bit. I'd be interested to know how easy it is to get working on an Eee PC. (And the OP might as well: a Debian base install seems like it might be a nice compromise between the kitchen-sink approach in a base Ubuntu install and the configuration required by something like Arch -- though I don't really know.…

Yes I have tried Debian. Debian is not near as bleeding edge and may not have as good of driver support. It is also quite often slower. If you really want the best performance, a distro like Arch is really the only easy way to get it. Arch is also rolling release which also makes it easier long term. I've actually tried probably 20 or 30 distros and Arch is my favorite. It is difficult the first few times you set it up, but the benefits are great, if you have the time and patience.
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