Which desktop environment?

noob_smoke · 2010-03-26 01:57:20

Hi everyone I got a p3 (celeron?) with 64mb of sdram also a 20 gig hdd. I was wondering whats the best desktop environment I should use?
I have very very basic minimal knowledge of linux, I used ubuntu and linux mint on a laptop *broke now* a year ago or so.
I was interested in trying a new distro, I never used nothing except for Gnome and KDE afaik.

coolkaine · 2010-03-26 02:05:34

XFCE could be a good option for a machine with few resources. (Whereas you have no much experience on GNU/Linux)

lasu1 · 2010-03-26 02:07:50

Yeah, I second XFCE. Also, you could try OpenBox. However, for some new to the Linux environment, I could heartily recommend XFCE as it is fairly quick to get up and running.

renuvio · 2010-03-26 02:08:02

First: Welcome to Arch Linux.

Not a DE, but what about a WM like JWM?

Arch Linux offer a very well documented wiki that helps a lot to learn about the configuration and many more.

fsckd · 2010-03-26 02:10:31

You're probably going to have to drop the DE thing and go with a stand alone WM. How does Openbox sound to you? Or may be a little Xmonad action, baby. How about that Fluxbox capacitor? Awesome is awesome. Yeah, there's lots of stuff.

coolkaine · 2010-03-26 02:16:29

He has a very basic minimal knowledge... I think that WM, Openbox, Xmonad, etc, would have a negative effect in his experience.

renuvio · 2010-03-26 02:17:18

And about the 64 Mb of sdram:

Don't forget to make a swap partition, you'll need it.

fsckd · 2010-03-26 02:18:10

Right, have to start somewhere but with hardware like that he's going to be in the deep end pretty quick.

Pierre · 2010-03-26 02:23:45

Maybe try LXDE (it uses openbox). XFCE doesn't really use less resources than Gnome but has less features.

And if you have any chance to get more RAM: do it. With 64mb you might able to run a simple DE but everything else like a sane browser wont run on top of that very well (maybe dillo is an option) It's probably best to stay on console.

noob_smoke · 2010-03-26 02:40:40

Do all these windows managers are included in the install cd? I have not tried installing it yet but i think i will tommarow.
I used windows xp pro on it and it ran pretty well, everything would just response somewhat slow.
I believe xp pro uses 128 ram, so i should use openbox or fluxbox? I am looking for the most minimal of course.

btw: i know how to setup a swap partition, how big should it be? 32mbs? or 64mb?

Last edited by noob_smoke (2010-03-26 02:41:26)

fsckd · 2010-03-26 02:44:00

Rule of thumb, 4 times the RAM so, 256 MiB.

coolkaine · 2010-03-26 02:45:56

noob_smoke wrote:

Do all these windows managers are included in the install cd? I have not tried installing it yet but i think i will tommarow.
I used windows xp pro on it and it ran pretty well, everything would just response somewhat slow.
I believe xp pro uses 128 ram, so i should use openbox or fluxbox? I am looking for the most minimal of course.
btw: i know how to setup a swap partition, how big should it be? 32mbs? or 64mb?

You could try www.archbang.org. The Openbox package is in the cd and you only have configure a few things

Last edited by coolkaine (2010-03-26 02:49:05)

noob_smoke · 2010-03-26 02:50:17

kew, if i try archbang its pre-installed with openbox huh? okay cool downloading it now.

cesura · 2010-03-26 02:51:34

ratpoison

Muhahaha

Rule of thumb, 4 times the RAM so, 256 MiB.

I was always taught to use 2x the RAM. I really don't even need 1x the ram now. Following the 4x rule, I would have 12GB which is excessive, considering swap is barely ever used on mine

Last edited by cesura (2010-03-26 04:00:11)

noob_smoke · 2010-03-26 03:02:34

Yeah lol, The pc I am running now had quad core phenom and 4 gigs of ram. my swap is always 0% on ubuntu at all times.

renuvio · 2010-03-26 03:50:46

noob_smoke wrote:

Do all these windows managers are included in the install cd? I have not tried installing it yet but i think i will tommarow.

After the install, if the internet connection is up, the WM's (and all the packages you want to put in your system) can be easily installed with pacman:

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pacman

arunix · 2010-03-26 04:46:29

may be these following links help you....;)
http://xwinman.org/otherdesktops.php
http://gilesorr.com/wm/table.html

pseb · 2010-03-26 05:10:07

as someone mentioned before: get more RAM if possible. should be quite cheap and gives you a real perfomance boost.
i'd recommend LXDE as it uses less resources than xfce but is still easy to handle and ready-to-go ^^

vegan · 2012-04-26 00:43:53

You may not have phrased your request clearly to the group. Do you need help deciding on a desktop or in installing the desktop with the documentation? If you need help installing a desktop with openbox or LXDE, I would like to volunteer!

ngoonee · 2012-04-26 04:17:50

Yep, I'm sure he still needs help 2 years on, don't you think? Closed.

Arch Linux

#1 2010-03-26 01:57:20

Which desktop environment?

#2 2010-03-26 02:05:34

Re: Which desktop environment?

#3 2010-03-26 02:07:50

Re: Which desktop environment?

#4 2010-03-26 02:08:02

Re: Which desktop environment?

#5 2010-03-26 02:10:31

Re: Which desktop environment?

#6 2010-03-26 02:16:29

Re: Which desktop environment?

#7 2010-03-26 02:17:18

Re: Which desktop environment?

#8 2010-03-26 02:18:10

Re: Which desktop environment?

#9 2010-03-26 02:23:45

Re: Which desktop environment?

#10 2010-03-26 02:40:40

Re: Which desktop environment?

#11 2010-03-26 02:44:00

Re: Which desktop environment?

#12 2010-03-26 02:45:56

Re: Which desktop environment?

#13 2010-03-26 02:50:17

Re: Which desktop environment?

#14 2010-03-26 02:51:34

Re: Which desktop environment?

#15 2010-03-26 03:02:34

Re: Which desktop environment?

#16 2010-03-26 03:50:46

Re: Which desktop environment?

#17 2010-03-26 04:46:29

Re: Which desktop environment?

#18 2010-03-26 05:10:07

Re: Which desktop environment?

#19 2012-04-26 00:43:53

Re: Which desktop environment?

#20 2012-04-26 04:17:50

Re: Which desktop environment?

Board footer