[SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

titaniumbones · 2014-09-25 02:02:04

I have an old Thinkpad X31 on which I would like to instlal Arch. It has an ancient 32-bit centrino CPU and is mind-numbingly slow by today's standards, but is in many other respects a beautiful machine -- light and sturdy and with a beautiful keyboard.

I'd like to install a very stripped-down system that would let me quickly boot up and log into an x-session running Emacs. Not much else needs to work -- just a minimal X, something to manage my wifi connections (Network manager or connman?), a power-management tool, and the dropbox daemon so my work ends up syncing with other computers. It would be a way to work distraction-free.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what packages to install, and what precaustions I can take to keep the system from getting too bloated & slow? I would love to hear your advice.

Thanks,

Matt

Last edited by titaniumbones (2016-09-07 18:45:15)

Trilby · 2014-09-25 02:10:11

Just install the packages you want - you just listed them. How to avoid other bloat: don't install other bloat. What are you looking for here?

titaniumbones · 2014-09-25 02:27:54

I dunno -- I guess some hints about what a minimally workable x system looks like. I have tended to use full-fledged desktop environments. One consequence is that I also don't know what power management tools exist. Just asking for suggestions.

markzz · 2014-09-25 04:16:32

And what exactly do you mean by a minimally workable X system? The word workable makes it sound subjective.

If you want minimal, how about a very basic Xorg setup (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/xorg#Manually) with netctl managing network connections (install netctl, iw, wpa_supplicant, and dialog) and read this nice wiki page on power management (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Power_management).

Last edited by markzz (2014-09-25 04:25:17)

Trilby · 2014-09-25 11:12:26

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Po … g#Packages

karol · 2014-09-25 11:32:23

Why do you need X? Have you tried kmscon? https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/KMSCON
For X, I suggest some light WM, like .e.g dwm https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Window_manager

Trilby · 2014-09-25 11:34:22

Why even dwm? If all you want is X and emacs - just install X and emacs.

2ManyDogs · 2014-09-25 13:15:24

Why even X? Nothing in your list requires X.

Last edited by 2ManyDogs (2014-09-25 13:16:01)

Trilby · 2014-09-25 13:25:55

"x-enabled emacs" seems very different from console-only emacs. But I don't use that ~~evil contraption~~ editor.

ANOKNUSA · 2014-09-25 13:47:25

For some ideas, you could have a look at K.Mandla's old and new blogs for a fellow Archer's take on modern computing using old machines.

titaniumbones · 2016-09-07 18:30:32

Never said thanks to everyone for all the suggestions. Never did implement the system and time got away from me shortly after posting the message; I nonetheless appreciate the good will from everyone.

Trilby · 2016-09-07 18:32:46

Your welcome titaniumbones. I see you are heeding my advice to not abandon threads. This is good - however there is also no need to revive old threads. The advice was more for future reference. Also, you can edit your first post(s) to mark a thread as [SOLVED] which is customary here when you are satisfied with the result.

titaniumbones · 2016-09-07 18:44:50

Obviously I am not so good at forums! Thanks for the patience.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-09-25 02:02:04

[SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#2 2014-09-25 02:10:11

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#3 2014-09-25 02:27:54

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#4 2014-09-25 04:16:32

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#5 2014-09-25 11:12:26

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#6 2014-09-25 11:32:23

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#7 2014-09-25 11:34:22

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#8 2014-09-25 13:15:24

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#9 2014-09-25 13:25:55

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#10 2014-09-25 13:47:25

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#11 2016-09-07 18:30:32

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#12 2016-09-07 18:32:46

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

#13 2016-09-07 18:44:50

Re: [SOLVED] Minimal System for an x-enabled "Emacs typerwriter"

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