My Project: Ubuntu on ice!

Tech Support Forum Linux, BSD and Other OS's
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Ubuntu is a great distribution but requires a reasonably modern computer. I wouldn’t want to run it on anything less then a 500MHz, 192MB of RAM spec computer.

So what if I wanted the power of Ubuntu and the ability to run on an original Pentium or K6-2 with only 64MB of RAM? Well, i’d have to look at replacing GNOME, KDE or XFCE wouldn’t I?

Last night I did a ‘server install’ of Dapper Drake. Only the base system got installed, no X, no Window manager or X programs. Once it had finished, I was greeted by a rather plain command prompt. From here I was able to configure the network and add the Dapper Universe and Mulitiverse repositories. Then I customised my installation by installing x-core-system-files and iceWM.

Once that had finished, I decided to add a few more bits before I booted into X for the first time:

ROX-FILER
Endeavour2
Xarchiver
Firefox
Evolution
GAIM
GXINE
XMMS
Various Audio & Video Codecs
gtk-theme-switcher
Aterm
Mousepad
nedit
GQView
xpdf
xpaint
Various IceWM control panels and extras.

As you can see, I decided to keep with the ‘light application’ theme. Choosing AbiWord over OpenOffice, XMMS over Amarok and Xpaint over the GIMP.

I rebooted my computer and logged in. Then I held my breath as I typed ‘startx’. When iceWM finished initialising, I was greeted by a rather plain looking desktop. iceWM isn’t known for it’s looks and most of the themes are horrid.
But that’s not the point I here you say? iceWM is supposed to be a light window manager, nothing else?
Well, I found an absolutely gorgoeus Ubuntu theme for iceWM. To look at it, you would not believe I was running iceWM. It just looks awesome.

All that was left to do was change the rather ugly GTK themes using GTK-theme-switcher, and hey presto, I had some serious eye candy for such an old computer!!

I’ll post some screenshots when I get home and maybe a mini tutorial.

EDIT: On a side note, I am really impressed with ROX-Filer. Some of it’s default settings are a bit off (like the automatic Window resize), but once it’s properly configured it’s great! :slight_smile:

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I’m looking forward to those screenshots, Megamaced, so dont forget to post em!

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Excellent, it’s nice to recycle old hardware with a fully modern and functional OS, isn’t it? :slight_smile: For reference, I also did something similar with Mandriva, WindowMaker, and an old piece of junk laptop: http://www.hardwareforums.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=394

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[QUOTE=Fred]
I’m looking forward to those screenshots, Megamaced, so dont forget to post em!
[/QUOTE]

oh yeah, about that…

I can’t find a good screen capture program! I’ve searched Google high and low but didn’t come up with anything.

Normally i’d just use Kscreenshot, but obviously I don’t have KDE on this computer. Can you recommend anything?

Oh yeah :slight_smile: But I also did it as a learning exercise. Okay, I cut a few corners and didn’t compile anything, but I still had to do a little research beforehand.

By the way AT, what file manager are you using alongside WM? Oh and 4MB of RAM whilst in use?!!! That’s impressive!

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[QUOTE=megamaced]

Normally i’d just use Kscreenshot, but obviously I don’t have KDE on this computer. Can you recommend anything?
[/QUOTE]

Check out this link, Megamaced. I looked it over a bit, and it seems like a slightly painful process just for a screenshot, but looks like you can do it fairly quickly.

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Doh! :smahd:

Yeah, forgot I installed Xpaint!

Check out the HWF gallery, i’ll post a couple of screenshots there

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[QUOTE=megamaced]
I can’t find a good screen capture program! I’ve searched Google high and low but didn’t come up with anything.
[/QUOTE]
There’s always plain old xv. Pretty standard stuff, been around for a very long time.
[QUOTE=megamaced]
By the way AT, what file manager are you using alongside WM?
[/QUOTE]
Meh, just BASH :slight_smile: But the new file manager which comes with Xfce, “Thunar”, is really excellent and lightweight. You might give that a try.
[QUOTE=megamaced]
Oh and 4MB of RAM whilst in use?!!! That’s impressive!
[/QUOTE]
It’s actually 2mb, but who’s counting? :slight_smile:

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[QUOTE=Anti-Trend]
Meh, just BASH :slight_smile: But the new file manager which comes with Xfce, “Thunar”, is really excellent and lightweight. You might give that a try.
[/quote]

Been using Thunar on Xubuntu. It’s quite functional and certainly an improvement over the last filemanager they had.

Is it just me or has XFCE turned into a GNOME clone? Whether it’s the Xubuntu developers tinkering around a bit I don’t know. But it’s certainly loosing it’s uniqueness :frowning:

I prefered the older XFCE default look used in VL5.1

[QUOTE=Anti-Trend]
It’s actually 2mb, but who’s counting? :slight_smile:
[/QUOTE]

That’s quite something! You could almost get that running on the old Compaq 386 I posted about in the Bargain Forums!

I bet it runs lightening fast on your 333MHz laptop?

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[QUOTE=megamaced]
Doh! :smahd:

Yeah, forgot I installed Xpaint!

Check out the HWF gallery, i’ll post a couple of screenshots there
[/QUOTE]

Looks good.. and fairly lightweight too. How is it running?

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It’s pretty damn fast :slight_smile:

It’s running on an old Celeron 500/66 with 128MB RAM and onboard ATi Rage 128 (4MB). IceWM takes up little memory space, so I can have 5 applications open and still have room for some more!