Linux recommendations

jprobs on 21/2/2006 at 19:49

I gotta go with the earlier guy who said Ubuntu. It uses gnome desktop and is debian based so its easy to update. Mepis is probably the best Debian OS out there, but KDE desktop is a resource hog.... UBUNTU uses gnome desktop which should be a bit lighter.

dvrabel on 21/2/2006 at 20:29

I don't think 96 MB is anywhere near enough memory for a modern Gnome (or KDE) desktop environment.

jprobs on 21/2/2006 at 20:38

Hoew about DamnSmall Linux... That is an amazing little OS. Very light and fast.

I think its 64Mb

The_Raven on 21/2/2006 at 23:14

The (http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/index.php) linux distribution chooser quiz might also help you.

Uncia on 22/2/2006 at 00:48

Ubuntu/Kubuntu have a very simple installation procedure (too simple if you want to customise the hell out of it, but if you're that advanced you can easily just remove/add packages afterwards) and when you're done everything tends to Just Work, which is very nice. Also, since it uses binaries you don't have to compile new software, you just find the package on its package manager and it installs it for you.
You probably want Ubuntu, since Gnome is by default a lot less resource intensive than KDE. And if it's his first Linux experience he probably doesn't want to spend a lot of time just getting his system to not chug.

I'd avoid Gentoo unless you're very much into spending more time getting your OS to work than you are into using it. Holy crap, that thing was work the couple of months I used it. :sweat:

Omega on 22/2/2006 at 01:41

Quote Posted by The_Raven

The (http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/index.php) linux distribution chooser quiz might also help you.

That test suggested using (http://archlinux.org/) ArchLinux. It's the distribution I'm already using. :D

Also, this probably should be moved to Tech...

Strangeblue on 22/2/2006 at 06:32

I'll second the Ubuntu/Kbuntu suggestion. Been running Ubuntu stable for about... 18 months. Very happy with it. Easy install, easy maintenance, and runs several PC emulators very nicely, thank you.

Deep Qantas on 22/2/2006 at 07:10

Quote Posted by The_Raven

The (http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/index.php) linux distribution chooser quiz might also help you.

Was just gonna link to that.

Of course Omega prolly got it from here in the first place...

Henri The Hammer on 22/2/2006 at 07:18

Thanks to you all about recommendations. :)
I'll just see if he has managed to get that computer working again...

Sap'em on 22/2/2006 at 14:56

unless you're going to run a really lightweight window manager, I'd suggest upping the memory to at least 256 meg. 96 meg memory will be a dog with almost any modern linux distro.