what to Install MintDebian(MATE/Cinnamon or Xfce) OR Lisa

[protocoder]

Thank you very much wayne128 and sunewbie.

@Sunewbie thanks for detailed message. I appreciate your help and list of choices. wayne128 too has suggested in similar lines but I have oldie machine with hardly space and 1 gb ram and I wanted to learn linux. It is then wayne128 guided me to salix os and others based on slackware. Yes if i find these cumbersome, I would fall back on more graphical Mint 12. I would like to know your experience of saline os as that i believe is also suggested to me coming form slackware?

@wayne12
Thank you so much. I am advised to try both slater10 which they are hopeful will fit in my requirements and latest woldrof to be tested live and to be considered if I like it.. So keep you posted.

Cheers and Thanks a ton.

[sunewbie]

Saline Os is very stable. the forums are quite, not as busy as Mint, but Author (Lead Dev) is very active.

It is fast and installs in 5 mins. Works well, except that I could not make mouse left handed (mine is wireless logitech keyboard and mouse combo)

But for USB mouse, it's working very well.

I have not tried slackware. SalineOS is debian stable + XFCE.

In case of Debian Stable, apps are a little old. If thats not a problem try it.

For 1 GB RAM, try Lubuntu. It is light and fast. Thought it has LTS 12.04 core same as that of Ubuntu, it is not supported for 5 years but 18 months.

Lubuntu takes 150 Mb RAM
Xubuntu 200 MB
Ubuntu 265+ MB

So Lubuntu which has LXDE Desktop is less resource intensive. This means more memory for your apps.

Until you try it, you wont be able to judge it. Try in Virtualbox. Download latest version from Net and not from Repos. It is a virtualizaton software where you can install any OS including Windows XP / 7, Linux. Virtualbox can be installed on Windows and Linux i.e. it has both .exe and .deb installation file.

Any debian / Ubuntu based distro has wide choice of apps and good support. I have no exp in anyting outside *buntu. Saline OS is my first Debian distro.

I am just an end user

[protocoder]

Thank you sunewbie,

I will keep these in mind and start to experience these amazing distributions. Good to know about Saline. I tried to install virtualbox today, installation rolls back saying it failed the windows logo. I have no option to ignore. Do not know why. I must try vmware I guess. Keep you informed. cheers.

[sunewbie]

Thank you sunewbie,

I will keep these in mind and start to experience these amazing distributions. Good to know about Saline. I tried to install virtualbox today, installation rolls back saying it failed the windows logo. I have no option to ignore. Do not know why. I must try vmware I guess. Keep you informed. cheers.

Strange problem

Regarding the Linux distro. You will have to try. Everyone has their own way of working and you will find many name of apps which you have not heard in windows world.

So it will take some time for you to try out. This is where Virtual box helps. Instead of bloating your OS, try it first in same copy installed in Virtualbox. Also not that if you are not using resource intensive apps, better try 32 bit versions. In case of Virtualbox, it's easy to install 32 bit version. I think it will be same with VM ware. Also 32 bit versions are stable, though this can be debated. Stable because, first think a dev does is to make 32 bit and then re-write it for 64 bit. You will find many people using 64 bit and is stable. But for a newbie, better start with simple and sommon things. Later, when you get addicted to piling layers (go under-the-hood), you do whatever you want

So first few days will be not very comfortable. i.e. it will take time to settle. It is just like, when you are learning to swim, you get tired after some time, but after you have learn to effortlessly swim, you will swim to become fresh. Same here with Linux. Since you are a programmer, you will enjoy open source. Linux is programmers' Paradise.

I hope you must be aware of Live DVD feature and persistant USB. Persistant USB can remember tweak you made to your distro. Please google for it and you will understand better than me . Alternatively you can install Linux on a pen drive. I personally prefer to install same copy of distro in Virtualbox / VM ware and do anything weird inside it. If you manage to install virtualbox, then do not forget to add extension packs. They are very helpful.

Also remember to go for manual install. During installation, you will get 3 options.

1. Install along side windows
2. Install over windows i.e. wipe out any OS and then install
3. Something Else - this is the manual install in case of Ubunty based distro. Go for ext4 partition. give /home a separate partition. When you install any other distro over it, backup /home partition and then give same /home partition for it without formatting. I installed Xubuntu 11.10 and then upgraded it to 12.04 (fresh install) with same login name and all my settings, tweaks were retained

Manual install will give you a better control (which you programmers) always want )

You also need to give a swap partition which should be 2x x RAM, so in your case it is 2Gb. in case of resource intensive apps, some apps will be transferred to SWAP, so system does not slow down.

BTW, If you are going for Saline OS, it has a good manual. Better read it (brush it) before installing.

Good luck

Welcome to Linux world and it's wonderful community. I learn a lot by posting.

useful links

viewtopic.php?f=90&t=87963&hilit=+SWAP+%2F+home#p509166

viewtopic.php?f=151&t=81745&hilit=+SWAP+%2F+home

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=87885&hilit=+SWAP+%2F+home#p507296

viewtopic.php?f=90&t=86292&hilit=+SWAP+%2F+home#p499031

[protocoder]

Thank you sunewbie.

@wayne128 and @sunewbie.. I tried the live CD of crunchbang slater 10 and system is ready to work. Internet up and running out of box!. I will be trying woldrolf the latest edition soon. Now I am trying to find the INF file crunchbang created for wireless and preserve it for the system. Cheers.

[sunewbie]

Nice to know that crunchbang is working for you.

Cheers