Linux on a low-end desktop for non-technical users

[slacker_x]

The computer is a Pentium 150 with 32 megs of ram. It's a Hewlett Packard. I haven't really looked into the hardware compatibility issue yet.


How would (or could) you setup this computer as a desktop system for non-technical users from a windows 9x background? The system is currently running windows 98se. It's slow, but it works.

Important features:
ICQ
web browsing
graphical e-mail
word processing
mp3 playback
ease of use
speed


I should also mention that the HD is fairly small (1.4 gigs I think).

[Slackmonster]

My suggestion would be to go with an older version of Mandrake to start out with. It should still support the hardware since it is all legacy and you would only need to go a few revisions back. You would still need to be very selective about what software you install as it could of course fill the disk. If you are going to do a dual boot then you will have to be even more careful not to install too much software. You might want to talk try and find someone here that has used Drake for awhile and is used to it and they can guide you through software selection. Regardless of how you go about doing it, shoot for a minimal install with X and then go back and get your packages for the software you want to install and put them on there one by one. This way you can control the disk space more easily. If you get stumped, be sure to ask your questions here and provide as much information as possible. Even though a person may not use Mandrake they may be able to answer the question or at least point you in the right direction. Good luck!! :)

[slacker_x]

I was thinking I would probably install Debian (sid) or maybe even Slackware since I would be doing all of the admin work on the machine.

I guess file management should be added to my list of required features too.

I think it's a bit of a tough situation. I could run IceWM and abiword and mozilla, but I think mozilla would kill the machine and that combo wouldn't give me any file management.

KDE with Konq seems like an ideal solution, but I think it will be too much of a pig for this computer.

[Slackmonster]

Ah, I didn't know you would admin the box. Hmm. I did actually think of debian before but thought getting past the install might be too much for a brand new user. However if you are going to admin the box, Slack or Debian are great choices for keeping it lean and mean. I think you would be able to KDE on there and still have enough room if you make sure to only install what is absolutely necessary software wise. And, obviously, if you are not dual booting then it would definatley be possible. I just wouldn't want to start archiving mp3s on the box! ;)

[Slackmonster]

Oh, and I agree. I think Mozilla would kill it too.

[slacker_x]

I'm not really that concerned with the HD space.
The main concern I have with KDE is that it might be too much for the CPU and RAM to handle.

[Slackmonster]

Yeah, but that is why I would lean towards using an older version though. That way you wouldn't be getting nailed with all the overhead that it has now.

[z0mbix]

My second computer is a Pentium 150MHz with 32MB RAM and a 1.2GB HDD. I had redhat 7.0 on it with KDE 1.x.x which ran very very slowly. I tried a minimal mandrake 8.0 with blackbox which ran quite abit better. I've just got hold of the Slackware 8.0 disks and going to try that with blackbox on it soon. :cool:

[evil_roy]

I've gone well with Redhat 6.1 & 7.1 on similar low end machines...even use Gnome. Starting apps (eg netscape) is slow , but once they're running the default settings of a RH install work fine. For this setup RH workstation is a good, easy choice. Throw in abiword , tweak netscape to work and everything else you need is there.

I have not had the same success with Kde in the same config ...way too slow and you should avoid mozilla all together.
Galeon is an option ..but at least with netscape you've got an easy to use email client as well.

For really new users , who just want to use the apps you've described this setup works well. Go too 'lean & mean' and you up the learning curve/reduce convenience.

[Slackmonster]

I think that because he is admining the box instead of the user that really won't be an issue. I'm really curious how this all pans out since I have a few legacy machines that I need to finish setting up. Load balancing is an evil but interesting endeavor. :)

[mrBen]

If you're looking for a small WM which comes with a file manager, then you could try XFCe (http://www.xfce.org/). It's more like OS/2 than Win98, but still reasonably similar, and it does come with a file manager. Alternatively, just use IceWM with Konqueror as the Manager, because you don't need to run KDE to have Konq. Thus you get the benefits of both.

[slacker_x]

I tried xfce myself and didn't like it very much. I am using IceWM right now and I'm pretty impressed.

I guess I could try konq with IceWM.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I go the gnome route, my two choices for filemanagers are nautilus (bloatware) or gmc (crap).

[ph34r]

I'm posting this from a P75 with 8mb of ram. It has just over 120mb worth of Slack installed, just enough to boot, connect to a network, and start a X server and Blackbox. The blackbox menu has been h4x0r3d to point to shell scripts that ssh into a "real" machine (P2-233, 256mb ram), and run the app there, sending the display back to this wimpy machine.

Something like that may work for you. You can setup KDM on a master machine to broadcast out to selected clients, giving full access to a "real" system with KDE or whatever on it.

[mrBen]

Originally posted by ph34r:
<STRONG>I'm posting this from a P75 with 8mb of ram. It has just over 120mb worth of Slack installed, just enough to boot, connect to a network, and start a X server and Blackbox. The blackbox menu has been h4x0r3d to point to shell scripts that ssh into a "real" machine (P2-233, 256mb ram), and run the app there, sending the display back to this wimpy machine.

Something like that may work for you. You can setup KDM on a master machine to broadcast out to selected clients, giving full access to a "real" system with KDE or whatever on it.</STRONG>


If this idea interests you, then LinuxWorld have been running a really good series on 'Building a Linux network for Peanuts'. Well worth a read.

[Xsecrets]

Well let's see ice probably is a good choice for the WM because it doesn't carry the overhead that DM would and is still similar to win9x in looks and for graphical email I would probably go for sylpheed. I may not be as pretty as what they are used to but it doesn't eat up too many resources either.

As for the web I can't stress enough OPERA for low resource machines as long as you can use a high enough resolution that the ad banner doesn't kill the screen realistate.

I really don't know what to tell you about the file management.

[kozumo]

Important features:
ICQ: Licq, GnomeICU (maybe I didn't need to tell you that)
web browsing: Opera or (beurk) Netscape
graphical e-mail: Pronto...there are many lightweight email clients.
word processing: Abiword (I don't know, I never do word processing).
mp3 playback: mpg123, xmms
ease of use: Blackbox or IceWM (IceWM is better for ease of use maybe)
speed: ditto

As for file manager, I consider Nautilus to be the best, but as you say it is bloatware. There are many file managers on freshmeat that are lightweight though. It puzzles me as to why the person wouldn't use command line to manage their files. Sure it takes a bit of learning, but within maybe minutes, they could do things faster and with less overhead.