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Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 8:54 pm
by TygerTung
I booted up an old 700 MHz AMD duron machine which had a historical Ubuntu 11.04 on it, and despite having on 768 MB RAM and a 700 MHz processor, it ran real fast, really responsive and everything. Also the footprint for the distributions were much smaller back then. Being the mainline distribution it was normal feeling to use and not fragmented, and had all the normal software included.
Of course you can't really use a distro that old now due to security concerns, but even if you didn't care about that, the firefox is too old to work on modern websites due to https issues.
Is there anything like that now? I have found some of the supposed micro distros and they have certain faults which I didn't like.
I did install Slax onto a thin client I have, that is super minimalist having just a browser and a couple of other programmes. It feels nice though and uses APT which is convenient. the thin client has a 1 GB flash drive so it is nice to use that. It does have a HDD as well but the flash drive is nicer to use as it might be faster. It is on the 44 pin IDE standard though so that might limit it.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 10:04 pm
by sunrat
AntiX is good.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 10:54 pm
by LAM
sunrat wrote: ↑Thu Dec 23, 2021 10:04 pm
AntiX is good.
Second that.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 11:09 pm
by TygerTung
I tried that I think but the interface wasn't that good. Maybe it is possible to change the desktop environment?
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 11:14 pm
by LAM
TygerTung wrote: ↑Thu Dec 23, 2021 11:09 pm
I tried that I think but the interface wasn't that good. Maybe it is possible to change the desktop environment?
Yes, it's always Debian in the end, you have a bunch of valid choices available. IceWM is well configure and really lightweight though, not sure you want to go to a much more bloat WM/DE with this limited specs machine.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 12:34 am
by d.healey
Minimal Debian install + XFCE.
Or Puppy Linux.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 12:59 am
by TygerTung
The Debian kernel is really massive now. I had issues with installing it on my other thin client which runs as a Pi-Hole DNS server. It was quite difficult to get the Debian kernel onto the 1 GB drive whilst leaving enough room for the Pi-hole software. I was only able to use Debian 9 as Debian 10 wouldn't fit. Had to use BTRFS with compression enabled.
But It isn't so critical on this new thin client as it does have a HDD. It is a HP t610 plus. I think I will mount this one in the garage and use it to listen to music on youtube whilst I am working out there, and also if I need to look something up for research.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 1:00 am
by j_e_f_f_g
700 MHz AMD duron
I recommend running "Windows for Workgroups".
Seriously, you could probably buy an arm sbc (single board computer) for $25 that would blow that system out of the water. The time that you'll put in to get this computer running a modern Linux is an example of "diminishing returns".
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 1:12 am
by TygerTung
Actually It has a duel core 1.65 GHz AMD processor so it is pretty fast. With a video card and Windows XP it is fast enough to run Far Cry at decent quality settings.
I've been trying to install Windows XP on it for testing purposes, but for some reason the USB won't load, and I just found out about ReactOs which is a FOSS version of Windows, but that also crashes when loading. This model is the native Linux HP thin client, but can't see why that should have anything to do with it.
But Slax seems to run pretty fast, I think I'll go with that for a wee while.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 1:15 am
by TygerTung
But I have the AMD duron machine repowered with a XP 2400+ which I got for free with some free NOS motherboards (just had to pay for postage) and have installed Windows ME on that machine and it is blistering fast.
I wanted to see if Windows ME was that bad after all. It is quite easy to break, but seems to be sort of stable.
I'm just building up a few computers for fun right now, but am a hardcore Linux user since 2006.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 11:21 am
by Linuxmusician01
Debian 10 on my eeePC 901 runs just fine for me (w/ Mate). CPU 1.6 MHz, RAM 1 GB. However, the only application that's to "heavy weight" to run is Firefox. Websites nowadays have become so stupendously bloated that they won't load. Not even in the light weight web browser 'Falcon'. Runs the DAW Qtractor just fine though.
The problem is not the operating system (Linux, Windows) the problem is that Desktop Environments and the internet is to bloated nowadays.
Forget about it.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:23 pm
by mdiemer
Linuxmusician01 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 11:21 am
The problem is not the operating system (Linux, Windows) the problem is that Desktop Environments and the internet is to bloated nowadays.
Forget about it.
It is possible of course to install a light desktop on any (or most) distros. For example, I recently installed PC Linux LQXT, but then added the LXDE desktop, which my Linux computer needs due to graphical issues. And LXDE is still supported, contrary to popular belief. It was updated last March.
Bodhi Linux runs on a lot of old machines, although yours may be too old. They also still do 32 bit. Mabox, which is based on Manjaro, uses the openbox Windows manager, which is even lighter than LXDE. And as suggested, there is Puppy Linux, which might be your best bet.
If you really want to fool with it, you can probably get something working. whether you will be able to do anything but primitive musical things with it, is another story.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:32 am
by Linuxmusician01
mdiemer wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:23 pm
Linuxmusician01 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 11:21 am
The problem is not the operating system (Linux, Windows) the problem is that Desktop Environments and the internet is to bloated nowadays.
Forget about it.
It is possible of course to install a light desktop on any (or most) distros. For example, I recently installed PC Linux LQXT, but then added the LXDE desktop, which my Linux computer needs due to graphical issues. And LXDE is still supported, contrary to popular belief. It was updated last March.
Bodhi Linux runs on a lot of old machines, although yours may be too old. They also still do 32 bit. Mabox, which is based on Manjaro, uses the openbox Windows manager, which is even lighter than LXDE. And as suggested, there is Puppy Linux, which might be your best bet.
If you really want to fool with it, you can probably get something working. whether you will be able to do anything but primitive musical things with it, is another story.
Unfortunately the post above this one looks like all of it was my quote. Everything after the sentence
"The problem is not the operating system (Linux, Windows) the problem is that Desktop Environments and the internet is to bloated nowadays." is from
@mdiemer. This is how it should look.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:24 pm
by j_e_f_f_g
Linuxmusician01 wrote:
Unfortunately the post above this one looks like all of it was my quote. Everything is from @mdiemer.
I thought you were practicing your ventriloquism act.
Re: Is there any lightweight functional Distros now?
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 5:35 pm
by mdiemer
Linuxmusician01 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:32 am
mdiemer wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:23 pm
Linuxmusician01 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 24, 2021 11:21 am
The problem is not the operating system (Linux, Windows) the problem is that Desktop Environments and the internet is to bloated nowadays.
Forget about it.
It is possible of course to install a light desktop on any (or most) distros. For example, I recently installed PC Linux LQXT, but then added the LXDE desktop, which my Linux computer needs due to graphical issues. And LXDE is still supported, contrary to popular belief. It was updated last March.
Bodhi Linux runs on a lot of old machines, although yours may be too old. They also still do 32 bit. Mabox, which is based on Manjaro, uses the openbox Windows manager, which is even lighter than LXDE. And as suggested, there is Puppy Linux, which might be your best bet.
If you really want to fool with it, you can probably get something working. whether you will be able to do anything but primitive musical things with it, is another story.
Unfortunately the post above this one looks like all of it was my quote. Everything after the sentence
"The problem is not the operating system (Linux, Windows) the problem is that Desktop Environments and the internet is to bloated nowadays." is from @mdiemer. This is how it should look.
Hey, I'm sorry about that. I do that now and then, always unintentionally. If I'm in a hurry, I just italicize the quoted part, hoping folks will realize what I've done. Form now on I'll just start over.
