Most lightweight Linux distro for low end IBM processor netbook

[ReMiXeDg]

I have a IBM think-pad with a 40GB Hard Drive, and Pentium 2 processor and 256MB RAM could anyone suggest what OS should I go with?


I want something for web programming / browsing the internet.

 

[steeve]

The only light distro I have used on an old machine is puppy - a pleasure to use but some limitations with available applications. there's a good review here:

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/8-of-the-best-tiny-linux-distros-683552

ah, archlinux is also very cool if you want to build up your OS from the ground

 

[Leeky]

Most distro's should work if you use a very lightweight DE (desktop environment). Puppy would probably run best though.

Crunchbang is worth a mention too, running XFCE as its DE, its also based on Debian so should give you more flexability with packages and software.

 

[steeve]

Most distro's should work if you use a very lightweight DE

interesting point leeky. in the end it will be the 'eye candy' that eats up the lions share

of the different mint versions, i would guess lxde is the lightest DE?

 

[Leeky]

The lightest on CPU and RAM is actually Linux Mint XFCE edition. Some stats on RAM usage of it:

Mint Xfce: 114 MB RAM (Mint 9 Xfce: 153 MB RAM)
Mint Xfce + Writer + Calc + Firefox: 177 MB RAM (Mint 9 Xfce + Writer + Calc + Firefox: 212 MB RAM)
Mint Xfce + Writer + Calc + Firefox + Thunderbird + VLC + Rhythmbox: 220 MB RAM (Mint 9 Xfce + Writer + Calc + Firefox + Thunderbird + Gnome MPlayer + Exaile: 256 MB RAM)

 

[steeve]

that is pretty light - am just installing it as we speak

 

[ReMiXeDg]

I'm starting to install Linux Mint XFCE Edition now.. Thanks for helping me out and im going with this, Mint Xfce + Writer + Calc + Firefox + Thunderbird + VLC + Rhythmbox: 220 MB RAM (Mint 9 Xfce + Writer + Calc + Firefox + Thunderbird + Gnome MPlayer + Exaile: 256 MB RAM)

 

[Leeky]

that is pretty light - am just installing it as we speak

Aye, it runs lightning quick on my Q6600 based PC. I do have 8GB of RAM to play with though, but its responsiveness is several times quicker than Gnome which is by no means a slouch with my hardware.

Can't wait to see it running with a dedicated SSD and my 6 core AMD 1055T.

 

[GuruX]

For my Eee 900 (yeah to slow one...) I run crunchbang linux. Excellent distro, debian based with OpenBox of XFCE as default WM. Most people tend to run OpenBox.

 

[steeve]

I'm starting to install Linux Mint XFCE Edition now

be interesting to see how it goes on an older machine

I run crunchbang

good to hear some positive about chrunchbang - seems like it may have replaced damn small linux as the choice for older machines?