[drats_users] Linux recommendation for older Laptop.

[Joel Black]

I just recently loaded Ubuntu 12.04 LTS on my media / backup server. I 
still do not like the Unity desktop, but I don't have to look at it a 
lot - it's a server. I picked Ubuntu because it probably has the most 
user friendly forums and there was a how-to for setting up Plex and 
CrashPlan for it *and* that computer is quite capable of running Ubuntu.

Several years ago, the developer of Mint got into political arguments on 
his forums. For *that* reason, I will not use Mint. However, it is 
probably the most popular distro out there. I get that from distrowatch, 
nothing I know first hand. People like the way Mint has kept its desktop 
(I think called Cinnamon, but I could be mistaken).

Xubuntu uses XFCE for a desktop interface and Lubuntu uses something 
called LXDE.

For a side-by-side comparison of the *buntu derivatives, go here: 
http://mylinuxexplore.blogspot.com/2012/04/ubuntu-1204-vs-xubuntu-1204-vs-kubuntu.html

All of that said, I am *no* Linux guru or anything resembling a 
"knowledgeable user" when it comes to Linux. I do a lot of googling to 
find what I need. For example, I couldn't get the xscreensaver to load 
at startup on my server (okay, okay, that's the one time I look at the 
desktop, when the screensaver is running). I quick google search got me 
going.

Me? Thanks to Windows 8, I prefer a Mac.

All of the *buntu derivatives are maintained and the LTS (of which 12.04 
is one), it's maintained for five years.

73,
Joel - W4JBB


On 1/4/14, 6:29 PM, John E. Malmberg wrote:
> On 1/4/2014 3:47 PM, Bob Nielsen wrote:
>> A problem I ran into with Mint is that there are DVD images but not
>> CD  images and I suspect an older laptop would be in the same situation.
>> To get around the Ubuntu UI, there are such things as Xubuntu and Lubuntu
>> you might consider.
> DVD image is not a problem, the DELL has a DVD drive.
>
> I am curious about Xubuntu and Lubuntu, as which would be the better
> supported option.  I will also look at Mint.
>
> I would prefer to install a Linux that is being maintained rather than
> an older Linux with lower memory requirements.
>
> I do not want to use anything that looks like a "METRO" or tablet UI on
> a keyboard/mouse based system.
>
> Regards,
> -John
>
>
>
>
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