[ale] Basic/playing-around distro

[Steve Litt]

On Sat, 17 Jun 2017 17:53:01 -0400 (EDT)
Ken Cochran <kwc at shell.theworld.com> wrote:

> Hi again ALErs, nice thread on NAS recommendations, sounds
> like it would be an awesome meeting topic too.
> 
> Another looking-around question/need:
> 
> Need some kind of distro appropriate for what I'll call a
> "semi-kiosk" computer; best I can tell, all it needs to run
> are the following:
> 
> - Browser (probably Firefox unless someone can recommend
>   better), especially for web-email a la gmail
> - shell (duh)
> - probably camera/photo ingest
> 
> Current plan is to repurpose an old HP desktop machine that
> currently runs WinXP.  It is a P4 (32-bit), with 1gb RAM & I'll
> probably replace its hdd so as to not lose what's on it now.
> (Right now it's pretty much a dedicated Quickbooks & word
> processing box & NEVER connects to ANY network.)
> 
> Looking for a distro that I don't have to mess-around with
> much, e.g. some kind of analogue to Software Update on M$
> & Apple products.  Ideas?  Naturally, FAQ/doc pointers are
> welcome, as well as FMs to RT :)

I'd use Void Linux, but I think most distros that still ship 32bit will
do the trick: 1GB RAM is quite a bit.

For window manager, use something like Openbox or JWM with Suckless
Tools' dmenu hotkeyed in. IceWM will work too, but its menu has gotten
so bad it's almost like not having one.

For browser, use Midori or xxxterm or xombrero or surf.

I'd stay away from distros built from the bottom up to give you that
GUI experience. No composing, no "desktop environment", no magical
network connectors, and I'd advise against systemd. Just something
simple.

By the way, a lot of the other responses mentioned that it's so cheap
to get a lot better than this box that it's almost silly to spend time
with it. A lot of distros are dropping 32 bit: That time is near; there
will come a time when the electrical power costs of this computer
outstrip its use to you.

SteveT

Steve Litt 
June 2017 featured book: The Key to Everyday Excellence
http://www.troubleshooters.com/key