Bloat free Debian

HappyTux · 09-12-2004, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David the H.
I'm back. Thanks, HappyTux, for the detailed explanation. I know I probably sounded angry and upset with yesterday's posts, but I guess I was just confused and a bit frustrated by it all. I appreciate clearing it up for me.

Anyway, I've gone and reinstalled my system now, and I'm going to be more careful about what I install this time. I'm going to stay away from the metapackages and install the apps I want piecemeal. That should keep my system free of clutter.

You have to be a little careful when doing it this way apt will for example let you install everything you want for X and the leave you without fonts so the X server will not start (did it to me). You will want to install apt-file so that when packages, if they do, complain about missing files then you use apt-file search file_missing to find the package(s) that contain it. It works similar to apt-get in that you use apt-file update to refresh the packages list so you can do an up to date search on the packages in the archive.

isaidfreak · 09-13-2004, 04:10 AM

Just for reference sake, this is what I ended up doing, and has worked a treat!

Debian (Sarge) 2.4
Base install with NO options chosen in "Tasksel"
Now have a base Debian system which I then add too.

Code:

 
login 
su -

apt-get install x-window-system

apt-get install gnome-desktop-environment

apt-get install kde-core

apt-get install fluxbox fluxconf fbpager fbpanel

apt-get install mozilla-firefox

apt-get install gnucash

apt-get install xmms

apt-get install "open-office" (cant remember pkg name)

I did at first install "gnome-core" but I started to recieve "GTK errors" when starting "gnucash"
so installed "gnome-desktop-eviroment" which sorted out the problem.
Note: "gnome-core"is installed when installing "gnome-desktop-enviroment"

As it stands my laptop has standard useable environment which I am now messing about with concerning net connectivity etc. a very slim build of Debian.
Obviously I am now looking at sorting out my power management, custom kernel, modules and sliming down my boot processes.
Overall Debian has been brilliant for giving me control over what I want to do. "aptitude" is also an invaluable package. I much prefer it to "synaptic", use "synaptic" to search and filter for packages and then install them via straight "apt-get" or "aptitude". Excellent.

binidiot · 09-15-2004, 01:20 AM

When I think of bloat-free I see nothing of GNOME or KDE around. Or WMAKER for that matter. Best to go with windowmanager of choice and apt-get install ONLY the apps you want/need.