List or pointers on fast linux.

tmasboa · 03-06-2007, 12:09 AM

I have a laptop and need to get a really nice, but most importantly, fast linux system. I use it for school and do not want to spend like 5 mins starting up. Just needs xfce,gnome, i think kde would be to slow, but maybe not.

I want to be able to use Openoffice.org, the typical web browsers and such programs. It would also be nice if I could use my wifi card, but I need to see if there are drivers for it.

I have tried uhh Dream Linux livecd, and I didn't get a long chance, but it seemed to be pretty good.

I looked at yoper a bit but don't know if it's worth downloading.

Please give me your opinion and some really fast but worth it linux distros. Also, I don't want a live-cd only or primarily live-cd like Knoppix.

Thanks alot (myfirstpost), tmas

PatrickNew · 03-06-2007, 12:26 AM

Well, are you new to Linux in general? If you're comfortable with *nix, Slackware is probably your best bet. But, if you aren't very experienced, Slack is probably too spartan.

I'd recommend you take a look at XUbuntu and Fluxbuntu. These are both variations on Ubuntu, XUbuntu using the XFCE desktop environment and Fluxbuntu using Fluxbox. Having a Debian-based OS is always good IMO.

BTW, check out www.distrowatch.com. It's a linux (and BSD) distro search engine. You might find more useful ideas there.

tmasboa · 03-06-2007, 01:03 AM

Thanks alot, i'm quite familiar with linux and will check out slackware

prozac · 03-06-2007, 01:11 AM

vector would suit you better than slackware IMHO.

avallach · 03-06-2007, 02:48 AM

Archlinux is another very fast distro

reddazz · 03-06-2007, 04:11 AM

Moved: This thread is more suitable in Linux Distributions and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

tmasboa · 03-06-2007, 06:35 PM

That's interesting, I was just looking at umm Vector.

Thanks all, I'll be looking.

craigevil · 03-06-2007, 08:09 PM

How fast is fast?

I use Debian Sid running kernel 2.6.18.6-slh-up-1 i686 [ sidux-20070111-d:5 ]
CPU Info AMD Duron 64 KB cache flags( sse ) clocked at [ 1800.144 MHz ]
Videocard nVidia NV34 [GeForce FX 5500] X.Org 7.1.1 [ 1280x1024 @75hz ]
Network cards Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS900 PCI Fast Ethernet, at port: e400
Processes 86 | Uptime 1day | Memory 582.094/629.402MB | HDD WDC Size 80GB (9%used) | GLX Renderer GeForce FX 5500/AGP/SSE/3DNOW! | GLX Version 1.5.3 NVIDIA 71.84 | Client Shell | Infobash v2.58

and I go from completely off to the KDE login in 30 seconds,and from the login to the kde desktop in 10-15 seconds; how fast you boot has a lot to do with the services that are starting at boot.

PatrickNew · 03-06-2007, 09:55 PM

If boot time is important to you, try replacing sysv init on whatever distro you choose. I swapped in SysV init for initng on FC5 and cut my boot time in half.

ORBiTrus · 03-06-2007, 10:09 PM

OK, I know this is VASTLY over-stated, but:

It's a laptop. Use Software Suspend. I use Arch Linux on my laptop (because I like bleeding edge), it's got Suspend, Suspend2, uswsusp (AUR "suspend" package). I like Arch since it has uswsusp as a package [look up the package, and this line will be funny].

If you have a laptop where the "oops, I need that, and I need it fast and to work properly" exists, then Debian would be the obvious choice.

tmasboa · 03-07-2007, 12:27 AM

Does software suspend use the battery?

craigevil · 03-07-2007, 01:37 AM

"Suspend 2 is most easily described as the Linux equivalent of Windows' hibernate functionality. It saves the contents of memory to disk and powers down. When the computer is started up again, it reloads the contents and the user can continue from where they left off. No documents need to be reloaded or applications reopened and the process is much faster than a normal shutdown and start up."
http://www.suspend2.net/

ORBiTrus · 03-07-2007, 02:12 AM

^-- what he said.

Or, paraphrased: "It does not use the battery."

Sounds like you're not familiar with Software Suspend though. Here's a rough overview:

Software suspend is known as suspend-to-disk, s4, s2d, or ACPI sleep level 4. s4 comes in two varieties: s4bios and s4os. s4os is implemented in software, eg: Microsoft's Hibernate. s4bios is implemented in the BIOS, using a file on FAT or a partition. Modern laptops do NOT support s4bios as it is cheaper to do it in software and has extra cool things. Linux supports three methods of s4os. FreeBSD, on the other hand, only supports s4bios.

Suspend - In-kernel suspend. Minimalistic, s4os with no frills.

Suspend2 - In-kernel suspend. Requires a kernel patch. Adds lots of cool features, like compression, encryption etc. at the expense of requiring them to be built into the kernel.

uswsups - Userspace suspend. Minimalistic in-kernel. Default in 2.6.19+. Fancy features (compress, encryption) handled in userspace. Additional features are easy to add, and do not require rebuilding the kernel.

All three methods can use the Hibernate script to do things like unload "bad" modules, etc. The Hibernate script was written for Suspend2, but works equally well with all the other options.