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The snappiest of ubuntu derivatives

What is the snappiest (meaning subjectively faster in the user interface, but perhaps a little slower in other areas) of the ubuntu derivatives?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ulysses_ (Post 4337869)

What is the snappiest (meaning subjectively faster in the user interface, but perhaps a little slower in other areas) of the ubuntu derivatives?

The fastest IMO would be a minimal install with fluxbox/E16/E17 (or other WM), LXDE or even XFCE installed afterward. BTW, Xfce4 should be slightly faster than xubuntu-desktop.

It varies from release to release, but not that long ago a minimal install + gnome was lighter, and faster, than xubuntu.

Roll your own. There's a good tutorial here:

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/minimal

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD (Post 4337885)

Bodhi Linux

This one seems promising. But after a while I realised firefox and opera are not available in synaptic? You're supposed to download script bundles ending with .bod to install these.

Have you tried this distro? Why the .bod's?

I personally haven't used it so far, bit got some good reviews.

About the .bod files, I found this at the Bodhi Wiki:

Quote:

Whether you are new to Linux or not you may have wondered what exactly are the bod files available for download on Bodhi's Add Software page. If you are familiar with Linux you are probably aware that some Linux Distributions have rpm files, others have deb, but bod files seem unique to Bodhi Linux. It is apparent how to use a bod file, they are provided primarily for offline usage and allow one to install software including all of the dependencies the software requires without having to download a lot of deb files.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD (Post 4339877)

allow one to install software including all of the dependencies the software requires without having to download a lot of deb files

The sum of firefox and its dependencies a smaller download than the .debs? Strange. Wondering if they are in fact hiding something in their bundle of firefox and that is why they are not allowing an ordinary download from the standard ubuntu repos with synaptic.

You got that wrong. It is not intended to be smaller, it is intended to be just one package, instead of all the debs you would need to install Firefox. It is just easier to install without network connection.
And I doubt that they put anything in there that shouldn't be seen by a normal user. I would call that a little bit paranoid. I wonder why you are not wondering about the same in the Ubuntu-package? While Bodhi Linux is a community distro Ubuntu is made by a company that would have much more interest in spying at you.

But anyways, feel free to download Firefox directly from Mozilla, if you are concerned about that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD (Post 4339955)

We can't do that. Mozilla is all the time trying to deep mine for our information.

OK, so I am a smart a$$.

Setting up the package that way would be simpler for a respin outfit to do than to create a single deb that would install all that stuff in the right order.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ulysses_ (Post 4339865)

Really? TobiSGDs post make me think that the .bod files are just there for offline use.

As far as firefox goes, I would have thought that you would be able to use synaptic/software cener to d/l and install. The bodhi wiki says this as well-

Quote:

Beyond this you can easily find and install an application for any task you may have in mind via Bodhi Software Center.

http://www.bodhilinux.com/wiki/doku.php?id=philosophy

Opera, that could be different. I've never tried installing opera on a ubuntu box, if its anything like debian you need to add a repo to get it from synaptic/apt-get etc..

I still havent tried bodhi, and if I did it would only be because its a easy way to get E17. I've run E17 on debian a few times, it wasnt good enough to make me stick with it but maybe its time to have another look at the wolrd longest running development time WM. LOL

I really wish that they would release a non 'preview' E17.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD (Post 4339955)

And I doubt that they put anything in there that shouldn't be seen by a normal user. I would call that a little bit paranoid. I wonder why you are not wondering about the same in the Ubuntu-package? While Bodhi Linux is a community distro Ubuntu is made by a company that would have much more interest in spying at you.

+1. I've got no problems with paranoia, but if you are worrying about the whole .bod thing, or ubuntu, then a different distro might be a better idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9 (Post 4340985)

Really? TobiSGDs post make me think that the .bod files are just there for offline use.

It is their main purpose, but I think they will also work if you try installing online.
This made me curious about Bodhi, I will download and install it to a VM. I will report back later if you can install Firefox without using the .bod-file.

OK, I installed it, and at first I couldn't install Firefox with Synaptic. I then have enabled the proposed-updates and backports repositories from Ubuntu, and after that I could install Firefox with Synaptic. So that is not really a problem.

Sidenote: Boot and install time are very fast, even in a VM.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD (Post 4340997)

{...}if you can install Firefox without using the .bod-file.

IMHO it's much easier to just go to Mozilla website, download firefox, unarchive to somewhere and run it(can make shortcut too). But yea i understand you wanted try something else so this is just small suggestion for other people who want firefox in easy way.

In my experience, regular Ubuntu is very fast and snappy. Maybe its just this computer though.

Very subjective question, really.