Hello LQ!

With a new laptop coming in the mail, I've decided it would be a great time to reinstall linux on my main machine. I've used linux quite a lot on different machines but I'm barely starting to go beyond the small customization and I was thinking about installing something much more personnalized on my next laptop.

What I'm looking for is a desktop with no software. Since I never use most of the applications included with Ubuntu, I'd like to have none of that stuff.

However I don't want to have to mess with drivers. I want a system that works well out-of-the-box (Ubuntu and PCLinux did that well) with everything well-configured.

In other words, I want a system that already works, with all the required tools, Gnome and everything ready to work with all the assistants and managers, but no extra software like Ekiga or anything. I'll just put GIMP, Firefox, and some other tools in there anyway.

I know a lot can be removed with the terminal/synaptic, but I'd love to know alternatives too.

Hi N1c0_ds

Go with Debian for this. If I were in your shoes I'd go through the list of software you use now and write it down. A la Gimp, Pidgin, OpenOffice, etc. Install Debian with just the base system, do not install the desktop software. When you boot up you will be greeted with just a plain cli login.

Login with your set root password and do the following:

apt-get update
apt-get install xserver-xorg gdm gnome-core synaptic
reboot


It will now come up with a basic Gnome login and then you can pull any any extra packages you require but the basics will be there ready and running


BTW, Gnome-Core pulls in:

gnome-control-center
eog
gedit
gnome-applets
gnome-icon-theme
gnome-menus
gnome-panel
gnome-session
gnome-settings-daemon
gnome-terminal
metacity
compiz-gnome
nautilus
rarian-compat
scrollkeeper

That sounds like a plan. Does this mean most hardware will be supported (excluding the network card and other misc)?

Bump?