Will a 900mhz/256mb ram t22 run the latest slack with KDE reasonably well?

I used Slackware 11.0 on a Thinkpad A22m (900 MHz, 256 MB ram) for quite some time and found it ran reasonably well. However, it does pay to add another 256 MB of memory. Furthermore, try to keep your memory needs as small as possible.

It pays to use combinations of programs so that you minimise total memory use. This means trying to use either Qt-apps, or GTK-apps, but not combinations of both. For instance, if you use KDE (Qt), then also use Konqueror for your web-browsing, and KMail for your e-mailing. Likewise, if you use XFCE, use Thunderbird and Firefox instead, do not use any KDE-apps in XFCE.

Good luck!

By the way, this all based on the assumption that Slackware 12.0 is not heavier than 11.0 :-)

I run Slackware 11.0 on an Armada 1750 (300 MHz, 320 MB RAM) using KDE, browse with firefox, write with LyX and Open Office, listen to Amarok, all at the same time, and it runs reasonably well (as compared to same with XFCE). The CPU does hit 100% most of the time tho, but uses up 1/2 of the RAM...

As soon as the CDs finish downloading, will do the same with Slack 12.0

300mhz,ok then I think all should be ok on my t22 unless slack 12 is like the Vista of linux ;-)
Thanks to PJ for the browser advice.I usually use Mozilla and KDE but that's on an AMD64 machine with lots of ram.I did not realize that Mozilla was more taxing along with KDE so thanks for that knowledge.

not more taxing per se, but Firefox is GTK, while KDE and Konqueror are QT, so using a mix of there will load a few more libraries (I think, someone correct me please)

It's running processes that consume (ram and cpu useage).

As root, the top command, displays what running processes are consuming how much.

root# top

root# ps aux

The ps (as listed with aux options) lists processes that are running as well as these processes their ram and cpu consumption/useage amount.

Running processes usually need library loaded as a part of or contributing to its "running".

BTW Slackware 11.0 using KDE desktop runs super here on an IBM Thinkpad 600E 366 MHZ laptop with 288 megs of ram and a 30 GB HD. I'd be surprised if it were to be any different with 12.0. Soon I'll try 12.0

--
Alan.

Thinkpad T20 with 512MB ram = rocks
Thinkpad T21 with 384MB ram = not-so rocks..

Use at least 384Mb ram, 512: Satisfaction guaranteed

That's what I meant :-) Unfortunately, I don't remember the source anymore, but the goal is indeed to minimise memory use. In that case, wrt memory usage (big big IIRC warning here!):

kde + firefox > kde + konqueror, just like:
gnome + konqueror > gnome + firefox

However:

kde + konqueror > xfce + firefox.

PJ

acummings wrote: By "super" I mean that it is totally useable. Very much so. Of course it's not a pentium 4. It's not real fast. But neither is it all that slow either.

Oh, I remember now, in the KDE first time startup wizard, on this 366 MHZ I set the slider down or more conservative for desktop eye candy sorts of things -- set it down about 30% or 40% maybe 45% or so to the left (for slower cpu, lesser ram machine).

*THAT* may very well be a very key item in how well this 366 MHZ runs. (at least with KDE since am using KDE).

I ran KDE, firefox, kate editor, and konqueror file browser all at once without any slowdown problem.

I very strongly suspect that what we want to avoid here is the maxing out of physical ram useage and then using swap file for memory (at least very much of this swap file useage on a continuous basis *might* slow things down a bit too much).

Now then, if I happen to get in under the wire there with my above mentioned multi app useage scenario then so be it. (under the wire means at least not quite maxing out my physical ram useage or we're not quite yet in to using the swap file though we may be very close to it).

Point being that as long as we get in under the wire and if we can run the apps that we want while doing so and the machine only rarely, intermittently uses swap file then I think we have a case scenario like my 366 that is decently useable.

My friend currently has this 366 MHZ laptop, and says it's been working fine for him.

Due this thread, I'm curious. So, if I get my hands on the 366 I'll open up a bunch of apps then run the top command and also the ps aux command and share here the outputs of those commands.

Yes we sometimes do need to pare down or conserve more on our multiple apps open at once useage. But if we make it in under the wire with what we're doing then paring or conserving down may not be neccessary.

Alan.

Hi. Oops, 366 not 266 MHZ IBM Thinkpad 600E. I just edited for substitute all 266 with 366.

Likely probably would need to run icewm, xfce, or etc. with a 266 rather than using KDE. Apologies for the mistake.

Alan.

I'm running Slack 12.0 on a Plll 800 IBM eServer with 768 MB RAM, it runs very well indeed. I'm using the JFS file system and XFce 4.4.1. My CPU usage is very low ( about 8%) and the unit never goes into swap.
Slackware is very efficient:-)