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Date:      Wed, 6 Jan 2010 10:52:32 -0700 (MST)
From:      Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com>
To:        Charlie Kester <corky1951@comcast.net>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org, Da Rock <freebsd-questions@herveybayaustralia.com.au>
Subject:   Re: Tuning for very little RAM
Message-ID:  <alpine.BSF.2.00.1001061040270.15424@wonkity.com>
In-Reply-To: <20100106172105.GA95215@comcast.net>
References:  <1262685825.15832.5.camel@laptop1.herveybayaustralia.com.au> <20100106072531.2b0c18b1.wmoran@potentialtech.com> <20100106172105.GA95215@comcast.net>

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On Wed, 6 Jan 2010, Charlie Kester wrote:
>
> Assuming you have to use X, you'll want to avoid heavyweight desktop
> environments like KDE or Gnome.  I like tiled window managers like musca
> or dwm myself, but your skeptics will probably want a more traditional
> window manager (aka MS-Windows clone) like xfce or openbox.

Hey, xfce is not like Windows, it's fast.  If you want really light and 
Windows-like, icewm.  Although last time I tried it, desktop icons--the 
lifeblood of the typical Windows user--required external programs 
(idesk) and were a hassle.

> When you say "internet (with plugins)" I think you mean Firefox.  If
> this isn't a hard and fast requirement, take a look at some of the more
> lightweight browsers like Midori, Kazehakase or Arora.  (I'd recommend
> even more lightweight alternatives like surf or elinks, but I don't
> think your skeptics will approve.)

AdblockPlus and FlashBlock are near requirements for browsing, 
particularly for slow machines.  Maybe they'll work with non-Firefox 
gecko browsers.

> Same for OpenOffice.  There are alternatives to each of the apps in the
> OpenOffice suite that might not have all the same bells and whistles,
> but will run in much less RAM.

gnumeric is nice for a spreadsheet.  May not be particularly 
lightweight, but lighter than OO.

-Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota USA



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