Comments on: I shall build it and I shall call it gregBook https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/ Sat, 28 May 2011 14:50:36 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.8 By: Alan https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503113 Sat, 28 May 2011 14:50:36 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503113 For some reason your yelling about free software reminds me of horse’s mouths.

]]> By: Techslave https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503112 Mon, 23 May 2011 20:34:30 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503112 Been using CrunchBang as a fast-boot lightweight Ubuntu-alternate for my laptop. It’s Debian based, OpenBox. So far pretty awesome, especially when I don’t want to wait for Ubuntu to get itself figured out and started up. It’s not as lightweight as what you propose, but I find it meets my needs quite nicely without ‘cruft’.

Moved to Linux Mint Debian Edition for my desktop too – so far so good, it’s got everything I want and somewhat less pain than Ubuntu in regard to keeping up to date since it’s a rolling release.

]]> By: twitter https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503111 Mon, 23 May 2011 04:03:52 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503111 Move to Debian and install the light weight window manager of your choice manually. One way to do this is by doing a net install, using the ordinary install rather than using the GUI installer. When it asks you what components to install, do not select a desktop GUI. Once the basic system is installed, log in as root and select Window Maker, E16, TWM, XFCE4 or similar window managers. You might also want to install Midori, Iceweasel or some other browser, xemacs etc. You system should be lightning fast.

OpenSSH server is a good replacement for Dropbox. Run it on the system you use as your NAT box and you should be able to see it anywhere on your lan or the rest of the world by the IP address your ISP gives you. Dyndns will give your box a name, but your ISP might mess with that.

]]> By: bob mccarty https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503110 Mon, 23 May 2011 00:12:30 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503110 linux mint 9 with fluxbox. you’ll love it.

]]> By: Greg Laden https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503109 Sun, 22 May 2011 21:37:05 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503109 Speaking of 11.04, I had a similar experience with Unity, installing it on an old desktop. The installation program told me no way. It’s running fine with Gnormal Gnome, however.

The laptop is running 10.04. It’s a dell Intel core duo T7500 2.2GHz. 2 gigabytes of ram.

]]> By: mike b.y https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503108 Sun, 22 May 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503108 I would like to know what version of Ubuntu you’re using. If it’s 11.04 I understand the gripe. I can’t even get it running Unity in VirtualBox (VM software). And yes, I know that’s because Unity doesn’t handle the generic drivers in VirtualBox; Unity wants specific drivers.

As for the Dropbox privacy issue, you can always encrypt your files before setting them in the Dropbox folder.

But, if you are using the LTS 10.04 version of Ubuntu, I haven’t noticed any issues. I have an Asus laptop with 4G Ram, 500 gig HD, and dual core processors. Right Now, I have 10 tabs in Firefox and gedit opened: My load is between 2% and 8% and the high end and that is probably because I alt-tab-right arrowed to flip desktops. I don’t use gwibber or Ubuntu One.

You can always go to System>Preferences>Startup-Applications and
stop or even add start up applications and services. Terminator is my favorite terminal program because I can split windows inside the terminal and monitor different things, using ctrl-shift-i and ctrl-shift-o.

So the question here is what are you running? Ubuntu X.X and what kind of laptop are you using?

]]> By: Roland https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503107 Sun, 22 May 2011 19:37:01 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503107 This is why I abandoned KDE and switched to XFCE. It’s my computer, I should be able to controlit and use it my way. It isn’t KDE’s or Gnome’s computer, but they seem to think they know what’s best for me. They don’t, and even if they did, that doesn’t justify their taking control of my machine. Fooey on both of them!

]]> By: informania https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503106 Sun, 22 May 2011 11:50:30 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503106 Ah yes, the joys of nepomuk/strigi..
I identify with your frustration, as windows bloatware was the reason I installed linux in the first place.
Seriously thinking about going back to windows though, especially since Open Office also keeps losing information on my documents -in progress.

]]> By: gmasterboots https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503105 Sun, 22 May 2011 04:39:50 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503105 I second the ratpoison suggestion. You can specify up to 9 virtual desktops for ratpoison to create on startx and switch between them with Alt+F? or Ctrl+Alt+RightArrow/LeftArrow. Then each application can be fullscreen.

]]> By: Kyle Reynolds Conway https://gregladen.com/blog/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503104 Sun, 22 May 2011 02:40:11 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/05/21/i-shall-build-it-and-i-shall-c/#comment-503104 For me the couchdb, gwibber, and UbuntuOne issue made me completely stop using Ubuntu it was so bad. It regularly used 100% of my processor for no benefit I ever saw. I’m pretty sure that this was a year ago (or more) and I’m surprised to find that it still hasn’t been fixed.

I like your DIY idea (though I’m probably not tech-skilled enough to help). I’d be interested if and when it’s implemented as I’ve been wanting a lightweight install for an old laptop that basically functions as a web-backed up typewriter.

One last point of interest: I just found your “Linux in Exile” blog today (this post popped up in my RSS while I was reading one of your posts from 2009). I’ve been happily remembering why I switched to (and stuck with) linux.

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