Linux Experince: The Micro Kernel...

 Took a long enough break from blogging...

After I installed Ubuntu, I found out that:

1. I can't run Compiz though I could run it on Wubi... (strange)
2. Gnome is pretty slow compared to Windows.
   

One of my main reasons of switching to Linux is to gain more speed for my old computer and the last thing I need is another slow down of my already low spec computer (2.7 Celeron, 512MB DDR, Intel Intergrated). Thus I begun the quest for a slimmed down system.

The first thing that I went to was Xfce as I used Xubuntu before and knew it was pretty good. After a quick sudo apt-get, I was up and runnig (I love how you dont' have to restart after installing in Linux). Browsing for a big on the net, I realized that, it was not so snappy as I expected.

Next up on the list was Enlightenment. Now, this one took me FOREVER to set up as all the forums were of pretty old versions of Ubuntu. I finally got it set up (not really sure how anymore, I think I used the CVS one), and when I logged on, I felt... naked? Didn't like it at all.

IceWM was next and took around the same times as Xfce to set up. The default theme of IceWM sucks but PsychoCats has a pretty good tutorial for gettign it up and running. After tweaking with it for some hour or two, I got bored and started to look other stuff up to optimize this box.

Somehow, a lot of the tips overlap (awriteback, profile, swappiness, change wm...) but then I saw a post where it said something about a light system. I started to uninstall everything. On the next bootup, I dropped to root and went into aptitude. Here's my progression throughout the deletion:

"I should be careful... hey look, bluetooth, I don't use bluetooth..." remove
"Ehh.... I don't think this is important..." autoremove
"Documentation? BAhh, who needs documentation?" purges whole documentation folder
"Screw this" delete everything

I was thinking that it would preserve the core stuff for bootup and internet connection as it poped up something saying "Warning, this is critical to the system blah blah blah" and asked to put in a sentence for it to delete. But afterwards, it wasn't there even though I didn't put anything in....after 2 minutes, I was left with a dead penguin.

Reinstallation ensued and succeed and this time, I was more careful. I first used IceWM to replace Metacity but didn't like it so I used Xfwm4. Got the thing to go pretty fast. Next took a few boot ups do a few tweaks:

1. Profile my boot (the time increase was amazing)
2. Ran an Gnome optimization tool for the XML (not much increase but... something is something)
3. Ran a e2fsck on file system

Somehow, a combination of those two made the system super snappy. Then begun my quest (excuse my overuse of quest, playing Zelda Twilight Princess here...) for a cool desktop. I immediately went to Lifehacker to get the Conky set up. Success...the embedded terminal? no success :(

Now I'm trying to get AWN up and running... here's my desktop so far... (notice the transparency :D ):

-runiteking1

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