Re: [seul-edu] Lean and Clean Linux

[Harry McGregor <micros@azstarnet.com>]

most of what you need to do is user setup.  Don't run GNOME or KDE.Use a 
good simple window manager (IceWM) that has a low memory footprint.

On Sun,9 Jul 2000, Robert Maynord wrote:

> Dear Educator Friends:
> 
> I am working at a small parochial elementary school, teaching technology
> and installing networked computers. Previously we have had W95 machines
> loaded with Netscape, Word, and All the Right Type.  This has worked fine.
> However, I have decided to convert the school (gradually) to Linux.  I'm
> sure you all know the multiple good reasons for doing this.  The problem I
> am having is that the standard machine at the school has 16mg RAM and 450
> HD (Pentium 90).  Linux will load on this, but things really slow down if I
> use a desktop such as KDE or Gnome. Yet, such a desktop is important for
> those of our teachers who are only beginners, and have some reservations
> about computer use.

The desktop actualy adds very little to the usablity of the system (This
is experince with 32 P90 stations at Corbett Elementary School, check out
the article that apeared in the May 12th Arizona Daily Star (mirrored on
our website, http://www.osef.org).

> I started with Debian 6.1 and all went reasonably well.  But Debian has a
> steep curve when it comes to detecting network cards (we have many generic
> brands).

I presume you mean debain 2.1.  Download the floppy disks for debian 2.2
(potato), it will detect network cards just fine.

> I tried Red Hat, which is much better about detecting network
> cards, but which has no support for the micro-channel machines we have.  I
> then discovered that Debian will not work with the micro-channel token ring
> cards we have, so I went back to Red Hat and decided to forget the
> micro-channel machines.

Due to ease of administration of the network, I would suggest that you
reconsider Debian (debian 2.2).

> The problem with Red Hat is that it loads all sorts of stuff into memory
> and on the hard drive that are not essential.  This is fine on our few
> Pentium 300s.  But for the 16mg ram machines it really slows things down. I
> end up running much of the basic desktop in virtual memory (on the HD).  My
> hope is to find a way of loading Red Hat or some other distribution so that
> only what is necessary for KDE is loaded.  I do not need all the
> development tools, desktop backgrounds, etc.  And yet, I would prefer not
> to do all the modification by hand, re-loading the kernal and deleting
> packages.  We have over 50 machines, but most of them are older and
> smaller. Upgrading ram is out of the question because the cost of 72 pin
> memory has skyrocketed beyond imagination.  

I might be able to work out a deal for you on 4MB 72 pin simms, as I
upgrade systems out of the network (I have about 10 simms right now).  As
far as what is running go through your init.d and run "stop" on most of
the unneded items.

> I thought that perhaps someone had traveled this road before, and had some
> suggestions...

I am right now in California (mini vacation), but if you email my OSEF
email account (hmcgregor@osef.org), I will do my best to get you going,
between myself, and two master system admins I have working on the
project.
> Any help would be greatly appreciated! > 
> 
> Robert Maynord
> 
> 
> 

			Harry

--
Harry McGregor, CEO, Co-Founder
hmcgregor@osef.org, (520) 202-OSEF (6733)
Open Source Education Foundation, http://www.osef.org