[Lvlug] Recommendations on a More Suitable Distro

[John Mc]

Introduction to Linux Mint 8 LXDE RC1:
http://www.linuxmint.com/blog/?p=1325
Based on Linux Mint 8 Main Edition, Linux 2.6.31, Openbox 3.4.7.2, PCManFM 0.5.2, and Xorg 7.4, Linux Mint 8 LXDE Edition features a complete and familiar desktop experience while being low on resource usage and is suitable for a good variety of older hardware.

Benchmark:
Here's a quick benchmark comparing this edition to the Fluxbox and Xfce editions of Linux Mint. All 3 editions were tested on the same hardware (a computer with 384MB RAM).

RAM usage at idle:
    * Fluxbox: 131MB
    * LXDE:    141MB
    * Xfce:    154MB

Maximum RAM usage during the installation:
    * Fluxbox: 235MB
    * LXDE:    246MB
    * Xfce:    262MB

Boot time from Grub to the login manager:
    * Fluxbox: 31.16 seconds
    * LXDE:    26.79 seconds
    * Xfce:    26.46 seconds

Boot time from the login manager to the desktop:
    * Fluxbox: 3.32 seconds
    * LXDE:    3.77 seconds
    * Xfce:    9.63 seconds

System requirements:
    * x86 processor
    * 256 MB of system memory (RAM)
    * 3 GB of disk space for installation
    * Graphics card capable of 800×600 resolution
    * CD-ROM drive or USB port