U-lite Linux

Have spent lots of time trying all "small" things and still 0.8 was special because it felt more polished/integrated and less thrown-together. 0.8 still runs perfectly on one old laptop and I still love it.

When the itch for "newer" came along, I just dist-upgraded. Twice ;) It wasn't perfectly smooth but I was able to make it (or rather aptitude got me out of the one or two jams). Eventually added a bunch of programs and used Tony Brijeski's remastersys to spin new ones. So I'm sorta still running 0.8 except it's all jauntied-up and patched current. I still run & remaster it on a pII 266 160MB but it's not quick anymore. Boots in X in about 60 megs, fwiw. So yeah not official and not as good but I don't have to make any debian packages either and it's getting me through this spell. Just bringing it up as an idea for people that can access good pipes in case it helps.

For me, the ability to have current/patched software is important because on dialup you face the world. Otherwise everybody could just run old stuff. That's the nice part about the ubuntu "machine"--current security stuff and big repos. The greatest thing about lxde+openbox is that it's a sort of minimal combination that still supports the fd.o desktop stuff. U-lite is perfect ;)

The newest puppy can be built from 'buntu sources, but would still be puppy. Many of the little configurators are quite wonderful for new users, though. That 4.3.1 flies.

Antix, Absolute, Vector lite and the LXDE edition of PCLOS (2009.4) are fast and light, too. Puppy, Antix, Absolute and VL lite are all "works of love" much like U-lite--they show the polish and the attention to the little details that can only come from daily use. I bring them up to show other peoples choices of slimmer apps, that's all. Everything else (and even those to an extent), just takes too much memory or footprint or processor or all three.

For additions to the package list, I nominate

gufw one checkbox and you have a firewall and it's not that big
searchmonkey a nice to have for new users but ???...

In the end, it should be whatever makes you happy to work on because that's the thing...

Thanks for all you've done.

We want it lite, with an easy to set up wireless connection and an easy way to add/remove packages.

Sorry for my English.

And thanks for your work. U-Lite 0.9 alpha 2 is amazing.

if i got everything right here there are two main scopes for ulite:

1. an out-of-the-box / nearly full desktop environment for old computers/laptops that aren't able connect to the internet [if they could, they're able to use version 2]

2. a superlight skeleton of ubuntu for computers/laptops that can connect to the internet and which can be furnished with applications individually

most important for version 1 is a complete & simple installer [no mini-installer!]
most important for version 2 is full networking-capability & synaptic package managing

before making a compromise between both it will be usefull to decide how ulite shall be the antipode of lubuntu.

working out of the box, as ubuntus do, but as light as possible

(i run xubuntu/xfce on my 5-year old machine, looks good etc., but sometimes it seems 'a tiny bit slow'... which is why i keep looking around, once in a while, at faster distros...)

I like it light and fast to be used in old and new computers, specially on net and notebooks.

I think all like a distro that works as soon as it boot and boots fast, with a clean look with easy and handy wifi detection, web browser, chat, word and spreadsheet and could fit in a pendrive; and of course a wealthy repository.

I love puppy linux because it shines on old hardware, is extremely flexible (look at all the puplets), works as a live CDrom based disk, and is very light on memory and disk based space. What it lacks (IMHO) is a good roadmap, security type updates (which u-lite could get from Ubuntu), a large number of easily installed packages (synaptics ubuntu repositories). The current trends are fast boot times, web centric applications, networking apps built in, easy install, great hardware recognition. I am still searching for a "lite" distro with the advantages of the big guys for computers/laptops that came with win98 PII 266 to PIII 900 128 mb - 256 mb 6gb disk. Innovation will win users even if LuUbuntu uses the same window manager and repositories. Just some thoughts

The previous release of U-Lite (Ubuntulite) was perfect for me, light and fast on my old P3 733, and just enough ubuntu to keep myself and others I gave it to comfortable. Something along the lines of lite and functional, with the resources to bulk it up post install.

Having a fast, lean, functional desktop to start is the key, let us users add the bulk, lord knows I don't need OpenOffice on this, but someone will, let them add it to their desktop.

The 2 panel approach was nice, I'd like to see that return, but no complaints for the standard 1 panel LXDE config.

Shallow install, Deep library would be the way to go.

Maybe allow a "skeleton" install, just the basic desktop needs, let the users fill in the apps, I don't know.

Lubuntu and U-Lite need to be brother projects in the future. If the Lubuntu project doesn't have a clear way to follow, U-Lite needs to make it.

I suggest 3 main packages:

ulite-minimal: The minimum software to run in a really old computer.

ulite-functional: (depends on minimal) The desktop with all the plugins/applets and up-to-date tools to use all media and hardware (auto-nets, auto-printer, good skins); a complete desktop, but only desktop and basic utilities.

ulite-standard: (depends on functional) A complete system with office, internet and multimedia applications.

Any user could see the dependencies of each package to know the recommended software, and make their level of installation.

The best way for U-lite and the other projects like Lubuntu, DebianEasyLxde, WattOs, is let the users free to choice
what they want.
Starting from minimal setup you can get all the apps you need:
firefox, OOo, the gimp, vlc etc. etc.
Small standard setup and a big repo, so you can fit the distro on your hardware.
Sorry for my bad english.

Lumaga

although eventually went back to gnome just for network-manager-gnome. I keep a LXDE desktop installed, still having wireless problems.

I would love to see a version of u-lite that takes an exsting ubuntu install and strips away stuff. Intalls LXDE and migrates everything over. You could do it all without ever harming the gnome desktop.

I'd like to know what to strip out manually too...

it seems to be the same discussion like it is over there at lubuntu...
so let's just wait and see for which side they opt and then do the exact opposite.

btw. would it be possible to offer both opportunities [complete desktop / superlight skeleton] in the installation-process?
it would be very useful to have different options in the installation-process to choose from.

i would go for lite but not as lite as possible

Also you can make a voting :p

it's best to not focus only on slow computers
there are possible several persons who want it as lite as possibble
but the larger group users isn't interested in that

the good thing about ulite is that it can run the normal things of ubuntu
and still be light

so i wouldn't bloat it or make it a skeleton

I would focus on a usable distro with reasonable features for average users

Nobody knows future so why care?

Ulite already has something faster and better (than just a karmic metapackage). Current alpha version is indeed working very well. Also Ulite is not constrained by Ubuntu policies. Contrast enough has been stricken. Do you want more? Then release early, release often.

I think Ulite should go light but not as much as staubgold suggest. More features have to be provided for users who want to use the live CD or don't have Internet.

Users want to write and read documents and spreadsheets. Abiword and gnumeric are the best options. OOo just not make sense as a default.

Users want that ugly photos look better. They don't need Gimp but simpler retouching (crop, correct color, light, red eyes...). Unfortunately I can' think of a really good app for this. Gthumb, mirage, mtpaint, photoxx...? Maybe gthumb is the best option, I don't think it's heavier or carry more dependencies than Gimp and gives better service to the average user. Of course some light viewer like gpicview is also needed.

Users want to play their music and look at their videos but I think they can live without library management. If simpler players are lighter then I would go with them.

Live CD users need a web browser. It's also useful for users who have installed Ulite an want more, they need to look for help and documentation (for example... what web browser suits him an how to install it). So the question is: can people live without the overhead of Firefox? If yes, then midori or epiphany are very good. I don't feel confortable with kazahekase, but it do the job. And now there is that google browser.

u-lite should be a minimal version of an up-to-date ubuntu, designed for old hardware.

explanation:
- "minimal" doesn't have to be a complete desktop environment - only basic application - e.g. ulite should contain _NO_ browser/office/graphics/sound/video > NO firefox/pidgin/filezilla/thunderbird/torrentclient > NO abiword/dictionary/spreadsheet > NO gimp/scanningprogram > NO asunder/brasero/alsa/movieplayer/musicplayer/soundrecorder - everybody should be able to install whatever he likes via synaptic
> ONLY basic system-application like networking/packagemanaging/terminal/archiving/texteditor/imageviewer/pdfviewer should be installed by default
> there could be a list with suggested lite-software

- "an up-to-date ubuntu" should be the current LTS-version

- "designed for old hardware" means the current ulite-requirements

i think it's good to differentiate with the other distros
cause that's one thing that makes it special

maybe you can make it a vote

i'm for a light distro
but a very light distro is less interesting for the broader public
it's more interesting for a selected few

so i'm for a light but not as light as possible
that's one of the benefits of lxde
lite and possibility of doing many things

kousuke

I think I'd really like to see it work on the fast and lightweight still. Theres plenty of heavy weight systems out there already, and they are well developed. Be sure to really keep it workable on the older systems though. I've tried alot of whats out there and there much room for improvement!

Thanks!
al

"Where Speed Meets Ease"
-so it can be used on old computers.
-so anyone can use it.

thanks

Obviously, with a name such as Ubuntu LITE or U-lite, there is no question. Fast over clunky. Speed over bling.

Chromium over Firefox
Leafpad over Gedit.