Stuck choosing between the small and fast distributions.

[Albertoni]

Hello and thanks for helping me. I'm looking for a (not necessarily small) distribution that has a quick boot time. I tried DSL, and liked it, but its frugal installation, where you have to specify which files will be saved when you shut it down, is too much of a hassle and hard to a newbie (Me.). The fact that it doesn't comes with the compilers is a turn down too.

I've read the sticky topic, and I still don't know which other of the lightweight ones I should choose.

All I need is: A fast booting system that I can install in a laptop and browse the internet, using MSN and IRC as well. The ability to compilate stuff without installing anything is a plus, but not required. I managed to install GCC into DSL, and then aMSN and my modem drivers, so it's not a big problem, just something that'd be more comfortable.

Thanks again!

[oz]

welcome to the forums!

some other good lightweight distros would include:

puppy
fluxbuntu
xubuntu
zenwalk

... as an alternative, you could consider installing a "base system only" using arch, debian, or gentoo, and then install only the apps that you really want/need on top of that.

any of the above should prove to be fast and light, but you'll only know for sure which is the best for you and your hardware after you've tried them.

[wv67]

Hi,

You might give Wolvix Cub a try. I'm a total noob at Linux but managed to get that one to run on an older Toshiba laptop. I couldn't get DSL or Ubuntu to run at all and Puppy was tempermental. I honestly don't know if it was me,(probably) or my computer that was the problem. I actually did a full install from the Wolvix disc and added Opera 9.63 with nary a problem. YMMV.

Regards,

David