Netbook Distro List

Linux Support
1

A list of lightweight/netbook-geared Linux distros. Feel free to let me know of more that I missed! :slight_smile:

Debian/Ubuntu Based
AntiX
Asturix Lite
Aurora
Bodhi Linux
Chrome Linux
CrunchBang Linux
EasyPeasy
Joli OS
Lubuntu
Peppermint OS
Solus OS*
Watt OS (Microwatt Edition)
Xubuntu
Zenix OS

Fedora Based
Fuduntu
Linpus

Gentoo Based
FlashLinux

Slackware Based
Salix OS
Vector Linux

Independant
Archbang:latin_cross:
Archlinux:latin_cross:
Chromium OS Vanilla (also Chromium OS Lime)
Damn Small Linux
MacPup
Meego
Puppy Linux
Slitaz
TinyCore

*These distros are slightly more resource-intensive than the others, although they should still work fine on modern netbooks.

:latin_cross: These distros are rolling-release.

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Archbang:
http://archbang.org/

Zenix:

SliTaz:
http://www.slitaz.org/

Or for a small (256mb) Flash drive … Flashlinux:
http://flashlinux.org.uk/
:slight_smile:

[EDIT]

Aurora:
http://www.auroraos.org/

EasyPeasy:

Linpus:

3

Updated :slight_smile:

I also sorted it alphabetically :slight_smile:

4

Meego is still available too

Meego:
https://meego.com/devices/netbook

5

Updated:

Added Meego :slight_smile:

6

Not to mention ChromiumOS … in particular the Hexxeh Vanilla and Lime builds:
http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/
and
http://chromeos.hexxeh.net/lime.php

Then there’s also the possibility of hacking OS X onto your netbook … if you’re into that.

7

Lol! Great minds think alike…I literally had just added Chromium OS, right before you posted the links :wink:

Updated

8

:slight_smile:

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Salix OS
Tested the LXDE version and runs well.
http://www.salixos.org/wiki/index.php/Home

VectorLinux
Hoping to try the LXDE version in the near future

Bodhi Linux
Ubuntu based E17 distro.
Used it for a while (also my daughter taken it on her China trip)
Works well on low resource hardware

10

Updated :slight_smile:

Thanks SeZo!!

11

Might not hurt for peoples to suggest their favourite … Mine is currently Peppermint, which is on my Acer Aspire One (AOA 110L, aka. zg5) :slight_smile:

12

OK,
My favorite is ArchBang.
It runs well on my AOA110L (8gb SSD)

Second favorite is CrunchBang
Would have stayed with it but the rolling release of the ArchBang is more appealing

Both extremely light on resources.

13

My favourite atm, is SolusOS.

http://solusos.com/screenshots/

It’s based on Debian stable, rock solid and superfast.

Current versions use Gnome 2.3, but release 2 which is due soon will use a modified Gnome 3.4 fallback mode. Exciting stuff.

Got my brother using it as a daily OS now, seems to be able to put up with the brute force Ubuntu can’t handle. ;D

14

I take it you’ve read the title of this topic ? … Netbook, not Notebook … I haven’t tried SolusOS, but I’m gonna guess if it uses the full gnome desktop it’s gonna be too heavy for some/most netbooks ???

Maybe I’m wrong … what’s its memory footprint immediately after booting to the desktop ?

Actually that would be an interesting “project” … getting the memory footprint of different distros immediately after installing (ie. with the default configuration).

Though I don’t suppose even that is a true indicator of perfomance or netbook suitability … I’d expect distros like SliTaz to appear to have a larger than average memory footprint due to the fact it ALL loads into RAM, yet that will make it seriously quick (once booted).

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The memory footprint immediately after booting to the desktop is only 220MB, but it ain’t that much more than Peppermint, because it isn’t the full blown out Gnome desktop, it’s been modified to their liking, it’s actually pretty groovy. :stuck_out_tongue:

Whilst my brother was running Firefox, on his Fekbook and YouTube it was only using around 400-600MB.

16

If that’s including buffers/caches that’s not bad :slight_smile:

But just to be sure … reboot, and when your desktop settles, open a terminal and post the output from:

free -m
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Yup! Told you, it’s a good alternative to Peppermint. ;D

Just for your piece of mind:

jason@jason-laptop ~ $ free -m total used free shared buffers cached Mem: 1943 219 1443 0 18 280
18

You didn’t post ALL the output ???

19

The other part of the output is only the swap file… ???

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Compare that with ArchBang on the AOA110 (wireless enabled)

$ free -m total used free shared buffers cached Mem: 1501 190 1310 0 19 110 -/+ buffers/cache: [b]60[/b] 1440 Swap: 952 0 952
@BkS You might want to check that line as the used + free should add up to (within 1mb) to total:
jason@jason-laptop ~ $ free -m total used free shared buffers cached Mem: 1943 219 1443 0 18 280