Sunday, July 19, 2009

How to create a minimal ubuntu desktop

Reference

If  you want to make a minimal ubuntu desktop install a clean system from the minimal cd and add what you need manually.

If you add everything in this list you should have more or less a standard ubuntu system minus applications.
NB: There are other desktop and window managers that are much lighter. This guide will create a standard ubuntu system (gnome desktop). 

If you really want to do it minimal / bit by bit you might want to use:
sudo apt-get --no-install-recommends install 
It will only install the really necessary packages.

Display Manager&Desktop  
--------------------------------
sudo apt-get -y install xorg gdm  gnome-core 

Reboot and you have a basic desktop!
(exlude gdm and you can start manually with "startx" instead)
You can now start add utilities and applications.

Gnome basics
------------
gnome-system-tools gnome-utils x11-xserver-utils 

Remaining system utilities
--------------------------
and stuff that will make it look like a standard ubuntu desktop

apport-gtk  (frot end crash report system)
jockey-gtk
usplash
update-manager 
notify-osd 
update-notifiers
network-manager-gnome
fast-user-switch-applet

Themes etc
gnome-screensaver 
ubuntu-artwork human-theme tangerine-icon-theme gnome-themes-ubuntu xcursor-themes

---Network manager fix
sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces
Comment out the lines below "primary network interface"
(This is the solution that match the standard 9.04 setup)

laptop
---------------
laptop-mode-tools 
ubuntu-laptop-mode 
apmd -advanced power management
powernowd -CPU speed (not only for laptops?)

Standard applications
-----------------------------
epiphany-browser epiphany-extensions (well, not the standard browser. Standard is if course firefox)
brasero 
gnome-nettool
nautilus-share  -share a folder by righ click
gdebi   - offline package manager


More utilities - installed in standard desktop
---------------
vino -vnc Remote desktop access
system-config-printer-gnome  
usb-creator
powernowd -CPU speed


More utilities - NOT installed in standard
---------------
gparted   
ntfsprogs (tools for unproblematic use of NTFS file systems)

language-pack-gnome-XX and language-pack-gnome-XX-base (with XX representing your local language, e.g. de)
ssh


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