kubuntu-minimal

[metricus]

It appears that there was at some point a metapackage with this name. I would like to see it again and this is why:
1. As long as we have a netbook edition there should be a configuration that is suitable for netbooks.
2. The standard desktop metapackage requires more than 4 GiB HD space. Asus eee-701 has only 4.
3. One hardly uses Office apps on a netbook.
4. Even on better configurations Akonadi and Nepomuk eat a lot of resources making the machines really hot and loud.

So this is what I did to see if such configuration is achievable:

I first installed ubuntu-mini CD and chose CLI. I do like this method anyway better than the desktop CD one because I don't waste time installing the sistem and then upgrading which downloads mostly everything twice. then:

sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends kubuntu-desktop plasma-widget-networkmanagement muon {and whatever else you may need}

plasma-widget-networkmanagement is needed if the machine has wifi. Muon is needed if you prefer a GUI package manager. The system will run fine without them.

Then I did some other tweaks that some are part of low-fat-settings like turn off plasma effects, sounds, and so on. I will get into it in another posting.

what you get is a basic KDE 4.7 which works just fine on less than 2 GiB space using 120 MiB RAM.

You have enough space to install whatever app you REALLY need if you have only 4 GiB drive.

I wish there was a kubuntu-minimal meta which did just that and some more tweaks for low-power machines. BTW I tried Lubuntu and although it works impressively I prefer my KDE better.

Feel free to add more suggestions.

[Snowhog]

The last release that had the meta-package kde-minimal was Lucid. As Lucid is still in LTS life cycle, and the last point release for it was just released (10.04.4): http://www.noobslab.com/2012/02/ubun...lts-final.html you might want to look at Lucid? True, you won't get KDE 4.7.4, but....

[metricus]

Thank you, did not know that. Yes that may be a solution. I will look to see what dependencies/settings are in Lucid minimal.

On the other hand I see no reason to discontinue kubuntu-minimal. Was thinking to open a bug with that.

[dequire]

I'm sure it's just a matter of someone having the time to package it. I would hit the folks up on IRC (kubuntu-devel channel) if you think you can package; or if not, now else you might be able to help.

[claydoh]

as a meta-package it is more or less a list describing a different default set of packages to be installed. I don't know why it no longer exists.

[OneLine]

kde-minimal ?

Are you thinking the kde-minimal: http://packages.ubuntu.com/lucid/kde-minimal

the K Desktop Environment, minimal applications

KDE, the K Desktop Environment, is the powerful, integrated, and easy-to-use Free Software desktop platform and suite of applications.

This metapackage includes the core official modules released with KDE. This includes just the basic desktop (browser, file manager, text editor, control center, panel, etc.) and important libraries and data.

The Lucid did have kde-minimal. I can't find package kubuntu-minimal: http://packages.ubuntu.com/search?ke...ll&section=all

You have searched for packages that names contain kubuntu-minimal in all suites, all sections, and all architectures.

Sorry, your search gave no results

This search was:
- Hardy
- Lucid
- Maverick
- Natty
- Oneiric
- Precice

kde-minimal on the Kubuntu Forums

- [SOLVED] Building a light KDE4 desktop for a netbook, off of Karmic: http://www.kubuntuforums.net/showthr...-off-of-Karmic
- Kde-minimal?: http://www.kubuntuforums.net/showthr...35-Kde-minimal
- etc...

History of the KDE minimal installation package
(looking package logs)

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/meta-kde
- meta-kde-71~pre15ubuntu10

meta-kde (5:57) experimental; urgency=low

* Tweak package names and descriptions to follow the latest developments in
KDE branding front:
* kde-minimal becomes a virtual package provided by kde-plasma-deskktop and
kde-plasma-netbook. The only difference between the latter is dependency
on plasma-desktop vs. plasma-netbook.

meta-kde (5:50) unstable; urgency=low

* Update metapackages for KDE 4. New layout:

- Rename kde-core as kde-minimal, contains the minimal set of modules to run KDE.

kde-core -> kde-minimal -> kde-plasma-desktop and kde-plasma-netbook.

kde-plasma-desktop

Description: KDE Plasma Desktop and minimal set of applications
KDE is the powerful, integrated, and easy-to-use Free Software desktop
platform and suite of applications.
.
This metapackage pulls in the core modules released with the KDE Software
Compilation including the basic KDE Plasma Desktop, minimal set of basic
applications (browser, file manager, text editor, system settings, panel,
etc.), important libraries and data.

Documents

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallingKDE

How to Install

There are different packages to be installed to acquire Kubuntu from an Ubuntu installation depending on which packages you want. Below are the three possible choices, or "routes", to go down; the packages below are metapackages -- they depend upon other, "real", packages, and with their installation they pull them in. For details on package installation methods, see the wiki page InstallingSoftware. The options are as follows:

(i) kubuntu-desktop -- This is the recommended metapackage to install; the full Kubuntu installation, with all the Kubuntu recommended packages. This includes LibreOffice, Kontact, Konversation, Amarok, K3B, and others.

(ii) kde-full -- This will install the following KDE packages: kdegames, kdeaccessibility, kdeaddons, kdeadmin, kdeartwork, kdegraphics, kdemultimedia, kdenetwork, kdepim, kdesdk, kdeutils, kdewebdev, and the kde-plasma-desktop metapackage (see details below).

(iii) kde-plasma-desktop --- This will install the core -- the bare-minimum required-- of KDE. That is, kdebase-apps, kdebase-runtime, kdebase-workspace and kdm.

If you choose to not install kubuntu-desktop, then you can still get all the Kubuntu-specific tweaks by installing the kubuntu-default-settings package...

[metricus]

In the dependencies of kde-plasma-desktop it mentions that it breaks kde-minimal. So it appears that it has replaced kde-minimal.

In my installation tests I did try to install only kde-plasma-netbook from the CLI but reboot would not start KDE. I was only getting the blinking cursor and then Ctrl-Alt-F1 to login. During boot however I saw the message "starting kdm". Did not know what to do next.
This is the reason I tried installing kubuntu-desktop with no-install-recommends. The result was a functional GUI. I got the idea from Lubuntu minimal install.

I agree with claydoh that it' more like a list of packages and settings. This is why I was suggesting to have it there. Akonadi and Nepomuk simply kill a netbook's resources. And there is no sense to have them on by default.

I wish they had a kmail lite which would work without Akonady but this is a can of worms I don't intend to open. On the netbook I use Sylpheed and I'm happy.

So the more I think about it a kubuntu-minimal (just as we have a kubuntu-full) is a good idea. This way one can istall only a basical functioning desktop and start from there.

The other postings that OneLine listed to build a light KDE go in the same line of thought but starting from a minimal-CD is a the way to go IMHO.

[SteveRiley]

Metricus, I wrote up a process for hand-building a KDE-based system from the CLI. Perhaps you can use this.

[metricus]

Wow, Great work I wish I saw this before I started installing, uninstalling etc.
I am curious, could I ask you to check how much RAM your install uses? Mine was < 120 MiB *with* ksysguard running.

Personally, I don't mind the ubuntu minimal CD. It's practical.
So my steps were:
1. burn mini.iso on a USB using unetbootin
2. boot the usb and choose "Command Line Install" NOTE: If SSD: format the entire drive as "/" with no swap space. Also add *vm.swappiness = 0* in /etc/sysctl.conf after install.
4. Clean repositories with sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list (just like your step) I also add medibuntu at this step.
5. sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends kubuntu-desktop. NOTE: resulting system runs on eth0 only. No wifi at this point.
6. Install Wifi and powermanagement if needed also whatever you may wish to run.

NOTE I don't use akonadi so I disable starting the server at login in ~/.config/akonadi/akonadiserverrc. Even if you use kmail I would do this as it speeds-up boot sequence. Once you start kmail it automatically starts the akonadi server.

I will try your method and check it out. I love that you removed Plymouth

I think there is enough material in your post and this one to generate a metapackage kubuntu-minimal. I wish I knew how to do it.

metricus

[SecretCode]

NOTE: If SSD: format the entire drive as "/" with no swap space. Also add *vm.swappiness = 0* in /etc/sysctl.conf after install.

Does this mean no swapping at all? Is swapping (file or partition) on SSD not recommended?

[metricus]

This goes off subject and there are plenty of answers on the net but here is a quick one:
1. The idea is that SSD has limited amount of read-writes therefore, you will extend the life of your SSD if you eliminate/reduce swap.
2. MY experience: on machines that are not meant for heavy workload (transcoding, compilations), eliminating swap actually boosts responsiveness and speed even if they have HDD.
3. So far I have seen no drawback/issue with this setting. Others may have different opinions.

Do your research, try it out, you will not burn anything. There is no such thing as "not recommended". It's what you need/prefer/like and what you don't.

[SecretCode]

Thanks. I have only 4GB of RAM and definitely need swap space ... but it slows my machine down. If I get an SSD, usage of swap will be much faster than disk-based swap, right? (Obviously more RAM is another worthwhile investment!)

[metricus]

I'm a bit confused.. 4GB RAM is not little space. My eee701 has 500 MiB and needs no swap. But we are off topic so please PM me or start a new topic to see what others think.

[SecretCode]

No need for a new thread ... it's virtual machines that chew up the RAM.

Is your original need answered?

[SteveRiley]

1. The idea is that SSD has limited amount of read-writes therefore, you will extend the life of your SSD if you eliminate/reduce swap.

My suspicion is that the information warning against too many writes is now out-of-date. Modern SSDs have greatly increased durability.

2. MY experience: on machines that are not meant for heavy workload (transcoding, compilations), eliminating swap actually boosts responsiveness and speed even if they have HDD.

This is an interesting observation. My laptop has 8 GiB RAM. I have a 9 GiB swap partition, and from what I can tell, it never gets used. So I'm not sure how removing that partition would improve system performance?