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[HELP] Lightweight Customized Ubuntu

Archived thread 1378300 from Ubuntu Customization Guide. Markdown source: Ubuntu_Customization_Guide/thread_1378300_[HELP]_Lightweight_Customized_Ubuntu.md

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#1

I've been using Ubuntu for a while and had installed it on several PCs with no internet connection by default. I've been observing lately that these old systems (mostly Pentium III PCs with 256-384 RAM and old VGAs) work slowly, even if I installed Xubuntu in them (I often have problem with the xfce4-panel as well).

To counter these problems, I'm planning to make my own customized version of Ubuntu which is lightweight, easy to use, and has a complete out-of-the-box printer driver support.

These old systems are used in form of SOHO. Most of the people using them are used to be Windows XP users, so I want to create a GUI which resembles Windows.

After some surfing and looking through various guides, I've decided to make these modifications in the default Ubuntu installation:

  • IceWM as the default window manager
  • PCManFM as the default file manager (may be changed) <<< suggestions needed
  • Epiphany as the default web browser
  • SLiM/qingy as the default login manager (replaces GDM)
  • GNOME Office (Abiword/Gnumeric) as the default office program (replaces OpenOffice.Org)
  • VLC as the media player (replaces other media players)
  • InfraRecorder as the disc authoring tool
  • WINE as the Windows compability layer
  • Java (out-of-the-box)
  • Proprietary Microsoft fonts
  • Customized background, boot splash-screen, login menu

and the rest may be same to Ubuntu (Synaptic, Printing, etc.)

My question is:

  • What items will be required to build such system?
  • Do I need to manually compile and configure this system through Command-Line Ubuntu Installation (using the alt-CD) before putting it into another computer? (using VirtualBox for the simulation)
  • How to automatically configure the system during installation (so I just need to personalize the users only, not the whole system)?
  • How to make a Live CD from this customized Ubuntu?

Sorry for the quite long reading. Any help will be highly appreciated.

Thanks :)

#2

I'd recommend to check other projects firstly. Something's been done already. Try par example Vector-linux (http://vectorlinux.com/), Puppy linux (http://puppylinux.org/main/index.php?file=Overview%20and%20Getting%20Started.htm) or Lighthouse pup (http://www.lhpup.org/)...

#3

You might try the LXDE version of Debian as a base instead: http://lxde.org/download

Reconstructor might be a good way to create your own mix if you decide to do that after all: http://www.webupd8.org/2010/01/web-based-ubuntu-and-debian-custom.html

#4

I surfed around the net and found this Ubuntu-based distro:

Spri

From the screenshots, I think this is similar to what I'm going to compile. I wanna give it a shot to learn from it.

PS: I decided to make the system from minimal Ubuntu installation (command-line only), compile the packages I need, and then packing it using remastersys.

#5

edit: double post