Switching from ubuntu to ?

[SpinningAround]

I recently tested Ubuntu 11.10 beta2 and noticed that it isn't very lightweight at lest not on my low-medium end laptop. I get around ~0.5 load using Unity2D when surfing which is way to high since I will use the laptop for IDE like Eclipse and Netbeans.

What are there for alternatives to Ubuntu that uses less resources, there are few requirements, good repositories, good integration with ssh/sftp (like nautilus and seahorse), easy to install packages similar to apt-get.

System specification

Laptop:		Asus X51R
CPU:		Intel Celeron M 530 / 1.73 GHz
RAM:		1 GB
Graphics:	ATI Radeon Xpress 1100 (128mb shared)

[Beacon11]

Have you tried installing something other than Unity on there? Perhaps good-old Gnome 2? If you want to move away from Ubuntu but want something similar, I'd point you to Debian (on which Ubuntu is based).

[sffvba[e0rt]

If you like the way Ubuntu works both Xubuntu and Lubuntu are light-weight alternatives...


404

[Beacon11]

If you like the way Ubuntu works both Xubuntu and Lubuntu are light-weight alternatives...

+1. I forgot all about mentioning those...

[arubislander]

I'd try Lubuntu first... Xubuntu is not that much more easy on resources than Ubuntu running Gnome 2

[mips]

If you like the way Ubuntu works both Xubuntu and Lubuntu are light-weight alternatives...

Xubuntu is not that far off from normal Ubuntu when it comes to resource usage.

@OP,

Try straight Debian or Crunchbang.

[SpinningAround]

Thanks for all answers, I noticed that lubuntu run smoothly. Since it contains a few packages that I'm not interested in, do I wonder if there are any major draw backs for installing Ubuntu server and install lxde, chromium/firefox, thunderbird, libre office from there? How much configuration is done in a regular install?

[mips]

Use the Minimal install CD. The server cd has server related stuff on it you don't need. Or use the Alternate CD and do a base install.

Might as well wait for 11.10 to be released as it's just around the corner.

[XubuRoxMySox]

I disagree about Xubu being roughly the same as Gnome 2 on resources. That is only true if the user has all the compositing stuff turned on and uses heavier applications than the ones that ship standard with Xubu.

Xubu 10.04 runs awesomely on my old hand-me-down which is literally half of the OP's hardware.

[BBQdave]

I recently tested Ubuntu 11.10 beta2 and noticed that it isn't very lightweight at lest not on my low-medium end laptop. I get around ~0.5 load using Unity2D when surfing which is way to high since I will use the laptop for IDE like Eclipse and Netbeans.

What are there for alternatives to Ubuntu that uses less resources, there are few requirements, good repositories, good integration with ssh/sftp (like nautilus and seahorse), easy to install packages similar to apt-get.

System specification

Laptop:        Asus X51R
CPU:        Intel Celeron M 530 / 1.73 GHz
RAM:        1 GB
Graphics:    ATI Radeon Xpress 1100 (128mb shared)

I humbly suggest Debian6: Gnome 2.3 desktop environment, and check out http://mozilla.debian.net/ to keep iceweasel (firefox) up to date. Everything else is easily accessible through Software Center and Synaptic Package Manager (the same as Ubuntu). Go to the core... Debian