Hi i want to ask a question

[Polytropon]

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 22:00:11 +0300 (EEST), Ivan Ivanov wrote:
> Hi i want to ask a question about the new release of FreeBSD (9)
> is it posible to run this release /whit GUI/ in IBM Thinkpad 1161
> 217 whit this specs 500 mhz Intel Celeron processor 64mb Ram and
> 5gb HDD

It is very well possible, but you need to pay attention to
a few things:

1. You won't be able to build things from source on that
machine. Consider using packages for installation, or a
second system to build and export (via NFS) the data required.

2. You will have to choose wisely what you install. You
can install the OS plus X, and then be very selective
regarding the applications. Firefox for example may be
a bit heavy as a web browser, but there are alternatives,
such as dillo or lynx (in graphics mode). Also choose your
work and multimedia applications wisely. There _are_ still
programs in the ports collection that are very low on bloat,
but you need to do some research to find them.

3. For using your applications within the GUI, choose a
good window manager, e. g. FVWM or XFCE 3 (not 4!), or
IceWM or Blackbox or olvwm or something comparable. You
need to try which one fits your needs. Maybe a tiling
window manager would be even better -- but I can't recommend
one, because their magic didn't open up to my ignorant
mind yet. :-)

4. Refering to no. 1, you should also aim to build a custom
kernel on another machine that exactly fits the hardware that
you have present in the Thinkpad. Streamline your kernel.
Make it reflect the present hardware configuration. Maybe
there are even some options and tunables to make it run
better than the GENERIC kernel.

The main limiting factor I see is the 64 MB RAM. If you have
the chance, try to upgrade it. I know that's not easily
possible.

Note: I've been using FreeBSD 4 and 5 on a 150 MHz Pentium (1)
with 64 MB (later on: 128 MB) RAM and 8 GB disk. This machine
could compile the world (even though it needed 24 h to do that),
fetch an ISO via FTP, play MP3 music via xmms, and still offer
a well responding web browsing experience using Opera. NO JOKE.
"Mister Coffee" was my first FreeBSD workstation. :-)



-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...