I think there comes a point to where something that is 10 years old is going to have to be written off with the newest distros.
I really don't think SOHO is a good choice for such old machines. Why bother with it,...
then, answering her own question:
I pretty much detest KDE but I like getting a distro that is up-to-date with kernel, libraries, etc.,
The more I thought on this, the more I felt a more detailed response was in order.
agreed:
VLC still won't run.
That is a very unfortunate situation.
To respond to some of these points above, I recopy below, the data extracted from a recent post I had submitted to the CrunchBang forum:
***************************
machine: P3 @1.13 GHz, 0.5 GB sdram, SATA hard drive, benchmarks: 2.6 GIPS, 1.5 GFLOPS, memory bandwidth 0.47 GB/sec. Video: S3 Savage 4; motherboard dfi CA64-TC.
Some definitions:
A: = Puppy Linux 4.3.2, i.e. the most recent version;(my personal favorite)
B: = Statler (would be the TOP distro in the world, but for such mediocre screen resolution.)
C: = Mandriva 2010 (KDE) (only distro, to display 1024 x 768 WITHOUT requiring user input)
D: = Ubuntu 10.1 (Gnome) (not bad, but not excellent, for it too, displays only 800 x 600--> worthless
E: = Slackware 13 (KDE) (slow, but steady. With user massage and coaxing, it will eventually display ok.
F: = Win 98 (obsolete browser Sea Monkey 1.14 and VLC media player 0.86, but look at the numbers!)
G: = Win XP slow but steady, only os to offer both current SeaMonkey and VLC media player effortlessly.
"installation time" equals the time measured in minutes from pushing the Reset button, (after loading the cdrom) until music is heard upon clicking on the 256kb/sec OGG icon at Cesky Rozhlas found at
http://www.listenlive.eu/classical.htmlBoot time = time in seconds from power on until screen visible without further background activity
Shut down = time needed (seconds) to halt computer (power off)
Browser boot up = time (seconds) needed from clicking on browser icon until it is fully displayed,
Music on: time needed from clicking on OGG icon until music is heard:
PARAMETER.......................................DISTRO:
.......................................A.........B..........C..........D.........E..........F.........G
Installation time:(min).........20.......17.........80........40........55........85........70
Boot time..(secs)...............40.......80........120.......70........150......54........58
Shut Down.(secs)..............10........12........38.......10.........53........5..........10
Browser startup..(secs).......6.........5..........7..........5..........4..........4..........7
Music on:..(secs)...............8.........5..........19........20........13........13.......12
******************************
I think Vector forum members will agree with me, that what is important here, in discussing this release candidate SOHO RC-2, is that Distrowatch, and other observers will be studying this particular distribution with keen interest, accordingly, it is my opinion, maybe mine alone, in which case, it is irrelevant, that before RC-3 is released, a decision ought to be made by the top leaders of Vector, whether or not VL-6 SOHO 2010 is intended for ONLY modern computers. If not, as I hope would be the case, i.e. if the decision is made to embrace the P3's of this world as well as the more modern P4's, dual cores, i7's, etc..., then, I would hope that the installer would work as well as Mandriva 2010's installer, which, uniquely, in my experience, presents the user, without requiring ANY input from the user, with a DEFAULT setting of 1024 x 768 for both of these two, supposedly "ancient" video controllers,
Trident Cyber Blade i/1
S3 Savage 4
I note, for the record, that Mandriva 10.0, available since last week, works PERFECTLY on both machines, despite incredible bloat, obviously 100 times worse than anything VL could match, SOHO or not.
Both Mandriva and this release of SOHO will employ KDE, so there is a natural assumption, at least by me, if not some reviewer with more lofty credentials, that the two distros could be compared, side by side, OOPS, no. Too many problems with VL-6 SOHO installer, especially the final step with Grub versus LILO. Please try the Mandriva on an old computer, to see for yourselves how an INSTALLATION on OLD computers should run.
Further, please look at the numbers above. The CrunchBang 10 release is an ALPHA release, not a Beta, and certainly not an RC. It installs beautifully on BOTH machines, effortlessly, and VERY quickly--look at the numbers. VLC works like a charm with it. Lovely sound from both machines. Here's a question for those who think like retired1af: how much electrical power (i.e. money) is required to play music from the internet? (Hint: a Celeron, 800 MHz on computer A, and a 3 GHZ dual core on computer B BOTH SOUND THE SAME.) Do you suppose that the Small Home Office environment requires, favors, or disregards MUSIC? (Hint #2, No VLC = No interest from this SOHO owner)
For Vector SOHO to succeed, as we all desire, then, some significant changes need to occur, IF the leaders seek to continue advocating its use with OLD computers, in my opinion. It is impossible for me, to accept the argument that several VL forum members have proposed, namely, that "old" computers, i.e. PIII era devices, are beyond help, and one should not expect a modern Linux distro to operate effectively on them, i.e. they are best suited for disposal at the nearest trash receptacle. I write "impossible" because I have just installed both bloatware king Mandriva, and the newest alpha on the block, from CrunchBang (Debian based), EFFORTLESSLY on the same two "old" computers. Why should I expect or accept anything less from VL?
regards,
CAI ENG
