On Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 11:24 PM, Bob Nielsen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> The Xubuntu web site says:
>
> Minimum system requirements
> To run the Desktop CD (LiveCD + Install CD), you need 128 MB RAM to run or
> 192 MB RAM to install. The Alternate Install CD only requires you to have 64
> MB RAM.
>
> To install Xubuntu, you need 1.5 GB of free space on your hard disk.
>
> Once installed, Xubuntu can run with 192 MB RAM, but it is strongly
> recommended to have at least 256 MB RAM.
>
> You are probably better off sticking with Fluxbuntu, although some other
> distributions may be similarly lean.
>

Based on all the mail on this topic, it certainly sounds like
Fluxbuntu just doesn't like Jim's serial port hardware.  It is
interesting that the Knoppix CD does work with the serial port given
that both Knoppix and Fluxbuntu are Debian based.

My suggestion is to try VectorLinux Light Edition.
http://www.vectorlinux.com/products
I have compiled Xastir in VectorLinux Standard several times, and I am
in the process of loading libraries Xastir needs in a VL Light virtual
machine that I put together last week.  It's working exactly like the
standard VL, so I don't see that there will be any problem compiling
Xastir in the light version.  Even VL standard runs very well on old
hardware so I would expect the light version to do fine with 64MB of
RAM.  The web site says it will.

The disadvantages to using Slackware based VectorLInux are as follows:
  - the installation CD is not as friendly as many distributions
including Fluxbuntu
    The main issue is that it sends the user into cfdisk if any
partitioning needs
    to be done, which is not the most friendly interface for newbies.  Given the
    drive with Fluxbuntu is already partitioned, I think it will allow
the user to
    format and install into the existing partition without needing cfdisk.
    (Unbuntu installations typically just have a root and swap partition when
    the defaults are selected).
  - no binary version of Xastir is in the repos, which I think Jim was using
    with Fluxbuntu, so Xastir needs to be built from source in VL.
  - I have not been able to find binary packages for gpsmanshp or libax25.
  - I have not been able to find a "-dev" package for openMotif (Lesstif is
    available and seems to work ok, though.
  - adding libraries for Xastir uses a lot more disk space than it
does in other
    linux distributions.  I'm not sure why.  Overall, though, a 5GB drive should
    be fine.

The advantages are that it should work with 64MB of RAM, and given that VL
is targeted to work on older hardware, it ought to support older serial ports.

I don't think any of the disadvantages are show-stoppers.  Given there
are people on the list that can help out, I think it's worth a try.

Regards,
Lee - K5DAT
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