antiX-forum

Hi again!

Here's a good one for your opinion. My main computer is an Athlon 1-GIG processor w/ 386 MB RAM. It does fine with Mepis and most anything i try on it. My working distro is Mepis (3.4.3, then 6.0, now 6.5) and my only complaint is my lack of knowledge--occasionally i tweak something incorrectly and can't fix it. One instance is adding IceWM to Mepis. It works, but perhaps imperfectly.

Now Mepis 7.0 is around the corner. I am thinking that before the new year, i will migrate all my home personal files to an external HD, TOTALLY wipe out Mepis 6.5, then install Mepis 7.0, and reinstall my personal files utilizing a separate partition for my Home folder. This, of course, will give me the freshest install possible and is a superior configuration to having my Home folder in root.

Here's my question: is it better to install Mepis 7 final and use synaptic to add IceWM to it so as to lighten it up, or is it better to install antiX and add all my favorite K-packages? Obviously, the first way gives me all the K-packages ready to roll, but the second means that IceWM (and fluxbox) are installed perfectly. I like the K-apps but don't need the heavy KDE.

Now, you know from my other posts that i REALLY like antiX! But this computer of mine is big enough for Mepis -- but certainly it isn't the fastest machine around. I'd like, let's say, a lightER version of Mepis, again, with those K-apps around when i need them. What do you think? Which way would be better to get Mepis with IceWM? Perhaps you will spot a flaw in my thinking, that i wouldn't really gain much speed with this setup anyway?

I've wrestled with the same question. Here's my conclusion:

I started with antiX to see how much work I could get done before I'd miss some KDE app. I was surprised that I could do about anything I wanted to do. When I find I need a certain missing KDE app, I can usually install it. If the install is too big (I'm on dial-up and the support disks are not yet available), I can find a smaller one that works just as well (ex.: kjots is a big install for me right now, but gjots2 is not and works great).

So it depends on the tasks you need and want to get done. I'd recommend doing this test: start with antiX and see how far you get before you decide you really need to go with a complete KDE setup. If you reach that point, move to full Mepis.

I'd agree with malanrich.
It is better to start with antiX and build up rather than the other way around, especially if you have no intention of using KDE, but just some kde apps.

My antiX install has 2 kde apps that I use ie k9copy and k3b (though I use k3b less than I used to as brasero does what I need and the newer k9copy uses a command to burn to dvd, whereas in the past it used k3b)

Hey, that's easy! I already have a partition with antiX on it, so i can just start adding things to it and see how it goes without touching the Mepis install. Thanks!