On Mon 19 Sep 2016 at 08:17:57 -0500, Richard Owlett wrote: > On 9/11/2016 12:52 PM, Brian wrote: > > > >The meaning of "minimal" is very difficult to define as it very much > >depends on the purpose of the install, what functionality is required, > >how it is to be used now and in the future and who it is to be used by. > > > >If I were doing what you are doing I wouldn't install xorg because it > >would take some 213 MB of space on this machine without the recommended > >packages. Instead (without recommended packages) I'd have xserver-org, > >xserver-org-input-evdev and xserver-xorg-video-nouveau for 15 MB of disk > >space. I doubt much (if anything) is lost by taking that route to X. > > > >Adding xterm to my basic X install is 3 MB of space extra. mate-terminal > >is 105 MB, so it is no contest if space taken is a major criterion. You > >could see less ugliness in mate-terminal so there is little point in > >arguing about what is minimal. > > > >lightdm looks nice and only adds an extra 2 MB. nodm adds hardly > >anything. Is a fancy DM necessary? > > > >I'd use mc instead of marco but wouldn't give it to a user who expects > >clickety-click things and automounting. > > > >Do you see what I am getting at? It could be said that minimal (like > >beauty) is in the eye of the beholder. > > I haven't tried your suggestions yet - even retired there are only so many > hours. > My definition of "minimal" focuses more on what is seen by user rather than > optimizing for minimum footprint [RAM or disk]. I've some sketchy ideas for > the later but other projects have priority.
Indeed, that is also another way of looking at "minimal" and no less valid than another way. > My current preseed.cfg contains: > > ### Package selection > tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard > # was tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, laptop > > # Individual additional packages to install > d-i pkgsel/include string mate-desktop-environment-core xorg xterm lightdm > pluma synaptic gparted Looks good. Thinking on: my suggestion for a minimal X is probably one you could ignore. xorg is a better option if this preseed.cfg is to be used on a variety of machines. > This gives me a framework to install just the programs I'll actually use > rather than what some committee thinks "everybody" wants ;/ Getting your desired programs via a late_command is something to look at. -- Brian.