I have a netbook (an older Asus EEEPC 1005HA) which I want to get rid of Windows on (I like Windows, but I don't think it works well in a netbook environment).
Basically, my question is which Ubuntu variant will use the least RAM and CPU running idle, and/or the same question except when running Firefox and Libreoffice Writer, say.
I am also open to suggestions of non-Ubuntu Linux distros, but since this is AskUbuntu I thought the first question would be more appropriate.
I have a disk drive which I can attach to the netbook, so it doesn't have to be a Ubuntu Variant / Linux Distro which solely boots from a USB drive.
I have at my disposal: DVDs, DVD writer/ disk drive, 4gb flash drive, 8 gb flash drive
I was thinking either Lubuntu or Archbang / Crunchbang but I would like some help from more knowledgable people
Specs:
Can't boot into it right now, but I think I have either Intel Atom N270 @1.60ghz OR Intel Atom N280 @1.66ghz (single core, I think)
2gb RAM
160 GB hard drive
Best Answer
Of all the official Ubuntu variants, Lubuntu is the most lightweight, which is to say that it uses the least CPU, RAM, and disk space.
This is followed by Xubuntu, which is less lightweight than Lubuntu but more lightweight than Ubuntu and its other official variants.
There is a saying that "you don't run an operating system, you run applications." You can further reduce (or increase) your system's resource footprint by making choices about what applications to run. For example, AbiWord will take up fewer resources than LibreOffice Writer. AbiWord and Gnumeric are installed instead of LibreOffice Writer and LibreOffice Calc, on Lubuntu.
Given your system's specifications, however, you should be able to run vanilla Ubuntu or any official Ubuntu variant. Depending on your netbook' video card, you might have to run Unity 2D (i.e., without graphics acceleration) in Ubuntu, or dial down / turn off visual effects in Kubuntu.