Just to start off, I know of lubuntu but it really doesn't meet what I am looking for. Basically what I am looking for is the standard Desktop Ubuntu install, but with out all the word processing, multimedia, and games installed.
I have seen posts out about how to get the desktop environment running on Ubuntu server, but they seem complicated, and never seem to equal the standard Desktop install.
So my question is, is there anyway to tell the standard Desktop install not to install all the applications? Or is there a distro available that leaves all the applications out, and just has the standard desktop look and feel?
What I really want this for is, is for development purposes to run on a VM to do Mono development.
Best Answer
As far as I know there isn't such a distribution, but you could install ubuntu-minimal using the alternate installer, or use the alternate installer to customize what you want installed on your system.
After installing ubuntu-minimal you would be left with a command line install, but all you would have to do is run
apt-get install gnome-desktop monodevelopto get what you are looking for.