Ubuntu in the News: Test of distributions for an old laptop

[Paul Sladen]

On Sun, 21 May 2006, Matt Zimmerman wrote:
> it is more difficult than you might expect to calculate the _exact_
> requirements, so it is an estimate.

$user_sectors_on_livecd_image + 100MB would be a fairly good estimate and a
*completely* full partition on first install is going to lead to bad omens
as soon as some logs files, an apt-get update and Firefox's cache fill up
'/var'.

With a selection of 'du's at build-time it should be fairly reliable to work
out whether the install is going to fit into any particular custom-
partitioning arrangement by checking that any mount-points are larger than
the encompassing top-level directory contents.

I suspect the smallest that should be shown on any publicity should be 3GB;
anyone installing under that is then at least aware that they are pushing
the boundaries.

	-Paul
-- 
High on a Spanish mountain, surrounded by howling dogs.  Southampton, GB