Ubiquity installer not usable on machines with <= 256 MB of RAM

[Matt Zimmerman]

On Mon, May 08, 2006 at 10:24:34AM +0200, Krzysztof Lichota wrote:
> I want to draw your attention to bug I have reported about Ubiquity:
> https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/43071/
> 
> Basically, if you have 256 MB of RAM or less and do not have swap
> partition (which of course most Windows users do not have), you cannot
> install Kubuntu (Ubuntu probably too).

My default vmware test configuration uses 256MB of RAM and no swap.

> IMO this makes Dapper user base really limited and I guess it is not the
> point.
> 
> I have proposed some solutions:
> 1. Adding text-mode Ubiquity.

We already have a text-mode installer which has reduced memory requirements,
though the memory requirements for the live CD are pretty similar to the
installed system itself.

> 2. Adding swap on Windows partition/in free space if available.

This is dangerous, and I don't think we should do it.

> 3. Spawning only Ubiquity in Xserver (simplest, but does not work for
> 128 MB of RAM).

If the system doesn't have enough memory to run GNOME, KDE or XFCE
comfortably, what is the point in jumping through hoops to allow Ubiquity to
be used to install it?

> I didn't get much response and I think it is critical issue. Because,
> what is the point of distributing LiveCD which user cannot install?

You got a response from a developer the very next day after you filed the
bug, on a Saturday I might add.

-- 
 - mdz