LUbuntu Revisited

What Is Lubuntu?

Lubuntu is a flavor of Ubuntu based on the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment (LXDE), as its default GUI. The goal is to provide a very lightweight distribution, with all the advantages of the Ubuntu world (repositories, support, etc.). Lubuntu is targeted at "normal" PC and laptop users running on low-spec hardware. Such users may not know how to use command line tools, and in most cases they just don't have enough resources for all the bells and whistles of the "full-featured" mainstream distributions.

 

  

With many LXDE components, Lubuntu also uses well-known applications, such as Firefox, Openbox, Pidgin, to name a few. The Lubuntu project wiki contains more information on the project and the applications used available.

System Requirements 

Lubuntu can be installed on a Pentium II or Celeron system with 128 MB of RAM, but such a system would not perform well enough for daily use.
With 256MB - 384MB of RAM, the performance will be better and the system will be more usable, and with 512MB of RAM, you don't need to worry much.
The default "Desktop" installer requires 384-800 MB of RAM (depending on selected options.) If you have problems, please use the "Alternate" installer.
The objective of the Lubuntu project is to create a variant of Ubuntu that is lighter, less resource hungry and more energy-efficient by using lightweight applications and LXDE, The Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment, as its default GUI.
Lubuntu is targeted at PC and laptop users running on low-spec hardware that, in most cases, just don't have enough resources for all the bells and whistles of the "full-featured" mainstream distributions. Members of the team take care of LXDE and other packages that are part of Lubuntu. Lubuntu received official recognition as a formal member of the Ubuntu family, commencing with Lubuntu 11.10.

My Test Hardware

Foxconn Nettop PC integrated dual-core Intel Atom Processor D525 with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology (1.8Ghz), 2GB DDR2 800/667 Ram, Intel Graphics 3150.  By nature the Intel Graphics performs poorly with the newer versions of Ubuntu, especially since the beginning of the use of Unity interface, usually requiring to run in 2D rather than the 3D mode.

That said, Lubuntu plays very well with the entire set-up and is very responsive. The entire system while up and running utilizes a mere fraction of my available 2Gigs. I had no issues with the wireless connection once the system was installed and running, however, during the boot from the install disk and upon selecting Install Lubuntu from the menu, the system notified of available wireless networks but offered no way to connect. Perhaps booting fully into the live system may have been a better way, but I simply plugged into the lan and continued through the normal installation process.

Once rebooted into the fresh install updates went well and installation of my favourite software from the Ubuntu repositories went as smoothly as ever. Over-all... color me impressed... I personally prefer a more robust and eye-catching Ubuntu installation, but for those needing a solid, easy to navigate, light on resources system... Lubuntu may just fit the bill.