I'm looking to set up a Linux system on a Dell Inspiron 15 5000 series laptop for tasks like website creation, web browsing, and word processing, as well as just learning my way around Linux. The laptop has a Core i5 6200u CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 1TB HDD, currently running Windows 10 Home. I'm a bit concerned about some Linux distros causing overheating or video issues, so I'd like to avoid that. I have a preference for tear-off menus after seeing a demo of NextStep, although I don't need the full NextStep aesthetic. I want to keep a frequently used menu or two as floating palettes that I can dismiss when not needed. Are there any window managers that support this? Also, as a beginner, what distros would you recommend? I'm also interested in trying out various window managers and environments to compare them. I checked out wmlive and GNUstep; do you have any thoughts on those? Is it really possible to have tear-off menus in any distro?
3 Answers
You might want to try the latest stable version of Debian along with WindowMaker as your window manager. It's a solid combo for what you're aiming to do! Debian is user-friendly and stable, and WindowMaker will allow you to set up those floating palettes you're looking for. Plus, it should run pretty well on your hardware without overheating issues.
Have you thought about upgrading your RAM? If you can, bumping it up to at least 8GB would really improve performance, especially for multitasking and running resource-heavy applications. More RAM means a smoother experience overall!
Consider using Linux Mint with the Cinnamon desktop. It's user-friendly and familiar for those coming from Windows. However, I’m not sure if it supports tear-off menus specifically. It's great for beginners, and you can always test out some other setups later on.
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