Following the A DIY Ubuntu OS for Netbook, here is the installation details:

Step1:Install an Ubuntu Command-Line Interface System

The command-line installer is included with the alternate installer CDs. I downloaded the Ubuntu 9.10 Alternate i386 ISO from ubuntu.com. To install a base system, boot from the Alternate CD and choose “Install a command-line system.”. To be noticed that it is exactly the same command-line system on Kubuntu/Xubuntu/Ubuntu Alternate CDs, but the Server Install CD’s simple command line system is not the same as “install a command-line system”. The difference is one for linux-server kernel and one for linux-generic kernel, and the modules included are not same too.

The installation itself is simple, just follow the on-screen instructions to complete installation. Then update and upgrade the system. 

Step2: Graphic Environment X.org

The minimum for any graphical environment is X.org, x-window-system-core, the frmework for an X-seesion, complete with a variety of drivers and configuration files.

$ sudo apt-get install xorg

then, using following command to start X.

$startx

Sept3: Adding a Windows Manager and a File Manager(Optional)

Without a window manager and some software, you probably won’t get much done. For linux there are many window managers out there, XFCE, Openbox and Fluxbox for examples. After trying a few of them, I choice Fluxbox for installation. Fluxbox is a lightweight and simple, highly configurable desktop system that takes few resources.

$ sudo apt-get install fluxbox

Once installed, you can start Fluxbox with the startx command.

Note: Right click to show the menu, point Applications -> system -> Administration -> fluxmenu to open the Fluxbox Configuration Tool, you can add your own menu command there for quick accesss.

If you need to access local disk files, you will need a file manager. There are some lightweight file managers available for graphical file management. I install two file managers as follows:

thunar – a lightweight file manager for local disk access

nautilus – the default file manager for Ubuntu, using it for samba share access

$ sudo apt-get install thunar nautilus

Of course, if you only use cloud service, no file manageris necessary.

Step4: Setup for Wifi Network with WPA and using the Network Manager

For a netbook, a wifi connection with WPA(and WPA2) should be prepared. To use WPA and WPA2, “wpa-supplicant” should be installed. Usually it should install by default, if not, you can install it.

$ sudo apt-get install wpasupplicant

Note: You can “sudo apt-get install wireless-tools” to use command “iwconfig” and “sudo iwlist scan” …

In Fluxbox, just run nm-applet in a terminal,

$nm-applet

this will start the network-manager and you can view the network-manager GUI in dock. Like Gnome desktop, you can configure network connection by GUI.

Note: you can using Fluxbox Configuration Tool to put this command to your own menu for quick access.

Step5: Install a Browser

Right now, no doubt I installed Firefox with Google Tool Bar add-on, almost my work will done by this setting. Web browsers come in many flavors, the Chromium Browser is very interesting one and it also be installed by using Ubuntu PPAs.  There are a lot of documents online to tell you how to install chromium.

But how to use Firefox(or Chromium) effectively should be discussed in anther article.

Step6: Adding a Login Manager(optional)

Login managers will assist in choosing a graphical environment and will not require you to start X in command-line to get into the window manager. If you need one, it is a good idea to install a simple one(like XDM or SLiM)instead of some heavy reputation login managers(GDM and KDM).

$ sudo apt-get install xdm (or slim)

It just works as expected.

Setp7: Something else

Above is basic, should I add something else……