I’ve got a windows file server that is some celeron 2.8 + 2 gig of ram that I want to largely use for photo backups etc. I want to use linux for this instead. But I am a linux newb so want to be able to use kde when I administer it until I get a bit better at the console. If I put the server @init2 or 3? without UI will the server be as ‘responsive’ as if I didn’t install kde or use some other low fat window manager? Or is it always ‘loaded’ in the background?
If I understand your question
No the desktop is a separate thing if it is not running it is not loaded. Basicly what you get is a lot more memory available if you run from a terminal without a GUI.
So the only reason to install a specific server version is to save disk space and maybe a little more security ‘hardened’?
On 2013-10-12 22:06, moconnell wrote:
>
> I’ve got a windows file server that is some celeron 2.8 + 2 gig of ram
> that I want to largely use for photo backups etc. I want to use linux
> for this instead. But I am a linux newb so want to be able to use kde
> when I administer it until I get a bit better at the console. If I put
> the server @init2 or 3? without UI will the server be as ‘responsive’ as
> if I didn’t install kde or use some other low fat window manager? Or is
> it always ‘loaded’ in the background?
You can very well use whateer you loke to log in and admin the machine.
KDE? Fine! 
You can simply log out when you are not there, so that the machine has
more ram available. Or even switch to level 3, and back to 3 when you
want to work on it.
When you get more used to it, notice that you can admin it remotely. In
this mode, it is possible to run graphical apps from the client machine,
even if the server is running in text mode. This is what I do.
–
Cheers/Saludos
Carlos E. R. (13.1 (Bottle) test at Minas-Anor)
On 2013-10-12 22:26, moconnell wrote:
>
> So the only reason to install a specific server version is to save disk
> space and maybe a little more security ‘hardened’?
Just disk space, security is not hardened. Except perhaps that some
admins think that servers should have as few programs as possible, to
give the crackers as few tools as possible if they do gain access.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4, with Evergreen, x86_64 “Celadon” (Minas Tirith))
great thanks was easier to use my existing iso!
moconnell wrote:
>
> I’ve got a windows file server that is some celeron 2.8 + 2 gig of ram
> that I want to largely use for photo backups etc. I want to use linux
> for this instead. But I am a linux newb so want to be able to use kde
> when I administer it until I get a bit better at the console. If I put
> the server @init2 or 3? without UI will the server be as ‘responsive’ as
> if I didn’t install kde or use some other low fat window manager? Or is
> it always ‘loaded’ in the background?
>
>
You got to obviously use 32 bit OS. celeron 2.8 + 2 gig of ram may not
work well with KDE 4.X. You may need to disable whole bunch of “gloss”
and effects to get it respond well. Going for a full DE offers you YaST2
GUI based config tools.The again you got YaST in ncurses version too.
Might be better to opt for less demanding desktops like xfce,lxde or use
icewm. It tags along with all DEs in openSUSE by default.
–
GNOME 3.6.2
openSUSE Release 12.3 (Dartmouth) 64-bit
Kernel Linux 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
Well that sound like enough horse power for KDE or Gnome depending on the GPU and video drivers used.
Point to consider…
openSUSE life cycle is not ideally suited for server use.
I regularly see peoples servers, running outdated version of Linux (usually CentOS), never been updated, running as root… etc…etc…
I actually have to go back on one on Monday.
If it’s a simple enough setup, then openSUSE might be OK.
But in a working business environment you might want to consider SLES
caf4926 wrote:
>
> Point to consider…
>
> openSUSE life cycle is not ideally suited for server use.
Wait for it and install 13.1. as it will be “Evergreen”
http://news.opensuse.org/2013/08/26/upcoming-opensuse-13-1-will-be-kept-evergreen/
–
GNOME 3.6.2
openSUSE Release 12.3 (Dartmouth) 64-bit
Kernel Linux 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
On 2013-10-13 05:46, gogalthorp wrote:
>
> Well that sound like enough horse power for KDE or Gnome depending on
> the GPU and video drivers used.
I run a server with just 500MB and 1 Pentium IV CPU (Intel video). It
runs XFCE just fine, but I have not tried KDE.
I boot and use it on text mode, but some times I use it with XFCE to
display movies (it is not always a server, then).
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4, with Evergreen, x86_64 “Celadon” (Minas Tirith))
If “a server” is the goal, I’d go for “headless”. On other distros this would leave you editing config files from a console, on openSUSE you have the tool you need; Yast. FYI: Yast does not only run on the desktop, in qt or gtk version, but also without X, in an ncurses version. It has all the functionality you (IMHO) need.