[techtalk] StarOffice and Gnome installation issues

[Caitlyn Martin]

Hi, Karl-Heinz,
>
> Congratulations!
> I didn't think it's possible to use StarOffice with 40 MB of RAM.

Everyone at our last installfest that wasn't cancelled, back in August, saw
it.  As I said, loading the program is painfully slow, but actual operation
within the program is tolerable.

I should point out that when I tried to do this with Gnome/Enlightenment as
my desktop, Gnome crashed hard.  KDE seems to take less resources.
AfterStep is an even better choice, and I will often use it as my WM with
KFM (but not KPanel) on top of it when I know I am going to be stressing the
little laptop.
>
> > I've used it simultaneously with Netscape in the above
> > environment.  It still works.
>
> Astounding!

Not really.  The key is not to leave Netscape up forever, I think.
>
> Are you just teasing me or are you really using Netscape and
> StarOffice on your P90 with 40 MB simultaneously?

Really and truly, as in cutting and pasting between them.  The machine in
question is a Toshiba Portégé 610CT running Red Hat Linux 6.0 and KDE 1.1.1.

> I will have to tell my colleagues about that, maybe we should
> contact you officially for asking if you would like to work for
> us: as Tuning Specialist!  ;-)

I have no skills in that area, I think.  I do try to keep my machines as
clean as possible, and fortunately it is much easier to uninstall things
cleanly that I really decide I don't like in Linux than it is in Windows.
If I treated this box the same way running Windows, I'd have had to rebuild
it ten times by now  :)
>
> My own little P100 here was sometimes quite overloaded when it
> had only 72 MB so i never tried to run those two programs at the
> same time.

I think the choice of desktop manager and window manager makes a huge
difference.  Try it with a lightweight combo and you may be in for a
pleasant surprise.  Both KDE and Gnome are pretty resource intensive.
>
> ( I don't like distri wars nor program wars so let me just say
>   reply that i prefer our Writer because i am used to it and i
>   see many benefits by using the Navigator and the Stylist.
>   It might be that i'ld love Wordperfect if i were used to it. )

I don't think this has to be an argument or a war.  Every good piece of
software has it's strengths and weaknesses.  The speed issue is something
that is measurable in a quantifiable and undeniable way.  So is the
limitation where only three language modules can be installed.  These are
*not* preference issues, are they?

OTOH, when it comes to performance, we are comparing apples and oranges.
When Corel comes out with an integrated suite like Star Office, then we can
compare speed and see who has the most efficient software.  All of us may
look at Star Office in a different light then.

>
> > but I still haven't found a better spreadsheet for Linux.
>
> :-)   Nice to hear *that*!

Here is something else you  will like:  I haven't found a better
presentation graphics program either, and your PowerPoint filters are
surprisingly good.  OTOH, I don't do a lot of presentations, and I have
never tried that on a 40MB machine  :)

All the best,
Caity




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