New to the odroid family

[scythefwd]

A few years ago, just as the xu3 was getting released I think (it was an xu model for sure), my brother in law got a c2. It wasn't quite what he needed, but I've always wanted one. I just ordered my xu4, 32gb emmc with linux on it, and the standard 4a power cable.

My plans - remove ubuntu's standard gui and put in ldxe and lightdm on it. Install stuff like wireshark, nmap, and the like. See if I can get some emu's running in the lighter wdm. Use it for office and the like..

Evaluate it as a locked down image that can do rdp to a windows terminal server too..

Hoping to power a 90mm fan off a usb port, and use a wireless kb and mouse. Maybe it will pull time as a car computer..

[rooted]

Welcome to the forum, the XU4 is a great device to start with.

[igorpec]

remove ubuntu's standard gui and put in ldxe and lightdm on it

It can go better than this without cleaning stock and by using ugly gui. Out of the box. https://docs.armbian.com/Quick_facts/ With nodm (no display manager) which can be upgraded to lightdm with two clicks https://github.com/armbian/config Kernels from 3.16.y - 4.19.y interchangeable via this config or manually ... Kernel(s) are highly network features friendly OOB. Docker OOB.

Running Office:
- on the slowest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTxdyy_q-0A board from SD card
- and fastest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Bl0yjESLo with high end NvMe

[scythefwd]

igor - thanks for the lead, but i'm not planning on running armbian.. I may go with a headless install and build up from there.. but my familiarity is with ubuntu and centos for linux.. not straight debian so I'll avoid it for now.

[igorpec]

but my familiarity is with ubuntu

Armbian is improved, bugfixed and overall much better (then stock/generic) Ubuntu. Or stock Debian. CLI interface or desktop. In both cases you got minimum. No junk, no excessive stuff, no broken security, no spyware (like on some systems that you might choose by mistake). If that is not good enough, you can build your own custom image, from sources, which will be receiving important updates which you don't get from the upstream (special kernel, low level optimisations). If you don't care about level of support, security, trust and performance but look/design/hype/branding ..., then there is nothing to be done.

Armbian is Ubuntu/Debian based exactly for the reason you are bringing up here.

Real (shared at best) problems are elsewhere and people are working on them:
https://forum.armbian.com/topic/8829-le ... ing-thread
viewtopic.php?f=135&t=22717

[mad_ady]

I found Hardkernel's ubuntu best for my needs. Other distros are fine as well (meveric's debian, armbian as well), but they have different philosophies, that's all.

[scythefwd]

Igor, I understand you're a developer for armbian.. and I appreciate your fervor.. but I'm not going to use armbian, at least not at first. Simple as that. Thank you for the suggestion, but thats the end of that conversation.

[igorpec]

Igor, I understand you're a developer for armbian.. and I appreciate your fervor.. but I'm not going to use armbian, at least not at first. Simple as that. Thank you for the suggestion, but thats the end of that conversation.

This is forum and I clarified facts - also for others - which might read this.

[scythefwd]

Well got it in the mail today. Did try the original ubuntu mate image. It's ok.. then I loaded up the minimal image only. changed the password, added a user and put them in sudoer. Installed the lubuntu desktop, libreofice, a couple game emulators. So far, so good. There appears to be no swap.. is that doable or am I looking at an alternate load for this?

[meveric]

is "what" doable?
swap?
Swap can be turned on either by using ZRAM, or using a "swap-file" instead of a swap partition for example.

or the things you point out on top? with nmap and the like?
All of these points are doable as well, although lxde is not really that much lighter than MATE.

[scythefwd]

Merveric - swap files.. very windowsy of it lol. Thanks, I'll look into that. I'm just getting back into linux, and a LOT of my information is very old.. like suse professional 8 old.

[meveric]

swap file can be created rather easy:
viewtopic.php?p=237576#p237576

[scythefwd]

Thanks! as to mate vs. lxde.. I like simplicity.. I might care to add a right click contextual menu for lxde if possible.. but it feels more responsive with my minimal load and lightdm/lxde vs. the default mate. But thats a lot of difference int he loads.

Thanks again