[Users] On which Linux distro is Claws Mail best supported?

[Steve Litt]

On Thu, 03 Oct 2013 22:03:48 +0200
vitsen at gmx.com wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I have to choose a Linux distro, and need advice from you.
> This question may seem out of place on this mailing list, but it
> isn't.

:-)

The answer might well end up being "all of the distros", but every day
I run Claws on Ubuntu, and several times a week I run it on OpenSuSE.
It runs great both places. In both places it's run great using both the
Xfce and Openbox. I might have run it under the (ultra-stable) LXDE
too, I just don't remember.

If I wanted my software to work (which I do), I'd stay well away from
all things KDE, and although I'd be fine with Gnome apps and Gnome
libraries, I wouldn't use Gnome as a Window manager/Desktop
environment. It probably goes without saying, but I wouldn't touch
Unity with a ten foot pole.

Bottom line, you'd be much more likely to succeed with software if you
run a light footprint window manager.

[clip]
> 
> I am a bit worried, as I have read on some posts that there are
> significant bugs in Debian (if I remember correctly). So, does this
> mean that such bugs are also present on Ubuntu, which is based on
> Debian? Should I avoid all Debian/Ubuntu-based distros?

HECK no!!! Claws runs just fine on Ubuntu, and I'd imagine that Debian
has less bugs than Ubuntu because it's more conservative.

> 
> Since my operating system should be able to run on a low-powered
> netbook, I was thinking of something like Lubuntu (which is also
> based on Ubuntu). What do you suggest?

Here we do start getting into stuff that's offtopic on this list. Why
don't you get on the GoLUG.org mailing list, ask that question, and
get a lot of interesting (and often conflicting) answers.

> 
> Please, suggest some solutions where using Claws Mail will give me
> the least possible trouble.

The most trouble I anticipate you getting from Claws is the dreaded
"buried dialog box looks like Claws is hung" problem. Claws seldom
hangs for real, but because it neither multithreads nor spawns new
processes to do things, occasionally a dialog box requiring your input
gets buried behind some other Claws or nonClaws windows, and it *looks
like* claws got hung. Just keep a cool head, use lots of Alt+Tab to
look at every window on the screen, and find where it's looking for
input.

As far as distros, my bet is that Claws would perform about as well on
any distro as other things tend to perform on it, and that you'd get
very few Claws problems resulting from the distro you chose.

HTH,

SteveT

Steve Litt                *  http://www.troubleshooters.com/
Troubleshooting Training  *  Human Performance