[NBLUG/talk] VMware Linux guest recommendations

[David Rosenstrauch]

Cameron Tully-Smith wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I'm looking for a Linux distribution that will run fast in VMware; I don't
> need everything installed, looking mostly for Java development ala Eclipse
> and PostgreSQL.
> 
> Any preferences?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Cameron

Hmmm .... perhaps a distro that optimizes the binaries for the hardware? 
  e.g.:

* Arch Linux - optimizes binaries for i686
* Gentoo - allows you to tweak the compilation/optimization of binaries 
to your heart's content
* Debian (64-bit only) - produces optimized binaries for amd64 or ia64 
(but if you're running on x86, then stay away:  it's packages are only 
i386 optimized)

Not sure exactly how much of a speed boost you'll get from optimizations 
like this, but I guess it'd help some.

Probably just as importantly, though, you should make sure:

1) that you've got a good bit of memory in the box, and
2) that you've enabled as few memory-hogging background process and 
daemons as possible

HTH,

DR