[Mixerious]

Hey Linux Fans

I'm not realy familiar with the basics of linux distributions but I used Ubuntu on my Laptop for quite some time and I'm happy with it.

What I want to do know is build myself a HTPC and I want to get blazing fast boot up speed and the ovarall good system stability of Ubuntu. What I can't figure out now is which Ubuntu Version I should use.

As far as I know I could just install the desktop Ubuntu Version but then I would have installed a lot of software I wouldn't need on my HTPC.

When I'm choosing Ubuntu minmal I wouldn't have something like a Desktop with status bar and everything. Is that correct? What I understand is that when I'm using Ubuntu minmal I will have to execute everything over the console. Would I still be able to install firefox and use it via XBMC?

And what is the difference between Ubuntu minmal and a installation of XBMC Live? What am I missing when I skip the Ubuntu minmal installation? Or can I only install XBMC Live when I have already installed something like Ubuntu? Also what is the difference between a Installation of XBMC or XBMC Live on an Ubuntu Desktop Environment?

Thank you for your time. I think these are questions a lot of people are asking themselves when they never had experience with ubuntu.

[techmad]

As far as I know I could just install the desktop Ubuntu Version but then I would have installed a lot of software I wouldn't need on my HTPC.

Yes, if this machine is going to be used purely as a HTPC I wouldnt install a full version of Ubuntu on it as it is unnecessary - go with either the Live CD or install XBMC Live on a minimal Ubuntu install.

When I'm choosing Ubuntu minimal I wouldn't have something like a Desktop with status bar and everything. Is that correct? What I understand is that when I'm using Ubuntu minmal I will have to execute everything over the console. Would I still be able to install firefox and use it via XBMC?

When you install a minimal version of Ubuntu you install the bare minimum needed to get the system up and running, there's no GUI installed by default (unless you specify that you want one installed). Theres a full guide on how to set up XBMC on a minimal install of Ubuntu here. You'll be able to install Firefox and launch it using the Launcher add on, I'm sure there's other ways of doing it but thats what I do.

And what is the difference between Ubuntu minmal and a installation of XBMC Live? What am I missing when I skip the Ubuntu minmal installation? Or can I only install XBMC Live when I have already installed something like Ubuntu? Also what is the difference between a Installation of XBMC or XBMC Live on an Ubuntu Desktop Environment?

The XBMC Live CD is a pre built version of XBMC on a minimal install of Ubuntu - this is probably your best bet as theres very little configuration needed, if any. You can download it here, all you need to do is boot to the CD and tell it to install to your hard drive. If you install XBMC Live on a Ubuntu install with a desktop environment it will automatically boot into the XBMC interface when you start the machine instead of loading the desktop environment.

Hope this helps