Linux on Virtual Machines
Linux on Virtual Machines
I'm searching for a Linux distribution suitable for a VM at university. Instead of building a custom setup, I prefer VirtualBox on various devices and using VDMK on an exFAT USB drive. The main concern is choosing the right distro. I'm planning to work with Python and Java, though I'm not sure which IDEs I'll use yet. BlueJ has a native installer for .deb systems, and RHEL/Fedora have their own package managers. I need something lightweight to avoid overloading my devices, so a slim profile is ideal. I've considered Fedora Server with LXDE and Lubuntu, the latter because my RPi supports BlueJ. The only drawback is that Lubuntu hasn't been as up-to-date with packages compared to Fedora, which I prefer for fresh updates every six months. Have you tried similar setups before? Any experiences would be helpful.
I run my VMs on Fedora with the XFCE4 desktop. I allocate all two CPU cores, two GB of RAM, and an 8 GB storage drive (on a 5400 RPM SATA laptop). They run smoothly without any issues. I always keep solid backups of the VMDK file because USB drives aren’t very reliable. If I were to set up something like SyncThing, it would offer better data protection. For larger data needs, renting a VM or VPS online could be a smarter choice so you can access it anytime. These rentals are now very affordable, often cheaper than paid cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox.
It's accurate that I've found a viable fix for my issue. I'm wondering if a graphical interface is permitted—I'd prefer BlueJ since it's required by the course. Using only the terminal would limit my productivity, so I'd rather stick with it. If possible, I'd avoid nano or vi. Overall, this seems like a solid approach.
SyncThing offers a web-based interface you can open directly in your browser.
Think about using elementary OS from your desktop if it works well for some Windows features you rely on.
Consider lightweight options like Arch, Fedora, or Ubuntu Server for a minimal system. Installing Java on Debian/Ubuntu is straightforward via tar.gz downloads. Using Git helps maintain updates across devices without conflicts. Running an IDE in a VM may slow performance. Learning Git or another version control system is beneficial for group work. For a minimal desktop experience, avoid installing a full desktop manager and stick with X Server and SSH.