Though I have seen a case where evilwm ran o.k. on a 16MB RAM & 66 MHz CPU PC, usually with this specification you'll not be able to run some applications properly or at all. I would suggest a minimum recommended of 128MB RAM and 260 MHz CPU to have any useful working applications and good productivity.
I'm using evilwm as example as this what I often use a lot apart from Fluxbox on my PII 350mHz 128MB RAM (now 250+MB RAM) PC. Though similar approach can be done for other window managers like Ratposion, wmii and Ion to create a super-minimalistic debian system.
Evilwm doesn't need an RC file and is approx 200000 bytes and use approx 100kB of RAM - much less than Fluxbox, at least that is what appears to be on my PC. There is nothing to configure! It has no window decoration, just a one-pixel frame with a 'focus-follow-mouse' behaviour.
Evilwm is great especially if you use xbindkeys to make hotkeys in combination with gmrun for starting applications and performing common tasks.
To create a minimalistic system with evilwm as the default window manager:
1) Do a minimalistic Debian installation. See this HOWTO and to do a tune-up see this HOWTO and this HOWTO.
2) Install evilwm:
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apt-get update && apt-get install evilwm
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nano ~/.xinitrc
My ~/.xinitrc look like this:
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numlockx &
# Merge X resources from ~/.Xdefaults
[ -f $HOME/.Xdefaults ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xdefaults
# Set the background and root cursor shape
feh --bg-scale ~/images-file/wallpapers/winehouse.jpg
xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr
# Keys binding
xbindkeys &
# Start evilwm
/usr/bin/evilwm
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# Sample .xinitrc for starting evilwm
# Merge X resources from ~/.Xdefaults
[ -f $HOME/.Xdefaults ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xdefaults
# Set the background and root cursor shape
xsetroot -solid \#400040
xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr
# Start evilwm - snap to borders within 10 pixels
/usr/bin/evilwm -snap 10 &
# Transfer control to xclock - killing xclock (with Ctrl+Alt+Escape, say)
# will exit our session
exec xclock -digital -padding 2 -g -0+0
# Or, if you want to be able to exit X with Ctrl-Alt-Backspace only, use this
# dummy line as the last line:
#exec sleep infinity
When you first start evilwm from console using 'startx', especially if you do not have the ~/.xinitrc file, you will be greeted by a grey screen, no menu and no tool bar. To launch a program in evilwm, you'll have to launch it in a terminal, so spawn a xterm terminal by typing: <CTRL>+<ALT>+<ENTER>
Then type:
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man evilwm
5) (Default) keyboard controls:
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<CTRL>+<ALT>
+<ENTER> Open new terminal (xterm)
+<h> move window left
+<j> move window down
+<k> move window up
+<l> move window right
+<y> move window to top left corner
+<u> move window to top right corner
+<b> move window to bottom right corner
+<n> move window to bottom left corner
+<x> (toggle) maximise window
+<=> (toggle) maximise window vertically
+<INSERT> lower current window
+<ESC> close window
+<i> window information
+<f> fix or unfix current window (take it along to another virtual desktop)
+<1> to +<8> switch to virtual desktop 1 to 8
+<LEFT> change to the previous virtual desktop
+<RIGHT> change to next virtual desktop
+<BACKSPACE> end session
<ALT>+<TAB> cycle active window
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a) fix it: <CTRL>+<ALT>+<f>
b) switch desktop: <CTRL>+<ALT><n> where n = desktop number from 1 to 8
c) unfit it: <CTRL>+<ALT>+<f>
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<Alt>
+Button 1 move window
+Button 2 resize window
+Button 3 lower window
To launch programs inside evilwm, you can use a separate program launcher and bind it to a key using xbindkeys. I use gmrun as a program launcher as it lets you enter commands yourself and has nice features like "bash-like" completion. To install xbindkeys and gmrun:
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apt-get update && apt-get install xbindkeys gmrun
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xbindkeys --defaults > ~/.xbindkeysrc
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"gmrun"
Alt +F2
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xbindkeys &
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feh --bg-scale ~/images-file/wallpapers/winehouse.jpg
9)Misc: Though I bind favourite terminal rxvt-unicode to a key using xbindkeys, you can add:
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/usr/bin/evilwm -term rxvt-unicode
10) Link: EvilWM Homepage.
Gentoo Wiki's HOWTO EvilWM including some suggested programs and/or commands to make EvilWM work for you nicely.
Enjoy!:)