Don't install Compiz is more like it.  It is very problematic long-term 
and sucks memory (read: leaks) like no tomorrow.  It's very pretty, and 
I miss it so, but I'll take system stability over eye candy.

SSD's were a huge speed increase for me, as were updated threads going 
with a sandy bridge processor.  I run 2x 120gb sata2 ssd's in raid1 on 
my laptop for redundancy, and 2x 64gb ssd's on my desktop in raid0. 
Both are super fast function-wise, I can't really tell a perceptible 
difference aside from each other, but over a standard ata disk, even a 
raptor, is huge.

Caveat emptor, ssd's are not very easy to figure out how to align 
properly.  I spent weeks figuring it out, and still consider some bits a 
leap of faith if you want raid, crypto, and lvm for function.  I got it 
pretty happy on my laptop, and will be redoing my desktop for this as 
well.  If anyone wants my little recipe for it, let me know, but you 
have to not be afraid of initrd.  :)

If you're doing any hd video rendering or playback (1080p x264, avchd, 
etc) you want an nvidia card.  Basically with linux, you want an nvidia 
card period unless you want +4 displays.  ATI is a basketcase under 
linux, as generally is Intel gpu.  With nvidia video I ran 4 montiors 
and could easily have 6-8 month uptimes with everyday desktop use.  With 
ATI I'm lucky if my system survives a week before video gets wonky and 
really needs a reboot to be happy.

Other than this, just make sure you don't get errant systems running and 
randomly updating.  Kill any unnecessary services, don't run 40 chrome 
windows, minecraft server, music playing, jbidwatcher sniping ebay, and 
have a 30gb mailbox open at all times.  Sadly I do, but an i7-2600k with 
8gb of ram with ssd's running a pretty default natty install keeps it 
quite snappier than any windows box I've used with comparable task.

-mb


On 11/17/2011 04:31 PM, Michael Havens wrote:
> How do I do it? I'm going to be installing the system fresh.... might as
> well customize it!
> Or is it possible when installing it from a CD. That was a stupid
> question! Of course it is!
>
> --
> :-)~MIKE~(-:
>
>
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