Last week I discovered CrunchBang Linux, a distribution built on top of Ubuntu that uses OpenBox as its Window Manager. CruchBang Linux and its OpenBox environment are perfectly suited to the Eee PC.

I’m going to try to explain why for some people, CrunchBang is the perfect netbook OS.

CrunchBang Linux is based on Ubuntu but it doesn’t use Gnome or KDE for its desktop environment. Instead it used a lightweight window manager called Openbox.

Everybody knows Ubuntu, right? And I bet that some of you heard about Openbox, the standards compliant, fast, lightweight, extensible window manager (similar to Fluxbox). Well, CrunchBang is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu and powered by Openbox!

When I first heard of CrunchBang, the first thought that crossed my mind was - not another Ubuntu-based distro. But then I carefully stowed the troll in me away and started exploring CrunchBang in earnest.

I have always wanted to take CrunchBang for a spin. This elegant distribution is based on the minimal version of Ubuntu, in this case, Jaunty Jackalope. CrunchBang wants to provide an alternative look and way of working with Ubuntu.

I've released another version of CrunchBang Linux, my remastered version of Ubuntu featuring the lightweight Openbox window manager. Version 7.10.02 is the version that was never meant to be; however, as soon as people started downloading and using the original [I'm still finding it hard to believe that anyone would actually do that] I realised I'd better try to clean up the distribution and start to attempt to fix any issues/problems.

CrunchBang Linux 9.04 is an Open-Box distro based on Ubuntu with Gnome packages. CrunchBang promises performance and ultimate customization options. Version 9.04.01 was released a couple weeks ago, and we decided to give it a test drive.

Crunchbang Linux is built on the base provided by Ubuntu 9.04, but replaces Gnome with the lightweight and flexible Openbox environment and a different selection of default applications and utilities.

My first stop on this journey is Crunchbang 9.04.01; a distribution I’ve used only briefly in the past, but one that many of my friends use and like. It’s a British Ubuntu-based development and largely the work of one man, Phillip Newborough AKA Corenominal.