This distribution is ideal for old lower powered computers, but is also worth using on newer computers for its speed. It installed on an old computer with 735mhz processor and 192 mb ram when I created an ext3 partition for it (Xubuntu now uses ext4 unless you specify otherwise), and when I ticked the 'skip' box during installation at a certain point. No other up-to-date distribution of Linux that I have in my possession will install on that particular computer now. Once Xubuntu is installed, Synaptic can be used to create other desktops where a computer is powerful enough to run them. Also for this and any other derivative of Ubuntu where you stay with the ext4 format it is best to install in a dedicated extended partition and keep important data and Microsoft operating systems (if you use them) in primary partitions. You are allowed three primary and one extended partition on a hard drive.
Xubuntu 12.04 is my favourite distribution at the moment, being lightweight and fast. With this distro you can now opt for single click to launch desktop items, and the facility remains to drag desktop application launchers onto a panel. Instructions are also available on the internet for install the Mate desktop on Xubuntu which gives you back the equivalent of the old Gnome 2 desktop, for those of you who don't like Unity or Gnome 3. I have tried this and it works very well.