Anybody use Linux? For old hardware, which distro?

[RayLopez99]

You are still bottom posting untrimmed.

Why is this a problem? I use Google Groups and only you and Rick (aka
Thick) have ever complained. Your newsreader chokes when I do that?

The newest puppy I have is 4.3.1 which was released 2009 Oct and default
installed browser was SeaMonkey 1.1.18 which is a Moz Gecko 2009 Sep
engine.  The current puppy is 5.0.1 which gives a choice of 4 browsers,
Firefox, SeaMonkey, Chromium, and Opera - one click install.

That's all fine and dandy but remember the target system is short of
RAM and is running a Pentium II (early generation too). It has BIOS
1.x and I was pleasantly surprised (greasy spoon style) that DSL
recognized the USB mouse (which BTW was a Microsoft USB mouse).

If you want to/ don't/ know the relationship between SeaMonkey and
Firefox you can look it up.

I don't think I care. Firefox, if it runs like it does in Windows, is
fine with me. But I would care if SeaMonkey has a lighter footprint--
because of the RAM issue. If it does feel free to let me know...I'll
stick with Firefox for now, if and when I connect to the internet.

DSL last release was 2008 Nov and it carried Firefox 2.0 -- which Fx is
now at 3.6.3

It is not at all difficult to add applications to either DSL or Puppy.

OK if you say so...but if it's so easy feel free to tell me how, right
here...I know it's in the man page somewhere but I always remember
stuff easier when people tell me online...

Booting up Linux as I type this...we'll see if it connects to the
Internet via dialup in about a few minutes...you can be sure if it
does not I'll have a huge inflammatory post about it...

RL

^^^ that sig line thing again, doh!

 

[Mike Easter]

Mike Easter

Why is this a problem?

It is a problem because it fails to directly contextualize exactly what
words you are replying to and thereby impairs your communication.

Bottom posting untrimmed is 'just like' top posting which is also
untrimmed and noncontextualized, except that in some ways untrimmed
noncontextualized bottom posting is *WORSE* than untrimmed
noncontextualized top posting.

The important thing is: trim (almost) everything first, then reply to
just those specific words you left, right under them.

Can't you see what I am doing?

I use Google Groups

You can trim and context with GG just like a healthy newsreader.

and only you and Rick (aka
Thick) have ever complained. Your newsreader chokes when I do that?

No choking. I have to imagine your context since you didn't prepare it,
and I have to trim for both of us. You aren't carrying your end of the
load.

 

[kryos]

Thinking of using on an old 1998 laptop PC that presently has a
Pentium II, with a built in generic Dell modem, USB mouse, 512k RAM
(!), DVD/CD, running Windows XP fine now (very slow), some distro of
Linux.

In another thread I got into a debate about what's the best distro for
a simple new Acer machine ($300) that uses the Atom uP from Intel.
But in this thread I just want to know if *any* Linux distro will work
on such *old* hardware.

The target user's needs are VERY minimal. Very very very. Here is
what she needs:

dial-up modem for internet access. Mouse. Maybe a printer (maybe
not). Support at *any* resolution for the Dell graphics card (forget
the name--it's pretty generic though). No need for an email client--
she keeps all her emails at Yahoo, all her docs at Google apps, etc.
Everything online. No need for sound. The machine has USB but this
girl does not even know what a memory stick is. So only the USB mouse
matters.

Anybody think I can use Linux on this old setup, and, if which one?
Not even a 'best' OS --just one that will last five years or so and
allow surfing the net and maybe printing a document on a printer
locally?

RL

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/8-of-the-best-tiny-linux-distros-683552