On 12/6/05, Mark Banschbach, SFO <mrbear37@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Friends,
>
> Truth be told, I hear everyone talking about how
> older boxes are good for firewalls,file, and print
> servers etc. It makes me a little itchy that no one
> ever says that these older boxes can also be used as
> workstations. If you are frugal with the applications
> you choose, and the window manager you use, then these
> older boxes are quite useful.
>
> As for current distros installing on these.. there
> are some like Damn Small Linux that run an auto detect
> script ( which is quite good) and install just fine on
> an older HD. And the boot time is actually not bad.
> I have an old 486 toshiba laptop that I use for
> travel. I have debian Woody installed on it.. ( will
> upgrade to Sarge as soon as I get around to remember
> to take it to a coffee shop with broadband). I use it
> for travel because its sturdy.. and I dont mind
> running that through the airport security or those
> associated headaches. One of the other issues this
> laptop has is a longer boot time. Its boot time is
> long because as a debian newbie I feared not having
> enough drivers for all the things I thought I might
> ever do with it.. and so I basically installed as many
> drivers as I thought I would ever need. Resulting of
> course in the extended boot times. If I were frugal
> and removed some of those it would boot much faster.
>
> The point is that one of the best things about linux
> from an ecological / economical point of view is that
> old stuff does not get tossed, and that you can get a
> working system you can use cheaply for those who are
> financially challenged.
>
Bingo!!!
Nuff said...
-- Chuck Hast To paraphrase my flight instructor; "the only dumb question is the one you DID NOT ask resulting in my going out and having to identify your bits and pieces in the midst of torn and twisted metal."----------------------------------------------------------------------- This list is provided as an unmoderated internet service by Networked Knowledge Systems (NKS). Views and opinions expressed in messages posted are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NKS or any of its employees.
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