Reg wrote:
So what are you running on the P3 450?
Recent responsiveness test results from a P3-600 + 128MB RAM:
Kubuntu - OK (has KDE + OpenOffice)
Ubuntu - Better (has Gnome + OpenOffice)
FreeBSD - The Best (Gnome, but no pre-packed OpenOffice)
It was for a public terminal, and mangling just a couple of basic
install processes was enough to soon render the box inoperable (it's now
withdrawn from service, ready to be reinstalled properly).
Deductions relevant for Reg:
1) A helping hand is going to get you past quite a few hurdles quickly,
so you are right to be here selecting from the desktop options available
(skip the mangling part).
2) Gnome & KDE will both get work done for you, and there is a speed
differential due to Gnome having less bells and whistles. You do want
OpenOffice with these tho, because your wife will be able to create and
save powerpoint.ppt files for USB stick transfer to work - leaving her
unaffected by a transition that she too might like to choose. I'd
recommend using one of these desktops unless you rate your geekhood
above average - 'normal looking' by today's standards, and default
install selections really do make life a whole lot easier :)
3) Most importantly, what Nick said in reply to Ross:
From: Nick Rout [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, 13 August 2006 9:44 a.m.
On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 01:30:42 +1200
Ross Drummond <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
My recommendation to Reg if he is prepared to make the modest investment
is to purchase a late model second hand box from someone like the computer
broker.
Yes, if in-budget.[1]
My other advise is to match the distribution to the same era as the
computer (well sort of) and use a distribution such as Mandrake 8.2.
I would never do this, because of how much the software has improved
over time - especially with latest security patches. You want the latest
available, and modify platform to suit.
My final observation is that Win98 is designed to run on Reg's machine
specs.
It may be best if this box is left to degrade into obsolescence with the
operating system designed to run on its hardware.
Could be, but I don't think we'd weather any more threads on the subject :-)
More RAM can often help machines with old specs more than a faster CPU.
How much RAM do you have Reg? Can you easily put in more?
[1] The cost and availabilty of old RAM militates strongly in favour of
spending $2-300 on an ex-lease P4 box. 256MB is standard (cheap to
double), and they go like the clappers.
On Sat, 12 Aug 2006 17:25, Reg wrote:
I like Suse as it's nice and graphical, but how does this lighter Free
BSD compare to it? I ean is it all text and command based or is nice and
pretty like Suse :-) ?
Pretty enough (for a Gnome). We can and should meet this spec for you.
hth
--
Rik Tindall, InfoHelp Services <http://www.infohelp.co.nz> on virus-free
Ubuntu GNU/Linux 6.06 freeOS, 2.6.15-26-686 kernel, GNOME 2.14.3 desktop
OpenOffice.org 2.0.2 suite, Mozilla.org Firefox 1.5.0.5 web browser and
Thunderbird 1.5.0.5 email, gEdit 2.14.4 web editor, gFTP 2.0.18 fileXfer
