On Sun February 22 2004 5:47 pm, you wrote: > On Sat 2004-02-21 20:53:48, Ray Hogaboom wrote: > >I may dump Window 95 on my 2 old 486 laptop and install Linux > >on them. I have an older desk top that I would like to run Linux > >and use as a router so all of our computer can use the DSL > > internet connection At this point it looks like our 2 newest > > computers used by wife and step daughter will stay with Windos > > XP. > > Just a comment about using older hardware with Linux. If you > intend to do everything from the command line, there is no > problem. An older computer will usually have all it needs to run > Linux from the command line. > > However, if you want X Windows to run and to use gui-based > software a la ms win, the older hardware usually doesn't have > enough resources, power, storage space, and so forth to do that. > However, there is a way around this that people use to be able to > continue to use their old equipment with Linux. > > The way it works in Linux is that when X Windows does its thing, > it is really doing a number of things. Running the gui-based > windows and displaying them are separate functions, and the two > that concern us here. > > People will network an i486 or i386 into their system that is > running, but not displaying, the gui-based software. The display > is occurring on another computer -- the computer the user is > actually logged onto. That will work on both ends for i486s and > i386s -- that is, the older computer can either display the > software or it can run it, but it usually can't do both. > > Another common use for older equipment is as a server of some > sort -- most commonly mail. Again, this function does not require > X Windows to work. It also can be administered remotely by > another computer on the network. Older computers usually have > more than enough space to handle the incoming and outgoing mail > for a family (even for a small business) with a very basic Linux > installation. > > deedee > --- > Registered Linux User #327485 > Visit "WordStar & GNU/Linux" > http://www.wordstar2.com > Also, see the WordStar Users Group > http://www.wordstar2.com/cbabbage/wordstar
What I use the 2 old 486 laptop for are simple tasks. If I am working on a computer that has some thing wrong with it, or working with new applications, OS as I am doing now. Instead of printing the instruction or documentation. I display the instruction (text or HTML files) on the laptop wile working on another computer. Saves paper, ink, and time. One of the old 486 has a port replicator that enables me to set up network connection. So having it networked with our new computers all it should have to do is display what I need. Step daughter use the other 486 laptop, as a simple text editor. She likes to sit outside on nice days and work on her home work. Mostly just taking notes wile reading books. Saves it to disk then uses new computer to format text, email it, and or print. I have a Pentium 1 100 MHz desk top I want to use for firewall, router. Install two NIC cards eth0 would connect to DSL modem. Then eth0 bridged to eth1 connected to a hub that provides wired and wireless networking for all of our other computers. I am thinking that after installing Linux and setting up network on this computer it would not need a monitor. As it would be administered remotely by another computer on the network. This hub that I was looking at in one of our local stores, shows the DSL modem connected to it. This hub then provides wired and wireless connection to other computers. With this arrangement I would not need the Pentium 1 100 MHz desk top. But then I believe that this would not provide the security I want. -- Ray Hogaboom
Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
