H a m m e r wrote:
>
> For DOSEMU nor WINE couldn't be made to run, neither
> on a "big" machine - where I would urgently need the
> first(**) -, nor on the somewhat more modest kids'
> machine, and that despite of the combined efforts
> of several local Linux gurus here
Linux gurus, NOT! If they can't get DOSEMU or WINE
to run, then they aren't Linux gurus. QED.
> This "kids' machine project" is directly linked with
> the more ambitious one to develop kind of a "recycling
> model" for good and useful hardware, where the Linux
> part of the best of the two worlds would have the dire
> task to do what DOS (especially on the mem-hungry
> graphics side) wouldn't be capable to do.
This is a worthwhile project and is definitely do-able.
But, it is not a project for a newbie. Installing
Linux on old hardware is not simple. It requires
knowledge and experience. However, once your Linux
has been installed and fine-tuned, newbies will be
able to use it (via a user menu or GUI).
> So far, I get more and more pessimistic (and at times
> sheer desperate) about it.
Yes, all newbies go through this stage. Learning is
a process of trial and error. At the beginning there's
a LOT more error than success.
> there are good utilities to search but it takes hours,
> if not (work-)days to get (perhaps no) result;
Hours? I just did a 'find' for a non-existent file and
it took 24 seconds to complete. Of course my Linux
filesystem is only 170meg. If you have a 5gig HDD full
of Linux junk, then a search would take somewhat longer.
> Another one is the dependency on a networked situation
There is no "dependency". Linux works quite happily
on a standalone system.
> - the *more* typical situation of single-user,
Even single-user systems usually have a network connection
via their modems.
> not permanent online units
You don't need a permanent link for Linux networking.
Linux is quite happy to bring a link up for a bried time
and then take it down.
> (and correspondent practical problems of importing/
> transfering) is still not really addressed.
You mean the files don't fit on a 1.44meg floppy?
There are several ways around this: zipdisk, modem,
laplink or split.
> A third, and enormous, hurdle is the handling of video
> hardware.
This is no problem for CLI Linux. And X is easy if
you stick with generic VGA.
Cheers,
Steven
____________________________________________________
Linux for old PCs: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~ichi
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