What to do with an old computer

[kwirl]

I've got this old computer thats like 700 mhz and 356mb RAM with a 20GB HDD, instead of throwing it out I was wondering if anyone knows if it would be able to run any modern distrobutions of Linux that I could maybe teach myself with?

[Sarvis]

Linux geeks can get it to run on just about anything... so probably!

[kwirl]

I realize this, but I figure if ALL i want for the computer is zmud, firefox, and trillian, maybe I'm wasting its already limited processing and memory with extraneous windows services. Are linux distros better, and if so, which one is best suited?

[Jhorr]

turn it into a wireless media server

[kwirl]

the point of using linux on this is to teach myself the basics of linux. besides, vista's built in media capabilities are spectacular.

[kiryan]

it will run linux fine. X windows on the other hand might not be able to do very much for you.

The problem with "learning linux" on something like this is what are you going to learn. I know so many people who want to "learn linux". Installing a distro teaches you basically nothing... so you know how to login as root... maybe you know how to add user accounts. What exactly do you want to learn how to do?

In my experience, you don't go looking to learn linux. You go looking to do something, like setup your own PHP/MySQL server or linux firewall, and you learn linux along the way.

If you want to learn linux, go get a book and take a test. Then you'll know you've learned it. Instead of wasting your time doing that, GO DO SOME MICROSOFT OR CISCO CERT SO YOU CAN GET AN INTERVIEW SOMEWHERE instead of your "work from home" job that really isn't a job.

[kwirl]

Can't afford the certifications, but this spring I am planning on using the money i save from this 'job that isn't a job' to take the tests. As for learning linux, I just want to become familiar with the interface, the commands. I want to learn the keyboard shortcuts, the basic structure, etc

[kiryan]

get a book. installing it is a waste of time if you just want to learn the basics. The install isn't going to tell you what is stored in /etc/rc.d or /var or /usr or how to create users or how to add another disk to the system.

If you want to learn, get a book. Download a book if you're too poor to buy one. Doing the install teaches you nothing.

[Kifle]

get a book. installing it is a waste of time if you just want to learn the basics. The install isn't going to tell you what is stored in /etc/rc.d or /var or /usr or how to create users or how to add another disk to the system.

If you want to learn, get a book. Download a book if you're too poor to buy one. Doing the install teaches you nothing.

I wouldn't go that far. Yeah, it's more technical than windows and dos, but I learned the majority of the stuff from playing around back in the day and learning a bit here and there from friends. I do agree, getting a book by either a bookstore or downloading is probably going to exponentially speed up the process. The learning curve on linux is pretty steep.

[kiryan]

What did installing linux teach you? Did it actually teach you anything, or did you learn as you wanted to do things with it.

The average person who wants to install linux to learn it, doesn't have any idea what he actually wants to do with it. They just want to learn linux. So they spam click through the install get to a login prompt and then what...

[Kifle]

What did installing linux teach you? Did it actually teach you anything, or did you learn as you wanted to do things with it.

The average person who wants to install linux to learn it, doesn't have any idea what he actually wants to do with it. They just want to learn linux. So they spam click through the install get to a login prompt and then what...

Figure out what they want to play with and go to forums. It's a pretty simple process. Reading little things on about.com, reading about what linux has to offer. Set-up some sort of server and log in to it through a home network and play around with stuff. If you look at it more of as a toy -- like one of those science models like the "see-through combustion engine" -- then a quick install and playing is perfect. If you're looking at getting into the business of linux servers as a career option, yeah, this is definately not the way to go. But, I will still agree, buying a book is probably the best bet to soften the learning curve.

[kiryan]

If someone came to me and said I want to learn linux by setting up my own Apache web and MySQL server, I'd say go for it. Thats a great way to learn. Or my own firewall, ftp server, mud ect...

I'm spefically talking about people who say I want to learn linux so I'll go install it on an unused computer I have at home. Those people would be better served by just getting a book.