Wet Weather is

PaulK_3

Kubuntu is easy to use (relatively) and stable (relatively) and has the bonus that you can download it and burn it to CD, boot from it and try it out without harming data on your HD. If you like it then you can run the installer from Kubuntu itself and carry on browsing the web etc while it does it's thing.

mrtg0525

I'd also recommend Ubuntu/Kubuntu, they're one of the most user friendly Linux distributions around.

wakandem

I have had about 3 weeks of ubuntu. I set up as dual boot. I used the c: drive which I partitioned with xp set up. 30gb NTFS for windows, 8 gb partition for linux & 2gb swap partition. Set up xp and then booted with ubuntu and set that up. Ubuntu installed everything including usb wifi dongle & I had internet as well. I am really impressed and have started to use it more often. Certainly advise the ubuntuguide.org. Give it a go with an open mind & I'm sure you will get on fine.

wakandem

One other thing, you will want more ram. 256mb with 500 cpu will be a bit sluggish, it will work. Doubling the ram will make a massive difference.

esuhl

Some versions of Linux will run on a 486 with 32MB RAM (or lower). The specs you need depend on what you're installing.

Zenwalk Linux is one of my favourites distros. Instead of having hundreds of applications you'll never use, there's a sensible selection so there's less to wade through, less to install etc.

spud17

Many thanks one and all.

Just the sort of clear and useful info I was hoping to receive.

The PC works fine with Win98se and Office 2000, it's too useful to skip.
So I think even if it's slow, it might be enough to satisfy my curiosity, because I'm pretty sure I've never seen any variant of Linux.

Cheers R

mrtg0525

I'd say that if it's running Win98 & Office 2k, you shouldn't have much problem with Ubuntu.

bat999

Hi
I've been using Ubuntu for 1 year now and I'm happy with it, much better than M$ imho.
But this weekend I've tried a different Linux distro.
It's called PCLinuxOS.
It has a KDE desktop like Kubuntu.
It comes as a LiveCD that can be installed, like (K)Ubuntu.
There's also another option. This is copy2ram. If you have more than 1GB of RAM you can copy the Live CD into RAM and run it from there.
Current version is PCLinuxOS-2007-final.
This is the website for a download and info:-http://www.pclinuxos.com/
There's also a fast bit torrent download from here:-http://linuxtracker.org/torrents-details.php?id=4143
:cool:

spud17

Thanks bat999, I've just downloaded ubuntu, but not got around to doing anything else for the minute.
The ram option is a non starter (see earlier post) -old PC.
I have fitted another 64mb ram to bring it up to 320mb.
PCLOS is another I was looking at, got relatively good review at,

http://www.techsupportalert.com/review-linux-for-windows-users-part-3.htm

If you do check out the link, there are links to the 2 previous articles on Linux by this guy.
I'll probably put Knoppix onto a CD because that could be useful as a rescue disk.
I repeat, I'm not looking to replace XP at the moment, merely satisfying my inquisitive nature!
So lets keep this chatty, and don't let it turn into another boring Linux/MS point scoring post.

wolfman

Given the spec Xubuntu may be a better option than the Gnome or KDE based Ubuntu and Kubuntu.

Xubuntu uses XFCE, a lighter desktop environment, which would better suit your pc spec.

KDE is the heaviest, followed by Gnome and then Xfce. I personally like Gnome the best as it's got the right amount of functionality I want, looks nice and is stable (more so than KDE for me).

spud17

In case anybody is interested, I've downloaded and burnt Ubuntu and Knoppix,
(using my new DVD burner, thanks to the forum for OK ing Play.com, on my doorstep in 36hrs (not literally)).
BTW Nero 7 is a step up from 6.
Anyway, Knoppix ran fine from CD, different, but not as different as I was expecting. I could see the Win98 folders etc. I can see a use in a rescue situation.
Ubuntu wouldn't work, I then managed to decipher an error message implying the BIOS was too old, the PC is circa 2000.
I tried the CD on my 'best' PC , Ubuntu worked OK, set up internet, uses Firefox (same as me) worked OK but couldn't get onto MSE.

I shall probably try some of the other suggestions in the future.

Whilst I'm not yet a 'silver surfer', I'm not exactly in the first flush of youth,
with less than 2 yrs experince of computers,

I'd recommend trying out Linux. If I can find my way around it anyone can.

A couple of years down the line, when XP is no longer viable, I could see me switching over.