Thread: Which Linux Distro?

  1. #1
    Registered User CreatedByShadow's Avatar
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    Which Linux Distro?

    I have an old 850MHz Pentium 3 sitting in the basement that I'm thinking of using as maybe an experimental Linux desktop. But as you can imagine, its pretty dated and not in the best of shapes. What would you recommend as a Linux distro for this desktop? Some basic specs are listed below:

    CPU: Intel Pentium 3 850Mhz

    RAM: 384MB SDRAM (PC100)

    VIDEO: An extremely crappy 4MB motherboard built-in one

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Ethernal Noob
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    Ubuntu is pretty good. As long as you're not running the 3D desktop it can work fine. You can even run it in the bash shell (kind of like the ocmmand line interface) without the X windows system. I think slackware is all command line interface.

  3. #3
    Registered User CreatedByShadow's Avatar
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    I've always been a graphical sort of guy, so command line - only ( although seems very cool ) distros are out the window...

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    Registered User kroiz's Avatar
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    xubuntu is ubuntu for older computer. I think there is a live cd so you could try it out before installing.

  5. #5
    Woof, woof! zacs7's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kroiz View Post
    xubuntu is ubuntu for older computer. I think there is a live cd so you could try it out before installing.
    No it isn't, its just ubuntu with KDE instead of Gnome...

    Personally I prefer SuSE, Gentoo, Slackware or Debian. But try some liveCDs before making the choice, no-one can tell you what you'll like.

    But as far as the server goes, choose something text-based, Slackware is good for old little PCs like that.

  6. #6
    Registered User kroiz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by zacs7 View Post
    No it isn't, its just ubuntu with KDE instead of Gnome...
    you are confusing xubuntu with kubuntu.
    kubuntu is the one with KDE.

  7. #7
    Woof, woof! zacs7's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kroiz View Post
    you are confusing xubuntu with kubuntu.
    kubuntu is the one with KDE.
    Oops sorry, Indeed I did. Not a fan of Ubuntu anywho.

    Anyway, I say command-line - you might as well learn, or at least learn to like it . Then set-up SSH and don't bother messing around with any peripherals.
    Last edited by zacs7; 07-30-2007 at 03:15 AM.

  8. #8
    Cat without Hat CornedBee's Avatar
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    Slack isn't just command line. Like any other, you can easily install an X environment.

    I'd advise against Gentoo on this system. Compile times would be a bit long. (I had Gentoo on a Athlon 600 - it took me three days to set up, I think.)
    All the buzzt!
    CornedBee

    "There is not now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be, any programming language in which it is the least bit difficult to write bad code."
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  9. #9
    Registered User divineleft's Avatar
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    I recommend Arch Linux, mostly because it's lightweight and binary (very up to date, btw)
    Gentoo Linux - 2.6.22.1
    GCC version 4.2.0

  10. #10
    Registered User CreatedByShadow's Avatar
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    I'll give ArchLinux a try. Downloading the base .iso file as I speak.

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