Which Linux?

[Tpex]

My mom has quite an old PC, P4 1.5 Ghz 256mb RAM and a GeForce 4 MX440, it has XP but of course its quite slow, I want to install a nice and fast Linux Distro on it because all she really uses it for is a browse the web (FB, gmail, blogger) So all in all, something fast, runs Firefox and supports the the things needed for the web (flash, shockwave java etc.) any ideas? I was thinking Mint Linux
thanks

 

[keru]

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/co...rite-distro-older-weaker-hardware-2009-a.html

This should help you choose.

 

[ponder]

Linux Mint LXDE

If you could add another 1GB stick of ram to the PC then go for plain Linux Mint.

 

[w1z4rd]

Xubuntu

Get Xubuntu

Xubuntu releases:
10.04, codename Lucid Lynx, includes Long Term Support. (Latest stable release)
9.10, codename Karmic Koala.
Minimum system requirements
You need 192 MB RAM to run the Live CD or 192 MB RAM to install. The Alternate Install CD only requires you to have 64 MB RAM at install time.

To install Xubuntu, you need 2.0 GB of free space on your hard disk.

Once installed, Xubuntu can run with starting from 192 (or even just 128) MB RAM, but it is strongly recommended to have at least 256 MB RAM.

http://www.xubuntu.org/get

 

[kingrob]

Xubuntu

Very good choice!

 

[Pooky]

Puppy Linux is fast and CUTE

 

[keru]

With 256 MB ram I would say Puppy Linux as well.

 

[MyWorld]

Shockwave is not supported in Linux, but all the rest you mentioned are.

How good is your Linux Kung-Fu? This will help a lot in speeding that machine up quite a bit!

 

[Tpex]

thanks for the suggestions guys

Shockwave is not supported in Linux, but all the rest you mentioned are.

How good is your Linux Kung-Fu? This will help a lot in speeding that machine up quite a bit!

non-existent, I have installed ubuntu twice and booted mint, LOL, how important is shockwave for web? does anybody struggle without it?

 

[MyWorld]

Shockwave is not widely used, only a few games here and there.

If your Kung-Fu is still weak then go with what has been suggested, the beauty is you can try a couple of them until you find what works for you speed wise, the price stays the same.

 

[Smiley_lauf]

try ubuntu-based LXDE or even fluxbox; I have installed AntiX Mepis (lxde version), on a similar speced machine, and it worked fine. Best is to add another 256MB RAM or even more if you can afford it. If it is DDR1 type sticks then they are quite expensive and hard to find--

S

 

[ReubenL]

Ubuntu

 

[ponder]

Ubuntu

Wtf? With 256MB of ram you must a be a fanboy

 

[Tpex]

what is LXDE?

Wtf? With 256MB of ram you must a be a fanboy

oh noooes! you get linux distro fanboys?

 

[MyWorld]

Google: LXDE
http://lxde.org/
http://lxde.org/image_galleries/screenshots
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LXDE

It is a lightweight window manager and will therefor run on less resources. Menus looks and feels like Windows classic.

 

[ponder]

what is LXDE?


oh noooes! you get linux distro fanboys?

LXDE is a lightweight desktop manager environment. I'm currently using it in Arcbang git build (based on Arch linux). Uses the Openbox window manager.

As for the linux fanboys have you never been to ubuntuforums? Every noob new to linux thinks it's the best and can do nothing wrong, they will bash everything else out there

 

[ReubenL]

Wtf? With 256MB of ram you must a be a fanboy

Or CentOS

Have to admit, I like both

We have recently started to use Ubuntu on some of our servers. My personal favourite remains CentOS. But Ubuntu is pretty stable and more user friendly than CentOS in my opinion. Don't know about Ubuntu Desktop, but Ubuntu Server is decent.

 

[MyWorld]

And it ran flawlessly on 256MB of ram?

 

[Tpex]

Guys I decided to try Mint.. but now I'm stuck with which version to DL
ftp://ftp.up.ac.za/mirrors/linuxmint/stable/9/
I would assume the i386 version... but which one?

 

[w1z4rd]

Guys I decided to try Mint.. but now I'm stuck with which version to DL
ftp://ftp.up.ac.za/mirrors/linuxmint/stable/9/
I would assume the i386 version... but which one?

It might chug on that. Mint is fluffed up Ubuntu.

Rather go Xubuntu with those hardware specs, its slimmed down ubuntu for hardware like yours.

The reason I am recommending an Ubuntu flavor is because A) Its lightweight and what you want B) Is heavily supported (more so than other distro`s). When you are new to Linux this is very very important.