FAO Doctor?: Pimp my ride

So, I was given a computer last weekend, and want to see what I can do with it. The ONLY thing I can sort out is it's got an AMD K6/233 CPU. I take it to mean it's a pentium-like chip with a 233 mhz clock speed. Is that correct?

Oh, one more thing, it's infected with a bunch of viruses from Microsoft...

So what are the possibilities Doccie? Is it possible to swap out the motherboard for something better, and would that make more sense than buying a better machine? Any other upgrades I should consider? Or should I just use it for word processing and forget about imrpoving it?

And what about the penguin?

Curious of Portland

[brown]Ally[/brown] wrote: If it's only a K6 233mhz I'd forget about trying to improve it. It's probably not worth having a single penny (or cent) spent on it in that respect. It could serve competently as a word processor though.

Software wise I'd maybe format the drive and start from scratch with Windows 98 Second Edition (the most sparse, efficient Windows 9x) as XP or 2K might want too much of it's resources. Win98's fine as long as you keep it off the Internet or put a free firewall like ZoneAlarm on it.

Hope that helps.

Yeah, gonna get a fee iBook soon for internet stuff, this computer's just gonna help me with word processing for a bit.

So, since I didn't spend a single penny on it, I'm doing OK so far.

Let it go Comrade.

Its dead.

BA is more or less right, it's too sick to live. You could certainly run linux on it, but without a lot of memory and that crappy CPU, it's graphical frontend would be tragicly slow. It'll run slackware or something very well, but something like Mandriva, which is a big desktop oriented "windows replacement" will just call you names and throw a hissy fit. If you need a fileserver or a real firewall, then it'll do for that with no problem (and will save you relying on one of those system tray application blockers so often referred to as firewalls.)

My brother makes a fortune selling P133MHZ shit chunks that he buys for 30 quid, on to companies as linux firewalls for £500 quid. The only downside is the fuckers never go wrong so he never gets support callouts (tho when he DOES, he logs in remotely, fixes it and charges them 50 bills LOL ).

EDIT: it'll easily run a linux word processor (something like Kword if words is all you need, or openoffice if you need the full MS compatible suite), no problems at all. Tho if you are not at all familliar with it, you are probably better off with win9X as suggested.

Doctor? wrote: BA is more or less right, it's too sick to live. You could certainly run linux on it, but without a lot of memory and that crappy CPU, it's graphical frontend would be tragicly slow. It'll run slackware or something very well, but something like Mandriva, which is a big desktop oriented "windows replacement" will just call you names and throw a hissy fit. If you need a fileserver or a real firewall, then it'll do for that with no problem (and will save you relying on one of those system tray application blockers so often referred to as firewalls.)

My brother makes a fortune selling P133MHZ shit chunks that he buys for 30 quid, on to companies as linux firewalls for £500 quid. The only downside is the fuckers never go wrong so he never gets support callouts (tho when he DOES, he logs in remotely, fixes it and charges them 50 bills LOL ).

OK, sounds good Doccie...

Let's suppose I see a future for this as a free 500 quid fileserver or linux firewall. As a fileserver, what am I actually doing with it, storing files on it, which can then be retrieved by my better machine?

And if I use it as a firewall, what exactly am I doing? Running the internet through it first, then to my good (and as yet, nonexistent) computer? I understand that it's too slow to use for the internet, which is why it was free, so how would that affect my ability to use the internet on a better machine, with this as a firewall?

Well as a fileserver yes it serves up your gigbytes of MP£'s, the only real advantage it offers is gving you a bit of redundancy...not to mention keeping your files away from windows.

A firewall keeps people off your computer, keeps the net out and you in. Most windows users either rely on a firewalling finction in their modem, or the aforementioned taskbar tumours which aren't a lot of real use ( but still better than sod all so don't you all go turning them of).

Neither is really going to give you a great user advantage.

As for Linux, there are many distros that will run on such a machine, many even giving youa decent desktop, but you'll never get a modern full fledged one to run on it, just as XP would throw a wobbly on it.

I would reccommend anyone even thinking of linux to try a KNOPPIX LIVE CD, all the gain, none of the pain. And then to read a few things about commands and the like (the commandline is something I adore, so much faster than mouse moving...but contrary to the whining lies of MS shills, you never need to see it if you do not want to)

Microsoft to collaborate

Linux to Pontificate

Barney Army wrote: Microsoft to collaborate

Linux to Pontificate

LOL

now...you know full well you wouldn't get to this site without it....LOL you think the internet backbones run windows? FFS even MS run Linux.

Stats on a gaming test, same machine with tripple boot.

UT same level same gfx settings.

Win98 100 fps Win XP 60 fps Linux 220 fps.

If it's too much for you, or you don't like it, use windows, but if you like to know what's on your machine, or like it to stay online for months at a time, it's for you.

I do have a windos machine too you know....i need it for cubase cos I do not like any of the pro audio apps for linux, and of course for games...most aren't smart enough to port for the extra performance.

And as an network security geezer, you know full well what the score is.

Oh, and as for collaborate, MS support MS fileformats, linux supports those as well as all the standard formats.

How do you think I fix people's MS office docs with no trace of orrifce on my system.

Doctor? wrote:

Tho if you are not at all familliar with it, you are probably better off with win9X as suggested.

Sacrilegous! :evil:

Repent and worship the penguin immediately.

Sorry, but it's hard to think straight in the presence of someone so UTTERLY without a clue that they think MS are more open and compatible than Linux is. Sigh ,it just shows MS rots the brain.

Doctor? wrote: Well as a fileserver yes it serves up your gigbytes of MP£'s, the only real advantage it offers is gving you a bit of redundancy...not to mention keeping your files away from windows.

A firewall keeps people off your computer, keeps the net out and you in. Most windows users either rely on a firewalling finction in their modem, or the aforementioned taskbar tumours which aren't a lot of real use ( but still better than sod all so don't you all go turning them of).

Neither is really going to give you a great user advantage.

OK, Doccie, in plain Engerlish, something a Yank will understand...

What exactly is a fileserver?

How would this box function as a firewall (and does the fact that it's a slow box limit its usefulness as a firewall)?

Perplexed of Portland

Doctor? wrote: Sorry, but it's hard to think straight in the presence of someone so UTTERLY without a clue that they think MS are more open and compatible than Linux is. Sigh ,it just shows MS rots the brain.

I am worshipping at the shrine of the penguin as I type. As usual! :)

A fileserver is somewhere to store yer files. Ours has 40GB of mp3's on it, accessible from any machine in the house. You don't need one.

A machine like this will make a great firewall, CPU power is never an issue. But since you have no other machine to firewall with it, why bother.

One thing is for sure tho, if you want it to be a dektop machine...Linux will run on it, the "inifitenly better" (ROFLMAO) windows XP will refuse to even try.

Download and try knoppix, I'm not discussing this with anyone anymore until they try :D

Shed Peel wrote:

Doctor? wrote: Sorry, but it's hard to think straight in the presence of someone so UTTERLY without a clue that they think MS are more open and compatible than Linux is. Sigh ,it just shows MS rots the brain.

I am worshipping at the shrine of the penguin as I type. As usual! :)

LOL, so am I, you don't think with a linux box and a windows box sitting side by side, that I would the windows one on the internet do you? How dumb do I look.

BTW, how do you feel about this concept of Linux not being compatible? Do you reckon he's even SEEN a 'nix box of any kind?

Doctor? wrote: A fileserver is somewhere to store yer files. Ours has 40GB of mp3's on it, accessible from any machine in the house. You don't need one.

yet.

A machine like this will make a great firewall, CPU power is never an issue. But since you have no other machine to firewall with it, why bother.

Well, when I move on to bigger and better machines, I can toss this one, or put it to some useful task.

So... I'm getting an iBook soon, I think. Would this box work as a firewall for a Mac?

Doctor? wrote:

Shed Peel wrote:

Doctor? wrote: Sorry, but it's hard to think straight in the presence of someone so UTTERLY without a clue that they think MS are more open and compatible than Linux is. Sigh ,it just shows MS rots the brain.

I am worshipping at the shrine of the penguin as I type. As usual! :)

LOL, so am I, you don't think with a linux box and a windows box sitting side by side, that I would the windows one on the internet do you? How dumb do I look.

BTW, how do you feel about this concept of Linux not being compatible? Do you reckon he's even SEEN a 'nix box of any kind?

I don't think you're dumb at all, fellow Linux user!

Ummm, this idea that linux is "not compatible" -- absolutely -- methinks someone needs to be educated before making that type of inane statement.