Thread to Reply to matter of old versions and updates.

On finding the thread I mentioned above, I notice it was closed. However don't believe a thread/subject can ever be totally closed (AKA "Never say never".)

No-one can predict the future with absolute certainty.

Why the reopen, beyond the aforementioned?

I operate a bunch of old machines and do a lot of refurbishing, and deal with many hardware issues right down to the raw metal.

(Note: at age 71, I am retired, so this is not a business but an intensive "self-sufficiency hobby".)

For a long time, using Fedora, OI had too keep and use a lot of old versions to keep those old machines working.

Installing an EOL version is much more difficult that installing a current one, but up to about the time of F18 or so, those old machines would not load the current Fedora versions.

Then, one day I tried to load F20 on an old machine, but not really expecting it to work. Surprise! if did.

Of course it was rather slow, but I was never expecting it to be fast. Such machines can at time be used for basic tasks, and the output sent to a NAS box for sharing and later integration to bigger and newewr machines for the more processor intensive tasks of integration and rendering into larger projects.

Often those larger tasks are highly automated, si the bigger machine needs a lot of relatively unsupervised time to do its job.

Not wanting to overload it at such times, I find it expedient to start it on a big task, then leave it alone, checking on it occasionally to see if it has stalled, or finished and ready for the next big task.

Using a customized KVM switching arrangement, I avoid the physical space demands of managing multiple machines from one seat. I can handle up to 4 machines, each with 2 video HDMI feeds into 2 screens, along with, for now 2 mice and one keyboard that can be patched easily into 2 machines.

Eventually, as I get the time in the shop to build the rest of the switching components, it will handle 1 keyboard and 1 mouse into a maximum of 6 machines, not all of which can be within arm's reach.

The switching of each screen, each keyboard to machine selection, and each mouse to machine selection is hardware independent.

So, out of the nice advantage of being able to use the latest Fedora on old machines as well as new, I have made about the best of the situation, at minimal cost.

Old boxes? I have my fair share of these...
OS of choice? Manjaro, and for a non PAE system, Mepis...
However, for the server stuff, I tend to use FreeBSD...
Melissa

Then, one day I tried to load F20 on an old machine,

fedora 20 is past it's END OF LIFE

there are and NEVER!!!

-- REPEAT--
----- NEVER!!!! ------

be any updates to any of the software in fedora 20

you might as well uninstall yum

you will never be able to install NEW software with it


for old hardware there are legacy support LONG LIFE operating systems
-- fedora was and never will be a "long life support os"

CentOS 5.11 or CentOS 6.7 run great on old hardware
Debain 7 runs great on old hardware
and they ARE!!! STILL SUPPORTED!!!

also there is AntiX , that runs GREAT on older hardware

fedora 20 will NEVER get any securety fixes

it has what we call
FOREVER DAY SECURITY HOLES !!!

issues that will never get fixed



currently on a old 2000 / 2001 DELL box that came with xp ( bought in 2001 )
pentium 4 1.99 Ghz 1 gig ram
i have ScientificLinux 6.7 running with only one minor issue do to the Gforce2 card ( downgrade xorg to 1.13 )

Hmm, indeed Bruce:

FOREVER DAY SECURITY HOLES !!!

John does have a point...much attraction as Fedora may have, be aware of the dangers. If the box serves as a proof of concept, or a function-only box, perhaps yes. If you have data stored on that thing (anything, even a picture of the view outside...) do NOT use EOL installs...
However...if I may...I did install Redhat 8 way back when. Then Fedora 8 was the norm. As I recall, Redat was way EOL. But, my goal was to upgrade the thing by upgrading the components. I learned how to recompile a newer (then up to date 2.6 as I recall) kernel. Then work my way towards the stuff around the kernel...
No data was killed during the operation LOL
Be carefull..."danger, Will Robinson..."
Melissa