It has to be said while resurrecting old computers can be fun they generally have very poor performance/power consumption ratio. My wife's PC just died a few moths ago, Intel NUC I got for her for $150 consumes 6 W, ideal for nettop type computer which is 24/7 on.

Slackware 11 will run very nicely on that computer. I think later slackwares would be a bit too "heavy"; at least that's been my experience with old hardware.

Oh dear, I do seem to be quibbling a lot, but...

The OP said he'd not a Linux user Why then suggest things that require substantial intervention to set them up? Obviously you can create a minimal installation from Debian and add a lightweight GUI, if you know how; but AntiX has already done it. Similarly you can do the same with Slackware, but then you have to sort out your dependencies and sources for some of the software.

On the environmental question, although older computers use more power, building new ones makes a far greater impact in terms of power and materials. I seem to remember reading that the carbon footprint of their manufacture is equal to 1000 miles of motoring!

I was more concerned about power bill. First you set up a 100 W heater device (old computer) and then you need another 200 W to cool down your house - assuming your AC efficiency is 50%.

Hi sag47...

10Gb hdd
3.5" floppy drive
CD drive (CD: read & write; DVD: read)
USB port

Hi Archer,
DavidMcCann makes a very valid point. Since you seem to be new to Linux I think any solution you try will have a significant learning curve (though it doesn't hurt to try out if you have time and are willing to learn). If you're looking something performant and easy to use (and you have $75 to spare). You can purchase a raspberry pi 3 kit which comes with everything (including preinstalled Linux) that you need to get up and running on the net.

It will also have significantly higher performance than your Pentium 2. Here's some information that may interest you about it.

The Raspberry Pi 3:

• Comes with an easy setup utility for Linux (I recommend you choosing Raspian which is based on Debian).
• Processor: Quad Core ARMv8 64-bit 1.2GHz
• RAM: 1GB LPDDR2 (900 MHz)
• Hardwired Ethernet (100BaseT), 802.11n Wifi, and Bluetooth
• 4 USB ports

Not only that but this power machine is TINY (dimensions LxWxH 3.5"x2.5"x1.5").

Here's more info about the Raspberry Pi.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/magpi/ra...cs-benchmarks/

And here's a reputable kit to buy it.
https://www.canakit.com/raspberry-pi-3-starter-kit.html

I've bought it myself and really like it.

It's called "answering the question." Since when did Linux become arcane knowledge unsuitable for hoi polloi?

Can try android older version

Since you have a CD drive I recommend burning Linux distros to CD to try them out or install. Since you mentioned you have Windows XP I recommend using ImgBurn software to burn ISOs of distros.

DON'T forget BEFORE you mess with Linux. Back up your Windows XP install key by writing it on paper. Use Enchanted Keyfinder to display your Windows key (disclaimer I had a hand in writing it, it works well on XP).

While I like people moving to Linux you should hold on to the XP key in case you want to go back.

I thank everyone who responded (accordingly) with answers to my question: learning about appropriate Linux versions, since I have this old PC to use and I want to begin using & learning Linux anyway. When I have reviewed all of those Linux possibilities (via more capable computer and internet access) I can try the various suggestions presented here.

As to all the other stuff ... thanks anyway ... but I'm not looking to do something else, or purchase more stuff, I'm really just learning to use some new things in an old box ... not to go somewhere else (unasked).

This old Hoi Polloi has actually owned machines all the way back through (the realms of) IBM XTs and has used PCs before any HD drives. When I told people I had a computer, one of the first questions asked was, "does it have a hard drive?" ... and still using my plastic (5.25", 360K) floppy disc boxes today for CDs & DVDs.

A young fellow who I met here in 1978 (who's long since become an established programmer, teacher & author, having been promptly hired to write code for his first U-Mass computer professor), wrote on his early Internet blog pages (long before Pentiums, WiFi, the Cloud, or even cellular telephones) ...

"DOS: gag me with a spoon"
"Windows: gag me with a fork"

Thus, my interest in using Linux goes as far as including, eventually, dumping (= defecating) that old Microsnot CorporateWare altogether.

Namaste ~ Rob
(still lost in the Maine woods - but not asleep ... yet)

At $30 (to $40 in the winter) per month for electricity, heating my home with firewood (and never lived in any homes with air conditioners), I'm not too concerned about a few bucks worth of personal computer use - though I rarely leave everything powered up overnight, due to frequent power outages; even with backup power supplies - no need to waste energy or have devices flashing and beeping into the night ... in the quiet of the Maine woods ...
most especially including the -lovely- and -cherished- DISTANCE from city noise, ha-ha!

~ Namaste

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