hey i have a old computer running windows 98, its only got 2gb hard drive not sure about ram but i know it can't be much. all i want my computer to do is two things. use to to write papers for school and what not. Also this is the real big one. i want to use my itouch with apps like pdanet or iphone modem to connect to the computer and get internet wirelessly from my router. i have read it can be done with a linux called ubuntu i believe that's the name. anyway i want a live cd i used damn small linux puppy linux which is very easy and runs great on my computer but i cannot figure out for the life of me, on how to connect my itouch to use the computer. please help me out, i was told to check this website out for the best help. thanks in advance.

dsl-linux, maybe ?

ok: you ask two questions:
a)which linux-distribution would you recommend for a low-specs PC
b)how do i manage my itouch.

about b i don't know, but i'm pretty sure that it doesn't relate to the linux-distribution you run. A short search on google (term "itouch and linux") doesn't look bad.
So that shouldn't be a big problem.

now back to a)
dsl is quite fast, but i am not sure if its still under development.
ubuntu is a very friendly linux-distribution, but i would say it is not what one would call low-specs friendly. If someone will say: use Xubuntu, its for low-specs PCs, i will say: that uses still much more ressources than, for example, dsl.

Damn Small Linux uses a window-manager called fluxbox. A window manager manages the way the windows are getting shown on the screen. Fluxbox is very fast, and so are other window-managers.
The small or low-specs linux-distributions usually use window-managers. Those small distributions are, for example:
antix
slitaz
feather linux
damn small linux
and much more.

The "full" distributions use desktop-environments.
A desktop environment comes with a) a window-manager b) a lot of apps, more than one needs and c) a lot of services running out of box (printing, bluetoes and what not).
There are four of them:
Gnome
Kde
LXDE
XFCE
Gnome and Kde are the most popular ones and they offer the most comfort.
LXDE and XFCE are not that popular, but still quite popular, and still offer a lot of comfort. They are a bit faster than the first mentioned ones.

All the four of them are very easy to use, as they come with all that you need and got a nice look and fell out of the box. Therfor they are slow.

To make a confusing situation more confusing:
you can install any window-manager like:
openbox
fluxbox
icewm
e16
etc.etc.etc
on top of a desktop-environment.

So: install any linux-distribution you are able to.I would avoid kde as an environment. After you have done that install a window-manager. When the login-screens comes up choose to boot into the window-manager instead of into the desktop-environmnent.
That way you got all the comfort of an environment and all the speed from a window manager.
About with which distro of linux you do that? It doesnt matter. Debian is a good one, as it doesnt come with that much services enabled after a fressh install. Others might be good for that too. Ubuntu ain't (for this special purpose).

Got it? here are the main terms: linux-distribution, desktop-environment, window-manager.
i hope this was of help.perhaps someone will have got better "tips" or ideas.
greetings.


http://distrowatch.com/
and linus72, a member of this board, has created different isos with all kind of window-managers. if you want to have a short look which one looks like what:
http://multidistro.com/

Depending on how much RAM you actually have, Vector Linux Lite may work.

If you are coherent enough, install Arch Linux with a light WM/DE, such as LXDE, XFCE or *box.

I had a full install of it on my netbook running a full-fledged KDE install, and when I checked the system monitor I was using 0.14 % o my 2 GB RAM, which is very minimal. It will surely install well enough, just be selective about which programs you install over it.

<EDIT>
iTouch? Linux won't run that all too well. Perhaps read it. It won't communicate with it though. Not like that iTunes stuff. It will be read as a USB Mass Storage device with proper protocols implemented.

I I might recommend, install Gentoo on the iTouch. That will run better than anything you put on the desktop.

dp541: Not knowing your cpu specs nor RAM, I am going to Assume, that since it has a 2G hdd, that it is running under 4-500M clock, and less than 128M of RAM. Under That Assumption, I have had best luck with Early Versions [Note=Early Version]of Puppy Linux , If specs are much Less than stated... I don't hesitate to recommend DSL... Weaker Yet?? Basic Linux! Some will say BlueFlops, slitaz.. others... But Not Me!
Give More Info = Recieve More Help
RP