My name is Rick G, and I joined this forum years ago. Guess my old info got purged after several years of lurking.

I maintain a Windows network with three desktop PCs and three laptops. I help family and friends with all the problems that come with Windows computers.

I've been playing with Linux for more than five years - but very infrequently. I even compiled Gentoo a few times just for grins.

I just installed debian on an eight year old laptop, and hope to keep using it. My plan is to use this laptop to control my Hottop coffee roaster, instead of my Windows laptop.

Greetings Rick.

Welcome, Rick.

In my experience, relegating Linux to an old laptop is a great proof-of-concept; it shows you that yes, Linux is an OS, it boots, it makes the computer go. But if you want to use Linux in earnest, give it equal footing as your other OS. Put it on a modern machine, make it pleasant to use, and then use the heck out it, on a daily basis, even when a task ends up taking you an hour instead of 10 minutes because you had to look up where to find that one button to do the thing.

Or you can just use it to control your coffee roaster, which is OK too :-)

This machine is primarily to force me into learning / practicing Linux. It is plenty powerful (Toshiba Portege M400), and was in full service for the last 4 years. I'll be using the open source artisan coffee roasting software.

Hi Rick, welcome to the forum

Hi Rick and welcome to LQ!

Enjoy the coffee!

FYI here is a page with links about my "coffee project"
http://www.softwarepolish.com/personal/coffee.htm