Hello LQ and all:
I look forward to research great information from this forum. I like to learn computer systems in a general way or from an end user perspective. I would like to earn a Computer Science and Information Technology degree in the future and it always have been a career I have dreamed to achieve.
Back in 1993, I remember installing MS-Dos and Windows 3.1 on computers with architecture 386 or 486. The long waits for a program to download via 56 Kbps high speed Dial-up Internet made and important break in my learning process.
When I came across with Linux distributions around 2011, it brought me back memories of using, installing and learning MS-Dos, Windows 3.1. and up. That type of experience I live again whenever I install a Linux distribution in a 2007 Everex StepNote 1510 laptop computer with Via C7-M processor, other x64 Toshiba or HP Laptops or a x64 Desktop computer.
What it challenge me the most is making the old computers useful and to have an alternative to new trends.
My dream about operating systems is to have a free operating system that works well with most users demands in a collaborative environment. Because, I feel that is exactly what Windows has been doing all these years but in contrast with my idea of being a free operating system, we or some of us had paid its retail price plus giving out our free feedback to them so they can come back with another version after another version based on that feedback.
Thanks for reading, feel free to leave me a comment, suggestion. I'll be glad to read your notes.

Welcome aboard.

I too started my computer experience using DOS, but didn't get to experience the internet until later with Linux over a dialup modem. When I finally got broadband, I started giving back to the Community that gave me & my computer Freedom.

I have mixed impressions about making very old computers such as XT and AT architectures work. I see the novelty, but little more.

Firstly the graphical capabilities are very old and therefore most media streamed or made available today will not be view-able on those machines, or not without severe modification.

Sound is similar with the advent of tons of codecs and encoding schemes, it's pretty much the same as video.

Therefore live calls, video calls, conferencing? Big "no" there in using old platforms.

So how about web browsing? Well then there's the scripts, or python, and Java which will try to run as part of normal browsing. Again, they will not work, or not work anywhere near well.

Sure email will work, but people send me documents or videos, not just for fun, they send me links to look at for work, and I'd need to not have hassles in viewing those links. I suspect I would.

Likewise a new Linux distribution is going to look to adhere to the capabilities of today's systems. There are versions of Linux which will certainly work on the older systems, but they will be limited in features and functionality.

So those are my thoughts/concerns. Not saying that it isn't doable, but saying that for me it might not fit too well. Because even though it's OK to have a system which maybe is dedicated nearly solely to just being able to compile console programs, my thinking is that I do still have that in my current desktop.

And my final concern is about the age of the hardware. Stuff wears down, especially if it was cheaply made.

Funnily enough, one activity that I probably could do with little fuss on a very old system would be LQ. The web interface is not high on scripts and in order to answer questions, all I usually need are my editor and the capabilities to write/debug programs or scripts.

Thanks for replying and your welcome message.

I'm glad fatmac that you find rewarding giving back to the community. Always the sense of community is important to strengthen human bonds.

rtmistler, thanks for your opinion. I appreciate your comments.

In addition to my introductory post, I want to say this: I have a desktop PC that is fairly new and about to receive the Windows 10 upgrade. The PC is currently running Windows 8.1 which I think is okay. I'm sure, I'll need to read lots to find my ways around Windows then install Linux, unless I bypass it with an USB drive or hard drive.
Unfortunately I will need to keep Windows a live because a program I own that is dependent of Windows (Rosetta Stone language pack)
I remember the time when I ran Ubuntu from an external USB Hard drive. I believe that was the cause why I fried the laptop I was using. Though is a theory that I fried the laptop by running Linux with plenty windows open +30 for mass messaging while playing a web based game www.erepublik.com

Do you guys also meet on IRC channels? Server? Channel?
Thanks also for the links on your replies.

Hello and welcome to the forum

I'm doing well, thank you. I got a little later start in the computer scene. That started in 1999 with a laptop that my father gave me for my birthday, a top of the line Pentium I Toshiba Satellite.

From there, within two years, I volunteered with a non-profit ISP and then started my own non-profit with two others that lasted around three years. I "cut my teeth" on Windows 9x but also used ME for a while. My first introduction to Linux was in 2001 by my father's son-in-law, who gave me a copy of Red Hat 7.3. I liked it but, at times, it was incredibly difficult for me to get anything I installed (in terms of programs) to work. Linux has come quite a ways since then but some of it was my own lack of experience.

Regards...

gonna lurk a bit

michael clyde

For your old machines, you might like to take a look here, http://antix.mepis.com/index.php?title=Main_Page