dddave Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Really interesting idea....taking old, out of date computers and essentially making them into Chromebooks: http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/17/11033216/convert-mac-pc-to-chromebook-chrome-neverware-chromium There is an attached follow up article about doing this for schools with out of date equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Just whack Puppy Linux on them. Far more versatile. And only 200Mb compared to this monster's nigh on 600Mb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKdreaming Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 anything like this that goes on a USB stick so you can start a computer with no OS or a corrupted OS ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 (edited) anything like this that goes on a USB stick so you can start a computer with no OS or a corrupted OS ? Yes, you can easily make bootable USB sticks with Rufus. Assuming that the PC can boot from the USB of course, which you can tell by checking in the BIOS. https://rufus.akeo.ie/ Edited February 18, 2016 by Chicog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKdreaming Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 anything like this that goes on a USB stick so you can start a computer with no OS or a corrupted OS ? Yes, you can easily make bootable USB sticks with Rufus. Assuming that the PC can boot from the USB of course, which you can tell by checking in the BIOS. https://rufus.akeo.ie/ is there a universial Rufus download that will start most computers from a USB stick ? and as long as the computer turns on can you get to the bios to change the boot order ? What F key ? and do they all use the same F key ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 No you just need an ISO or other image file of an OS.There are plenty of Linux builds you can try at http://distrowatch.com/ As for the BIOS, it varies from PC to PC (well BIOS to BIOS anyway). Sometimes you'll see a message immediately after powering on telling you what key to press.I usually find it's F1, F2, or F12.Some of them actually give you a key to take you straight to a boot menu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 If you want to have a selection of bootable images to choose from try YUMI. Most people think of it as an Ubuntu installer, but it will build menus of any bootable images on your USB stick. Been using it for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKdreaming Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 neverware allows you to use Google Chrome Web Store for programs do the other flavors of Linux do that ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 AFAIK the Chrome Web Store works on Linux, but I'll rely on a dedicated Linux user to confirm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I think the Chromebooks and Chromiumbooks are good introduction to linux. One which comes from a well known brand name.It's basically yet another distro of linux, but done in the way which makes the change from Windows to Linux a bit easier. It's possibly to install Linux to the old laptops, which support Chromiumbooks. For the non-technical user, the question arrives, which Linux? What is distro, what are all these new terms I should understand, when installing a new operating system to my laptop?? Selecting Linux distro is like going to buy a shampoo from a supermarket. There are far too many choices to select from, which makes the good old soap the trusted hair care product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I think the Chromebooks and Chromiumbooks are good introduction to linux. One which comes from a well known brand name. It's basically yet another distro of linux, but done in the way which makes the change from Windows to Linux a bit easier. It's possibly to install Linux to the old laptops, which support Chromiumbooks. For the non-technical user, the question arrives, which Linux? What is distro, what are all these new terms I should understand, when installing a new operating system to my laptop?? Selecting Linux distro is like going to buy a shampoo from a supermarket. There are far too many choices to select from, which makes the good old soap the trusted hair care product. Not really; if you have an old, low-resourced PC, Puppy or DSL are no-brainers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I think the Chromebooks and Chromiumbooks are good introduction to linux. One which comes from a well known brand name. It's basically yet another distro of linux, but done in the way which makes the change from Windows to Linux a bit easier. It's possibly to install Linux to the old laptops, which support Chromiumbooks. For the non-technical user, the question arrives, which Linux? What is distro, what are all these new terms I should understand, when installing a new operating system to my laptop?? Selecting Linux distro is like going to buy a shampoo from a supermarket. There are far too many choices to select from, which makes the good old soap the trusted hair care product. Not really; if you have an old, low-resourced PC, Puppy or DSL are no-brainers. Tell that to my mother, when she wants to communicate with people. People don't want a gain an advanced degree of nerdism, simply to use their computers. That's why Windows and OSX (Unix) have gained so large user base. Android (Linux) has done the same. So has iOS (Unix). Puppy and Damn small linux are great tools for those who are nerds. Those however are not general consumer products. Ubuntu, with it's variants, has tried to get the Linux to the limelight, Chromebook is doing it same. Simplicita necessita est Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 (edited) Don't be so tight, buy her an iPad you stingy sod. Edited February 20, 2016 by Chicog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I have been playing with Linux, far, far longer than you. It's not what system is better, but which is more comfortable to take into use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhythmworx Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Puppy is not ideal for anyone new to linux if they want to stay secure, everything is ran as root by default. I ran Tahrpup for a while but it annoyed me, ended up settling with mint. Have you ever tried Zorin? It seems like it's a lightweight distro, theres also Zorin lite. Think I'll try it out in VM and then try it on the laptop if its any good. What are the minimum system requirements that I need to install Zorin OS?For the standard desktop editions of Zorin OS:1 GHz x86 processor10 GB of Hard Drive space512 MB of system memory (RAM)Graphics card capable of 640x480 resolutionFor Zorin OS Lite:266 MHz x86 processor5GB of Hard Drive space256 MB of system memory (RAM)Graphics card capable of 640x480 resolution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I have been playing with Linux, far, far longer than you. Oh, have you? Tell me more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I have been playing with Linux, far, far longer than you. Oh, have you? Tell me more. Since 1991. Being one of the many admins of nic.funet.fi (on vax/vms section though) , where the linux was was hosted prior it reached version 1. Your call, impress me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 (edited) I have been playing with Linux, far, far longer than you. Oh, have you? Tell me more. Since 1991. Being one of the many admins of nic.funet.fi (on vax/vms section though) , where the linux was was hosted prior it reached version 1. Your call, impress me. Oh no, can't beat that. But I've been mucking around with Unix since 1980. Added: src.ac.uk Edited February 20, 2016 by Chicog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKdreaming Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 I remember when there were punch cards......ahh the good old days.......too young to know it then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard-BKK Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 My vote go's for Chromixium, what is a mix of Ubuntu Linux and Chrome OS, you can run Chrome Apps and Linux applications and it works perfectly.... See here the official Chromixium home page http://chromixium.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 I remember when there were punch cards......ahh the good old days.......too young to know it then I remember dropping a stack. Nightmare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dddave Posted February 21, 2016 Author Share Posted February 21, 2016 One of my very first jobs was in 1966 running the tab room of a big machinery company. I had no experience whatsoever and had to process about 60,000 to 100,000 cards a day. Even then, the tab machines were old; totally mechanical, all pins and cams. I learned what chads were long before Bush/Gore. The machines ran fast and card jams were monumental...and yes!! Dropping a stack of cards...especially a stack already sorted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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