This article was written by Don VanSyckel, the club president, as a part of "The President's Pen". This article appeared in the February 2011 WYSIWYG newsletter.
Linux on Your Old PC
by Don VanSyckel
Here we are again. How many of us do the things we do over and over again without really thinking about it? Well here's your chance to step outside of your usual boundaries. Consider Linux. What's that and why would I want to hear about that? There are many reasons and here are a few to get you interested:
| 1) | Linux run on a slower PC is generally considered to be comparable to Windows run on a faster PC. I don't have the exact ratio of speeds but Linux can prolong the useful life of your PC. |
| 2) | The price is right. From free to inexpensive. |
| 3) | Hundreds, if not thousands, of free software programs that do most anything you need or want. |
| 4) | Use your old PC as a file and print server on your home network to share disk and printers between the two or three PCs in your home. |
| 5) | If you're interested in learning about web pages and such, you can have a web server on the Linux PC and experiment with and learn web page technology. |
One of the main applications that people use is an office suite. I use Open Office Dot Org for word processing and spreadsheets. Open Office will read and write files in the Microsoft formats. Open Office on Linux is the same as on Windows.
Linux has a choice of several Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs). The GUI is the software that manages the windows and other things done with the mouse and pointer.
Put new life into that retired PC you stored in the closet. Get it out, put it to use, expand your horizons.
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