Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Re using old computer with Open Source software

Options
  • 12-01-2010 4:12pm
    #1
    magnus500
    Registered Users Posts: 56 ✭✭


    Hello

    Sorry if this isn't the correct forum. I work in a school in west Dublin and have a number of old PCs (Windows 2000) that are no longer useable. I heard it is possible to re use these using a Linux based system and other open source software that would be useful in schools. They are reall only used for internet browsing and basic things. Does anyone have any tips or know of any online tutorials? Funding is low so this would be great for the school.

    Any help greatly appreciated.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Orion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,807 ✭✭✭✭Orion


    You can indeed. If they ran Windows 2000 they will most likely run Ubuntu which would be your best bet. Or Linux Mint. You can try out any distribution by getting a Live CD and booting from it. Most distros come pre-packaged with Firefox for web browsing and OpenOffice for documents.

    Depending on the age of the kids you might want to install gCompris as well - a suite of educational applications for primary school level. I have Qimo on a laptop for my kids - it's a very child friendly distro wtih gCompris pre-installed.

    All of these are free to download and use.


  • Options
    #3
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,121 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    You might want to cannibalise a few of them for RAM/hard drives etc. for the benefit of the others.


  • Options
    #4
    croo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭croo


    Edubuntu http://edubuntu.org/ is a version of Ubuntu aimed specifically at education.

    The key difference between Ubuntu & Mint is the latter comes with many closed source or controversial applications already installed, so youtube & playing dvd's work without you having to install these separately (there is a long story why this is usual for most distros).

    Not to dissuade you from the wonderful world of open source, but if you are just planning on using it for browsing etc why remove the Windows 2000 from the systems?


  • Options
    #5
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 13,991 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    magnus500 wrote: »
    Hello

    Sorry if this isn't the correct forum. I work in a school in west Dublin and have a number of old PCs (Windows 2000) that are no longer useable. I heard it is possible to re use these using a Linux based system and other open source software that would be useful in schools. They are reall only used for internet browsing and basic things. Does anyone have any tips or know of any online tutorials? Funding is low so this would be great for the school.

    Any help greatly appreciated.


    Why are they no longer usable?
    If it is because they will not run some software the school uses, then changing to Linux will not help. Windows software does not run in Linux natively.
    If you give some of the hardware specs of the machines that would help also ..... those can determine which Linux distro would be best suited.
    CPU type & speed and amount of RAM fitted would be useful to have.

    Despite replies here Ubuntu and its derivatives are not the only Linux distros out there, and there are others which may be more suitable, depending on intended use and hardware specifications.

    So more info would be good .......

    regards.


  • Options
    #6
    Moonbeam
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,953 Mod ✭✭✭✭Moonbeam


    I would also recommend edubuntu.
    if you need more help with installation etc see www.linux.ie


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    surm00
    Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭surm00


    Well since they are older pc's I wouldn't use ubuntu - xubuntu or any other of the many xfce based distros would be ok. if you're a beginner i would recommend linux mint xfce or xubuntu or even puppy linux. There are many light distros are specifically for older machines.


Advertisement