Ubuntu Linux to replace Windows... I'm taking the plunge!

[Carp Herpes Biker Gang]

I have lots of stuff on my desktop PC so I want to install it on my notebook first to get a feel of things, then hopefully if all goes well I'll be able to move completely to Linux on both computers.

The notebook is really old though, a Pentium III. I've heard of people running Linux on really old PC's with no problems, using them as servers or firewalls etc. My question is is Ubuntu designed to work well with an old PC or should I use a different distribution like damn small linux? I just want to run openoffice and firefox...

thanks everyone!

[cheesecake42]

just give it a try! that's the great thing about all the different kinds of linux, all it costs to try a different one is the price of a cd/dvd-r

congrats on the cross-over

[valemon]

If you have more than 128 Mb ram I think you will be ok. If not, consider not using gnome, but a light Graphical User Interface.

[bigtomrodney]

I agree, Linux can be used on very outdated hardware but of course there is some degree of scaling and compromise to be put in place. If you wish to use Gnome or KDE you need to consider these as more contemporary fully featured DEs, whereas you will have a more stripped out environment with something like IceWM or XFCE.

Xubuntu comes with XFCE if you find that Ubuntu is running too slowly. that said I ran SUSE 10 and Ubuntu 5.10 on my PIII 1GHz without any problems, and that was with 512MB of RAM.

[raymac46]

I run Ubuntu 6.10 on a desktop with a PIII 866 Ghz and I've installed it on my neighbor's oldmachine with a Celeron 667. The major issue is RAM. My neighbor has 256 Mb in her machine and I have 512 Mb in mine.
If you want to run Open Office I think you will not be happy with less than 256Mb. At 512 Ubuntu works great. Both machines have the default Gnome desktop.

[varaonaid]

I recently decided to make the switch as well. So happy that I did.

Congratulations on your decision!

Check out the livecd's. As a PP mentioned, all it costs is the cost of cd/dvd.

Don't overlook the ubuntu child distros either. I've had much better luck with hardware detection in Linux Mint and Mepis than in any version of Ubuntu (dapper, edgy or feisty). Both Mint and Mepis are very easy to use and have less setup than Ubuntu but you still get the benefits of the Ubuntu repos.

Good luck on your new linux adventure!