Re: [OS:N:] ANNOUNCE: the RULE project for older PCs

[Evan Leibovitch <evan telly org>]

On Sun, 29 Sep 2002, Marco Fioretti wrote:

> The problem is that:
>
> 	old Free Software doesn't support a lot of modern PC uses,
>       and, in schools, has much less value as an educational
>       tool.

I respectfully disagree.

First of all, there's no relevant issue regarding "old free software".
One of the greatest benefits of free software in this context is that
you don't have artificial limitations on "the fastsest CPU you need to run
this app is XYZ". You can run the most current version of KDE or GNOME on
the oldest system reasonably capable of doing graphics.

Personal case in point: my aging laptop is a P1-100 with 48MB RAM and half
a gig of disk. It's not fast but it faithfully runs stable versions of the
most recent Linux software. I've used it to give slide shows using
OpenOffice Impress and it works just fine. I just make sure that the box
is booted and running long before it's my turn to talk. :-)

So it's not the fastest, but for educational purposes -- how does it work,
how to use it -- this rig serves its purpose well.

Take even older systems -- 486 and 386 systems that are too slow to even
run X reasonably. They can still be used as document editors; heck, one of
the most advanced document processing systems ever made -- TeX -- doesn't
need a GUI at all!

Then there's the Internet. The most current versions of Windows that run
on 386 and 486 systems don't do the 'Net well at all. Conversely, you can
load the most current Linux on it, giving you a broad range of text-based
tools that support the most common Internet protocols -- FTP, internet
messaging, telnet, etc. You have powerful email tools such as pine and
mutt. And the 'links' console-based web browsing tool can access most
educational sites quite nicely -- you can still do a lot on the web
without the eye candy.

Then there are the non-workstation applications of Linux systems that can
run easily using current software on old hardware. In my local user group,
it's common for people using high-speed Internet to use a 486 Linux system
as their personal firewall.

(My own firewall is actually running on a 486, and I have another
workstation running on a bunch of old castoff parts assembled within an
18-year-old original IBM AT chassis: see
http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2795549,00.html.
The comments that article received at Linux Today indicated many people
have success on even slower systems:
http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2001-07-24-006-20-PS)

Of _course_ such systems won't do as much as the systems of today. But
the point is we're creating something out of nothing; putting computers in
places where they otherwise couldn't afford to exist.

> 	modern "Free" Software (including latest RH) requires modern,
> 		powerful PCs (**).

Sorry, but this assertion is absolutely, provably incorrect. See above;
the software running on my laptop is Mandrake 8.2 (its most current
version up to a week ago), using KDE 3.01, Mozilla 1.1 and OpenOffice. If
I don't put Mandrake 9 on it soon, that has more to do with lack of my
time than lack of capability. (Ie, if it's not broken why fix it?)

Modern free software DOES NOT require state of the art boxes. Pentium II
systems with 128MB RAM and ~6GB disk, which are pretty cheap nowadays
(about $150 even on the not-donated circuit), can run the most current
free software and do a pretty good job with it. Want to put in some
current peripherals (USB or DVD)? Your new Linux will support it on your
old hardware if you can physically attach it.

> This is why I and others founded the RULE project last february. It is
> meant to help all those who donate computers, and all those who
> receive them, making easier to run the LATEST "Free" Software without
> *buying* non free hardware. The project is still in its infancy, but
> we have resumed development after a (quite long) summer break, so
> please visit www.rule-project.org/ if interested, and spread the word.

A few related interesting links:

The SEUL linux-in-education project: www.seul.org

A Linux Journal article about recycling PCs with Linux:
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=5063



-- 
Evan Leibovitch, Brampton, Canada <evan at telly dot org>
Anything not worth doing is not worth doing well.