Which version should we use on an old machine?

[Bob McClure Jr]

On Thu, Aug 03, 2006 at 12:36:28PM -0400, Carl Reynolds wrote:
> My son was given a couple of old computers. They are Pentium 266MHz with 
> 32MB of RAM and 2.6GB hard drives. He wants to learn more about 
> networking and we have some extra LAN cards lying around here. So I 
> suggested that he clean the disks and try to load Linux on them to 
> start. Then he can set one of them up as a router.
> 
> What version of Linux should he use on these machines? It seems to me 
> that any recent version of Fedora Core would need more memory and more 
> disk space than is available with these machines, but I have never tried 
> to install a minimal version of Linux on a machine.
> 
> Do you have any suggestions of which version would be good for him to 
> start with?

I'd go with FC4 or FC5, but do either a server install or custom
install (I recommend the latter) excluding most X stuff and other
fluff you don't need.  I think it'll fit.

See also http://www.rule-project.org/

> Thanks,
> Carl.

Cheers,
-- 
Bob McClure, Jr.             Bobcat Open Systems, Inc.
bob at bobcatos.com             http://www.bobcatos.com
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD. - Psalm 33:12
Righteousness exalts a nation. - Proverbs 14:34