First of all this is my first post, but I've used your forums for some time now and find them very helpful. Second of all, this could have been posted in a lot of places, but I thought this might be the best fit because my software decision will rely on my hardware decision.
So I'm travelling in Europe this summer and I decided that I did not like the idea of bringing my $1500 laptop with me when for a large amount of time I'll have nothing but a backpacking backpack. I'm studying there as well, so i decided that the best bet would be to get a cheap "throw-a-way" laptop that could handle word processing (for homework), some internet browsing (probably wireless), some music (although I'll have my mp3 player too), and some IM'ing.
Being a poor college student I leaped on the opportunity for a $76 laptop:
Gateway Solo 2500
Intel Pentium 266 Mhz CPU
2 GB Hard Drive
? Ram (I'm thinking 64mb (2x32))
2 USB
2 Cardbus
CD-Rom
Floppy
OK, in one place Gateway says I can upgrade the HD to 30GB, and the RAM to 256 (128x2). Another place says I can upgrade the HD to only 4GB and the RAM to 128 (64x2). Who knows...
First, obviously I don't want to invest too much money in this thing because I'll only be using it a couple months...is there a need to upgrade the memory and HD or the optical drive... (I'm guessing HD space is the biggest issue).
or
Is there an install of Linux that will be able to do what I want at the current specs?
I've had no experience with Linux but I'm no computer novice and I've messed around with blackbox a lot for windows, and I heard that it translates a lot to the linux install.
Here is my dream: I want to, at the minimum, be able to create word documents (abiword maybe?) and put them on my USB thumbdrive which can then be used to print from a separate computer. Wireless internet would be a big, big plus because I'm not sure there will be many wired ethernet ports at hostels (I'll buy a cardbus one, if there isn't a linux that supports usb wireless) smile.gif. I would also like to bring along 5 or 6 mp3cd's with some music to play on the computer one at a time (if I don't upgrade the HD or DVD-Rom), because I only have a 1GB flash player and I have a 25,000 file flac/mp3 collection (I like a lot of music). The laptop comes with Win98 on it preinstalled but there's no COA, and I've had the pleasure of using Win98 before (never again). I'm just thinking that a properly suited linux distro would offer me much smoother operation than win98 on such an old machine.
So what is your guys advice on this? What Linux should I use on the computer...please note that I'm a noob at Linux but I'm very good with computers and have the ambition to tackle this task.
I've also read that the hardest thing about using linux on laptops is to install drivers for all the peripherals like the USB ports, sound card, video card, cardbus (wireless in my case), etc...what's the best way to handle this?
Also, gateway only states that 30 GB is the maximum HD size: Max HD
But I have no idea if there is a special kind I need to get for such an old laptop. (Will any 2.5" drive work? I'm guessing it needs to be EIDE). And the RAM needs to be PC100 SODIMM (looks like I can get it cheap).
So I'm travelling in Europe this summer and I decided that I did not like the idea of bringing my $1500 laptop with me when for a large amount of time I'll have nothing but a backpacking backpack. I'm studying there as well, so i decided that the best bet would be to get a cheap "throw-a-way" laptop that could handle word processing (for homework), some internet browsing (probably wireless), some music (although I'll have my mp3 player too), and some IM'ing.
Being a poor college student I leaped on the opportunity for a $76 laptop:
Gateway Solo 2500
Intel Pentium 266 Mhz CPU
2 GB Hard Drive
? Ram (I'm thinking 64mb (2x32))
2 USB
2 Cardbus
CD-Rom
Floppy
OK, in one place Gateway says I can upgrade the HD to 30GB, and the RAM to 256 (128x2). Another place says I can upgrade the HD to only 4GB and the RAM to 128 (64x2). Who knows...
First, obviously I don't want to invest too much money in this thing because I'll only be using it a couple months...is there a need to upgrade the memory and HD or the optical drive... (I'm guessing HD space is the biggest issue).
or
Is there an install of Linux that will be able to do what I want at the current specs?
I've had no experience with Linux but I'm no computer novice and I've messed around with blackbox a lot for windows, and I heard that it translates a lot to the linux install.
Here is my dream: I want to, at the minimum, be able to create word documents (abiword maybe?) and put them on my USB thumbdrive which can then be used to print from a separate computer. Wireless internet would be a big, big plus because I'm not sure there will be many wired ethernet ports at hostels (I'll buy a cardbus one, if there isn't a linux that supports usb wireless) smile.gif. I would also like to bring along 5 or 6 mp3cd's with some music to play on the computer one at a time (if I don't upgrade the HD or DVD-Rom), because I only have a 1GB flash player and I have a 25,000 file flac/mp3 collection (I like a lot of music). The laptop comes with Win98 on it preinstalled but there's no COA, and I've had the pleasure of using Win98 before (never again). I'm just thinking that a properly suited linux distro would offer me much smoother operation than win98 on such an old machine.
So what is your guys advice on this? What Linux should I use on the computer...please note that I'm a noob at Linux but I'm very good with computers and have the ambition to tackle this task.
I've also read that the hardest thing about using linux on laptops is to install drivers for all the peripherals like the USB ports, sound card, video card, cardbus (wireless in my case), etc...what's the best way to handle this?
Also, gateway only states that 30 GB is the maximum HD size: Max HD
But I have no idea if there is a special kind I need to get for such an old laptop. (Will any 2.5" drive work? I'm guessing it needs to be EIDE). And the RAM needs to be PC100 SODIMM (looks like I can get it cheap).