At NeoTeo we love sharing DIY projects of all kinds, but we know that the availability of tools and budget can be quite tough. In that case, one alternative is to take a computer considered "old" by today's standards and download/install a Linux distro. Today we're going to recommend four that range from "safe" to "controversial", and that will surely keep you entertained.
Even these days I receive computers for maintenance that come loaded with Windows XP or Windows Vista. Needless to say, the general state of those systems is calamitous, and the options (almost always) go in the same direction: reinstall the original operating system, make the necessary hardware upgrades to welcome a newer version of Windows, or adopt a Linux distro that allows safe browsing and work.
In the vast majority of cases, users lean toward the first option. It's the most familiar and the most economical, despite the lack of support and the security risks (which I never tire of warning about). But if you find yourself in a similar situation—zero budget and the need to extract extra life from an old computer—Linux might be the answer. All you have to invest is a little time and a USB drive to manipulate ISO images. In fact, I think it's an excellent project for this weekend, but the question is, which distros do we start with?
Xubuntu LTS
Granted, Xubuntu is not the lightest option among lightweight Linux distros, but the official requirements still mention 512 MB of RAM and 8 GB of disk as minimum. The 18.04 LTS edition, Bionic Beaver, has support until April of next year, and offers 32-bit builds, although you need a processor that includes PAE. In theory, a traditional netbook should be able to receive Xubuntu without too many surprises.
Linux Lite
We studied it closely last month, and since it uses Ubuntu LTS as a base, it has similar hardware requirements, but Linux Lite adopts a much more polished profile for beginners who have never dipped their toes in the waters of Linux. That includes simpler installation methods for popular apps like Skype or Steam, which continues to gain ground in Linux. If the user comes from something like XP, they might want to start with Linux Lite.
BunsenLabs Linux
Leaving Ubuntu roots aside, we find BunsenLabs Linux, which rests on Debian. That allows it to reduce its requirements even further, with a minimum of 256 MB of RAM. On the official page they also offer a 32-bit build without PAE, enabling installation on very old computers. Its last build, Helium, is from July 2019, while Lithium is still in Release Candidate stage.
Android x86
(Hold on!) No, wait! It makes more sense than it appears. Let's think about the "average" hardware configuration of a netbook, and compare it with the specifications of a low-end smartphone. Android x86 is a very interesting project, with images available for Nougat, Oreo, and Pie implementing different versions of the Linux kernel, plus LineageOS 14.1 for greater "independence" from Mountain View. With hundreds of thousands of apps available, we can't ignore this option.
Four to start with. Four to get your hands dirty and test how well they work on our humble hardware. There will be errors and incompatibilities, but if we manage to find a good distro that fits our resources, the experience will be more than acceptable. Personally, I'm surprised by the progress of Android x86. My netbook welcomed LineageOS 14.1 with open arms, and I estimate it will stay there for a while. Give it a try, and good luck!
Note from the editor: If you don't have extra hardware but want to evaluate Linux, there is something here that will interest you.
