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Quoting Tom Potts <tompotts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>: > On Wednesday 12 March 2008 16:45, Steven Coté wrote: > .. >> I've got an old PII 400 kicking around that I really ought to get rid of. >> So if they have a home for it, I'd like to give it to them. > Microsoft has caused many a good man to follow the wrong path. > While you would be certified if you tried to run XP Server on the above > machine it will work very well as a file/print/db server for Linux : > 1) You dont need to run a gui for a Linux server so thats 90% of your CPU > saved. > 2) Old machines are - perhaps nonintuitively - more reliable than modern ones > - its taken a while for them to build in reliable self destruction into PC > manufacture. > 3) For file and print serving in linux it tends to be > network/ram/disk io that > limit the performance of a file/print server. And for most naive DB setups > ditto. > 4) It it does WOL then, as you can get a minimal linux to boot in a minute or > two, even better - however this will negate point 2 above. I find WOL a really useful feature. I've started setting up WOL on the PCs at work so if someone turns them off I can start them remotely, plus we've also set a policy up so the machines turn themselves off in the evening (due to the staff just leaving the damn things running when they go home!) > I have a feeling the machine would still make a useful internet > access machine > for someone who just wants e-mail and a bit of browsing but I'd be interested > to see how LTSP works in action - demo anyone? > Well when we've sorted out the Exwick Community Centre you're welcome to come down and have a look, plus Tom B, Paul Sutton and I are looking at having a cyber tent at this year's Children's Week on Paignton Green in August which will also be a good demonstration using older machines. Rob -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html