Re: [school-discuss] Possibilities

[jeff williams <cfiaime@nconnect.net>]

On Saturday 19 January 2002 12:35, you wrote:
> 1/19/02 10:19:53 AM, Chris Hobbs <chobbs@silvervalley.k12.ca.us> wrote:
> >Jeff,
> >
> >Your best bet would be to use those 486's as dumb terminals connected to
> >a much more powerful server - here's how:


I disagree.  I've found that a 486 is quite adaquate for word processing, 
etc., under Linux.  I used a 486/DX4-100 (32mb RAM, Slackware 7.0) in my 
office until last year (changed positions and they gave me a Pentium 
III/650).  Indeed, the DX4-100 runs Linux better than some early Pentium 133s 
I've been dealing with these past two weeks.

Depending on memory, etc., I wouldn't want to run KDE on the 486, but a 
smaller windows manager would be fine.  Frankly, I'd much prefer to run stuff 
in text mode.

I'm convinced the 486 is still a viable system, especially for student use.  
Most of the 486s I have come to know and love are exceedingly robust, unlike 
the later Pentium IV systems with which I've been dealing.  Rebuild the 
kernel to optimize for that chip, and be cognizent that the system will need 
to page virtual memory for bigger applications, and you should be OK.

BTW, the first three weeks of this month I've been teaching a Linux 
administration class at Concordia Unversity Wisconsin.  My student machines 
are a mix of HP Vectras with 100 and 200 mhz Pentium CPUs, plus a couple of 
no-name boxes with 133 Pentiums.  Yes, my old 486/DX4-100 has made an 
appearance, as has my AT&T 3B2/600 and an AT&T 7300.  Oh, yes, we 
demonstrated Samba with an old Toshiba laptop, and Appletalk with an early 
I-Mac.  Both my department head and the dean of the school have seen that we 
can use junk-pile queens for useful work and teaching.  It has been a fun 
class.

-- 
jeff williams - cfiaime@nconnect.net
		jeff.williams@cuw.edu
		jbw9586@ksu.edu