Which Linux?

[TheCrowe14]

I bought a really old laptop recently - IBM Thinkpad 380z, 300mhz processor, 96mb ram, 10gb HD. It has Windows 2000 Professional on it, but I'd like to replace that with some version of Linux and familiarize myself with it. I'd also like to do some simple programming on it - mainly C++. So I need a version of Linux that will run on a laptop this old, and allow me to do some programming. Basically, I want to learn to use Linux, and improve my programming skills. Any reccomendations? As far as installation goes, the laptop has CD drive I can use, or I can hook up a USB external hard drive.

 

[CrossCech]

Popular choice nowadays is Ubuntu, but considering the hardware you're using, you may be better off with an older version of RedHat (pre-Fedora). One of the cool things about the more current Linux distros is that a lot of them run as live cd, so you dont actually have to install the os ... you can try a few of them out running from your cd rom until you find one you like (Knoppix style). Just an option.

 

[joxley1990]

Ubuntu wont run on that..well, it will, but it wont be a very nice experience. Try Puppy Linux..can run on anything..

 

[acidburned1]

or you can try damn small linux it runs on older hardware

 

[mammikoura]

yeah, I wouldn't use ubuntu with that hardware. Though if u would install a lighter desktop environment it might work quite nicely.

 

[rakedog]

If you know what you're doing, use gentoo. That shit will run on anything if you configure it correctly.

 

[borat_sagdiyev]

xubuntu is a light version of ubuntu. use that.

 

[mammikoura]

If you know what you're doing, use gentoo. That shit will run on anything if you configure it correctly.

gentoo is probably going to be too hard for him. He said that he will install linux to "familiarize myself with it" so I wouldn't recommend gentoo.

 

[acidburned1]

or just research alittle and find distros that use light window managers like xfce and icewm and fluxbox.

 

[lhuser]

yeah, I wouldn't use ubuntu with that hardware. Though if u would install a lighter desktop environment it might work quite nicely.

Ubuntu runs fine on it. SLow but fine. Suse 9.1 runs also. If I was you though, I would try and get Suse 8.1 or 7.0.

DSL is just small, but it ain't the best thing on Earth either.
Gento is hard to configure, but if you're a good savvy for it, then it can run on it, but with all the stuff taken out.