We have been giving some thought to buying a SECOND HAND older computer - something like a 500mhz machine - to put a full Linux system on, if we cant get the LIVE versions I am tinkering with to operate to the point of being able to send/receive email and view the occasional website. I have had some suggestions to where I might get something, from list members, but so far what I have viewed have been beyond our currents 'means.'
I have a K6-2-500 PC that is surplus to requirements, which you can take away from the next WLUG meeting for the one off price of nothing. It will not be pretty - it will be about as quick as a P2-350 from memory. Otherwise there are often people on this list with computers they are giving away for a song- unfortunately I've just got rid of all of mine. If you check our buy/sell/exchange page at http://www.wlug.org.nz/GarageSale/ you will see where these transactions are normally carried out. If you still can't see the web site, that's the first thing we need to fix! If, however, you do have a bit of money to spare, one of those $850 Dell computers would give you an experience ten times better than what you'd get out of an old P2 machine. Linux would have a much better reputation if more people could/would try it on better specced machines. Craig