what to do with a 33mhz??

[mypython8]

What would be a good OS to put on a 33mhz laptop? Would I be able to get any kind of GUI? Also does anybody have any good ideas about a good use for a 33mhz, besides a router/firewall?
Thanks

[KilerCris]

paperweight :D

[bdg1983]

Mmh... How much RAM do you have? (Not much, I assume? ;))

These are small distros that don't require much RAM:
Tiny Linux (http://tiny.seul.org/en/) needs only 8 MB RAM
Tomukas (http://melkor.dnp.fmph.uniba.sk/~garabik/tomukas/README), I have no idea how it may work but they claim it can run X with only 4 MB RAM (?!)
Slackware... hmm, don't know how much it requires these days.

If your laptop has very little RAM, chances are that you won't be able to run X or it's just so slow that you don't want to run it.

I had once a 486/66MHz (overclocked, though) with 8 MB RAM. I had Slackware 3.2 in it and running X was a bit painful... well, that doesn't prove anything, though.
Could you tell a bit more about your laptop?

[RageAHolic]

I've got a 33Mhz 486SX, 4MB laptop that I use as a mobile, console-only, Python/HTML authoring appliance :)

[RageAHolic]

I've got Debian 2.1 on mine...installed via floppies. I'd go with 2.1...I don't know that 2.2+ supports 4MB RAM.

Just something to consider.

[mypython8]

It has 8mb of RAM, and a 200MB hard drive. If I found a pcmcia modem, would it possibly work. I know that is a pretty tough question not given any specifics, but is it possible to get one of these modems to work? I'm not expecting to get super performance out of it, just kinda bord, and wanted to see what i can do with it. Thanks for all your replies.

[f'lar]

Try tiny linux. It's based on slackware, and should let let you run X. Just don't go any higher than 256 color (if the display will do that) and don't use kde or gnome, they take too much ram. Try blackbox, xfce, or windowmaker.

[Tyr-7BE]

Oh man...I gotta get me one of those. Typically you can get them for $10 in the paper (negotiable, of course :D). I need a router/firewall, and I need a play system which I can afford to destroy terribly and still have my fully-functional linux box for day-to-day work.

[Stackrat]

Originally posted by Tyr-7BE:
I need a router/firewall...33MHz is a bit too slow for that. For a dial-up, I'd say the minimum would be a 90 MHz Pentium and 16 MB RAM. A cablemodem or DSL would need at least 200 MHz & 32 MB, 400 MHz & 64 MB would be better (depending on how many users).

[ep0k]

DOS

[Butros]

I disagree, I have 66mhz 486 firewalls running stripped down linux kernels, that run beautifully for dial-up or 10mbit networking. granted, they need a little bit of ram, but 8-16 is plenty. firewall is nothing but a highly stripped kernel that has tcp/ip support, then all you need is ipchains, network drivers and it doesn't even need monitor support if you ssh or telnet in. you could turn it into a firewall/or router. heck most commercial routers used to use 33 mhz chips in them with less ram than that.

[ph34r]

I've got Slack 7.1 running on a 486/33sx with 4mb ram (just got it up to 8mb). Check in the "How I did it" forum for "Linux on a wimpy machine".

[nanode]

stackrat:

I've seen and owned a few <100mhz firewalls that ran great. That's really one of the more practical uses for really low end machines.

[Tyr-7BE]

Originally posted by Stackrat:
Originally posted by Tyr-7BE:
I need a router/firewall...33MHz is a bit too slow for that. For a dial-up, I'd say the minimum would be a 90 MHz Pentium and 16 MB RAM. A cablemodem or DSL would need at least 200 MHz & 32 MB, 400 MHz & 64 MB would be better (depending on how many users).

Good god! Are you serious?? I would have though a 486/66 would do me fine with 32 megs ram for adsl or cable.