linux on a 486

[chris]

I have a 486/33 sitting around that I wanted to put a version of linux. It has a totally empty 160 MB hard drive. Ideally, I like to set up a GUI and use it for Internet, papers, and learning Unix. What distribution should I get? I saw Dragon Linux, but don't really want the Linux to co-exist with DOS. Thanks!

[Geoff]

You won't get much in the way of GUIs into 160MB, a nice linux setup takes upwards of 500MB. For 160MB you can get a basic linux system set up but you'll need more space if you want all the bells and whistles.

Geoff

[Roddie Rod]

I have to disagree with Geoff, My first linux box was a 486 33 with 150MB free space. I installed Debian Linux v2.0 on it. I cut out what I didn't want and a got a successfull Linux system that ran Window Waker as the GUI and had Netscape on it. It was the fastest box with only 12M of RAM but it did function and I did learn alot, so that now my new Box gives me no troubles.

[Geoff]

Roddie: With debian yes, I'm assuming that chris will install redhat or some variant which always likes to install heaps of junk.

If you know exactly what you want then you can install a debian system with only the stuff you want (which I have done, I've got 1GB of linux space so I haven't bothered seeing how much is used...)

Geoff