Reincarnating a Discarded Laptop with Linux

On DesktopLinux.com there is a great article about using linux to get some life out of an older laptop, and make it useful again.

You’ve probably read similar stories elsewhere. Many people acquire old Pentium I, II, or III era laptops and install Linux and other free software to create a useful machine. A few years ago, laptop Linux was immature and this was a challenge. Laptops have always been proprietary and less standardized than desktop PCs. Today, however, Linux features much better hardware detection and installs easily on most laptops.

“Laptop revival” stories usually describe detailed procedures for installing Linux and device drivers on a specific make of laptop. This article is more general. How do you go about making an old laptop useful? What steps are involved? Which Linux distributions will work? We’ll even discuss how Windows and dual-booting fit into the picture.

A very cool article. Everyone should give it a quick read, as the laptop you are about to throw out, might make a nice machine for someone you know to do e-mail on.

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