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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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What distro should I use on my potato? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 7 months ago by AlligatorBlizzard@sh.itjust.works to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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I have an HP Stream 11 that I want to use for word processing and some light web browsing - I'm a writer and it's a lightweight laptop to bring to the library or coffee shop to write on. Right now it's got Windows and it's unusable due to lack of hard drive space for updates. Someone had luck with Xubuntu, but it's been a few years and it seems like Xubuntu is no longer trying to be a lightweight distro for use cases like this.

My experience with Linux is very limited - I played around with Peppermint Linux a bit back when it was a Lubuntu fork and I used Ubuntu on the lab computers in college. I can follow instructions to make a live boot and I can do an apt-get (so something Debian-based might be best for compatibility and familiarity) but I mostly have no idea what I'm doing, lol. I used to do DOS gaming as a kid so having to do the occasional thing via command line isn't going to scare me off but I'm not going to pretend to have knowledge I don't. I'm probably going to go with Mint on my gaming laptop next year but I suspect it's not the best choice for my blue bezeled potato (although I might try it anyway).

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[–] clubb@lemmy.world 6 points 7 months ago (2 children)

DO NOT RUN A 32BIT VERSION OF LINUX ON 64BIT HARDWARE. I looked into the celeron in the computer, and it supports 64bit instructions. Just run Debian with xfce.

[–] leadore@kbin.social 4 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Just like Debian which it is based on, you can get AntiX in either 64 or 32 bit, whichever you need for your processor. It's a very good lightweight distro. I'd recommend it, as well as Crunchbang++ for something like this. (edit to add that Crunchbang++ uses Openbox window manager, very lightweight but easy to use--something to consider for whichever distro you decide on).

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

If you have 4 MB of RAM or less, I would recommend 32 bit regardless of CPU.

The machine he linked to has 2 GB of RAM. A 64 bit distro will eat half of it getting to an empty desktop and a couple browser tabs will eat the rest.

Anything with more RAM, I completely agree with you.

[–] clubb@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

I mean, I feel that the 4mb (I assume 4gb) of ram needs a 32 bit os claim is downright untrue.

I have a Thinkpad X301 that's been upgraded to 4gb of ram, and I run Debian 12 stable, 64bit, and performance, even on a laptop from 2008, like mine, as long as I used pale moon for browsing, was stellar. I use xfce on that laptop.