My friends and neighbors know that I love computers. I am continually being given their
old laptops after I help them setup their new ones.

Knowing that Windows 10 has an expiration date coming up, and that most machines do
not meet the minimum specs for Windows 11, does anyone have any recommendations for
an alternative OS?

I have a USB installer stick for Chrome Flex. I am also looking at Linux Lite. I would like
to do a different install on every machine to see which OS is the best for home use.

Mike Dippel

--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v7.0
* Origin: The Hobby Line! BBS - hobbylinebbs.com (954:895/1)

Mike Dippel wrote to All <=-

My friends and neighbors know that I love computers. I am
continually being given their old laptops after I help them setup
their new ones.

Knowing that Windows 10 has an expiration date coming up, and
that most machines do not meet the minimum specs for Windows 11,
does anyone have any recommendations for an alternative OS?

I have a USB installer stick for Chrome Flex. I am also looking
at Linux Lite. I would like to do a different install on every
machine to see which OS is the best for home use.

I don't know exactly what 'Linux Lite' is, but I'd recommend one of the
common Linux distributions such as Ubuntu or Mint for starting out.



... Toto, I don't think we're in DOS any more...
=== MultiMail/Linux v0.52
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Re: Best Alternative OS
By: Mike Dippel to All on Fri May 10 2024 12:41 pm

Knowing that Windows 10 has an expiration date coming up, and that most machines do
not meet the minimum specs for Windows 11, does anyone have any recommendations for
an alternative OS?

It depends on what you want to use the OS for.

If all you want to do is browse horse videos on the Internet and do some document processing, you can use any of the big Operating Systems.

I have found Kubuntu and MX Linux to work reasonable well for users who need a fire-and-forget Operating System for a computer that is semi-old (say, 8 years old). If you want to use a modern Operating System on really old hardware, there are still options, but those tend to be specialist choices.
--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
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* Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (954:895/63)

I would try different ones in a virtualization environment first. It's less about the OS and more about the windowing environment, assuming you leave Windows behind. If you just want the path of least resistance, stick with Windows. Switching OS's when you're forced to isn't a nice time, better to do it when you have some time to kill and just feel like experimenting.

*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- D'Bridge 4
* Origin: (954:895/18)

On 5/11/2024 1:50 AM, Jareth780 wrote to Mike Dippel:

I would try different ones in a virtualization environment first. It's less about the OS and more about the windowing environment, assuming you leave Windows behind. If you just want the path of least resistance, stick with Windows. Switching OS's when you're forced to isn't a nice time, better to

do

it when you have some time to kill and just feel like experimenting.

*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- D'Bridge 4
* Origin: (954:895/18)

I figure now is the best time to start experimenting since I have some spare, old
computers to work with. Should be a fun experiment.

I have the files I want to keep on a portable drive so I don't lose anything.

Mike Dippel


--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v7.0
* Origin: The Hobby Line! BBS - hobbylinebbs.com (954:895/1)

I have a USB installer stick for Chrome Flex. I am also looking at Linux Lite.
I would like
to do a different install on every machine to see which OS is the best for home
use.

My main OSes of choice these days are debian linux and a derivative of
debian called devuan.

Mike


* SLMR 2.1a * I'm a master of Kungfu, Tofu, Snafu...and plain foo.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
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My main OSes of choice these days are debian linux and a derivative of debian called devuan.

I tried Debian a while back but really didn't connect with it. Ubuntu Server for servers and if I want a GUI I use Mint. It all just seems to work for what I need. My work laptop is Mint.


-- NerdRage BBS - SysOp: TheNerd
-- telnet: nerdragebbs.ddns.net

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/32)
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On 5/12/2024 7:49 PM, Thenerd wrote to Mike Powell:

My main OSes of choice these days are debian linux and a derivative of debian called devuan.

I tried Debian a while back but really didn't connect with it. Ubuntu

Server

for servers and if I want a GUI I use Mint. It all just seems to work for

what

I need. My work laptop is Mint.

-- NerdRage BBS - SysOp: TheNerd
-- telnet: nerdragebbs.ddns.net

I will put Mint on my list. Thanks

Mike Dippel

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* Origin: The Hobby Line! BBS - hobbylinebbs.com (954:895/1)

Re: Best Alternative OS
By: Mike Dippel to All on Fri May 10 2024 12:41 pm

> Knowing that Windows 10 has an expiration date coming up, and that most

machines do
not meet the minimum specs for Windows 11, does anyone have any recommendations for
an alternative OS?

I have a USB installer stick for Chrome Flex. I am also looking at Linux Lite. I would like
to do a different install on every machine to see which OS is the best for home use.

Have you been successful in using Chrome Flex? I've never used it.

I'm a linux administrator , so I would be probably try a lite version of linux.

There was one called https://www.techradar.com/news/best-lightweight-linux-distro

Puppy Linux is one I worked with years ago on small laptops.

Keep us posted, really interested to hear how things work out.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
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On 6/22/2024 6:05 PM, Amessyroom wrote to Mike Dippel:

Re: Best Alternative OS
By: Mike Dippel to All on Fri May 10 2024 12:41 pm

> Knowing that Windows 10 has an expiration date coming up, and that most

machines do
not meet the minimum specs for Windows 11, does anyone have any recommendations for
an alternative OS?

I have a USB installer stick for Chrome Flex. I am also looking at

Linux

Lite. I would like
to do a different install on every machine to see which OS is the best

for

home use.

Have you been successful in using Chrome Flex? I've never used it.

I'm a linux administrator , so I would be probably try a lite version of

linux.

There was one called https://www.techradar.com/news/best-lightweight-linux-distro

Puppy Linux is one I worked with years ago on small laptops.

Keep us posted, really interested to hear how things work out.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Too Lazy BBS - toolazy.ddns.net:2323 (954:895/66)

I have no plans to run a BBS on Linux so switching to Linux is probably not an option
for me. I am a fan the Chrome OS.

Mike Dippel


--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v7.0
* Origin: The Hobby Line! BBS - hobbylinebbs.com (954:895/1)

I have no plans to run a BBS on Linux so switching to Linux is probably not

an

option
for me. I am a fan the Chrome OS.

Are there BBSes that will run on Chrome OS? This is just a whild guess of mine, but I suspect that running one on Chrome would be similar to running
one on linux more so than on windows.

Someone with experience in doing so could easily prove me wrong, though.


* SLMR 2.1a * Patriotism is always the last refuge for the scoundrel.
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I using Windows 98 every day. This is amazing alternative os.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Mystic Hobbies BBS, mystic-hobbies.com (954:895/2)

I using Windows 98 every day. This is amazing alternative os.

I don't use it every day, but I do still have it loaded on a laptop that I
can play SimCity 2000 and 3000 on if I want.

Mike

* SLMR 2.1a * Pregnancy is a side effect of sloppy birth control.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
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I have this laptop with Windows98 for BBSing and Gophering. For Every day.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Mystic Hobbies BBS, mystic-hobbies.com (954:895/2)

Are there really still gopher sites? There are still bases. Lol

I've seen one poster with gopher site for his personal site. Just don't see them often.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
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Re: Re: Best Alternative OS
By: Amessyroom to roman on Fri Jul 05 2024 12:49 am

Are there really still gopher sites? There are still bases. Lol

Yes, there are, lol.

Even if the most interesting ones are gopher mirrors of http(s)sites, but also some personal sites are around.


--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (954:895/63)

Yes, the gopher:// protocol is still in use. Different people use it in different ways. I also use it as a public repository for my archives
of actual programs for Windows 9x-XP. In general are approximately 380 servers on the network. Apart from what is in the Onion.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
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Re: Re: Best Alternative OS
By: roman to Amessyroom on Sat Jul 06 2024 05:23 pm

Yes, the gopher:// protocol is still in use. Different people use it in different ways. I also use it as a public repository for my archives
of actual programs for Windows 9x-XP. In general are approximately 380

serve

on the network. Apart from what is in the Onion.

That's amazing. I remember using it before the web.

I've not looked at my site, but I understand synchronet also provides a gopher service. I'll have to check it out.

I found your site interesting, and appreciate you sharing it in your signature.

I'm still working on setting up my BBS; maybe once I get thing stable -- I can take a trip around the next to observe more of these gopher servers.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Too Lazy BBS - toolazy.ddns.net:2323 (1337:3/194)

I always suggest everyone to return to Gopher because it is very convenient and fast. Gopher also supports simple scripts and you can do many wonderful things from a guest book to RSS news parsers or something else.
I didn't leave the gopher link below, you confused me with Richard. But I still happy for your answer.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Mystic Hobbies BBS, mystic-hobbies.com (954:895/2)

I always suggest everyone to return to Gopher because it is very convenient

nd

fast. Gopher also supports simple scripts and you can do many wonderful things
from a guest book to RSS news parsers or something else.
I didn't leave the gopher link below, you confused me with Richard. But I

till

happy for your answer.

Are you familiar enough with linux to suggest a good gopher client for it?

I think someone in BBS Land might have written one not too long ago, but I
lost track of it.

Mike P


* SLMR 2.1a * Palindrome: Evil I did dwell; lewd did I live.
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Are you familiar enough with linux to suggest a good gopher client for
it?

Well I'll jump in here -- two Linux options I know of:

The classic gopher client for Unix (from University of Minnesota) is available on many distros. You can try (whatever the equivalent is on your distro): apt-get install gopher

The second option is lynx, the text-based web browser.

You can do something like:

lynx gopher://floodgap.com

(for example).

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Shipwrecks & Shibboleths [San Francisco, CA - USA] (954:895/31)

Well I'll jump in here -- two Linux options I know of:

The classic gopher client for Unix (from University of Minnesota) is

available

on many distros. You can try (whatever the equivalent is on your distro): apt-get install gopher

The second option is lynx, the text-based web browser.

You can do something like:

lynx gopher://floodgap.com

Thanks! I have links2 installed. It requires a helper for gopher that is
not installed (or I have not configured it). I should have known there
would be one called 'gopher' on a *nix system! :D

Mike P


* SLMR 2.1a * Cure for spurned lovers: broken heart surgery.
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Re: Re: Best Alternative OS
By: Mike Powell to ROMAN on Mon Jul 08 2024 08:54 am

Are you familiar enough with linux to suggest a good gopher client for it?

Lynx works fine.

Then there is Cgo and Nago. Probably a bunch of others too.

Nago is fun because it is basically a bash script XD


--
gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (954:895/63)

Knowing that Windows 10 has an expiration date coming up, and that most machines do
not meet the minimum specs for Windows 11, does anyone have any

recommenda

for
an alternative OS?

Linux, no doubt about it. (Though I consider it one of the three main OSes instead of an alternative, but eh, semantics.) I usually suggest that newcomers start with EndeavourOS, as it has access to a lot of software through the AUR (Arch User Repository), in addition to its main repo.


-Ƕƒlian

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Archaic Binary (954:895/28)

On 7/19/2024 12:52 AM, Halian wrote to Mike Dippel:

@TID: Mystic BBS 1.12 A49
@MSGID: 954:895/28 ff9e7ad8
@TZUTC: -0400

Knowing that Windows 10 has an expiration date coming up, and that

most

machines do
not meet the minimum specs for Windows 11, does anyone have any

recommenda

for
an alternative OS?

Linux, no doubt about it. (Though I consider it one of the three main OSes instead of an alternative, but eh, semantics.) I usually suggest that

newcomers

start with EndeavourOS, as it has access to a lot of software through the

AUR

(Arch User Repository), in addition to its main repo.

Very helpful! Thanks.

Mike Dippel

--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v7.0
* Origin: The Hobby Line! BBS - hobbylinebbs.com (954:895/1)

On 7/19/2024 12:52 AM, Halian wrote to Mike Dippel:

@TID: Mystic BBS 1.12 A49
@MSGID: 954:895/28 ff9e7ad8
@TZUTC: -0400

Knowing that Windows 10 has an expiration date coming up, and

that

machines do not meet the minimum specs for Windows 11, does

anyone

have any recommendations for an alternative OS?

Linux, no doubt about it. (Though I consider it one of the three main OSes instead of an alternative, but eh, semantics.) I usually suggest that newcomers start with EndeavourOS, as it has access to a lot of software through the AUR (Arch User Repository), in addition to its main repo.

Very helpful! Thanks.

Mike Dippel

You're welcome ^_^
-Ƕƒlian

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Archaic Binary (954:895/28)