Linux is an amazingly scalable OS — that is, it can be used on anything from tiny embedded devices to large supercomputer clusters. This scalability is important for Linux as a whole, but it might not seem critical to the average office or home user who runs Linux on a PC, at least not at first. Upon closer examination, though, Linux’s scalability can be a useful boon to PC users. Do you have old computers gathering dust in a corner? Is your desktop system still functional but a bit sluggish because it’s a couple of years old? Did you buy a low-end bargain PC and now regret it because it’s too slow? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, Linux’s scalability may be the answer to your problems (well, some of them, anyway).
The key to using Linux on underpowered computers is to learn how to divest a standard Linux installation of the unnecessary cruft that tends to attach itself to mainstream distributions. There are a couple of ways of doing this: You can start with a less feature-laden distribution or strip down a larger one. In some cases, you might consider using Linux as a dedicated thin client. However you do it, you can have a fully functional Linux desktop or server on a very modest computer indeed, simply by choosing your software carefully.
Of course, there are limits to this — you won’t be able to get high-definition video playback or host a massively popular…
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