[NCLUG] Cheapskate thanks you for your kind assistance

[Rich Young]

Ken-
	Here's another idea that hasn't been raised yet:  you could install the 
linux distro of your choice, and then buy VMWare's virtual machine software 
to install Windows.  This lets you use Windows from within linux, so you're 
encouraged to switch to linux for most uses, but you still have Windows to 
fall back on when there isn't a viable linux alternative.  This is the way 
I'm doing things. (Well, I just finished the free trial period on VMWare; I 
need to buy the full version now.  But I will be buying it.)
	Here are the benefits/drawbacks I see with this method:
+ You get to use your good hardware for your linux box
+ You also get to use your good hardware for your windows box.
+ You don't have to reboot to switch operating systems
+ When windows crashes, you don't have to reboot -- just restart the VM or 
work in Linux for a while.
+ You don't need your 486's or your KVM switch, at least not for a while....
- You will need to buy a bigger hard drive -- 3.5G is going to be really 
tight. Figure $80 or so, as Les said.  The elbow room is worth it, IMO.
- You will also need to buy VMWare.  It's around $150, I think.
- You need a Windows install disk and some way to back up your current 
windows data so you have it around when you put VMWare in place.

So around $230 gets you up & running without any more hardware purchases, 
unless you have to buy something to enable the backup mentioned last.  Not 
cheap, probably not as cheap as buying a used machine comparable to your 
current one, but a neat option because it gets you using linux all the time.

BTW, Les's advice to check compatibility on your hardware before the install 
was very sage.  Definitely worth the time if you're going with the scenario I 
outlined above.

--Rich

Les wrote:
>  Another cheap alternative for you would be to buy
> like an 18-20 GB hard-drive for about $80. (you can't
> buy new drives much smaller anymore) Put it in your
> 366Mhz computer. This way you can utilize all the
> hardware you currently have and be able to access your
> windows folders. Transfer all your windows stuff to
> the big drive and making it the master then you'll
> have loads of extra bloatware space. Use your little
> 3.5 GB drive as a slave or master on the second IDE
> port for linux.