Running old hardware on Windows 98? You are in luck, this article details how Linux can save the day. :)
In this tutorial-style article, Michael C. Barnes outlines a strategy to avoid costly upgrades from Windows 98 to Windows XP -- in terms of both hardware and software -- by upgrading to Linux, instead.
Barnes reviews the typical requirements of computers used for relatively generic purposes, and shows how to give a new lease on life to aging laptops and PCs by replacing obsolete OSes such as Windows 98 with a combination of Linux, free open source applications, and inexpensive commercial software.
Choosing an upgrade path from Windows 98
by Michael C. Barnes
Some estimates show that 27 percent of all Windows-based PCs are running Windows 98. It's no wonder, then, that Microsoft has bowed to consumer pressure and said it will extend support for Windows 98 until June 2006. While Microsoft would like to see customers upgrade every two to three years, corporate users prefer a longer life-cycle of five to eight years.
Although Windows XP is a major improvement over Windows 98, upgrading to XP isn't just a matter of paying the money and installing the software. Windows XP requires a much more robust computer than does Windows 98.
