the3dfxdude wrote on 2021-09-10, 23:33:

That's really neat. […]
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Caluser2000 wrote on 2021-09-10, 22:57:

Although a bit lethargic an older Firefox-esr on Devuan Jessie(When archive status middle of last year) works on a shoe string on my K6-2 400 rig. Fine for this site and some old computer sites. Slackware 14.2 on the same system Firefox-esr is even quicker. Both Linux version boot up to the desktop in under a minute on spinning rust.

That's really neat.

One thing to note on these era systems, there were a number of period correct GPUs that had accelerated X drivers back in the day. But in modern linux, they are no longer accelerated. Unless you can somehow get these old drivers versions compiled again that have support. Anyway, here are some tips to consider to bring some of this back in modern linux, courtesy of flaterco:
https://flaterco.com/kb/video/X-regressions.html

I see Slackware came up. I figured it would have earlier. It seems like a good fit.
In addition, X had support for ISA/VLB video cards removed a while ago. XFree86 3.3.6 can be built on modern NetBSD to support them, but the source needs patched in a bunch of places where the C code is too fast and loose for a modern optimizing compiler.
About a year or so ago, I built the whole NetBSD OS with custom compiler flags for a 486 to try and shrink things down. It wasn't as painful as it sounds, but unfortunately I didn't keep the notes I made. Modern NetBSD or Linux, the issue is more RAM than anything else. NetBSD 9 was hopeless with under 32MB.

BitWrangler wrote on 2021-09-11, 00:15:

Good link, thanks, but holy crap that's grim... I bet if you complain, it'll be like "But can't you see, this is why we're moving to Wayland" ... ummm won't that just extra break the broken, fully break the half broken, and break everything not broken before???

Yes, I'd been trying stuff for years on obscure hardware myself, to try to squeeze the most out of old hardware lying around so I never had to upgrade. Sadly most of the stuff I had when I was doing this more is gone from this era. Seeing there is a whole community interested in this stuff, and it's growing, maybe there is a chance to bring back and update the old code. Some people here do have that kind of skill, and we have the source code, since it's linux. So I guess we can counteract the trend to break and forget things.

I'm not sure where best to draw the line though. Some machines that have limited RAM are better for DOS, and maybe some early Win here and there or linux. I think the i586 kind of can go either way. Late i586 for sure, can still make a great linux system it seems. I might have to actually build out a second i586 system out of what I have left so I have both options...

Knoppix 4 and 5 is fun to run on medium old stuff... that was another distro I was following like, almost there, just fixes tweaks and polish, *new release* almost there, just fixes tweaks and polish,*new release* almost there, just fixes tweaks and polish, *new release* *new base* *new interface* Awww, noooooooooo, you screwed it up completely.

The Puppies show you what you can do on lower RAM, some of them work nice on 1997ish up systems. What is it with live distros though that go all to hell as soon as you try an install, what the hell, I wanted it like it was running on the CD.

I mean you can/could get basic X running "as good as windows" on a 16MB 486 in the slackware 4 and 5 days, fvwm maybe mach32 acceleration if you were lucky 1024x768 maybe. But probably 586 target wants 64MB min or around there. At least that shouldn't squeeze out the earlier P-MMX laptops that can only take one SODIMM and most of them will take a 64MB which are still gettable.

Personally the lowest I'd go is 128megs of ram, which what I had in my HP P200mmx setup with Red Hat 7.3 installed. Still have that hdd somewhere. I'll see if I can drag it out.

I had Mandrake 6.1 on a Compaq CDS 542 with 64 megs of ram. Networked with a OS/2 v4 and Windows 98 box for ppp internet 😉 Over coax no less...😉

Oberon could run on late 20th century PCs, too..

"Native Oberon has small hardware requirements: 133 MHz Pentium, 100MB hard disk,
VESA 2 graphics card with resolution minimum of 1024x768 pixels, optional 3Com network card. The basic system runs from one HD floppy disk, and more software can be
installed through a network. The full installation includes the Gadgets GUI.
It is written fully in the language Oberon. "

Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberon_(operating_system)

Jo22 wrote on 2021-09-19, 10:20:

Oberon could run on late 20th century PCs, too.. […]
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Oberon could run on late 20th century PCs, too..

"Native Oberon has small hardware requirements: 133 MHz Pentium, 100MB hard disk,
VESA 2 graphics card with resolution minimum of 1024x768 pixels, optional 3Com network card. The basic system runs from one HD floppy disk, and more software can be
installed through a network. The full installation includes the Gadgets GUI.
It is written fully in the language Oberon. "

Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberon_(operating_system)

Nah it is useless because there is no commercial applications to run on it. You really clutching at strews man.

Oh boy. Please stop talking to me. Please.

Jo22 wrote on 2021-09-19, 11:00:

Oh boy. Please stop talking to me. Please.

I take it that was directed at that Nathan fellow?

There is a saying " Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" .

I'm not playing your game. I'm tired. Go troll somewhere else, please.
Or send PMs to the people you want to annoy. It's your decision.

Anyway, there's also Kolibri OS.. It's a descendant of the original 32-Bit MenuetOS. It barely runs on hardware from that era.
Several programs have been ported over in the last years, like Quake, IRC clients, DOSBox and so on.

https://kolibrios.org/en/
http://www.menuetos.net/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KolibriOS

Here's an ancient/historic thread from the early days about
DOSBox on MenuetOS (from 2005, please don't reply):
Dos Box For Menuet OS - Lack of Link...

Jo22 wrote on 2021-09-20, 11:24:

I'm not playing your game. I'm tired. Go troll somewhere else, please.
Or send PMs to the people you want to annoy. It's your decision.

I'm not trolling at all. But you can believe that ifit makes you feel better.

And I have certianly not sent any PMs to annoy anyone on vogons so so you can cut that lie/accusation out . That is all in your imagination and false allegations on your part.

It it is nice to see you supplying useful links for a change. Well done.