[Wolves] Small Linuxes

[Old Dan]

Adam Sweet wrote:
> I've been given an old 486 4MB laptop by work as it
> was going in a skip. Do I have a hope of using it for
> anything (other than Windows 3.1 which is on there)?
> 
> It's a Mitac 4023 and I have the original manual, plus
> a spec sheet (.pdf) is at
> http://www.mitacservice.com/visitor/fcabdl.asp?fid=49900698
> 
> 
> It has a built in floppy drive so at least I can get
> stuff on there and a pcmcia slot, but I'm no expert on
> old hardware so I'm not sure yet (ie nothing implied
> by the BIOS, the manual or Win3.1) whether it's a
> 486SX, DX33 or DX2-66 or what speed it is. I can
> upgrade to 20MB RAM (woohoo!) as it will take a 16MB
> 72pin Page Mode DIMM, thereby getting around the 4MB
> boot problem I have googled.
> 
> Basically what I'd like is suggestions for what
> purpose I can put it to (I can live without X if I can
> use it for network stuff), what distros to look at (v
> important) and how to find out if I need maths
> coprocessor emulation (which I guess is implicit in
> finding out which 486 variant it has). 
> 
>>From my googling so far it looks a pretty hairy
> project so any advice will be greatly recieved.
> Otherwise Win3.1 will win :(
Hmmm.  Sounds kinda like the Compaq 486SX33 with built-in monitor I have 
sitting in the corner.

That actually runs remote X quite nicely (although only with 8bit 
800x600, but that's only because of the oh-so-large graphics memory). 
I've installed Debian on it with a 2.4 kernel although IIRC I couldn't 
use bf24 and had to go with 2.2 and upgrade.  (maybe bf24 doesn't have 
FP emulation or something)  It was nice seeing a lowly SX33 'running' 
KDE3.1 acceptably... :)

(Yes, I'm on about remote X again, people.  Shoot me.  :) )

-- 
Dan