[Brookhaven]

Don’t even think of trying to kick off this year’s Ubuntu distros on a 10 year old computer.

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Don’t confuse a Linux distribution with the Linux core. Some Linux distros tend to throw everything (from open office to lush graphics environments) into their install. The core that you actually need to run Linux is very small. That’s why it is becomming the OS of choice for embedded software (from DVD players to handheld GPS systems, heck my TV is even running Linux.)

[HiTech RedNeck]

Linux and graphical UNIXes don’t actually need to be that big. I remember the old Suns as being pretty peppy. But it’s sad to see that the answer to Gates bloatware seems to be Torvalds bloatware. Anyone who wants to ride on the coattails of the latter may find it hard to keep from being bloatware themselves. More power to them, if they can rediscover the few-megabyte glory days of old. Pop in, say, an SD drive and you’re in hog heaven. Wouldn’t it be a hoot to plug your old style monitor and keyboard into a cellphone and get something attractive and usable (as human miniaturization is unlikely to come soon).

[ShadowAce]

The core that you actually need to run Linux is very small.

As evidenced by this nifty machine.