Best use for old computer

I have an 2 old pc's, run at about 500mhz. One has windows 98SE installed, the other Fedora Core 3 linux, although I would be willing to install a new operating system if possible.

OK, I want to do something creative or interesting with the 2 pc's, however I cannot decide what to do, what are your suggestions?

Jimbob

 

Anchor!

 

OK, is that a computing term or something used on a ship?

Jimbob

 

Seriously this time, load couple of simple games and donate to a child care centre for 4-5 year olds to use?

 

that sounds interesting Buck!!!

that would be the money best spend these days...

 

Hey JB

Those two vastly outdated Puters are newer than the one I have. Seeing that I fit Bucko's criteria as a 4-5 yr old (it has been suggested many times) maybe I would qualify. The wooden keys on mine are all worn down.

Play on, big ed

 

Couple of good uses:

Boys and Girls Clubs (or UK equivalent)

Local church

Throw a big hard drive/extra NIC in it and use it as network storage, or a router, or print server...

Use it to perform "experiments"!

 

Ideal as a platform for a linux based firewall/router distribution.

 

We already have a router with a hardware frewall built in and we have a few printers around the house, we don't need to share one using a print server.

Any more ideas?

Jimbob

 

Althought the thought had crossed my mind and I occassionally do give things away to charity shops. The computers were gifts, some from very old relatives and I wouldn't like to give them away.

Jibmob

 

Go ahead JB, it's something you can truly feel proud of.

GF

 

What about using one of them (or both) for protein folding.

http://folding.stanford.edu/

Or maybe one for F@H and the other for SETI@HOME

http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/

 

Is there anything I can use on a computer which would not normally be connected to the internet. Maybe where only the logs needed to be sent off after the actually process has been done?

Jimbob

 

Many of the folding@Home work units take 2 weeks or more to run on a 500 mHz machine. Set options to Ask before connecting. When the work unit is done, restart Folding in a DOS box with the -send all option. Done.

 

Yes, good idea! I think people should donate their old computers when the old computer is really not in use already.

 

The only problem with donating the computer to someone else is that durring its life time, it has contained some sensitive data. I would have to wipe the harddrives unused disk space.

Jimbob