Learning Linux - Making use of that old computer or maybe picking up a second or third

It would seem that owning a second or third computer for other members of your family, or maybe for guests if you run a B&B or something similar, is getting to be more affordable these days. I'm sure a lot of you in the Linux community know of the LTSP project (http://www.ltsp.org) and have successfully setup your own Linux Terminal Server.

For those of you new to the Linux world, this is a very affordable way to to have more than 1 computer run off of a single Linux install.

It requires a Computer to act as a server. You can still use this machine as an everyday workstation. No problems there. The benefits are being able to use older, less expensive computers as Terminals. The entire operating system loads from the network. The workstations do not require a Hard Drive and really only need a Floppy drive and a Network Card, a supported Video Card and a Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse.

Personally, I am currently using such a setup in my home and have done so in the past with a smaller machine than I am using now. Here's a few details:

If you have:

AMD/INTEL 800Mhz +
256MB RAM +
40GB HD +
100MB NIC
10/100 Switch
A willingness to read
The ability to follow written instructions.

Now, the above is the smallest server I have tried this on. Keep in mind, the workstations do use the servers resources for applications and such, so consider these to be MINIMUM REQUIEMENTS for a SERVER.

In my location, you can buy a used/reconditioned P3 566+ for about $179.00. Add a Monitor and you are ready to go. This is much cheaper than $800+ for a new machine. This size of workstation is more than adequate and you can use workstations as lightweight as a Pentium 75Mhz.

This little teaser will hopefully get you interested in trying this out. Remember, it is usually best to try this on a newly installed system. You can update your server packages as normal. I have personally only had an update break the LTSP install once, but it did require a reinstall on my part. This was probably due to a lack of patience/time on my part and the problem was more than likely resolvable.

READ the documentation. Yes, you must read the docs for the LTSP project. Go over the site, see if it is something you are interested in trying out. If so, BACKUP! Seriously. As with any venture into new areas, take precautions. Backup your /etc directory at the very least. [tar -cvzf /root/etc-orginal.tar.gz /etc]. If you have the resources, backup your entire system. A second hard drive is the perfect place.

Good Luck.

Resources, LTSP, ROM-O-MATIC.
LTSP Site: http://www.ltsp.org
BOOT ROMS: http://rom-o-matic.net