Save those Old Computers!Using Free Software to Extend Your

Hardware's Life

Paul AdasiakElmer E. Rasmuson Library,

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Alaska Library Association Conference

Anchorage, Alaska

March 7, 2010

Saving Money

Spend less on Windows-related software

Extend the useful life of existing computers

Spend less on new hardware

The future of MS Windows

• XP retail sales ended 2009

• New computers running XP no longer sold

• Microsoft to support XP SP2 until July, 2010; SP3, April 2014

• Next: Windows Vista? Windows 7?

MS Windows: Memory requirements

• XP: minimum 64 MB, recommended 128 MB (low end, per MS) to 1 GB

• Vista: minimum 512 MB, ships with 1 GB, recommended 2 GB

• 7: 1 GB (32-bit), 2 GB (64-bit)

• ==> New Hardware

GNU / Linux

• GNU ("GNU's Not Unix")

• Linux

"Free"

Free software

Four freedoms:

• Run for any purpose

• Study and modify program

• Copy and redistribute program

• Improve program and release improvements

Free ≠ Cheap

Free ≠ Free

Memory (RAM) requirementsDistribution Required RAM Recommended RAM

CentOS ? 256 MB?

Debian 64 MB 512 MB

DSL 24 MB ?

Fedora 192 MB 256 MB

Mandriva 256 MB 512 MB

openSUSE 256 MB 512 MB

PCLinuxOS 256 MB 512 MB

Puppy ? 128 MB

SimplyMEPIS 128 MB 512 MB

Ubuntu 384 MB 512 MB

Windows 7 1 GB (1024 MB) (32-bit)2 GB (2048 MB) (64-bit)

Linux systems offer:

• Familiar, easy graphical user interface

• MS-compatible office software

• Web browsers, e-mail clients, chat, and other Internet software

• Multimedia players and editors

• Photo and graphics viewing and editing

• SCADS of available software

• Endless customizability

OpenOffice.org Writer

OpenOffice.org Calc

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Thunderbird

Kaffeine (Media) player

GIMP(GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Package (software) managers

Additional open-source software

Implementation Methods

• Desktop / Workstation (full systems)

• Server

• Thin-client machines

• Custom appliances (e.g., SUSE Studio)

• Mixed environment (Linux and Windows)

Concerns / Pitfalls / Drawbacks

• Learning curve

• "This site requires Internet Explorer"

• Hardware difficulties

• Tech support?

• "But my software won't run on Linux!"

(ILS, ListenAlaska, EBL)

SirsiDynix Symphony WorkFlows

Wine (Wine Is Not an Emulator)

• A "translation layer" for running Windows-native programs on Linux:

• Microsoft Office

• Apple iTunes

• Adobe Photoshop

Open-source library software

• Koha

• Evergreen

• phpMyLibrary

• OpenBiblio

• OpenUserful

• Libki

Choosing a distribution:Cost options

• Free (gratis)

• Commercial (enterprise)

• Free with paid support

• Managed systems

Choosing a distribution:Other options

• Innovation versus stability

• Hardware support

• Ease of use

• Desktop environment: GNOME, KDE, Xfce, Fluxbox, other?

Choosing a distribution:Bottom-line concerns

• Stability: Will it be around in five years?

• Security: Are there regular patches and upgrades?

• Currency: Will the maintainers release software upgrades promptly?

• Support: Is there good community support, or will the vendors talk to us?

Thank you, and good luck!