My leanings: Mint, Lubuntu.
System specs
System specs
- HP DM1 3010NR. 64-bit Netbook. Manufactured early 2011.
- AMD E-350 APU (CPU with embedded GPU) 1.6GHZ. Dual-core 64-bit. BobCat.
- Gigabit ethernet, Wireless-N Wi-Fi (not AC, no 5ghz), BlueTooth, Verizon 4G
- 2TB 5400 RPM hard disk drive (upgrade) 7mm heigh (1tb per platter)
- 32GB DDR3-1600 RAM (2x16GB so-dimm sticks; upgrade).
- Firefox & Chrome
- Watch movies. X264 1080p. Close equivalent to Media Player Classic.
- Games - Open source, emulators, closed-source freeware, and commercial. Nothing newer than 2010 unless it is one of those low-spec games
- Pictures, books, music
- LibreOffice
- BOINC (background science crunching), with VirtualBox if able (for LHC project apps).
- Need Ethernet, wi-fi, and graphics drivers to work
- Four systems bought for $50 each from boot-to-BIOS / intact screen parts/repair as-is auctions on eBay. 2TB HDD and 16GB RAM Modules purchased from NewEgg.
- The RAM's very high speed isn't utilized, but the BIOS is using a very low CAS latency to get partial exploitation.
- CPU is underclocked to control heat (Cheap A/C 85) and bring power consumption on par with a more modern but more expensive Gigabyte Brix or Intel Nuc
- CPU is the main system bottleneck, then HDD. Most 'old linux' distros appear tuned for RAM amoiunt bottlenecks.
- Oodles and kaboodles of RAM, more than all the software the slow CPU can run can ever use.
- Huge 5400rpm HDD to be filled up to the brim with games, movies, music, books, and pictures
- Reason for Linux: Out of windows 7 license keys and Windows 10 driver support for these PCs is poor.
- Set-up user is experienced windows user with light Linux experience (I can format XFS drives and set up swap partitions via GUI). Can do home-DIY IT & network.
- End users are intermediate windows users with no linux experience with semi-regular contact to me.
- Don't mind lightweight desktop. Like LXDE over XFCE. Don't know LXQT but seem positive. Good with Cinnamon. Don't dig GNOME
- Windows Aero type features not required
- Prefer paint.net over GIMP
- Prefer Media Player Classic Home Cinema over VLC.
- No one minds using closed-source freeware or commercial software
- Need large repositories and good software compatibility especially games and emulators.
- Willing to use WINE but native software is preferred. End users won't be into tinkering WINE to make stuff work.