I would not bother with that old version they are on version 8 currently. You can get the disc free or just download the iso file free then burn your own disc.

Linux
there is distrowatch site

How can you get Ubuntu?
you can just go there to request they send you free cd's of ubuntu, kubuntu, all the various ubuntu versions. I much prefer kubuntu which uses the KDE desktop, I like it more than Gnome which is what is default on Ubuntu.

It is an excellent idea to always have a copy of a linux live cd around should your windows become inaccessible, you can just boot to the live cd and possibly gain access to your windows partition to save some of your files.
So you do at least have that old live cd for that.
This site tells how to use one
Live CDs,
10 things to do with a live Linux CD

Thanx-

Well I stuck it in anyway just to see what gives and get a general idea. I found it usable with a bit of preliminary thrashing around BUT!!!!!!!

I absolutely could not change the screen resolution and more importantly the refresh rate. It was stuck on 1280 X 1024 with 61Hz and I use 1152 X 864 with 75 Hz.

Really, anything below 75Hz and for me the screen flickers terribly. It made me sick. I had to eat a slice of bread slathered with peanut butter (Laura Scudder - smooth) and wash that down with a double strength (2 teaspoon fulls) cup of instantaneous coffee (Tasters Choice). That'll give you clenched sphincters.

I find it almost incredible - I see a screen flickering and others look at it and see no flicker. Unbelievable. Must be sumthin rong wit dere vision.

Anyway I will send away for the newest version and when the CD gets here in approximately 10 weeks will take another look. IF I remember what it was for :-) Prolly install it on my old silent-as-the-tomb W98 outfit.

Perhaps if it had been installed rather than from a Live CD a driver could have been found to raise the refresh rate. ?

Oh! I couldn't change the colors on the title bars etc and the flickering white just killed my superb flicker detecting vision. Didn't see that option - maybe it's there but don't think so.

when doing the install one of the steps has some options at the bottom of the page and one of the options is to set your resolutions etc, I always do that in that step before going on in the install and doing it later, once installed you could probably get it set up right for your pc, sometimes it takes a little messing with some xorg settings, I had a little problem with mine in gOS but was able to get it fixed easily.

Using the live cd is always good because if you have issues there it is an indicator that you may well have the same problems on install.

It will not take long to get the cd, they come to me in about a week and a half, they are coming from a foreign country so sometimes it takes longer.

Just be sure to check the stats on requirements for running the version you want to install and see if you old pc has at least that. On some of the real old ones that are very slim on memory and hard drive space a better choice is damn small linux, puppy linux, or the light version of Mepis AntiX. I run Mepis as my primary distro, on it now actually and love it.

It's 768 Ram and 10g Hd so it should work. If W98 is removed I could put in more RAM w/o stabiliy worries and the 98 isn't used anyway. Don't need much anyway I don't do music, pictures etc.

Ravencajun or any other Linux user, been meaning to ask about using a Linux distro on an older Dell laptop. It presently has XP Home, but is so slow it is pathetic. When I bought it, it was "upgraded" to 256MB RAM. Hah! Anyway, there are only two memory slots, each with a 128MB stick. Trouble with attempting to add more is that only one of the slots is accessible to the user. I gave this comp to my son who uses it only for a bit of surfing and e-mail. Since any MS OS requires so much updating, and he only uses this at hot spots, I'm wondering if some Linux distro would serve him better and not be so hampered by the lack of RAM. I have ordered the Kubuntu distro to try out on my computer which has the Athlon 64x processor. Which one would your recommend for this Dell that would be easy for him to use? In the past he has used an old Apple laptop, so I don't think switching from Windows would bother him. Sorry this is so long, and thanks for any advice.

most linux will work well on 256 MB RAM that is one of the great things about Linux it gives new life to old systems like that.

Kubuntu would be a good choice it is a very easy distro to learn and since it uses the KDE desktop is more similar to windows. There is a wonderful community that is always available to help new users too so when you get it just give me a shout and I can direct you to some good areas to get help and learn.

Some times there can be issues using wireless with linux but if it is an older set up he may not have problems and there are ways to usually get it working.

If he wanted an even lighter distro I would suggest AntiX which is a version of Mepis the distro I use, it is also very easy and is good about just working well with most hardware right off.
on that distrowatch site I posted about you can always get the free disto of pretty much any version of linux but you do have to burn the iso to cd. On that site though there are links to sites that sell the cd's for usually under $5 each if you don't want to do it yourself.
Another option is go to any book store and pick up a linux magazine and look inside they usually all have a free cd of some version of linux.

I went to the link you posted above RC and ordered a Live Cd and also downloaded the file for Ubuntu 8 which I will burn. I have seen much todo about linux over the years and have always meant to give it a shot. I guess nows the time. I like the idea of a live CD rather than just downloading until I figure out if I want to permanently keep or not. Like they say, its always great to have a Linux Live CD around just incase Windows craps out sometime

Personally I wish everyone would either use a linux live cd or add Linux to their pc in a separate partition or use the wubi installer to put it into windows itself.

At any rate it should be what everyone uses to do their day to day activities online, like surfing, going to forums, checking your web mail, anything like that should be done using linux and there would be much less infections happening. It is so easy to do and so easy to use for those simple chores there really is no reason not to do it.

I never surf using windows anymore just too many websites that have been infected and are spreading nasty bugs. Surfing with linux no worries they can't affect you.
There is on a daily basis normally nothing I have to switch over to my windows pc for. But should I need it for some of the programs that I use on windows then I do just that switch to that pc do my work there then go back to linux to hit the internet.

Using linux to do that kind of simple stuff is a breeze. Plus if you already use firefox you wont' notice you are on linux since you will be using firefox there also. And you can save your bookmarks file from your windows firefox and import it to the linux firefox and have all your faves right there there.

Running on live cd will be slower of course than installing it but it is great for starting out so you can see how to use it and not mess anything up.

I put up that link to how to order the free cd just for that reason I wish everyone here would go ahead and order at least one to have on hand should your windows ever die on you at least with the live cd handy you can get in and save your files off.

I am by no means a linux pro but I sure do know some so anytime anyone needs help please just ask and if I don't know the answer I will find someone who can help! They are very helpful people, and forums available.

There is a somewhat new way to use linux on your windows pc using the wubi installer, this is included on the ubuntu and kubuntu live cd. With wubi you choose to install linux to your windows just as if it were any other type of program. Say like you are installing AVG it puts it in it's own folder then if you ever want to get rid of it you go to add remove programs and select it and hit remove. That is what wubi does, it installs linux in windows as a program in it's own folder and does not interfere with anything else on your windows system, if you decide you no longer want it go to add remove programs find it in the list and hit remove.
You can select how large you want to let the linux folder be when you install it. here are a couple screenshots to show how simple it is.
Screenshots
WubiGuide

This is yet another way to get linux using wubi
Installing Ubuntu From A Windows System With Wubi

so lots of ways to get it and use it with out messing with your windows area at all.

Ravencajun,
I am still using Ubuntu, but I will order a new hard drive and install it and put Windows on that one. That way all my programs will work again, They don't play so well on Ubuntu.
I have space where I can have more than one hard drive so that is what I will do. My son doesn't want me to do this , he says he can clean Ubuntu off, but I don't want to wait till Nov which is when he will be back up here from Key West.I will keep this hard drive with Ubuntu on it so that way I am not losing anything.

that is a good way to do it then you can use the ubuntu to do all your stuff online and not have to risk getting infected and use the windows to run your programs that would not work on linux.
I never do anything online with windows now except go get my windows updates.