Ask HN: What to Do with a Gifted Laptop?

5 points by BenFeldman1930 3y ago ↗ HN

I will be gifted a used 2019 x86-laptop. While I will eventually give it away to someone in need, what could I do with it in the meantime? This excludes modifying the hardware or buying extra hardware.

My ideas so far:

* install Linux from scratch

* install Android (e.g. Bliss OS)

* make it a typewriter with a very small Linux distro running Emacs Window Manager and "only" provide Emacs for text production

* boots directly into a C64 emulator to relive my childhood

Further, more creative ideas, guys and gals?

3 comments

[ 3.9 ms ] story [ 25.2 ms ] thread

Ratavata 3y ago ↗

If you laptop is gifted, you should try and let it pass the bar exam. I kid I kid.

DerekBickerton 3y ago ↗

- Old games (Maybe not as retro and far back as C64 though).

- Coding. Notepad++ plus a browser for webdev.

- Media Player. Hook a 4TB HDD up to it that's loaded with episodes of Friends, etc

- Home server. Use it as a home networking device?

epirogov 3y ago ↗

I have tested Puppy Linux Arcade for 800MHz HP Thin pc SNES, Dosbox and other emulators work good. Other distros have a lag..

https://archive.org/details/Puppy_Linux_Puppy_Arcade

Lightweight tools for work also tested within 256Mb of it memory. Now it going to be part of air defense subsystem ((