In light of the current Covid 19 virus crisis and its consequences, which have led many to work from their homes and most students switch to remote education, the demand for more computers at home has increased, as children currently need computers through which they can finish their homework and continue their studies remotely through applications Like zoom.
Buying new devices, of course, may be a solution, but the problem is the high cost of these devices, so it may be the best solution to recycle an old computer that is already at home, and convert it into a modern device that can perform daily tasks efficiently and easily.
What is the problem with old computers?
In many cases, the user is forced to replace his old computer with a new one, because the computer's performance has slowed down considerably and becomes unable to perform daily tasks, so even if the computer is in good condition in terms of hardware, but with the passage of time and the need for modern programs for stronger hardware, the old computers It is unable to meet these requirements and appears slow, and perhaps the most important programs that need stronger hardware with time is the operating system itself, especially the Windows operating system, which generally needs strong hardware to run well, which is the main problem for most old devices that contain Modest hardware, so the solution to this problem is always to install an operating system other than Windows on these computers, to work better on older hardware.
There are many alternatives for Windows, but here we will focus only on free and open source alternatives.
Alternative operating systems
Most of us use the Windows operating system and perhaps some are unaware of the existence of other operating systems available, and each existing system has its disadvantages and advantages. The Windows system, for example, is characterized by its great spread, which means greater support and the availability of more applications for it. Free and most importantly, it is not open source, which means that only the manufacturer (Microsoft) knows the system code, which weakens the system in terms of digital security.
Windows alternatives are many, but here we will focus only on free and open source alternatives, which work better with devices with old hardware to improve their performance, namely:
1- Linux
The Linux operating system is the most popular alternative to Windows, and it is an open source and safe system. On usability, some focus on performance, etc.
Perhaps the best distributions that can work on devices that contain old hardware is the Mint distribution, which is characterized by its small size, remarkable speed, and non-depletion of computer hardware, and its most important disadvantage is the unattractive operating interface, especially for children, and the need for some technical knowledge of the Linux operating system to get the best Using experience.
2- Chrome OS
Chrome OS is a free, open-source operating system developed by Google, and the philosophy of the system is based on the fact that most of the tasks we need are performed on the browser, so the whole system is based on the Chrome browser, and applications can be added to it via the Chrome app store.
But over time, Google developed the Chrome OS system to support Android applications, as it allows installing any application available on the Google Play Store, which means access to thousands of applications and games, in addition to the system in its latest version that supports Linux applications.
Chrome OS operating system interface
Chrome OS is an ideal operating system for students, it is a very easy system that is very similar to dealing with the Chrome browser, and it is characterized by the easy and attractive operating interface, the main defect of the system is the system’s consumption of RAM significantly when opening many Tabs simultaneously in the browser, which is the same problem as the Chrome browser in any operating system, but in general, a light Chrome OS system can work on devices with poor hardware.
All this made computers operating with Chrome OS a basic choice for educational institutions around the world.
Usually, to get a device running Chrome OS, you have to buy a Chromebook computer, which is mainly aimed at students because of the ease of dealing with the system, but thanks to the fact that Chrome OS is open source, there are several copies of the system available on the Internet, It can be downloaded to any computer and work well.
To get Chrome OS on your old computer, you can use services like CloudReady or fydeos, the two services are very similar, so we will suffice in this article to explain the CloudReady service.
To download the CloudReady version of Chrome OS to your computer, you will need at least 8 GB of storage memory, then you will download the external memory configuration tool from this link.
Insert the external memory tool into the computer that you downloaded the external memory configuration tool on, and then run the external memory configuration tool that will wipe all the data from the external memory, then load the CloudReady operating system copy on the external memory.
After completing the process, you will have an external memory containing the CloudReady system ready to be downloaded to any computer.
To download to the device to be converted to work in the CloudReady system, insert the external memory of the device, then convert the device to boot from the external memory Boot from USB and then follow the instructions on the screen until the installation process is completed.
After installation, you can access the system through your personal account on Google, which will allow you to access the Play Store applications and games.
i would like to note that i recommend debian with the lxde window manager interface, above all other linux distribution and user interface management system.