At some point or another, that laptop that has served us well for so many years it to become to ‘old’ to run operating systems, such as Windows 10, that require more up to date hardware.
This doesn’t means that we cannot use that old laptop anymore, because if it still works if would be a waste to throw it away. Instead, we can install an operating system that has lower system requirements.
And here it comes the best part, Linux based operating systems like Ubuntu are free, has much lower system requirements than Windows and can be installed easily and in no time.
Installing Ubuntu on an old laptop
Ubuntu can not only be downloaded from their official page but also they provide instructions on how to install it or even the option to try it before installing it by running it from an USB.
As Ubuntu it is very well known and used, it has a lot of community support and a lot of resources are available on the net. Any doubt, question, clarification or already has an answer readily available or can be asked to the Ubuntu community.
As a warning, I must say that using Ubuntu may not that straightforward as using Windows. It requires some time to get used to any Linux distribution and some task like installing additional software may require some time and specific knowledge.
Said that, if that old laptop it is only required for some basic tasks like browsing internet or watching a movie, Ubuntu can deployed and used straight away.
Giving the old laptop new and useful purposes
Let’s explore our option for an old laptop…
That old laptop can be used as a first PC for a young teenager, a PC that can be used and ‘destroyed’ without incurring in a major loss.
In this case, an old laptop with Ubuntu it is just ideal because it can be the gateway to further knowledge like computer programming. We all know how smart our small children are and how quickly they can grasp new knowledge so that old laptop with Linux and a readily available command line may bring out the programming genie inside of that child or teenager.
In the worst case, the child will ‘break’ something and we just need to reinstall the free Ubuntu operating system.
Another option, maybe one that it is not in most people’s mind, it is to use to mine cryptocurrencies. Most people has heard about Bitcoin and that it is possible to mine it using some powerful hardware, but bitcoin it is not the only cryptocurrency that can be mined.
This relatively ‘young’ but with a lot of potential cryptocurrency called Nimiq, can be mined using a web browser and without the need to specific and expensive hardware. The old laptop with Ubuntu may be your gateway to learn about cryptocurrencies, the mining of cryptocurrencies and even the source of some passive income.
Note that mining will consume power and our electricity bill may increase because of the higher power consumption. It is up to you, the person reading this article, to assess if Nimiq mining it is or it will be profitable and a possible passive income source.
We hope that this information has ‘saved’ the life of your old laptop and bring it new purpose. If you have some ideas or suggestions related to this topic, let us know so we can share them with other people.
After all, reducing waste and save money it is on everyone’s interest.
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