Creative uses for a harddriveless computer

[Artimus]

Hello all. I have recently aquired a new computer. It has no harddrive(too broke to get another one at the moment) and the CD-Rom seems to be too new for the computer. I've been trying to build a mini distro. Its not turning out very well... Anyway, I'm looking for some creative uses I can use it for. I've already heard 'doorstop' a couple of times

The Computer:
Codename: FFS
Processor: AMD K-6 300mhz
Motherboard: Something with an ALI chipset
Ram: 32 megs
Harddrive: None at all
CD-Roms: I've got one but it doesn't recognize at all
Floppy: I've got 2 drives and about floppies 7 disks.
NIC: I've got 2 NE2000 ethernet cards
Graphics Card: I don't know what it is. Kinda irrelivant.

Also, if you have any ideas for good mini-distro's that aren't too hard to configure, I'd appriciate it.

[Modorf]

there is always the good old fashon fish tank.
Paper weight.
Air filter / dust collector.
Space heater.
use it support a shelf.
Monitor stand.

That is what I have for the moment.
Nathan.

[viperlin]

http://www.toms.net/rb/

linux on 1 floppy

[FoBoT]

freesco (router) runs great on a floppy disk

[kam]

www.ltsp.org

Turn it into a thin client. :) You may not have any practical use for it right now, but its just a cool thing to do.

[Artimus]

I only have 1 monitor to share with 2 computers. And for the price of a KVM switch, I could buy a harddrive... Tom's Root is kinda pointless. What I plan to have installed:

Linux 2.4 Kernel
Iptables
IP Masquarading with 'neo' (It has 6 versions of linux, Windows 2k for my mom and FreeBSD)
Telnet(From the neo only)
TinyHTTPD
Dhcpcd

My biggest problem is getting a small enough kernel. My system is having problems compiling a kernel. The Slackware one is 1.1Mb out of the box, so that is no good. Maybe I can format a floppy to 1.7 MB.

Btw, I got 4 responses in like 10 minutes. Cool ^_^

[sharth]

build a kernel with support for a compressed filesystem. and then have a constant root filesystem that is compressed. and use a rc.script to create a ram disk on /tmp and some other spots.

an option...

[linux12414]

Use it for your text-based stuff.

I have an ancient Franklin (Apple precursor) that was my late Dad's first computer.

Love the thing...I have all my recipes on in.

Darned thing uses 5 1/4" floppies :-P

[NecroLin]

There are a couple of choices:

a) hal: mini distro works off of one floppy (or you may want to try: BasicLinux (based on Slack), tomsrtbt, floppyfw, etc.

b) Linux off of CD: ie DemoLinux (www.demolinux.org), this is based on Debian, but the whole thing runs off of a CD-Rom, no install required.

c) Can't you set up a diskless workstation, thin client type idea, where you have a server & do a remote boot. I've never touched on this, but it may be fun to try.

The one monitor part will be a problem, but....unless you want to set something up like a firewall, name server or something there's not much you can do without a monitor.

[Arcane_Disciple]

A fun/mean idea is place a bunch of neons and flashing lights in it and place it in a room of drunken/high college kids.

Other than that, I've seen a few versions of linux that run from the cd.

[plattypus1]

You could always try Knoppix http://www.knopper.net it runs off of CD. Some pretty good apps, and you could mount a network drive to save stuff. Also, it configures automatically. I use it at school when I get sick of looking at a Gates-based machine.

[NecroLin]

I have an even better idea. I should have thought of this yesterday...a linux cluster. You won't need a monitor and you'll probably be able to learn some putting it together.

[root.veg]

If you can get ssh or telnet working on both your computers, then the 1-monitor+keyboard problem could be solved. Obviously you'd have to find / make a bootable-distro that started ssh / telnet by default on boot-up.

I have my two boxes set up like that. Obviously, I had to plug in the monitor+keyboard to install, but now I just do admin and shut-down via ssh.