Which distribution of Linux should I get 1611

If that's all you need, then you should have no problems whatsoever. I that distribution. Gentoo will enable you to create an installation of Linux which is tailored to your particular processor. If you only have 56k modem access, you can purchase it for a minimal fee from a number of locations listed on this page:- The above page also has links to ftp sites for the distribution if you do have better than 56k modem access. install-x86-universal-2004.3-r1.iso and packages-x86-2004.3-r1.iso are the names of the two files you will need, once you have found a local ftp mirror from the above where page. These files will need to be recorded onto two compact disks in order to be used. The first file will produce a bootable CD...once it is recorded, you can reset your computer with that CD in the drive and it should load into a setup routine for Gentoo.

This page lists the table of contents of a Gentoo handbook which should tell you how to install the system and get it running. You can also find documentation on virtually all other aspects of the system at the Gentoo site. If you need interactive buttistance, you can ask questions by connecting to the IRC server irc.freenode.org on port 6667 and joining the channel #gentoo where you can ask questions.

Once Gentoo is installed, I then recommend installing the GNUstep desktop environment, which although somewhat primitive graphically is accordingly less resource intensive than the two major desktop environments. The command emerge gnustep-base from a command prompt in Gentoo should begin the process...of course, the Gentoo handbook will have more information about how to install software. You can also do a text search on packages.gentoo.org for the relevant packages for Open Office, which is a free office software suite that you can use.

Yes...Mandrake is for the most part, not free. Aside from numerous flaws and technological inadequacies, that is one reason why I do not advocate it.

There will be some here who in response to this post will likely be critical of how involved the above process sounds. However, it is essential to remember that despite continuing efforts to raise the level of user-friendliness, (the Gentoo package management system is remarkable) all members of the UNIX family of operating systems demand a certain level of proactive intelligence from the user. As a Linux advocate, I will not apologise for this...nor do I believe I should have to. Mandrake and SuSE have attempted to create systems where the user can be relieved of the duty of having to think, and the result is that they have created broken, hollow systems reminiscent in many ways of Windows itself, and with some of the attendant problems that Windows users are accustomed to.

Efforts have been and are continuing to be made to make Linux easier to use, and to automate rote, mundane tasks, as well as tasks of excessive complexity for the novice...I also understand that there is nothing that the majority of human beings crave more than being allowed to exist in a state of near complete neurological inactivity. However, there is not entirely any be required to use your brain.