Author Topic: Picked up a Windows 2000 PC for a family member - what should I put on it?  (Read 1092 times)

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Ecrofirt

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Repost of my thread at GAF:
Quote
OK, so my sister currently has a really old and shitty Windows ME machine. I picked up a PC from work for her that's a lot better than her current rig:
Dell Dimension 8100
1.3 Ghz Pentium 4
256MB RAM (I'll probably be upgrading to at least 512MB at least once we get rid of some more PCs at work)
GeForce 2 MX graphics card
DVD Drive (currently faulty. I'll have to replace it with another one at work)
CD burner
40GB hard drive

While I probably could have put Windows XP on the machine, I think she'll do better with Windows 2000 as it'll eat up less system resources and there isn't much about XP she'll be missing.

Here's what I've done so far:
Removed IE6 icons from her desktop and start menu (to keep her from using it and getting spyware)
Installed Opera as her default browser
Installed AVG Anti-Virus
Installed ffdshow
Installed Media Player Classic as her primary video file player
Installed Foxit Reader
Installed the latest Java, Shockwave, and Flash
Installed AIM + DeadAIM
Installed Spybot and set it up do to a weekly scan
Installed ccleaner
Set her account as a Power User

Is there anything else anyone recommends? She won't be gaming on the PC or anything. I'm sure she'll probably just use it for Myspace and AIM like she uses her current one.

Is there a good, free, low resource CD burning program? I'm looking for something that will hopefully be easy for her to use and won't hog her system resources.

Any suggestions?
8=D

Mupepe

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It looks like you've got everything covered.  And yeah, definitely go with 2000.  I had a very similar machine and 2000 ran great on it.

Ecrofirt

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diablos tried suggesting that I put XP on it, but I'd rather boil my skin off.
8=D

Mupepe

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diablos tried suggesting that I put XP on it, but I'd rather boil my skin off.
fo real real. 

Is she just going to be doing word documents and surfing the net?  If so, keep 2000 on there. 

Ecrofirt

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diablos tried suggesting that I put XP on it, but I'd rather boil my skin off.
fo real real. 

Is she just going to be doing word documents and surfing the net?  If so, keep 2000 on there. 

All she really uses it for now is Myspace and AIM. I'm gonig to try to find a copy of Office 2000 or something to put on there for her. I've got Office XP, 2003, and 2007 from work, and the only one of those I'd really feel comfortable with putting on is Office XP.
8=D

Van Cruncheon

  • live mas or die trying
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remove AIM, install MSN

2000 is falling off the support radar. install XP post-haste. also, what does 2000 offer that XP doesn't, outside of less security and a somewhat reduced resource footprint?
duc

Ecrofirt

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I'm not going to put MSN on her machine when she doesn't use it.

The main reason for 2000 is the smaller amount of resources she's going to need. As it stands the PC has a 1.3 GHz processor and 256MB of RAM. That's going to lead to a sluggish piece of shit with XP.
8=D

Van Cruncheon

  • live mas or die trying
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she can't cough up $300 for a Costco shit PC? damn, negress, you can get a Core Solo rig with a gig of RAM, a 100 GB HD, and integrated video that spanks the GeForce 2 MX for $299-$349! then she'll be able to run the best browser ever created, Internet Explorer 7 (tm Microsoft) with fully-integrated Microsoft Live! (tm Microsoft) functionality, including support for Live! Search (tm Microsoft) and Live! Messenger (tm Microsoft).

if i find a friend has AIM on their machine, i immediately delete it for their own good.
duc

Glescoes

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when I need to use aim, I use the aim express website, much better
wha

MrAngryFace

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aim is sad. AOL For gods sake. At least use microsoft's web messenger
o_0

Wobedraggled

  • Almost Died Once
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Just use meebo.com and avoid IM software alltogether.

And you can keep 2k high and tight, no need for XP.

Wii

Mupepe

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aim is sad. AOL For gods sake. At least use microsoft's web messenger
how about this...

you rub your palm against my moist little twat and i tell you to shut it and let me use whatever messenger I want?

work for you?

Wobedraggled

  • Almost Died Once
  • Member
aim is sad. AOL For gods sake. At least use microsoft's web messenger
how about this...

you rub your palm against my moist little twat and i tell you to shut it and let me use whatever messenger I want?

work for you?
Sounds hot.
Wii

TVC15

  • Laugh when you can, it’s cheap medicine -LB
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Us real distinguished white gentlemen are using Trillian Astra.  Fuck your IM clients, EB 'mos.
serge

MrAngryFace

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Lol mupepe and his bizzare crusades.
o_0

xnikki118x

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she can't cough up $300 for a Costco shit PC? damn, negress, you can get a Core Solo rig with a gig of RAM, a 100 GB HD, and integrated video that spanks the GeForce 2 MX for $299-$349! then she'll be able to run the best browser ever created, Internet Explorer 7 (tm Microsoft) with fully-integrated Microsoft Live! (tm Microsoft) functionality, including support for Live! Search (tm Microsoft) and Live! Messenger (tm Microsoft).

if i find a friend has AIM on their machine, i immediately delete it for their own good.

It's his little sister. She doesn't work, she's just a kid in high school. I don't know many kids who could "cough up $300" for anything.

I have AIM on my computer. Why would I use another messenger when none of my friends do? No use having it if I don't have anyone to talk to on it.

Also, unfortunately, we don't have Costco around here. Sam's Club yes, Costco no.
:-*