The first time I tried linux was back in the early "naughties" with RH 8 and Mandrake (9?). Can't remember the computer, but it wasn't too far beyond a 200MMX.
The next time I tried linux was in 2008 with ubuntu 8.04 on an AMD 1800XP. I stayed on it until 2010 when I bought a new Dell 1545. I chose Dell as they "kind of, sort of" were familiar with linux. That computer came with win 7 and I kept win on it for 10 weeks (to make sure there would be no warranty issues) then ubuntu 10.04 went on and it was only LTS's from then on. I still have that old laptop that we use for Zoom meetings and is currently running Linux Lite.
I have a Dell Chromebox (new in 2015, bought to be a media client) that I flashed Mr Chromebox's firmware in 2021, to get rid of Chrome (that Google decided it didn't want to support anymore) and added a cheap stick of 4 GB ram (6GB total) and switched out for a 128 GB M.2 drive and it also runs Linux Lite and makes a crackin' good Kodi box.
I also have two old Toshiba laptops from 2007-8 (Vista) that also run Linux Lite. The L300 that I use, I tried Debian11, Zorin, as well as Mint, but just wound up putting Linux Lite on it as I really don't care to distro hop and other than esthetics, they were more or less all the same. The A200 is a bit wonky, so I keep it for parts for the L300.
I am able to still use equipment that would otherwise be thrown out and wind up in the landfill. I am, however, somewhat bemused at the lack of outcry from the "tree huggers" about all the perfectly usable pre-windows 11 computers that will quite likely be put out with the trash come the latter part of 2025.
More linux computers, I reckon.
