What are some fun or unconventional uses for an old Atom notebook with 2GB RAM?

[dfx4509b_2@lemmy.org]

Assuming it's not completely useless for this purpose, you could load FreeDOS on it and use it for playing older PC games.

[codemonkeymike@fosstodon.org]

@monovergent I've always wanted to get something like this and just make it boot up to a full screen asciiquarium. Lol

[31337@sh.itjust.works]

Could use it kind of like an extra monitor with something like Barrier.

Could use it like a home assistant for a kitchen or something, but I don't know if there's any good privacy respecting software for that ATM (looks like MyCroft went bankrupt).

I used an old laptop I had laying around for controlling a Maslow CNC. Could also use a laptop to run OctoPrint or something.

[veraxis@lemmy.world]

If it has an ethernet port (or perhaps a USB to ethernet dongle), maybe a PiHole DNS using Debian or the like? It is apparently supported on other Linux distros than Raspbian.

If it supports micro SD XC (i.e. capacities higher than 32GB) or you have a USB hard drive or high capacity USB flash drive, maybe a samba server for file storage? I often use my file server as a substitute for digging out a flash drive any time I want to quickly pass a file between two machines in my house.

[bunitor@lemmy.eco.br]

I don't think there's any useful way to put it to regular use for you, but you could:

• instal debian on it and keep it around in case of an emergency. turn it on once in a while to keep it updated (doesn't need to be that often, it's debian)
• use it on the go (no worries about it getting stolen)*
• use it a place where you wouldn't use your main laptop as to not risk damange (camping, hiking, on a trip, etc)*
• install a friendlier linux distro and give it away to someone who doesn't have a computer (a 10yo cousin maybe)
• give it away to someone who has a computer, but doesn't have a second one and might be happy to get one to play with

*though i imagine the battery is not in good shape given your "beaten up" description

[downhomechunk@midwest.social]

Batocera linux and retro games!

[coldwater@lemmy.ca]

Host a Lemmy server

[gayhitler@lemmy.ml]

If it’s an asus ee, the vents are all on the sides. With a couple of shims underneath it would fit in a bookshelf with a bunch of other books.

As far as uses… nat hole punching for an overlay network is one way I’ve used these devices before.

[qjkxbmwvz@startrek.website]

WireGuard, and an external HDD. Run at a remote location for off-site backup.

I do this with a raspberry pi 3 at the in-laws. I copied the data over locally before setting it up, and after that it's just nightly incremental rsync, which is fine even over my slow (35Mbps) upload.

[thefartographer@lemm.ee]

sh.itjust.breaks

[diesertypmatthias@lemmy.ml]

Try to flash Coreboot on it.

[eugenia@lemmy.ml]

Server for various open source games that don't require much cpu or ram. E.g. freeciv, battle for wesnoth.

[thefartographer@lemm.ee]

Swap in a new display controller board, get a cheap Bluetooth keyboard and wire the eee PC (maybe?) to the controller board. Then, remove the internal board and drive to make space for an old Android phone on which you can install a Linux distro.

Voila! A "laptop" that you can upgrade whenever you get a new phone or if someone donates a phone to you.

[sturgist@lemmy.ca]

Instead of Debian, why not tinyCore?

[0x0@programming.dev]

As a TV for your kitchen?

[icastfist@programming.dev]

See if it runs either Menuet OS or Kolibri OS, they're about the smallest non-linux OSs I know of.

[bunitor@lemmy.eco.br]

to play with, sure. but in the case of a backup machine, you want something reliable, rock-solid, low maintenance and easy to use, which is why I recommended debian

[qaz@lemmy.world]

You could turn it into a Home Assistant control panel

[tasankovasara@sopuli.xyz]

I recently discovered kmscon: a hardware accelerated utf-8 & emoji capable replacement for the sandard Linux console. Put that on.

[disonantezko@lemmy.sdf.org]

Bad idea, they struggle with YouTube or any video because they don't have hardware decoders for AVC/HEVC.

Maybe can decode by software, something easy on CPU (MPEG1 maybe), and the conversion is done by other machine.

Maybe audio?

Reference: I have one of those Atom netbooks.