[jyl]

Enough procrastination, I'm going to get my Linux project done and I'd love some advice to get me started.

I have an old subnotebook - a Toshiba Libretto, which is about the size of a VHS tape and has a Pentium 166, 64MB RAM, and a 4GB hard drive. Floppy and CD-ROM are both PCMICA card types. I use it with a Linksys PCMCIA WLAN card. This machine doesn't do much - sits in the kitchen, playing Internet radio.

Despite the minimal tasks, the Libretto is dog-slow running Windows 98. I heard it would be faster running Linux, so here I am.

First, will Linux run on this semi-ancient hardware? Better than W98?

Second, what distribution of Linux do you recommend? Can I download it or do I have to buy a retail copy?

Third, how can I install it? I was hoping for some process akin to doing a clean Windows install - make boot floppy w/ PCMCIA drivers, format and partion the hard drive, then plug in the CD-ROM and install from CD. I'm hoping to avoid removing the hard drive and connecting it to another PC, or anything tedious like that. Possible?

Fourth, what web-browser do you recommend? I'm using Opera for Windows now and like it, but the smaller the better. I do need an audio player.

Any suggestions? Thanks.