AntiX reviving (seemingly) obsolete e-Waste.

[Utahraptor118]

Howdy!

Currently experimenting with AntiX on a system so low end, it requires no active cooling. Specifically the HP Stream 11.

The device was designed with cloud interaction in mind, yet still came equipped with windows, a memory hog built upon decades of legacy code, and was expected to perform to some degree.

To give you some insight as to why that is ridiculous, the device is equiped with the following components:

CPU - Intel Celeron N3050 @ 1.60Ghz - 2 cores/1 stream per core - 4W to 6W power consumption. (SMD)

RAM - 2GB DDR3L (SMD)

Internal Storage - 32GB of eMMc (SMD)

Those are the main components that typically struggle with current generations of Windows.

Enter AntiX. A systemd free variant of Linux with multiple desktop environments. In my case, I work in iceWM. The idle RAM consumption is far, far less than many editions of windows. Only 284MB at true idle for AntiX leaves enough room for other tasks. Eeven JavaScript heavy websites can occupy the memory space with room to spare. Though, the low power output of the processor still hiccups on loading the pages, but will still load them to full functionality.

I've tested compatibility with various game launchers through Debian installation, rather than flatpaks. Steam, GoG, Heroic Games Launcher. All offer compatibility layers thanks to wine, but especially thanks to Proton's translation of DirectX to Vulkan.

Steam can be memory heavy, but enabling Low Performance Mode can ease up on the tight resource budget, allowing for older games to be ran with a functional level of efficiency. GoG has a lighter installation as well. Heroic Games Launcher is naturally light weight and comes prepared with GE-Proton.
Windows or Direct X games are just one example on how well AntiX can function.

Web browsers that are resource heavy can run well enough on the small device, but accessing YouTube via FreeTube is the best option, as it cuts away most of the fat, and leaves the absolute minimum to play videos reliably. AI based search engines function adequately on Firefox, but long inquiries over time tend to bog the browser down.

Linux has always been known for its customization, too. Of that I have taken advantage. Frankensteining different desktop, taskbar, and file system components has been a blast. Imagine a mix of Irix OS, Windows 95, and Lubuntu. Talk about personalization. You can really make AntiX your own with a little time and effort.

In summation, I believe the continued development of light Linux distributions breathes more life into old or underpowered computers that would have otherwise ended up in a land fill. With the way computer component prices are today, one cannot afford to toss silicon in the trash. Instead, repurpose such devices however possible, and squeeze more potential out of the hardware than initially thought possible. As a computer with a beating heart, no matter how small or fragile, is one to care for and admire.