On Wed, 07 May 2014 12:41:08 +0200, Aka wrote:

My Asus notebook configuration made it unsuitable (insufficient memory,
mainly) for upgrading to Windows 8. And it (Windows XP) became a
sluggard as time went by, I guess because of Windows' notorious
incapability of keeping its kernel pristine. Programs like Ccleaner were
of no help. And no SSD!

So for people with a limited budget and who would need to buy a new
computer otherwise, Linux Mint etc. may be a godsend. There is no need
to install it right away - just test it with a self-starting dvd to see
whether all gadgets on your computer still work.

If you want something to replace Windows XP on an older machine, you
might also like to try Lubuntu and Xubuntu.

Lubuntu in particular is designed as a simple "no frills" system that
shouldn't make excessive demands on the hardware in order to generate
fancy screen effects, but it looks neat and does the job. A Windows
user should have no trouble becoming accustomed to it.

Rod.