just got a free laptop and want to mod it.

I just received a free laptop. Here are the specs. http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=550049 I am thinking about modding it, but what should I make it into? Make it like that pong clock that shows the time as the score? Anyone have any cool ideas?

got any linux rigs running?

want to use it to monitor traffic on your network?

I have no linux rigs.
Its a pentium 2 so I dont think its capable of it. My psp has a faster processor than that laptop.

It is fully capable of running nmap or similar.

Linux will run on a 386 so I am sure it will have no problems running on a Pentium II. just don't run a GUI and you will be fine.

Cool, ill keep that in mind. It will most likely run faster than winblows 98. Any other ideas? I dont really need a traffic monitor for my network.

EDIT: I might just take it apart so it doesnt get as hot, and just fold with it.

you would get almost nothing folding with it IMO.

you could hack parts of the palm rest apart and replace them with mesh to increase cooling.
You could also use it as an alarm clock Win2k +Citrus Alarm clock +Winamp.
Picture Frame
smoothwall/IpCop/M0n0wall

I already have an alarm clock, but a picture frame sounds nice. Ill look into that.

Off topic, but why did 13.3" LCDs die out for a while and then start to come back a few years ago?

I think it was just because people either didn't mind dishing out a little more money on a 14.1" screen or wanted to save money with a 12.1" screen and the 13.3s just got squeezed out. These days 15" and 17" screens are the norm and prices on panels are dropping so they started one upping each other on the low end with 13" screens .

You could always take the guts out and put a Via small form factor board in there and turn it into a lightweight luggable. The Keyboard and Trackpad will most likely just be PS/2 devices so they could be made to work. Bonus points for getting the LCD to work with it (you'll have to find some way to adapt it since the display will not be native VGA or DVI) or making it into a battery powered machine .

Im downloading Fluxubuntu atm so I can install that on it and clean up all the files. Then I will either use it as a notepad, or a picture frame, or just hook it up to my gaming rig (when I get a gaming rig) and just use it to monitor my temps, and speeds etc.