Repurposing Old x86 Computers with Haiku OS

There are several videos on YouTube that demonstrate Haiku, and its BeOS predecessor, running multimedia applications efficiently on old x86 desktop and laptop computers. See Haiku performance videos here and here, and see a performance video of its predecessor BeOS here. Such great performance makes Haiku a great Operating System with which to re-purpose old x86 desktop and laptop computers. See this video for a 10 minute demonstration produced by Be, Inc. for the original BeOS. It is quite impressive what could be done on a Pentium III back in 1999.

So if you have any older x86 hardware laying around, then verify that it will still work and then download the new Beta version from Haiku's website and try out the OS.

Once Haiku OS is installed, there are other application to download to get productive. For web browsing the OS includes a web browser called WebPositive. It is a decent web browser and should be able to work on most common websites.  For office applications there is LibreOffice and Calligra Suite. Both offer word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and database applications. Calligra also provides a project management application as well as a flowchart application.

With this in mind, Haiku would be a great fit for schools, churches, and other nonprofit organizations. Such organizations are often strapped for cash, and using Haiku on older systems can help save money. Computers could be repurposed for use in computer labs, projected presentations, video playback, kiosks, and general office use. So if you happen to have an old x86 computer that you no longer want, install Haiku OS onto it along with some helpful applications, then see if you have a local school, church, or nonprofit that could use it. Even if it's used for a brief period of time until something else is acquired would enable the organization to proceed as desired.

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