DSL Ideas and Suggestions :: Alternate DSL use: "Granny PC" OS

This must have come up before, but here it goes: I am looking for a distro that will essentially replace w98 se for what I call "Granny" computing: Browsing (probably dial-up), messaging, e-mail, looking at pictures, listen to cd's, maybe word processor. No networking other then internet, no spreadsheet, no movie watching, no 5.1 audio, etc.
The PC would be a P I at least 133 mhz, Ram is only 32 mb (that is already good for a w98 machine), 500 mb-2 gb hard drive, maybe 1 or 2 mb video.memory. there are many machines of that caliber out there. W98 is too much maintenance and and has too much security problems for the users to keep up with.
DSL installed on hd seems very close to what I want, but the present hd install still goes through the hardware detection like the live version, and that is not ok for that type of use. The real advantage of DSL for this is the compact X.
Also, I understand the history of DSL with the 50 mb cd, but for newer computers the USB drive is much nicer, faster and smaller. In fact I "Hijack" my work computer (WXP on LAN with corporate admin block) with DSL on USB drive (more about that later). Bottom line, why keep the 50 mb limit ?
The pold pc that I described has enough room for 200 - 300 mb distro, so there is no reason to be as spartan as DSL. The additional applications that can be loaded from the web site are great, and I can use them on my work computer with it's 512 mb ram and fast internet connection, but the old PC would take days to download them.
So my wish list is:
- Clean hd install
- More apllications, loaded on an install cd with DSL
The real reason for this is that I, as I am sure many other people, have a stack of old computers at home. I would like to give them away to people who don't have any (there are still some who don't), but how can you give a novice a computer with w98? I would have to be the tech support for evermore.

Quote

why keep the 50 mb limit ?

0.# - Frequently asked Questions (and short answers)

Read that.

Quote

So my wish list is:
- Clean hd install
- More apllications, loaded on an install cd with DSL

either reamaster, or use mkmkdsl.

Read the Docs.

Use the search function in the forums.

-J.P.

Quote (clo @ Feb. 24 2005,10:31)

... W98 is too much maintenance and and has too much security problems for the users to keep up with. ... I would have to be the tech support for evermore.

... also look up "frugal install".

original here.