I'm looking for a basic laptop to install the IDE, surf the net and have a word processor open at the same time. The word processor could be OpenOffice or maybe even notepad. Using Zoom or Teams would be a plus but that may be asking too much from this. I'm looking at this for $130
https://www.microcenter.com/product/661004/asus-br1100cka-116-rugged-laptop-computer-grey
Would this have enough memory and processing power to get the job done?
I'm open to other suggestions.
Thanks
I got a similar Lenovo. It runs fine for me (charts, word processor, coding), but "power users" might find it sluggish. I dual boot Linux and Windows. The Linux boot is less slow and it has all the built-in programming tools I use. The Arduino 2.0.x IDE is giving many users trouble (slow), but it works well.
Processor Intel(R) Celeron(R) N4020 CPU @ 1.10GHz 1.10 GHz
Installed RAM 4.00 GB (3.82 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Windows 11 Home
If you want to try Linux (which has a office suite fully compatible with windows)...
I'm an old Red Hat user from back when. I jacked around with ubuntu recently on a pi but didn't care for it.
This is actually for an 11 year old girl that has interest in learning embedded programming. I'll be her remote mentor. I want to get her something functional, somewhat trouble free without breaking the bank.
I understand wanting a frustration-free experience for the next Lady Ada Lovelace and Steve Ciarcia...only you know best... but still, I recommend Linux for the use of "slower" architecture and mostly, programming (all the compilers are ready-to-go and even command-line). Linux Desktop has grown up since "those days" and Mint is my favorite -I installed and tried a Linux flavor every week (because I used my 56k dial-up to download the 700MB ISO) for at least five years). I tried DSL - great! Knoppix, Antix, Gentoo (ugh), RH, Fedora, SuSe, Raspberry (before Pi took it). Mint is easier to step into than Windows (especially the newer environments). I even ran Linux on a 33MHz (Mega, not Giga) Gateway Laptop... I never had a new computer (until last year). I used 7-to-10 year old laptops, dual-boot to download Windows drivers (that I could wrap in a linux app to run in Linux before Wine grew up). TOTAL COST OF ALL MY LINUX OPERATING SYSTEMS: US$ZERO... Two decades of perfectly good, free computers.
Under windows you need to be careful about what processes run.
Known memory hogs are ANTIVIRUS and similar software.
They need to be set to pretty much IGNORE the IDE.
A worthwhile upgrade would be an SSD as they are now so cheap and exceptionally reliable giving a decent boost in speed.
Ram also if possible can help greatly too. 16Gb but 8 if that's all it can take will also give some margin of speed increase.
Generally you are stuck with the display that is built in unless it has a slot for one and then they too can help improve speed.
All the above can take a mediocre laptop and give it a longer life span on the way to being useful.
Linux is not my thing but when compared to a lowly Ras-Pi you certainly notice a great difference anyway.
Certainly no harm giving a kid a taste of Linux as it will be a useful skill to have given Microsoft
recent directions in favour of Linux.
Yea, I'm thinking this one may fall short. The 4G RAM can't be upgraded.
I'd rather pay more for a more capable machine than try to introduce her to Linux. One thing at a time and today it's Arduino. Maybe Linux down the road.
Ha, I had to Google this guy. I still have a stack of Circuit Cellar mags from the 90's that helped me learn PICs. I just can't bring myself to toss them out
Ciarcia often/always wrote code for Byte magazine (pre-80s)... from Assembly to BASIC (and beyond)... and I ate every program up. 2112 was a dead giveaway for the era we know. TOPIC - Get what you know is best, but give Linux Mint a look. It might not change your mind, or it might be the slightly better choice. One never knows.
This is from 1997
Looking through my stash of mag's, I think I learned more PIC tricks from Nuts and Volts.
Regardless, I need to buy a Windows LTop.
quote="2112, post:3, topic:1097344"]
This is actually for an 11 year old girl
[/quote]
What's her current level of computer literacy?
The problem with linux is that it would immediately cut down on her ability to get help with any problems she might have.
I think it's an interesting paradox. An "experienced user" can do useful things with an ancient system running WXP or some "small" version of linux, but beginners sort-of need something more modern (and thus "zippier", just to run all the overhead.) The "obvious" recycling feature of giving your old hardware to people who can't afford new systems fails for this reason
I recently bought a used MacBook Air for about $100 ( Configure your own 11-inch Apple MacBook Air (2013) at OWC )
It runs pretty recent MacOS, and seems to run Arduino OK (I haven't used it much yet, though. Got it primarily as a toy.) I'm not sure I'd call it "Rugged", but it's got some "style."
(I think I've run Arduino on an old Asus x205ta with only 2G of RAM, but that used a weird version of W8.1, and it was a while ago.)
A lot of schools use Chromebooks at school and kids keep/edit their documents with google docs.
If in U.S.A. you may wish to consider a corporate machine being given a second life.
InterConnection Online Retail Store
For students (after 'approval'):
ConnectAll
These are typically i5 or i7 with 8G RAM and most have SSD with a fresh install of Windows-10 Pro.
Helps to eliminate eWaste. Comes with a 1-year warranty and free shipping.
Not much. She knows the windows desktop and Google. She didn't know file manager or hardware manager existed. She does now.
The example code I wrote for her used the button library. I had to show her how to install a library through library Manager and she didn't seem intimidated. Eager to learn.
She's currently using the 'family desktop' on a desk with not much tinker room around it. Plus the USB ports are too high for the short cable I gave her.
Will a Chromebook run the IDE? I don't know much about them.
This is an option. Thanks
This is slightly off-topic. I'm looking for a good on-line Arduino tutorial for her. I found a few but nothing that seemed well laid out for a beginner. I gave her a book I had but it assumes you already understand programming concepts.
This whole thing started from her science fair project. She wanted blinking LEDs and and spinning things but didn't know how. I told her to learn this and you'll have all that and more next year.
I've always said Arduino made programming so easy even a 10 year old can to it. We'll find out if that's true
IMO, the YouTube tutorials when reinforced with written materials will be far better than written tutorials alone.
arduino tutorial at DuckDuckGo
I would suggest you pre-screen any Videos, make notes on where key points are on the timeline and cross reference to written documentation. Yes, it will require a bit more involvement on your part but will ease confusion and provide a better experience.
The results of your effort may make a nice study guide: 2112 Notes?
A link you may need as an instructor:
HyperPhysics (gsu.edu)
I would not go for a Chromebook personally as the regular IDE wont run on those.
There is a version for Chromebook but IIRC it did cost over time.
The regular IDE however remains FREE and unlimited compiles usage etc.
No, but any machine with browser will run google docs, making the "big enough to run OpenOffice/etc" less of an issue.
(It probably shouldn't be the case that a browser based editor would be more efficient than a native editor, but... I dunno. "Feature-creep!")
In my experience with keeping old PCs functional or playing with constrained machines, the biggest limitation is trying to run a modern web browser. They are enormous memory hogs. So the problem isn't running a web editor so much as it is running the browser on which to run the web editor.
That said, the 4 GB RAM machine linked in the OP would be adequate. It is no coincidence that the (largely browser focused) chromebooks have that much memory.
Edit to add: There exist "lightweight" cross platform word processors (e.g. AbiWord), but, as with Linux, novice level support suffers from the fact that most of one's peers live in a Microsoft ecosystem.
I agree with @mrburnette . I think we need to realize that this generation learns in a different way of ours. It´s hard to say it, but they do not have patience to read. Everything comes easier with videos.
I would try to filter videos with reliable content and present her in a suitable order.
I myself have been thinking about making short Instagram videos with "start from scratch" kind of content. Just to pique kids curiosity. Thinking also to make my kids (18 & 14) my video directors. 
Partly false.
Arduino DOES HAVE an IDE for Chromebook.
