FYI: I have three 64bit machines. My XP install is 32bit. I can't afford WIN10. WIN10 is probably more strict than XP regarding multiple installs. I'm tired of having to authenticate every install especially now that you can't do it online. I plan on using windowsXP and anyother OS I choose.

"Windows-like Linux", you mean a distro that works? If so I am disappointed, because I can't afford WIN10. It would be great If I could continue to use XP on the internet., but Like MS, Firefox has or is ending support for XP. I haven't checked out Safari or other browsers yet but I'm sure they will follow suit. Soon my XP box will only be useful for MS/FSIM Diablo LOD, and other DOS based software I have.

"If you want Windows -- use Windows." seems to be the angry Linux users motto LOL. I have seen other people say the same thing in other forums. They always get angry if someone compares Linux to Windows. It's very amusing! I am using Windows on two other PC's. If you don't like that don't reply to my post JERK! If you have no constructive advice why did you reply? Are you a troll? The forum suggest beginners are welcome here. I didn't see anything saying Windows users were unwelcome. I like Windows, don't let that upset you! I also like MAC, Hell I like anything that WORKS.

So tell me, how much do rich people such as yourself spend on WIFI devices? My $9 Tplink has worked great for two years, and my $19 15yo Linksys PCI WIFI still works great. No the problem isn't junk hardware it's junk freeware. You get what you pay for, and when something is free it isn't going to be all that great. But it's free! I downloaded Solaris 11 (CRAPWARE) for free. Oracle called today wanting to sell me support! I'll give you this car, but you'll have to pay me to tell you what's wrong with it LOL

What you call "junk" works very well with MAC and MS.

By "any other system" I assume you mean Unix and Linux. Your own words describe a major issue with free OS's. Their PnP abilities are very limited. But that's fine, I cut my PC teeth on DOS 3 and later DOSSHELL back in the late 80's. So I feel confident using Linux commands in a terminal. It might take some time but I will succeed.

I have found the driver I want to try, r8088 something like that. I' can't remember, and I'm not looking at it at this moment. And I have spent 30+ hours trying to figure out how to install it because no one seems to know how to install a driver on a PC with no internet.

Only OS "which can still use a certain product"...Except for my TPLINK, LINKSYS WIRELESS G, VODOO VGA, S3TRIO VGA, PCI USB HOST, PCI SCSI DRV controller. Some of which are leftover from the WIN 3.1 days. All still work in XP.