If you are looking for an operating system to revive an old computer and restore it to its prime, you might want to consider Raspberry Pi's PIXEL desktop. The Raspberry Pi Foundation has released a version that can now be downloaded to PC and Mac computer models.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation aims to provide low-cost and high-performance computers to those who cannot afford to buy high-end computing devices. In line with its goal of providing a desktop computer chock-full of features at a $35 price point, the foundation released PIXEL to serve as the new skin for its Raspbian operating system.
What You'll Find In Raspberry Pi's PIXEL
According to Raspberry Pi, PIXEL is the "GNU/Linux we would want to use." PIXEL is a Linux-based desktop environment that provides a clean, modern, and minimal interface. It also comes bundled with a Chromium web browser, office suite, and decent selection of curated software, educational games, and programming tools.
Unfortunately, if you are fond of playing Minecraft and browsing Wolfram Mathematica, you won't be able to do so just yet. The foundation has been granted the license to install the two programs solely on Raspberry Pi devices.
PIXEL's Brings A Lot Of Changes to Raspberry Pi
PIXEL brings with it an experimental version of the Debian+PIXEL meant for x86 platforms. It now sports Chromium instead of the Epiphany web browser, and a host of other plugins. The great news is that this can now be downloaded in old PC and Mac computers.
PIXEL can be operated using any system, including an older PC or Mac that may be too slow to work with a modern OS. At the very least, your computer will need to have 512 megabytes of RAM to be able to run PIXEL.
You can download PIXEL directly from the website and burn it onto a DVD or save it on a USB memory stick. Insert the DVD or USB stick into your PC or Mac computer. Boot it using your PC's BIOS, or press down "C" if using a Mac computer. The PIXEL desktop environment will then be ready for use.
Technical Issues With PIXEL
Eben Upton, cofounder of the Raspberry Pi, warns that users who have a newer model of Mac may encounter some bug issues. Upton also reminds them that the PIXEL download is still a prototype and not yet the final version, so there could be minor issues with its hardware configurations.
