For those on old PC hardware

Hi

I posted this in response to a query elsewhere but it may be helpful generally and worthy of its own thread.

For those on very old PC operating systems such as windows XP (won't be relevant to tablet or MAC users) who can't update their browsers to the latest versions, there is a drastic option you could consider which may actually be helpful in any case and which will help with security (as XP is no longer supported).

I am assuming that those with very old operating systems are mainly using those PCs for web browsing and some basic office tasks. One option is to wipe the entirety of windows XP and replace with something like Lubuntu (lubuntu.net/) made for really old hardware. You probably want the 32 bit version if your PC is older than 2007. I would go for the long term support (LTS) version 18.04.2 which is supported until mid 2021 (www.lubuntu.me/downloads/) The newer versions need updating sooner

You can then install the chromium browser and Lichess will work fine. That should mean your entire pc is much, much quicker than using XP.

Obviously you'd lose all your documents etc but it might breathe life into your old machine. There are of course risks with doing this. Your PC might not be compatible. you might not like the operating system. You might end up 'bricking' your old PC. So I'd only do this if you don't really care about the old computer (i.e. it's a spare you have and are prepared to give it a go)

If you're concerned about losing data (you're probably not if your pc has important data on it but it is so old you can't install the latest Firefox) then you can always do the above but instead of wiping the drive choose the option to install the two OSes side by side. Or create a bootable USB key and use that whenever you want to play chess or do any secure surfing.

Excellent suggestion @Doofenshmirtz

Installing side by side is much lower risk and less drastic

@Grimpeur

Is this a joke?? instead of left us an option to still play version 1 and left the choice up to us.. You recommend us to change our computers and systems??

@ajeramesimo Your choice is to use free high quality open source software and a community which includes the current world champion, high profile youtubers etc and which supports just about every platform out there, or to whine and whine and whine and whine about how you're entitled to use some old piece of crap forever. If you can no longer play Lichess on your computer you need to upgrade or replace your computer because it's not fit for purpose - it's not capable of running modern software and if you use it for banking and shopping and email etc you are at a high risk of losing money or data. How entitled are you that you believe people who work on open source software - for free - should limit their ability to develop the code they want to develop, in the way they want to develop it, just to save you the effort of upgrading your browser, or upgrading your pc to run a more modern OS, or the cost of a cheap new device capable of running Lichess?

I don't think the Lichess developers have made a single statement about Lichess 2 without stating why there is a need for a new version, and a modern browser for it, and that there's no going back, so i'm a little confused about how it's asked so many times in the forums. It seems pretty simple to understand to me.

Hi

I'm not a developer of lichess so the lack of an option to use v1 is not up to me (albeit I get why lichess don't want to maintain 2 codebases).

I'm not recommending anything. Just outlining an option. If playing online chess is important to you and you can't upgrade browser because of your Operating System, it strikes me you have 3 options:

1. Play chess elsewhere (nobody forces you to play here. And you're not charged to do so)
2. Upgrade operating system (including to a free one) bringing speed benefits and security benefits that could enhance your pc (at the expense of some unfamiliarity with the new system)
3. Buy a modern PC (costs $$$)

You can literally get an Amazon HD 7 for £50 - frequently reduced to £35 - and use that for Lichess. I wonder what the cheapest new device which supports Lichess2 is.

No it is not a joke I asume.
In fact I was considering to open an identical topic, and I am happy someone else did.

I keep reading "my Laptop works perfect" only lichess is broken now.
Well, this might be true for now, but it certainly is not for long.
The hardware of this old laptops might still work perfect, but the software aint.
Lichess stopping to work is only the first symptom of an already dead system.
Other things you use and love will follow if you are stuck with some vista, xp or whatever.
And unlike the op said it is very well an option for old macs (not iOS devices for now).

If olny a few lichess friends are convinced to move to linux, this topic already payed of.
I believe that anyone stuck with an old computer, no matter if it is an old Dell Laptop or an first generation Macbook Air, will be a very happy if he/she takes this step.
It will be as if they just got gifted a new and better computer for free.

I hope this topic can be used by the community to post tutorials they found very beginner friendly and also for people to reach out for help if they want to take this step, but are inexperiened in this things.

So I am very thankful for the op to open this topic. But i wanna add something. No u don't lose your documents. In fact this might be also a good oportunity to think about a reliable backup of things you do not want to lose (if you have not done so by now). And with exactely this step it should start if you are considering this move. Don't rush here, make sure your stuff is safe.

@Doofenshmirtz

simply you rude.

In case it helps:

To put linux on a USB stick, you do the following:

1. Download the linux distribution of your choice. If you have modern hardware I'd suggest Linux Mint (linuxmint.com/download.php). If you have older hardware (but post 2012ish) I'd suggest Lubuntu 18.04 64 bit (lubuntu.net/lubuntu-18-04-bionic-beaver-released/). If your PC is even older I'd suggest Lubuntu 18.04 32 bit (same link).

2. Download Etcher (www.balena.io/etcher/) and put the linux download onto it. Here's a video of how to use Etcher (youtu.be/dH5Hm764hFU)

3. Take the USB key out. Reboot and ensure your PC boots up from USB. See this video on how to do it: youtu.be/9GblKZO-smU

4. Put the usb stick in and reboot. You can then choose from the drop down menu to simply run from the USB without installing the operating system on your hard drive at all. It will be slower than if you do install but you can do it. And you can check it works. You can then install chromium or firefox from the software centre inside linux

5. If you want to install it on your PC, you choose install from the drop down menu. The menus then allow you to either install side by side with windows (you will get a menu popping up each time you boot saying do you want to run windows or linux) or you can wipe windows and just use linux