Since we discussed Linux earlier in this thread, I thought I would append something that may interest.

I found a beautifully streamlined Linux variant that is faster and lighter than any I've evern seen, while being highly functional and intutitive.

It's Debian with the Raspberry Pi desktop.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/software/

It runs just fine on 16 year old laptops -- from a 4GB USB 2.0 stick or SD card! In fact, it has a persistence mode so you can keep your settings, system updates etc. right on the stick. No need for a hard drive at all.

Comes with Chromium browser (my go-to), Libre Office, good wifi drivers, and a decent file manager. I'm testing it now, but I'm really impressed so far. The 10 Essentials of Computing!