Apps :: Beaver & SIAG not working properly



I'm a newbie to Linux AND DSL so be gentle. I know NOTHING!
Here we go...A friend that is familliar with Linux helped me do a HD install of DSL on an old ThinkPad 365ED (500mb HD). We got the modem card to dial Earthlink and used Dillo to hit some web sites. Firefox didn't want to work, I suspect a low RAM issue (24mb).
Now to my bigger problems...When opening a new document in Beaver, all the tool buttons highlighted as I ran across them with the mouse and showed the tool tips. When I went to type a test doc, nothing printed on the document. Almost as though the keyboard was rendered useless.
In SIAG, a different issue. Tool buttons seemed to work fine until I inserted some numbers in the cells, but when I went to use any of the tool buttons, they didn't work. Not even highlighted.
Is there something I'm missing, setting changes, or is this a laptop issue?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
I suspect a low RAM issue (24mb)

With that amount of memory, you'd be much better using vi or nano to edit text.  I'm not saying that's your only trouble, but if you consider over half of your ram is already used just loading DSL with a graphical environment, you don't have much left to work with.
Maybe booting with lowram (among others) could help you out a bit.  Firefox is pushing it, but Beaver should be fine.
Adding a swap partition helps with low ram situations.
u2,
Swap partition was made during installation. I'm not sure how big it is, this is harder to find things in than WinXP. :angry:

mikshaw,
Is there a way to use some of the HD as RAM? I have alot left over after the install. No other applications than the ones that came with the DSL package.

Firefox makes my HD just keep cranking like it has a mind of it's own. I had to power down after 5 minutes of it not doing anything. You would think there would be an error message or something. ???
I have been able to get to some sites using Dillo, but ckicking on a 2nd or 3rd page makes the system freeze up solid. Another RAM issue I suspect.
Oh well, the main reason for trying to get this going in the first place is to have correspondence capibilities on trips, not for surfing.
I need to get the email program working now. Won't THAT be fun!
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