I've been on a bit of a kick lately, trying to run Windows apps on Linux through novel solutions like WinApps and WinBoat. These tools rely on virtualization and FreeRDP to bring full Windows apps to ...
If you're looking for a distribution for an aging machine and you want to go with something other than a Ubuntu-based distribution, walk through the Arch with Omega.
BunsenLabs Carbon is a mishmash of Linux desktop components, which shines through when you go to customize the desktop.