Are these machines up to it?

[Keith O'Connell <keith_oconnell@blueyonder.co.uk>]

Hi,

Over the comming months I am starting a "teach-your-self" program. I
am learning more of linux than just a desktop. I have a small lan at home
for my wife, daughters and myself. The three of them use WinXP, and I
have a desktop of myown running stable and a file server for all of
us, also running stable.

I now have come by two old machines that I want to employ, but before
I throw mt self at it, I want to know if they are up to the task, and
also if they are, will they likley remain suitable for the tasks as
new versions of software are released

1: I have a 133MHz pentium, 1Gb disk and 32Mb ram. I want to use this
   as a firewall.

2: Also an 400MHz AMD K6-2, 6Gb disk and 80Mb ram. This is to be a
   name server and an email server

Neither of them will have X on them, so what I need to know is;
        a: they are not up to the tasks
        b: they are just up to the tasks
        c: they are easily up to the tasks 

If the answer is a: or b:, what could be done to improve the
situation. Asking a lot in a single message, but I dont want to start
then find that they just won't do the job(s)

Thank

Keith
-- 
________________________________________________________________________
  Keith O'Connell
  Maidstone, Kent (UK)
  keith_oconnell@blueyonder.co.uk