Another Newbie Question

[Seth Dimbert]

This may seem silly, but here goes:

In my mind, a linux install can work 2 ways. Either I buy a "modern" machine
and install a GUI, or I recycle and older machine and install linux without
the GUI (ie, KDE, Gnome, etc). If I've installed a GUI, then I can use the
machine instead of a Windows or MacOS machine, with access to open source
office apps, graphics apps, communications apps, etc. Or, if I've installed
a GUI-less system, I can run server apps, like httpd, ftpd, telnetd, etc.

In other words, in my experience, a GUI-less Linux install leads to a
server, not a workstation.

Now, my financial situation precludes me installing a GUI; I'm using free
hardware and none of it can support one. So, for example, at home, I've got
an old Mac clone running Yellow Dog Linux and it's a web server.

But, what I really want is a workstation. Now, I could take old hardware and
create a DOS workstation, and have access to word processors, email apps,
etc. But I don't know how to do that with my Linux installs.

So, can anyone recommend any useful applications that will run on my
text-only Linux boxes?

Thanks!

-SD