OT: Who has the oldest computer?

On 4/17/2011 1:08 PM, Portland wrote:

I've got an Apple II and an original Mac that belonged to my kids but I
upgrade my desktop PC about once every 6-7 or so years or so. It seems
necessary because peripherals change. A lack of powered USB ports was
quite evident this year. People tell me that you can add powered hubs
but that was not very successful. I usually keep the old one running for
about a year and then dispose of it.

Currently I have (output from Belarc)
3.20 gigahertz Intel Core i5 650
32 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache
4096 kilobyte tertiary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (2 total)
Hyper-threaded (4 total)
500GB hard disc
A 23-inch monitor.

This cost me considerably less in *actual* (not CPI adjusted) dollars
than the machine I bought in 2003, which was 32 bit, had half the speed,
1/4 the memory, a 100 GB disc, a 19 inch monitor and was single core.

--


James Silverton, Potomac

I'm "not"
[email protected]
 
On 18/04/2011 2:17 PM, Sqwertz wrote:

The Plus/4 was an orphan... It was rolled out by Commodore then promptly
dumped,along with its siblings the C16 and the 116. Poor sound quality,
no sprites, minimal software and peripheral incompatibility. These
machines were doomed from day one. But then, Commodore made a lot of
poor business decisions back then which is why they aren't around now.

Krypsis
 
On 4/19/2011 2:18 PM, atec77 wrote:

I have no doubt that you are correct about this. The only part where
you're a tiny bit off is that most people want to just use their
computers and browse and run apps and have no desire to become computer
security experts or make a go at running alternative OSes i.e., Linux.

I stuck my Atom machine with Ubuntu 10.XX on the front desk and it runs
fine. I can't use it myself because it won't run any of the programs
that I use to program hearing aids. I sure wish that it did but that's
the breaks.
 
On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:08:58 -0700 (PDT), Portland
wrote:


I have a few oldies that I keep just for fun. The oldest was built for
my granddaughter when she was 4. She's now 18. It's one of the huge
old boxes about 30"x18"x10"H. A real monster! I loaded it
way-back-then with kids math software that she mastered in no time.

The other 5 are about 3-5 years older in stages. I owned a "Bulletin
Board" when they were just starting and one of the PCs was loaded with
the first version of "WorldGroup" software and had a then
"State-of-the-art" 12 CD changer in it with "RocketPort" software.
What trip they are to see running now. You can take a nap while they
load. hehe

Memory lane is such a funny road to travel.....hahaha
 
Brooklyn1 wrote:

Could be a calculator not a computer. I would say no. I did own a slide
rule for about two years. My first calculator cost $90 for a simple four
function calculator with a single memory store and recall button. Oh the
good old days of my teenage years. Toys I bought with my paper route money.

--
Enjoy Life... Nad R (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)
 
Mark Thorson wrote:



You merely need to go to the Settings app-->General-->Location services:
OFF. In 9-1-1 emergency, the GPS chip still will get them your location.

And in case you didn't know the cellular frequency bands have been
scannable for 30 years or more. While not legal to listen in, it IS
possible. Nextel cellular uses IDEN encryption and is only listenable by
law enforcement as a wiretap measure. Most police departments use Nextel
for sensitive comms since they can't be scanned.

None of this is news solely related to the iPhone!!!

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

Andy
 
"Portland" wrote

It is what the virus software looks for to find the infected files.



256 is woefully inadequate these days. Memory changes and you may not
easily find the right type for an older computer. Check places like eBay
though. First, find out what type you need and try to get up to at least 2
Gig.

At some point though, you will find that the best solution is a new machine.
They are getting very cheap. My guy has them as low as $500 with Win7, 4
gig of memory and huge hard drive.
 
On Apr 20, 5:24?pm, Andy wrote:

==
Many years back I built a very crude set-up which received the cell
phone frequencies. They were converted to VHF and I listened to them
on my multi-band radio through VHF low I believe. The communication
tower in this area could be seen from my window so I got a very strong
signal. It wasn't illegal to listen but it was illegal to tell anyone
else what you heard. I listened to cheating wives and gossipy
neighbors until I got tired of it all and dismantled the apparatus.
Most of today's communication is encrypted I believe.
==
 
On 2011-04-20, dsi1 wrote:


I love it when ppl say stupid stuff like this, like ppl spring from
the womb knowing how to use Windows. What horsecrap! If you can
learn to buy, load, and use software on a Windows box, you can learn
to use Linux. It's not freakin' magic, fergawdsake.

Worse, most ppl don't even KNOW how to run Windows. Windows is the
most compromised platform in the World. Why? You can buy all the
security software in the store, but if you don't even know how to set
up an XP box with a separate user acct with no permissions, you're
wasting your time/money. Most ppl haven't a clue. If they do have a
clue, they LEARNED it. Whatta concept!

nb
 
Krypsis wrote:

Yikes, and I complained about the Toshibas they gave us. We'd
all break the rules and trade the 'laptops' in the parking lot because
they were so heavy to drag into the building. Of course, it was handy
when you could work on a bomb in the middle of the night without
having to go in, and they had that nifty 1400 baud modem!


These whippersnappers have no idea what we had to deal with. Hee.

nancy
 
On Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:54:24 +0000 (UTC), Nad R wrote:


Nope - you couldn't be more wrong :-)

Other than DOS, I used Ashton-Tate products (dBase and Framework) up
until around 1986 or 1987. Then I switched the company over to SCO
Xenix and FoxBASE+. Used various SCO Unix operating systems and
FoxBASE+/Foxpro for Unix up until 1997 when we started porting to
Oracle Developer 2000 for SCO Unix. Then I went to work for SCO
itself for a few years (Thelma Lubkin's, a frequent RFC poster here,
who's son I had known for years was instrumental in introducing me
into the company).

Then to Compaq where I worked on Unixware clusters, Non-Stop UX, and
Non-Stop Kernel. Then back to SCO and Foxpro for Michelin Tire.

I never used Windows at home on a PC until 2002. But I did have to
use them in the workplace starting in about 2000 at Compaq, but only
for email and to telnet into my Unix/NSK machines.

Technically, Foxpro for Unix was a Microsoft product. But it was
really Fox Software. I never used Microsoft software in the workplace
for anything productive and I never had to support MS products.

-sw
 
On 18 Apr 2011 01:58:52 GMT, sandi wrote:


OK. Your secret is safe with me ;-) I know you've been posting here
infrequently for a while now. Or maybe it was her at one time. But
you both use/used the same nick.

-sw
 
On 4/19/2011 1:03 AM, Krypsis wrote:


It doesn't take a genius* to see that the Windows OS has always been
saddled with having to be backwards compatible with the previous
generation software. If it didn't then there wouldn't be any need to
emulate anything. Emulators suck anyway. I never bought into the hype
that every new version of window was brand spanking new - not even XP.

The truth is that nobody fully knows what's in these fantastically large
programs. You can choose to believe that it's all new but I won't make
that assumption.

What's the deal? Is Microsoft all of a sudden really, really,
trustworthy? Are we now in bed with MS these days? Times have certainly
changed.

*Heck, maybe it does.
 
On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:08:58 -0700 (PDT), Portland wrote:


Mark Thorson has the most archaic computer in use that is posting to
RFC. I forget the hardware but it's running Windows NT and Netscape
Navigator 4.6.

-sw
 
On 18/04/2011 3:42 PM, Paul M. Cook wrote:
I get rid of old computers. My iMac is the oldest survivor at 10 years
of age. The rest are related to my employment or ex-lease ones which
have been given to me by the IT boys. Antique IT equipment doesn't have
the same allure as old furniture or bric-a-brac. It does invoke memories
however not to mention amazement at how far things have come and how
cheap they are now.

Krypsis
 
On 20 Apr 2011, you wrote in rec.food.cooking:

typing
services:
location.
by
Nextel


Roy,

Yep. Most comms are encrypted, trunked or both.

Scanning used to be a great hobby. Now, aside from some un-interesting
dispatches, I listen to the local school bus drivers for traffic
conditions around town. :(

Have you ever visited the FCC site?

http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAdvanced.jsp

Used to be a daily visit for me, once upon a time.

I do observe the rules/law of scanning:

Don't repeat
Don't interfere
Don't profit

Best,

Andy
 
On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:42:23 -0400, James Silverton wrote:


This is the most up to date computer I've ever had. I bought
everything gradually over a 6-week period as Fry's never discounts
everything all at once. I paid about $400. Some of it was left over
from my old machine (DVD, graphics, IDE disk).

AMD Phenom II X2
4 Gig 1600mhz memory
1.75 terabytes of disk storage on 3 disks
(2 mirrored 750GB SATA 2 disks Raid 1 Duplexed on SATA 3 controller, 1
250GB IDE drive for backup).
2 SATA II DVD+/-RW's
14 USB ports (2 of them USB 3.0)
Firewire port
Nvidia 8600 GS (or GT?)
7-in-1 floppy bay card reader
Windows 7 home 64 bit (3-license family pack)
600W power supply
23" Viewsonic monitor @ 1920x1080
7 4GB USB drives
9 year old Antec case covered with stickers and grafiti.

ObFood: I'm making English muffins from scratch.

-sw
 
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