x86, x86 everywhere, but... (was OT: Re: Time to declare State of MA)

From: LordTyran <a2k_at_one.net>
Date: Sat Apr 17 09:51:38 1999

<snippage>
> I would have been thrilled to get any kind of computer when I was
> in high school. So it is hard for me to imagine people willing to
> throw away _any_ computer. But now I am starting to see that XT's
> and 286's are like paper cups. Not only do they tend to work less
> well as they age (they eventually break and lack support from their
> manufacturers), but they are really next to valueless in terms of
> replacement cost. Even if getting a computer to somebody who is

What? Valueless? Not at all. Get an XT or an 286, give it a 10 or 20 meg
HD, throw a 10BaseT network card in it (I have those coming out of my
ears, thanks to all my friends!), install Minix on it, and make it a node
on your friendly house-hold network. Or forget the network card and use a
serial port to connect it to your friendly house-hold Linux or UN*X
machine! They make splendid dumb terminals... my first BBSing machine was
an old XT, 2 Floppies, no HD, a 2400 baud modem and a copy of Mirror II
(Comms program)... all green, but hey, it was great for using Cserve and
checking my mails.

Valueless? I think not.

Just my $.05... what with inflation, taxes, shipping & handling and all..

Kevin
Received on Sat Apr 17 1999 - 09:51:38 BST