Thinkpads Forum

Woohoo! Today I managed to successfully install a DVD-ROM into my T20. I removed the OEM CD-ROM, a Teac CD-224E, and took the 'UltraBay 2000' plastic trimmings off it. Then I transplanted the plastic bits onto a Teac DV-28B-E (that I salvaged from an old, dead Toshiba laptop) and it worked perfectly!

Well, almost. The eject button on the UltraBay fascia doesn't line up with the button receptor on the new Teac drive, so I have to eject the tray from Windows explorer. Oh well, small price to pay to be able to read DVD's. First thing I did with it was install Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007, which will be even further benefitted by the bluetooth GPS receiver that should be arriving this week.

I have a friend who uses Streets and Trips and a GPS locator plugged into the laptop in their car and it works really well. Have fun.

I still like my Thinkpad A20m Its reliable, I dont really need anything fancy right now. I have had this laptop for like 3 or 4 years or aleady.
Pentium 3m 850mhz
512MB of RAM
and an 80 harddrive. Sweet aint it?

Old hardware doesn't mean useless.

Sure the T40 I have is quite modern (by my standards!) and a 1.5GHz Pentium M is pretty much fine for everything I do, which is everything but games.

The Power Mac G4 runs at 1.4GHz, Apple wants you -- me -- to believe it sucks and I should get an Intel machine. I say get bent, it runs everything fine and very slickly as well. There again I'm not producing symphonies or feature length movies. Just Adobe CS2, MS Office, Dreamweaver and that ilk as well as all my day to day computing.

And then the wonder machine. A PowerBook 1400. 133MHz 603e running a ten year old OS--System 7.6.1--and my word processor of choice? Word 5.1. 14 year old software. However as a writer, it's my favourite writing tool besides the pen. Yes it's a bit slow sometimes, and it's old. But for no nonsense, reliable, word processing with portability and an amazing keyboard, I can't better it. I couldn't use it as my main laptop or computer but old technology certainly doesn't mean junk in my book.

The software that was around when these older machines were released will still run as fast as that very day, although you can hardly blame older hardware struggling with the demands of modern software!

Vicky

lilserenity wrote:Old hardware doesn't mean useless.

Sure the T40 I have is quite modern (by my standards!) and a 1.5GHz Pentium M is pretty much fine for everything I do, which is everything but games.

The Power Mac G4 runs at 1.4GHz, Apple wants you -- me -- to believe it sucks and I should get an Intel machine. I say get bent, it runs everything fine and very slickly as well. There again I'm not producing symphonies or feature length movies. Just Adobe CS2, MS Office, Dreamweaver and that ilk as well as all my day to day computing.

And then the wonder machine. A PowerBook 1400. 133MHz 603e running a ten year old OS--System 7.6.1--and my word processor of choice? Word 5.1. 14 year old software. However as a writer, it's my favourite writing tool besides the pen. Yes it's a bit slow sometimes, and it's old. But for no nonsense, reliable, word processing with portability and an amazing keyboard, I can't better it. I couldn't use it as my main laptop or computer but old technology certainly doesn't mean junk in my book.

The software that was around when these older machines were released will still run as fast as that very day, although you can hardly blame older hardware struggling with the demands of modern software!

Vicky

Welcome back Vicky!! Its been long time since I see you post...in this forum!!

lilserenity wrote:Old hardware doesn't mean useless......The Power Mac G4 runs at 1.4GHz, Apple wants you -- me -- to believe it sucks and I should get an Intel machine.

Yep, that's the difference between the smart consumers and the gullible ones! Even in 2007, the great majority of people really need nothing more than Pentium III or even Pentium II. And when their computers get too slow, they don't realize that can be fixed by defragging the HDD or removing spyware.

I totally agree !

Except for the games, PIII are perfect CPUs.

My 600E can boot Windows XP in 42 s. When I see people with Core or P-M machines, and who are not able to use them correctly, I'm asking : Why do they buy such products ?

Do I buy a Ferrarri to go at the market ?

No, my Citroën ZX (here in France, everyone says it's a car for the grand'pas ) is perfect and very confortable (I slept in it like a baby during three nights !). I travel everywhere in France, I have no problem.

I have hesitated a long time, but I've made my decision. My next laptop will be a T23 ! Hail to the PIII, baby !!!

W.

ambientscape wrote: Welcome back Vicky!! Its been long time since I see you post...in this forum!!

It has indeed been some time, thanks for the welcome back I now own a ThinkPad again so it made sense and this time, this one is not being let go!

Vicky

pianowizard wrote: And when their computers get too slow, they don't realize that can be fixed by defragging the HDD or removing spyware.

A computer will always require maintenance, much like a car. Much of the tasks most people will do on their computers won't by nature need much horsepower but more modern, nee available software is also not as frugal on some resources which will make them seem unsuited to the task when an older version of the software would work just fine.

Also, some things are forced into obsoletion by the newer version of software being the minimum version supported, rather than the equipment being no longer up to the job.

Vicky

WarMachine wrote:I totally agree !

Except for the games, PIII are perfect CPUs.

Well heaven knows the design was valuable in some way considering it is the descendent of todays 'Core' architecture.

That said, the T23 is a very very nice laptop. Many days happy computing with one of those. Also, the Citroen ZX, amen to that, I own a Ford Escort, blue, boring to look at but the most reliable car I have ever known. Nineteen years old, a mere 92,000 miles on the clock (it sat in a garage for years) and it has never broken down in 3 years ownership and I have driven is some miles (about 30,000 in that time). Yes it's not flashy but like any car, it does get me there, in the end!

Vicky

PIIIs are great. I set up my X21 with Win2k for a friend and it runs great for everything he needs (except AOL - he has dialup). Of course, does AOL ever not cause excessive bloat?

Perhaps you could configure his connection manually. Most of the softwares given by ISPs are unnecessary.

W.

As cinemafia knows, I too am an avid collector of old gear. I have a few old macs laying around. I also have a dual pentium d machine in an SFF case. Guess how much it get's used? It's lucky to be powered up once a week. I am considering selling it. I mainly use my Powerbook G4 and my Thinkpad T41p for everything I do. The only thing my SFF machine has is a DVD burner. I am thinking about picking up an external USB burner to solve that problem.

I really love this T41p, and even though it's old by today's standards it more than fits my needs. Heck I had a T23 that was maxed out in every respect (HD, RAM, CPU, LCD, Wifi) and it ran great. In a fit of stupidity I sold it. I think due to falling prices I might pick up another one. I would get an X series, but I do require the ability to add an optical drive internally without having to result to an expansion base or anything.

Cinemafia:

Great pics! What camera are you using?

I've only had 2 ThinkPads that were better (specs) than the T23, yet it's the only one that has survived my constant buying/selling. Not an antique till I say so!

I have found that the only benefit to having the latest in hardware is that I can install all sorts software with out regards to how it affects performance. I am very picky about what software is installed on my laptops, but my new home brewed desktop has software installed that I user maybe once a year.

Temetka wrote: Cinemafia:

Great pics! What camera are you using?

I'm currently using a Kodak Z740, which a decent little cam right on the lower cusp of Super Zooms (aka DSLR wanna-bes).

Cheesemanx wrote:I have found that the only benefit to having the latest in hardware is that I can install all sorts software with out regards to how it affects performance.

There are a few applications where the newest/fastest chip makes all the difference. For instance, one of my passions is music production, and the faster the CPU, the more audio channels, VSTi's and effects I can run smoothly at once. Thus, the better/more effectively I can work on my projects.

However, for day-to-day junk like web browsing, server maintenance, development, email, office tasks, etc...my little 700MHz T20 gets the job done.

I recently bought a T41, P Mobile 1.6, 512, 40GB Radeon 7500 and i'm very pleased with it. Cost me around 600EUR and runs everything great even games like CStrike, Nfs and C&C Generals. I see no reason for spending 1300EUR on a new T60 dual core. Hope to last 3 years or so until i'll change it.