Thinkpads Forum

Just as I had a "slowest laptop" thread in the off topic forum, I'm posting a "slowest desktop" contest here. As with the slowest laptop contest, I'll kick this one off and after a given amount of time, I'll call this a round, determine a winner, and if interest in this topic still exists, a second round may start. Also, to note, complete desktops only. When I say complete, I mean motherboard, case and means for an input and output. A case, motherboard (w/ cpu) and videocard is required.

EDIT; 04/22/05: Computers that use a terminal as means for input and output are exempt from requiring a videocard. Also, when I say means for input and output, I'm referring to a place to hook up a keyboard and monitor, but keyboard and monitor don't have to be present.

My slowest complete desktop is a Macintosh IIsi w/ a 20mhz MC68030 CPU, 16mb RAM, 80mb SCSI HD, Mac OS 7.1 and a 14" monitor that displays 640x480 resolution.

P-III, 600 MHz, 384 RAM, 10 gig primary and 80 gig backup hard drives. I use it to back up my ThinkPad.

AK
Why do I have that feeling that you've already won!
Mine...
Mac Quadra 630 33Mhz 250mbHD X2CDrom

lol. Well, even if the IIsi doesn't win, I found the rebound when going through my attic last night. I found my old Macintosh Plus. 1mb RAM, a cpu that's god knows how slow and yeah, I've said enough about that computer. Wish I had remembered that thing was still up there when I made this thread.

In case you get bored with the Plus...

http://www.amherst.edu/~camiller/macquarium.html

MacQuarium: when the fishtank screensaver isn't realistic enough...

Well, looks like you're including non-IBM-brand desktops, so here's mine...

My Kaypro 2X, 4MHz Z-80A processor, 64K RAM, beautiful 160 x 100 monochrome "graphics" via built-in 9" monochrome CRT, runs CP/M via dual floppies. Even have matching daisy-wheel printer. This thing is totally complete and still works perfectly.

The IBM XT that I bought in 1983 still works fine. It's amazing how much useful software you can put on a 10MB hard disk (DOS 3.3, Norton Commander, Lotus 1-2-3, WordPerfect, etc.) and still have 50% left for data. It's slow booting up and loading programs but most software stays resident and performs well once it's in RAM.

Ahh, those were the good-old days

Amiga 1000 @ 7.4Mhz... & it STILL works just fine. Too bad I pitched out my Sinclair ZX80@ 1Mhz some time ago... Or my beloved C-64 @ 2Mhz...

I win... ;))

Amiga 1000... I had the 500. It was the all-in-keyboard computer. No Hd's, just the 3.5" floppy. It was hooked up to a Commodore 1084S video monitor. I don't have the Amiga anymore but I do still have the Commodore, I think. Should be in the garage somewhere unless I threw it out.

f1hp wrote:Too bad I pitched out my Sinclair ZX80@ 1Mhz some time ago...

ZX80 - I had one of those, I think I may still have it in a drawer somewhere.

C64, 1 MHz, no HD, 64 kB RAM?

AND it still works

...the 1084s Monitor will work well as a video monitor attached to a PS2, VCR, DVD player, etc. NTSC, y'know...

ps- kids still fire up the Amigas from time to time: A500x2; A1000x2 (one of the 1000s tricked out with 2meg internal RAM & 200 meg internal HDD!!); A2500; & A3000... the A3000 is actually still reasonably useful: 68040CPU, 16meg RAM, 4gig SCSI HDD, network, toccata soundcard, & Retina video... Oh, almost forgot: the A1000, 500, 2000 all run a 68k CPU at 7.14 MHZ, just like the Mac+. The 3000 has a stock 20mhz 68030 upgraded to 68040 at a 'blazing' 25mhz! & what a terriffic OS, so stable; somewhat linux-like, too.

It's amazing the regard that the higher end Amigas held in the video industry back in their day and even some time after. In their hey-day, the Amiga to desktop editing was almost like the Macintosh to desktop publishing.

don wrote:C64, 1 MHz, no HD, 64 kB RAM?

AND it still works

hey! i've got one of those!

my school was using it for a quick-recall buzzer system, and then they decided to upgrade... foun it, in close to perfect condition, on it's way to being thrown out (and rescued it )... those things are actually kinda fun to mess around with

Commodore 64, that's quite possibly one of the coolest computers made. For some odd reason, however, everytime I see the a C64 and/or the boot up and main screen, the song "Video Killed the Radio Star" runs through my head. Really odd.

Well, on another mostly irrelevant but still slightly rellevant note, back in the 1980's, my dad used to sell Commodore 64's at a store in Louisiana and before the C64 was introduced, he sold Vic 20's.

Actually, the jingle went "I adore my 64..., my Commodore 64..."! ;)

I seriously have an IBM PS2 model 80 sitting in my garage. Originally a 16-mhz 386 costing believe it or not $10,000 USD. The funny thing is - it still works great. But it weighs like 50 pounds!

Nice. I used to own an IBM PS/2 Model 50z circa 1991. It had a 20mhz 286, 16mb RAM, a 10mb Microchannel hard drive and IBM XGA microchannel graphics. I ran Windows 3.1 on it and surprisingly enough, that thing FLEW. In fact, I feel safe in saying that it could whoop the tar out of most 386's of it's time.

Well, I've got a C64, an NEC Multispeed (4.77 AND 8 MHz!), a 486DX2-50, and a few other items kicking around the basement. A few years back I could have had a DEC PDP-8 for free - they were chucking a bunch out at work, but I passed. We've still got a few Micro-Vaxes around being used for stuff.

For the Amiga fans (always wanted one of those) - last year the channel guide on my local cable company (Cablevision) crashed - and instead of the channel listings I got to see an Amiga diagnostic message. They are still out there being used.

Ed Gibbs

Ok - bringing out the oldies.

SUN Sparcstation 2 40 mhz

and the ultrapowerful (trumpets please)

SUN sparcserver 20 with 4 (count em 4) 60 mhz supersparc processors and lookout.....512 mb of ram. Lookout! Even has a framebuffer!

That last line must be said with a WWF announcers voice.

Well, let's see what's in the dungeon.

I know I've got two C64 portables in the cottage at the lake. Don't know why I'm keeping them except the kids spent a lot of rainy days playing games on them so maybe the grandkids can also.

I've got an AST Premium 286 sitting around here somewhere, has a math co-processor and an AST memory card that gave it a whopping 16MB RAM.

Regards,

James

C64 portables. I've heard of them and seen pictures but never though anyone actually owned one. Sort of like the Kaypro 2000 or the Outbound notebook system, you hear about them alot from the older computer folks but never thought they existed beyond publicity photos and press releases.

If you ever do get rid of those C64 portables, let me know first, I could give it a good home when they wear out their welcome at yours.

My Kaypro 2X, 4MHz Z-80A processor, 64K RAM, beautiful 160 x 100 monochrome "graphics" via built-in 9" monochrome CRT, runs CP/M

I have no idea where my Zilog Z-80 cpu is these days. Somewhere in the bottom of a landfill - I hope! But seriously - I vote the 1 Mhz or Kaypro 4 mhz is the winner. cpm? Ugh! nasty! Bet we could find some version of linux to run on it!

Boy - how far we've come eh?

Well, lets see what I have for you:

A 286 AT 12MHz + math co-processor, 1MB RAM, EGA video card + CGA monitor (so most of the Sierra games... the Quest series were running in 16 colors), and an 5,25" 20MB hard drive (the one with the black front cover).

+

I still have a Commodore VC20 and a 128 somewhere.


Regards,
G-Man

egibbs wrote:For the Amiga fans (always wanted one of those) - last year the channel guide on my local cable company (Cablevision) crashed - and instead of the channel listings I got to see an Amiga diagnostic message. They are still out there being used.

On an almost daily basis, I work with dedicated video editing systems that are for the most part highly modified Amigas (with FireWire and 64mb RAM might I add) that have been scaled down a bit and stuffed into a different case. To my knowledge, these things are still manufacutred and supported too.

I don't know.. all these other computers with new-fangled stuff like hard drives and color monitors... and memory that's measured with 3 digits (Kbytes or Mbytes, take your pick). Compared to this lofty stuff, my old Kaypro is looking pretty good! (or bad, as the case may be). And, I could hook it up in half-an-hour, and be running Wordstar and editing and printing documents again, just like in 1983!

PS/1 2123 089 ,386sx25, 4mb ram, PCDOS 7.0. still powering up from time to time.
When this die,a PS/2 Server 9585 0NT , 486dx2/66 Running Linux gets the crown....

Macintosh IIcx
16MHz 68020
8MB Ram
20MB HDD

A machine from hell *g*

I have a couple old Macs but they're not even in the same leage as what you guys are posting. Super computers by comparison!