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If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

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jdhurst
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#181 Post by jdhurst » Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:25 am

Thanks. I may do that. It is also dead easy just to use the T41 and a prior version of VMware (say V5). I am not going to spend much time until I can find a set of Office 4.3 to put on the Windows 3.1 machine. I have V 4.3 documents so I must have used it, but I cannot find it. It may be on some old diskettes somewhere.

The real goal here is to have the machines. Once a big file (which is all any virtual machine is), they can live forever.

The other thing that has kept me away from Windows 3.1 is that there is no VMware Video for it, so it is 640x480 only. My Windows 95 machine, together with some updates I had filed away gives me 1024x768 resolution, which is fine. It has Office 95, so it is a fully working machine. .... JDH

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#182 Post by dr_st » Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:15 pm

jdhurst wrote:I am not going to spend much time until I can find a set of Office 4.3 to put on the Windows 3.1 machine. I have V 4.3 documents so I must have used it, but I cannot find it. It may be on some old diskettes somewhere.
I am pretty sure I have the files from the original installation disks somewhere, but these will be the Hebrew versions. It is possible to make the interface English, IIRC, but not sure how it will work on a non-English Windows 3.x version.
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T490 (20N3), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#183 Post by jdhurst » Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:19 pm

I have seen the english disks on eBay for little money, so it is just a matter of doing it. ... JDH

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#184 Post by TreeJelly » Mon Jul 04, 2011 1:54 pm

Haha, wow. How do you guys use all of them?? I only have one computer. No monitor, no dual screen, just one computer. xD
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#185 Post by ozzymud » Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:02 am

TreeJelly wrote:I only have one computer. No monitor, no dual screen, just one computer. xD
Wow... no monitor, impressive :P hehe
(2)701C,(1)760EL,(6)760XL,(1)760XD
(4)CD Drives (5)int floppies (3)ext floppy (4)2.1GB
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#186 Post by lead_org » Tue Jul 05, 2011 5:18 am

TreeJelly wrote:Haha, wow. How do you guys use all of them?? I only have one computer. No monitor, no dual screen, just one computer. xD
no monitor? do you include the laptop LCD as the monitor?
Current ThinkPad: T430u, T430s, X1 Carbon, X1, X230t, X220t, X230, X220, X201t, W520, W701ds, T500, T420 and many more

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#187 Post by ausmike » Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:50 am

wow ..one laptop > wish I can do ALL THE THINGS on one
have a few IBM models for collection purpose ,,, they never been opened ...but most all my stuff is working daily (see sign- home networks) and they only get replacved when they die !!

>pity my work -currently T420s (bussiness security wont let me use my work laptop for even PERSONAL EMAILS or other sites that most pple use)... so I carry my X220T (love the Gorilla glass) for personal use - and Ipad2 ( work issue) and Since my Iphone was stolen from hotel room (nasty New Orleans hotel staff grrrr) I have this new toy ANDRIOD ..... am set!!

I deally I dream of ONE APPLICANCE that can do all ( ipad/Iphone comes close) ..type, email, surf web, make calls ....... and often be able take my yelling @......lol....my International travellers life be much much sweeter!
But then I still remember very clearly the days of being told am SUPER GEEK by my than boss - as I could do 99rows & 99Colums on a Lotus123 spreadsheet!! and my than laptop was in two cases - airline weight = 75lbs+ .... and had moto phone that was further 22 lbs(battery lasted 24hrs !!!


So till then I carry my 30lb carry on bags ! .....and greatfull tech has come along far !

Cheers everyone....
Work: None - Retired ! Yipee!! ~~Older/Hm use:Asus Zenbook i7FHD~~ w701ds CTO;W520cto;T61P-IPSmodels; T43P,...&700Tstill going strong!! DEC Alpha Series OS: Win7x64; OSX; SuSe Linux; RedHat~~

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#188 Post by pianowizard » Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:16 am

TreeJelly wrote:I only have one computer. No monitor, no dual screen, just one computer. xD
I wouldn't want to own just one computer. First of all, carrying a laptop to work everyday is very inconvenient. Second, a laptop that's used >12 hours a day and lugged around frequently gets worn out or damaged easily. Third, I find desktops more comfortable to use than laptops, but of course I can't have only desktops because sometimes I need mobility. For these reasons, I prefer to have a desktop and a laptop at work, and another desktop and another laptop at home.
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#189 Post by rumbero » Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:50 am

TreeJelly wrote:Haha, wow. How do you guys use all of them?? I only have one computer. No monitor, no dual screen, just one computer. xD
I wouldn't want to have to rely on just a single machine without having at least one fallback in case of the main work device becoming disfunct due to some unexpected technical defect. It is good to be able to just swap over the hard disk and continue working while the other machine is being repaired. Depending upon the business one is doing for a living, this might turn out to be a life saver once the worst case actually happens.

Just make sure that there always is also a recent backup of the hard drive contents. Multiple machines are not much help if the one important hard disk containing the only copy of the most valuable data is the failing part of the chain. ;)
A few 14.1" and 15" T61+ Frankenpads and one T480

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#190 Post by TreeJelly » Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:04 am

Haha, forgot to add. I mean't that I don't have a big screen monitor, the LCD is still there xD. Yes, I know that it is nice to have more than 1 computer, but overall, I don't really think that I would need 5 computers or so. But then, I don't bring my laptop a lot. :)
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#191 Post by jdhurst » Tue Jul 05, 2011 4:09 pm

Pianowizard >>> I wouldn't want to own just one computer. First of all, carrying a laptop to work everyday is very inconvenient.

I run my own business and I live out of my briefcase. I got an X220 for a client and I am thinking it is time to retire my T61p. But the convenience of having *everything* I need at a client is well worth any incovenience of carrying it. My T61p goes everywhere with me.

Pianowizard >>>Second, a laptop that's used >12 hours a day and lugged around frequently gets worn out or damaged easily.

But is that not the point of a commercial Thinkpad? Both my T41 (retired) and my T61p have fallen on the floor, no worse for wear. The only thing that rubs me the wrong way about my T61p is that the hinges have developed forward/back play. Not enough to do anything about it, mind you - just irritating.

rumbero >>> I wouldn't want to have to rely on just a single machine without having at least one fallback in case of the main work device becoming disfunct due to some unexpected technical defect. It is good to be able to just swap over the hard disk and continue working while the other machine is being repaired. Depending upon the business one is doing for a living, this might turn out to be a life saver once the worst case actually happens.

Overall, I agree about having a second machine, and in fact (except for the hardware), my M90p is a mirror-image of my T61p. I can use either to accomplish my objectives. If my laptop gives out, it has normally been the hard drives. I keep spares of those around and can be back running in an evening. Still, not having a dupicate spare laptop is a risk and (in my case), one only mitigated by a gradual reduction in hours billed and a corresponding increase in living the "after work" life. It seems too busy to call it retirement

I can say that the most downtime I have ever had was a day in the shop to get a system board in my T41 (motherboard syndrome), so I I have been fortunate.

.... JDH

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#192 Post by bgalakazam » Tue Jul 05, 2011 5:29 pm

I have 1 desktop and 2 laptops, which I use regularly. I have a 4th machine used for local home network file sharing.

Conclusion: I need a 3rd laptop, sometimes 3 machines doesn't cut it. :eek:
15" Macbook Pro, T400 for car diagnostics
previous: T60p -> X60 -> T61 QXGA -> X220 -> W510

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#193 Post by unix_joe » Wed Jul 06, 2011 10:13 am

I would have said that I only have three computers (two laptops, one desktop) and one on permanent loan to my father (X30 running Scientific Linux 6), but that is forgetting the IBM PS/2s that I have at my parents' house. I went home yesterday and counted at least five...8086 and 286 workstations, some with color monitors, some with hard drives, and all with Model M keyboards. I also found a PowerPC 7200/90 Macintosh that I have no recollection of acquiring, and more recent components of homebuilt systems from my college days.

The cool thing is, the PS2s are from the late 80's and have none of the discoloration typically associated with beige PCs...but the last desktop I built in college (about 8 years ago) has already turned yellowish-brown. Do I feel guilty? Not really. One day when I actually have a house, I will have a perfectly restored PS2 running FreeDOS sitting beside the Macintosh (which has also retained its beige color).
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#194 Post by ThinkPad560X » Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:47 am

I use all my systems, Most for going on the internet.

I mostly like working at the desk and just pluging in my USB ThinkPad keyboard to them and use the large IBM 20" External widescreen that my desktops use.
Probably out of them all, The mosly use ones X41/X60 and SL500.

ThinkPads:

701C
760C
760XD
755CD
770
600
600X
560X
570
380Z
390X
i1200
i1400
240
A22m
A30
G40
R31
R40
R51
S30
T20
T30
T40
X21
X30
X41
X41 Tablet
Z60m
T60
R60
X60
X60 Tablet
TransNote
SL500
WorkPad Z50
WorkPad 20X
IdeaPad S10

Desktops:

NetVista M41
NetVista 8315
Aptiva 2170
ThinkCentre S50
IBM: 760XD,770Z,600X,240,560X,560Z,570,380Z,390X,i1200,i1400,
A22m,A22e,A30,G40,R31,R40,R50,R60,R61,R400,R500,
T20,T23,T30,T40,T43,T60,T61,T400,T400s,T500,W500,W700,
X21,X30,X41,X41T,X60,X60T,X200,X200T,X300,X120e,Z60m,Z61tT410T410sT510T420T420sT520
T430T430sT430UT530T470T470sT470pT570SL500L470L570

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#195 Post by lead_org » Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:06 am

Currently i have these operational machines:

5 T60 14.1 inch machines (3 SXGA+, 2 XGA)
2 R61 15.4 inch machines (WXGA only)
1 T61 14.1 inch machine (WXGA)
3 T61 14.1 inch machine (XGA)
1 T400 14.1 inch machine (WXGA+)
1 R400 14.1 inch machine (WXGA)
2 X200 12.1 inch machine (WXGA TN)
1 Z61t 14.1 inch machine (WXGA)
1 R60e 15 inch machine (XGA)
1 X61 12.1 inch machine
1 X61s 12.1 inch machine
1 X60 12.1 inch machine
1 X60t 12.1 inch machine
1 T500 15.4 inch machine (WXGA LED)
1 R500 15.4 inch machine (WXGA CCFL)
1 T400s 14.1 inch machine
1 T43 14.1 inch machine (XGA)
1 T42 15.0 inch machine (SXGA+)
1 T41 14.1 inch machine (XGA)
1 T40 14.1 inch machine (XGA)
1 X31 12.1 inch machine
1 HP NC4400 12.1 inch machine
1 Toughbook CF-T4

ThinkStation S10 and S20
ThinkCentre A62 and M55 SFF
Dell Precision 390 and 490
Lenovo 3000 J series SFF
Current ThinkPad: T430u, T430s, X1 Carbon, X1, X230t, X220t, X230, X220, X201t, W520, W701ds, T500, T420 and many more

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#196 Post by ausmike » Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:33 am

@lead_org & think' 56*...
NICE collections !!!... I seem to think ....Ausies would have had most of the XUGA models of T6x series ... as they were rhe FIRST to get them (via japan) back in the days ....Ah well ,,,
what no thinkpad 240 or 300 ...no Clavius or Chandra2 ????
oh well I live to keep mine in FACTORY SEALED box's ,,,, unopened even to verify!

but then I was never a "Windows" man (still just a learner of windows 7) so never opened most of the factory box - collection kept for my grandkids ......just hope they are not too shocked @ antique tech and throw it all out !! LOl LOL

Nope not guilty of having them in UNopened factory boxes ..since I heard one TP laptop cold in Auction for 100x its cost of purchase ,,,,,,

Cheers everyone
Work: None - Retired ! Yipee!! ~~Older/Hm use:Asus Zenbook i7FHD~~ w701ds CTO;W520cto;T61P-IPSmodels; T43P,...&700Tstill going strong!! DEC Alpha Series OS: Win7x64; OSX; SuSe Linux; RedHat~~

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#197 Post by pianowizard » Mon Dec 31, 2012 7:22 pm

I am bringing up this old thread because I spent much of the past year feeling bad about owning too many computers, but I sold two desktops in the last several days and now I feel a little better. Right now I own 11.5 computers (the "0.5" is a topless Thinkpad X32). 3.5 of these are shared with people in my lab and so the number of personal computers is really only 8, but that's still too many:

Dell Inspiron 7500 (9.43-lb 15.4" 1280x1024)
Dell Latitude E4200 (2.23-lb 12.1" 1280x800)
Dell OptiPlex 9010
Gateway NX860X (7.95-lb 17.0" 1920x1200)
HP Compaq 8200 Elite
HP Compaq 8300 Elite
Panasonic Toughbook CF-Y7 (3.34-lb 14.1" 1400x1050)
Sony Vaio VPCX113KG (1.41-lb 11.1" 1366x768)

It's a nice collection especially the laptops, because, for example, all four aspect ratios are represented (5:4, 4:3, 16:10, and 16:9), and the Sony is the lightest laptop ever made. All 3 desktops are used frequently but the 5 laptops aren't, which is why I feel a bit guilty. I bought the Sony with the intention of replacing the Latitude with it, but it feels so fragile that I would rather not travel with it and the Latitude has remained my travel companion. On the other hand, the Sony is so amazingly light that I don't want to sell it, so I ended up keeping both. The Inspiron is also rarely used but the 5:4 ratio is so rare that I just have to keep it.

Have any of you guys downsized your collections recently? Was it hard to decide which one(s) to sell?
Dell Latitude 7370 (QHD+, 2.84lb); HP Pavilion x2 12-b096ms (1920x1280, 3.14lb); Microsoft Surface 3 (1920x1280, 2.00lb);
Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF (Core i5-6600); Acer ET322QK, T272HUL; Crossover 404K; QNIX QHD2410R; Seiki Pro SM40UNP

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#198 Post by Neil » Mon Dec 31, 2012 11:10 pm

I fully intented to downsize my collection, but have failed misserably. And, yes, it's always hard for me to decide what to sell (or give away), and what to keep. For example, at one point recently, I had three T61 of exactly the same model and configuration, but found myself reluctant to sell even one or two of them. But, finally did let one of them go. Anyone need the others?

The real problem is that whenever I do sell one, I end up looking at others. And when I'm looking, I end up buying.

So, at the moment, I have three four desktop machines that get regular use. And five more desktops that are meant to upgrade the currently in use ones. And laptops...let's see...three that get daily use, and 15 (I think) others that I just tinker around with on occation.

Yes...way too many! I could easily get by with 2 desktop machines, and 3 or 4 laptops for my entire extended family.
Collection = T430 - T500 - R400 - X300 - T61 (14" WXGA+) - R61 (15" SXGA+) - T60 - X40 - T43p - T43 - T42p - A30P

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#199 Post by Radioguy » Mon Dec 31, 2012 11:14 pm

Who doesn't need a bathroom PC?
240, 380ED, 760C, 760CD, 760E, 760EL, 760LD, 760LD, 760XD, 760XD, A30, E520, G40, I1300, P53, R31, R40, R51, R52, R61, T20, T30, T40, T41, T42, T43, T43P, T60, T61, T400, T410, T420, T430, T460, X1C2, X30, X40, X220, X301 and on, and on, and on...

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#200 Post by ThinkPad560X » Tue Jan 01, 2013 12:20 am

I had doubles of a IBM ThinkPad 380Z, 600 and a R51 so I cleaned them up and sold all three to a guy. Feel alittle better that I got rid of them, The 380Z I sold I remember I built that one up from just a keyboardless/screen laptop I got for free. using only an external monitor/keyboard/mouse. I've got it completely rebuilt to like new and had it laying around, So I sold it. I have a better 380Z now anyway tho, looks new aswell. My collection is still marked below. So for the rare ThinkPads I own I regret owning meaning not using hardly at all, and spending the highest for one $600. But if I got rid of them I would just rebuy them back. So its hard to sell them, even tho I'd like to downgrade to atleast 4 laptops, same for the desktops..
IBM: 760XD,770Z,600X,240,560X,560Z,570,380Z,390X,i1200,i1400,
A22m,A22e,A30,G40,R31,R40,R50,R60,R61,R400,R500,
T20,T23,T30,T40,T43,T60,T61,T400,T400s,T500,W500,W700,
X21,X30,X41,X41T,X60,X60T,X200,X200T,X300,X120e,Z60m,Z61tT410T410sT510T420T420sT520
T430T430sT430UT530T470T470sT470pT570SL500L470L570

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#201 Post by mediasponge » Tue Jan 01, 2013 2:35 am

I have recycled some in the last year or so, but not enough! I can see 3 candidates from where I'm sitting. :oops: I acquired a Dell PE 1950 2x4 core server cheep. Added a drive and Ubuntu, and voila, in-house compute server. (Don't ask)

I also have a real nice A31p I should try and sell, but haven't gotten around to it...
A31p: 2653-N5U, 1.7GHz, 1.5GB, 320GB (upgr), CDRW/DVD, Win XP-Pro SP3
X41: 2528-5FU, 1.5 Ghz, 2GB, 40GB, Win XP-Pro SP3

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#202 Post by jronald » Tue Jan 01, 2013 10:13 am

Regular use is a Z60t running XP, a Desktop "sever" running XP, and a Z60t running Macbuntu.
Uundeboi runs a Z60m with XP and an X31 with Macbuntu
Other Half has a Z61m with XP and an A31p with XP
Stashed but functional is an X30, X31, T30, A31p, and a R51.
There are pieces parts to build at least 2 T30's and 2 Z60t's.
On top of that the donation program that started with T23, moved to T30s and R40's has graduated to R51's. Parts are cheap and plentiful. I know I have enough LCDs and planars for a couple more, but plastics are scarce right now. I keep watch and buy them when I can. Demand for the machines is down, so Im not killing myself to keep them on the shelf.

So of 11, 7 get daily or almost daily use.

Ron
I see in my son's eyes, each day, the wonders I have squandered fortunes to possess and have sought my entire lifetime to attain. jrr 09/2011


T400's and T500's

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#203 Post by Latios » Sun Jan 06, 2013 7:46 pm

My "Mini 10" and X61t are starting to see some neglect now. Most of my time out seems to be spent on my X220t, while at home I'm glued to my desktop. I just want to start hoarding ThinkPads but there's other things I need to put my money towards first.

I guess really what's holding me back from the X61t now is that the display resolution is a bit low and the battery is still the original. But it feels like one of those things that will survive the end of the wor- oops, I'm a bit late for that now :lol:
But yeah, I don't see myself using all of them so often. Oh well
X61 Tablet 7762-WSF L7700 1.8Ghz, 2GB DDR2, 128GB Crucial M4
L412 4403-CTO i3-380M, 4GB DDR3, ATi 545v, 500GB disk
X220 Tablet 4298-X02 i5-2520M, 4GB DDR3, 120GB Intel 520
X100e 3507-A11 "Mini 10"(2010 DER one) N450, 2GB DDR2, 160GB disk, 10.1" panel with the big bezel

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#204 Post by wkw » Fri Jan 11, 2013 12:44 pm

Lets see..
I have an old emachine P3 computer in my bedroom, CRT monitor and all. Haven't use it at all in the past year.. Only has two usb1 ports and a usb wireless dongle. Obvious why I don't use it ;)
HP desktop I use as a backup server and for hosting video games
R51 that I haven't used very much since I got my..
T530
Also a HP netbook that my mother uses
And a 600x that I use to download things from file sharing sites that limit speed to 100kb/s. Not very loud, makes a lot of sound, or uses a lot of power so I like it for that
Plus my custom built desktop

So out of 6 computers that I own, I use four of them fairly regurally.

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#205 Post by dr_st » Sat Jan 12, 2013 1:17 pm

Hey, I'm typing this post from my K6-II/Win98 box!

(decided I wanted to play some old DOS games, for which I needed to download a few patches first). :)
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pianowizard
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#206 Post by pianowizard » Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:43 pm

dr_st wrote:Hey, I'm typing this post from my K6-II/Win98 box!
I have almost always had an ancient computer just in case I need to run old DOS programs, for example last week, for nostalgia's sake, I looked through some old diaries that I wrote back in the 1990s using WordPerfect 5.1. To open these files, I used the Dell Inspiron 7500 in my sig. It has a 250GB HDD, maxed out RAM (512MB PC100), 700MHz PIII, and it currently runs Windows 2000 SP4. The OS partition (only 735MB in size) was formatted as FAT32 so that it can run DOS programs. The remaining 249GB is for storing MP3 files ripped from half of my CD collection -- this laptop's speakers sound great and so this laptop is good for playing background music.
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#207 Post by BillMorrow » Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:01 pm

i have too many retired computers to count.. for old, consider an alpha-microsystems AM1000 box with a half dozen dumb terminals of varying types from televideo 50 and 50+ to a few others i can't recall the brand of without looking..
most all are either thinkpads or IBM's.. one server the size of a small refrigerator.. built like a tank..

and no, i don't feel guilty at all, just a bit scared.. :eek:
Bill Morrow, kept by parrots :parrot: & cockatoos
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She was not what you would call refined,
She was not what you would call unrefined,
She was the type of person who kept a parrot.
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#208 Post by mediasponge » Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:20 pm

The computers might gang up on you. I worry about earthquakes causing avalanches...

I have a Televideo terminal for an Ohio Scientific C2-OEM box I have. Single sided 8" floppies. That was back when floppies were REAL floppy. :lol: You can play Adventure on that machine. (An angry dwarf throws a little axe at you and misses.)

I also have an IBM 3270 AT/GX. The 21" monitor alone weighs 75 lbs or about 35 kilos! It has a warning label telling you to seek help lifting it. I took top honors with that monster at a vintage computer fair once. It boots SYS 5.3 Unix (the real thing) on a coprocessor card and runs Valid GED (an obsolete schematic entry package).

Naturally, I have a somewhat newer DOS machine to act as a bridge to the IBM dinosaur. That's the only way to make drive images of the MFM hard drives.

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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#209 Post by Norway Pad » Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:50 pm

I see this old thread is up again, so I wanted to update my side of things. 2.5 years isn't that much time, but many things change. Me and my US wife now live in Norway, enjoying her first proper winter since she left Minnesota for Idaho many years ago.

The biggest change for me is that I have now realized that I actually *collect* Thinkpads. I am no longer a user with lots of laptops, but I have settled with the fact that I collect them and plan to keep them for an indefinite amount of time. That has in fact made it easier to justify spending time, money and space on this hobby.

Here is my list, now 12 fully functional Thinkpads, plus the Lenovo S10-2, a Samsung N110, a Compaq ML350 server, and some more. I also have my wife's two Dell Latitude 820s, both with defective graphics.
  • T6x. I now own 2 T60 2007s, and I have upgraded both to 2.0Ghz Core 2 Duo processors and 4Gb (3 usable) RAM. The best T60, the one with SSD and UXGA panel is now used by my wife for her online job, but since she's bringing in money, I am ok with that. One T60 has already got Win8, and the other one will follow, to keep them going for a long time still.
  • T4x. The T43 will get Win7 installed, and the plan is to have it converted to SATA interface for the hard drive. That will make it a usable laptop for many years still. The T42 is still at my moms house, but since I now live in Norway again, it gets booted up every 3 months or so. I am not sure if it can run Win7, but would sure like to upgrade it just to keep it going
  • T30/T2x. I now own 2 T30, one with XP and one with Linux. The XP one will probably also stay with that OS, as that is used for car diagnosis and some terminal emulator tasks at work that demands a serial port. I really love these small handy machines. By coincidence I also found a T23 for sale. XP FLP, and a really nice and bright LCD panel. Needed to buy! :-)
  • G40. My wife once gave her old G40 to a friend, but when it stopped working, my wife got it back. Luckily it was just a bed memory module, so I got that too. I will use it for my old AutoCad software, and a 2.8GHz CPU is on it's way.
  • 770Z. It actually runs XP, and has a PIII upgrade. It is pristine and came with lots of stuff: hard drive caddy, Ultra Bay caddy and so on. I have had lots of problems getting any new things to work on it, so I assume it will stay as a pure collectible, particularly given it's condition.
  • 3xx. I got a 380ED, and had so much fun reinstalling Win95 on it and putting it on the home network. IE3 still displays the Google startpage, but not much more. (No, not this forum..) If possible, I will try to install Win98 on a CF card and see if it can run from the PCMCIA slot. The 360CSe is still running Win95, but this old guy will not be played around much with anymore. Just the annual boot up to keep him fresh.
  • T510. Last but not least, the T510. That is however a work computer, still running XP. A new corporate policy set with the roll out of Win7 says that employees can't install software on their computers themselves anymore. This is so hard to bypass that I was allowed to keep XP, as I use some special software to set up sensors and frequency converters. Often the need for new software arises on projects during weekends when support isn't there to log in and install it for me..
So, keep this thread going. Maybe I will be back in 3 years to tell that I now have my own little room with shelves for displaying my collection of Thinkpads. Or maybe that was in my dreams only. :-) It is also nice to read what you other guys are doing.
Bjorn
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Re: If you've ≥5 computers, do you use them all or feel guilty?

#210 Post by unix_joe » Tue Jan 22, 2013 9:18 pm

I do not use all of my computers, and I do not feel guilty about it.

In use, between me and my wife, we have a T400 running Scientific Linux, a HP Desktop with dual monitors running Vista (for OCR scanning, and because we are both in Grad School which requires Windows), a MacBook Air, and an X120e for when I study at the university library. The X120e also functions as a streaming media PC when its at home, connected via HDMI to the HDTV.

I have also loaned out a T400 to the in-laws, and an R61 to my dad, so he can play mahjongg in his retirement and read about his friends in the obituaries.

What do I have that's not in use? A bedroom full of IBM PS/2's with 8086 and 286 processors, with 10 meg hard drives and monochrome monitors. A few home-built computers from the late 90's - early 2000's that would waste more energy than they are worth if I ever booted them up. A mid 90's Packard Bell that still runs and that outlasted any Dell or Gateway 2000 or NEC system my friends had that were supposedly "superior" machines according to the magazine shills. An X30 in the closet that is only worth the XP Pro COA on the bottom that I used on a VirtualBox install.

None of these unused computers are wasting anything but space, and they are doing less damage than they would in a landfill. I keep the PS/2's so that one day I can have a working "vintage" computer in my man-cave, to play Wolfenstein and Prince of Persia, if I ever get a house. One of these days I will have a kid who will finish destroying the X30, and hopefully learn a good deal about computing in the process. For the machines that are currently in use, they will probably remain so long as we can find a use for them. I'm not too excited about this "touch screen revolution" or this "war on general computing." When these machines die, I will revert to building my own desktops (if the economies of scale still allow that to be possible in 5-10 years) and using a tablet for portable reading.
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Wife: ThinkPad Z16 - Pop!_OS
Kids: ThinkPad X280 - Debian Stable Gnome
TV: ThinkPad P14s - Debian Stable

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