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

[christopher_wolf]

. While it was profitable, I would not do it again as the stress of trying to get them to sell is pretty high.

Which is why I have, very rarely, gotten a laptop with the idea that I would sell it in the future at some point. Most of the Thinkpads I have had over the course of several years, except for my 701c and my T43, kind of went in a traded fashion. I would use it until I had to upgrade or move up somehow and then I would give it to another family member or friend. Worked out pretty good for me at least as I knew, even then, that there is really no such thing as a "loaner" Thinkpad.

[epbrown]

Some interesting collections. For myself, making it to five is a stretch. In order of use:

1) IBM TransNote - I've tried to supplant this with newer models a couple of times, but nothing beats it's ability to take notes for hours at a time without turning the computer on. No new tablet offers this feature, either. This delays every meeting or class I go to by 10 minutes, while I explain what it is. I've got a 2nd one as backup.

2) Sony VAIO C1 "Picturebook" - the best travel notebook ever, period.

3) IBM 701C/HR - the HR is for "hot rod." All the updates possible, running Windows 95 OSR2 with a 133Mhz board and 64MB chip, and uses a 16-bit wi-fi card. My next project for it is adding an 8GB CF drive using an IDE adapter.

4) IBM X30 - this, with the addition of an ultrabase, has replaced my 600X as my desktop replacement. Mostly used for large data swaps between disks.

5) IBM 701C - this one is bone stock, the equivalent of a mint split-window Corvette - it's even running IBM PC-DOS and Windows 3.1 from the factory install disks, along with DOOM. Also have another unit for parts.

6) IBM 755 - I bought this for the sole purpose of installing the tv tuner accessory.

7) Don't have one anymore, but I'd love to get another PC 110.

[christopher_wolf]

Now *that* is a sweet collection, you know.

Isn't the 701c amazing as a multi-purpose miniature mobile computer? I can only think of how much more fun that gets with the hot rod, a PC 110, and a TransNote.

[pianowizard]

5) IBM 701C - this one is bone stock, the equivalent of a mint split-window Corvette - it's even running IBM PC-DOS and Windows 3.1 from the factory install disks, along with DOOM.

I too have a machine dedicated to playing DOOM and DOOM2 games. It's a Packard Bell Force 51CD, with the processor upgraded from 50MHz 80486DX2 upgraded to 100MHz 80486DX4, the RAM from 4MB to 64MB, and the OS from Win3.1 to Win98SE. I couldn't figure out how to run these games properly on the other 9 computers that I own because they have either Win2K or WinXP.

[BillMorrow]

active computers:
T60p
used for runnig stuff needing a pristine OS, testing vista, OS/X which does not now boot up, and when I travel to georgia running this forum from afar..

X60s
ditto to the T60p but more portable and a carry around map with gps..

Transnote
24/7 monitoring of the dual wan router, PDA master list and telephone assistant, taking notes i want to keep, servine as an ANON VOIP line for those who use caller id to filter calls, like people who owe me $$

IBM Netvista
My assistants computer, less now that lenovo and ibm killed my new thinkpad business

MORROW special P4 3ghz, 2gig, 2x500gig array and 2x300gig array boot, 2xPlextor CDR, DVD +- RW, 5 active displays, used for some trading, research, new forum member checkout and activation, email and redundant storage/backup and more

inactive but operable:

Transnote
IBM NetFinity
AlphaMicro AM1000
570
5x701C's
770Z
770-1AU
755CDV

inactive and needing OS or HDD..
860 PowerPC RS6000
various 760 series..

might have forgotten one or two..

[epbrown]

I too have a machine dedicated to playing DOOM and DOOM2 games.

Actually, I don't often play DOOM on it. I added it out of nostalgia - the day I received my first 701C (December 1995, $1800 from PC Mall) the first thing I installed on it was DOOM. My previous laptop had been a ThinkPad 355, so the 701 was the first time I got to see DOOM in color.

I've never been a sophisticated gamer. My t-note has MAME on it, for playing the original versions of Asteroids, Centipede, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros and Joust.

[epbrown]

Isn't the 701c amazing as a multi-purpose miniature mobile computer? I can only think of how much more fun that gets with the hot rod, a PC 110, and a TransNote.

The 701 remains my favorite ThinkPad, edging out even the TransNote. It still has a lot of "wow" factor for me, beyond the TrackWrite keyboard. I love how you can go into the BIOS anytime, for instance.

And I'd love a PC110 again, in this age of wi-fi and large capacity CF drives. I do recall getting a good price for mine when I sold it, though...

[AlphaKilo470]

The 350c could also go into BIOS anytime as well. I think I had Doom on that machine but I rarely played it as I was, at the time, addicted to Descent.

[JHEM]

3) IBM 701C/HR - the HR is for "hot rod." All the updates possible, running Windows 95 OSR2 with a 133Mhz board and 64MB chip, and uses a 16-bit wi-fi card.

My 701C is a Hot rod also with the 133MHz MB and 64MB RAM compliments of our friend CUIINC in CA.

James

[RUSH2112]

I actually find it liberating having only one machine; there is no juggling act between them or anything. I would, however, like to get one more machine as a spare/auxilary.

[pianowizard]

I actually find it liberating having only one machine; there is no juggling act between them or anything. I would, however, like to get one more machine as a spare/auxilary.

RUSH, I live only 45 miles from Boston and am selling my ultralight (2.38-lb) Toshiba Portege R100 in about a month. Let me know if you are interested in it; I could deliver it to you.

[KristianJ]

One day I'll collect laptops... In the house here I'm one short of being officially able to participate in the thread (my T40, Toshiba Satellite 1800, Dell Latitude A400XT and desktop PC), but I do want to pick up a nice little older TP just like my old 760XL that I sold last year and wish I hadn't. Just have to be able to afford it first.

[jruschme]

I have five and a half, but I only use two regularly:

4. Toshiba Libretto 50 Win95 1.9 pound portable - Collecting dust mostly.
-------------------------
Computer 4 is useless by any standard today, and I may sacrifice it to my altar of taking things apart to see how they work.

... JD Hurst

I have to admit to always admiring the Libretto family, though I could have never afforded one in the day and hardly ever see one one. If you ever reach the point where a sacrifice is needed, can I try to give it a good home instead?

As for my collection...

First the three ThinkPads:
1) Upgraded T20- travel system mostly and backup for my wife's Gateway (I keep expecting the hinges to snap off on that one any day). Currently running XP Pro.

2) T22 project system- Currently running FreeSpire Linux.

3) 600E- This one is my personal Linux laptop, though it may be replaced by #2 if/when I get it sufficiently stable (and get a better battery). Currently dual booting MS-DOS and Ubuntu 6.06.

Then there is my desktop:
4) Generic P4 1.5 clone- Mostly used for video conversions and as home file server.

Then there are the various "special use" systems:
5) Apple Macintosh G3 (beige, though I've been promised a B&W to replace it), running Panther with development tools.

6) WallStreet PowerBook- similar to above

7) Sun SPARCStation 20- used to be my Solaris 9 hacking box, though I really want to wipe and reload it with NetBSD when I get the time.

A few oddballs of personal interest: Newton 2100, HP 200LX, HP OmniBook 300.

After this are the various predecessors of the above which I felt were too minimal (Acer Extensa 610CDT P150 laptop) or too odd (Pre-G3 Macs, SPARCStation LX and Classic) to give to friends/family (I love Linux, but am not the type to shove it at someone else) and too lazy to try and eBay.

[dsigma6]

jruschme- Happy to be living in the safest city in America?

[jruschme]

jruschme- Happy to be living in the safest city in America?

Personally, I never thought much about it, but wife (who grew up in Long Beach, CA about a block from where the riots stopped) has always felt a lot safer here.

[JHEM]

jruschme- Happy to be living in the safest city in America?

I'm happy to concede Brick the title for as long as we don't have to put up with their population!

James

[Dngrsone]

Wow, I suck.

I have only eight working machines right now--

Laptops:

T23
Presario 1200 with 80GB drive (got it for $20 and had ot sink $100 in it to get it to work)

Desktops-

Athlon 64 3000+ w/ 1GB RAM, 200GB HD Home system
P4- 1.5GHz with 512MB RAM, 200GB HD Dngrlab
PII 350MHz Running Smoothwall Firewall appliance

Two PII 333Mhz and a Celeron 666Mhz in a Folding farm

I have a K6-2 that was my file server, but it's been off-line for some time due to flood damage, so the Dngrlab computer is doing doubletime.

My only regret is my electricity bill.

[440roadrunner]

I don't think I can name them all. I have at least 4 current desktop PC's (generic) running XP, at least 1.5ghz or faster These are in a constant state of flux, for example, just pulled one CD "burner" out of the main one to install a DVD burner, and the CD burner got second handed to the next machine

I have two 600X thinkpads, and many accessories, including an old external travelstar external PCMCIA drive

Several old 360xx series, one of which was upgraded to a "P75?" with an Evergreen type thing. A couple of old Panasonic CDROM (pcmcia) and a parallel "backpack" cdrom helps these along.

I've got the remains of a 360PE (pen) but the case isn't in very good shape.

A 510CS--I would not have picked up if I'd realized has a compacted keyboard

A PC radio--bet you don't have any!!!! They are a ruggedized ROM device, runs DOS 3?? something? Uses some sort of flash cards for extra storage, "had" a built in cellular device, and is supposed to have a small strip printer (previous owner removed mine) They also have an irritatingly small compact keyboard.

(This is not my webpage--but some pics of someone else's)


http://www.sinasohn.com/cgi-bin/clascom ... er=pcradio

A Z50 workpad. If anyone has an add on memory RAM stick.........


Untold piles of P333, P266, PII, PI's, 4, 3, 2, '86's, and I think even at least one 8088 or 8086.


One weirdo is a Laser Precision TD9950 optical time domain reflectometer, which has an old ROM booted x86 (8088?) complete with floppy. I've been thinking of trying to hack it into something more interesting


http://www.teknetelectronics.com/pics/W ... TD9950.jpg

[smugiri]

Are you talking about IMs? If so, you can get Trillian which lets you use multiple accounts from the same service at once.

No, just plain old Yahoo email. I don't use IM at all, but will keep Trillian in mind. Thanks for the tip.

Use Firefox with the IE extension.

Open one Yahoo account in regular Firefox and the other in Firefox as an IE tab.

Then send me the Thinkpad that you no longer use.

[covertash]

Heh. I guess I don't feel too bad with the amount of hardware I have in my possession.

Currently, I only have (my first) two laptops: the T23 and T42 in my signature. I'm also using a custom built gaming rig with which the main components comprises of:

- Opteron 165 @ 2.7GHz
- OCZ 2X1GB PC3200 RAM
- Asrock Dual-SATA2 motherboard
- Sapphire X1800XT 256MB
- Audigy 4
- Seagate 7200.10 320GB and Western Digital 250GB hard drives
- BenQ and Lite-On DVD Burners

However, I've accumulated a number of spare parts from building and upgrading my desktop(s) over the years that I have enough spare parts to assemble 2, maybe even 3 additional desktop computers. Somehow I also managed to acquire 3 different Apple based computers from the pre-2000 era for free that just sit in my closets at home. So in terms of desktops, I've got my fair share.

Sad to say (at least for my bank account ) that I have seemingly developed a new hobby in collecting, fixing, and upgrading Thinkpads, in particular. Right now I have the 600 series in my sight for my next project and addition to my collection due to all that I've read about the legendary keyboard and sturdiness for that series. Then again I really should stop reading so much of these forums as my interest seems to get broader and broader, spelling doom to my already dwindling wallet.

All in all, though, I find this to be a fun hobby. Somewhat expensive and relatively time consuming, but still fun nonetheless.

[pianowizard]

Open one Yahoo account in regular Firefox and the other in Firefox as an IE tab.

Then send me the Thinkpad that you no longer use.

Thanks for the tip. You can buy the extra laptopr from me:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=32967

[NS]

You guys keep mentioning the thinkpad 701C and make me drool like crazy. Emm...

My uncle has a 701C and he is using it till now and he refused to sell it to me even though i bid a high price for it.

Next thinkpad i am going to get is another T or X or Z series thinkpad.

Now saving up for a new digicam.

[pianowizard]

Next thinkpad i am going to get is another T or X or Z series thinkpad.

I think you should get something very different from the T30/R52/X60/T60/R60 that you already have. The Z61p (with WUXGA!) should be fun to play with.

[NS]

Next thinkpad i am going to get is another T or X or Z series thinkpad.

I think you should get something very different from the T30/R52/X60/T60/R60 that you already have. The Z61p (with WUXGA!) should be fun to play with.

I want 701C and yes, i will get a Z series.

[AlphaKilo470]

You should aim to get one of these bad boys: http://www.aichi.to/~thinkpad/ibm5535-zad/

[pianowizard]

You should aim to get one of these bad boys: http://www.aichi.to/~thinkpad/ibm5535-zad/

I have been a big fan of that guy's "Thinkpad Love" site, which has so many photos of all these exotic Thinkpads!

[AlphaKilo470]

This guy also has a good collection though it's not quite as exotic:
http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~ayase/tp/

[pianowizard]

This guy also has a good collection though it's not quite as exotic:
http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~ayase/tp/

I remember stumbling upon this guy's site once a long time ago, and am drooling over his 240Z with 256MB RAM and XGA display!

[tfflivemb2]

This guy also has a good collection though it's not quite as exotic:
http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~ayase/tp/

You're killing me with these old Thinkpadesque machines...now I want this one. As well as the one that you pointed out above...hmmm a Thinkpad with rounded edges.

[AlphaKilo470]

Hopefully that 360P which is due to arrive on Tuesday (check your PM for tracking number) will satisfy your craving for new toys for at least a day.