What old technology do you have and still use?

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#31 Post by **rkawakami** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:43 pm

Ah, with the talk of old HP calculators, I just remembered....

Got an APF Mark 55 scientific calculator that I keep on the desk at work. It's basically a knock off of the HP-45 and so it has the same RPN entry system. Got it sometime in the late '70s and besides the built-in NiCad battery pack going bad about 20 years ago, the sliding power switch broke so I simply soldered the wires together and plug in the AC adapter when I need to use it. Also have a real HP-45 and HP-16c somewhere about but haven't used them in ages. They were put away when I wrote FORTRAN programs which duplicated most of their functions on a Data General Eclipse AOS/VS minicomputer that was retired about 6 years ago.

sz · #32 Post by sz » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:53 pm

Guess I don't use much old tech anymore....what little is left is in storage. Selling our house and preparing for the trip meant that anything not absolutely vital got sold, given away, or dumped...And BOY is it hard to give away most old computer stuff!

Still have a Monroe Scientific 326 calculator + tape drive (nixie tubes) that mostly functions as a home movie prop.

Had a mid-70's Sansui receiver that was a real tank until one of the channels went out.

*snips enormous list of old computers, printers, monitors acquired, tinkered with, then given away/dumped*

I *had* a Nec multisync II I still used periodically because it was small enough to carry around for basic computer installs. Picked it up behind a computer repair shop in the 'junk' pile. Convergence wasn't perfect, but the colors were good and it had zero burn-in. Little thing just would not die. 1987-2008 RIP.

And a Multisync 5d, and an IBM 6091/19, and a gdm20e20, and.... *shuts up*

sz

mikey pizano · #33 Post by **mikey pizano** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:51 pm

SZ: Any laptops in that pile your giving away haha.

#34 Post by **gator** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:45 pm

I'll be getting my HP 100LX (~1994 palmtop PC) on saturday! I'd ideally like a IBM PC110, but those are rarer than a jade football.

Apart from that, the oldest machine I use on a daily basis is the 600X. It is interfaced via the serial port to a couple of temperature controllers (attached to my low temperature probe station setup) in the lab. I love this laptop. And of course, I carry my T23 everyday to school, but I don't think neither of 600X/T23 falls in the 'old technology' category yet.

I have a rotring 0.7mm metal mechanical pencil that my father used when he was a draftsman (1970s?). It is extremely solid and rugged, and I am sure I can pass it to my grandson if I don't lose it

http://the-gadgeteer.com/assets/rotring600-2.jpg

dietpepsiaddict · #35 Post by **dietpepsiaddict** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:37 am

Alrighty,

- Creative desktop computer from late 90's, pentium 2

- Emachines desktop computer from early 200's, intel celeron

- Sharp print-out calculator from mid 90's

- Dell Latitude CPx laptop, Pentium 3 750mhz early 2000's

-IBM Thinkpad 1300 i (on which I am typing this) Pentium 3 700mhz. early 2000's

-IBM Thinkpad 770x Pentium 2.

- Revere reel to reel video projector. ( still works)

- Lloyds portable tv from somewhere in the 80's.

- Venturer multiband radio reciever from the 90's. ( you can get air traffic control on it and shortwave and all that)

I think that's all!

#36 Post by **pkiff** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:40 am

pianowizard wrote:
mikey pizano wrote:You may have the better hardware but I have the better keyboard! Mine [NEC 780] is a 92% size keyboard
But mine [Jornada 720] fits easily in a jacket or pants pocket.

If you're looking for small, then how about my REX 6000, which is still in daily use? OK, so it's not a mobile PC with integrated keyboard, but for a PDA that is as old as my 600X, it is still mighty small!

Phil.

#37 Post by **gator** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:27 am

Phil, thanks for that! It looks awesome.

pianowizard · #38 Post by **pianowizard** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:59 am

gator wrote:I don't think neither of 600X/T23 falls in the 'old technology' category yet.

But they do fall into the "old laptop technology" category.

mikey pizano · #39 Post by **mikey pizano** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:03 am

I never liked the REX stuff... I like to have a PDA that can save a text document at least...

dr_st · #40 Post by **dr_st** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:09 am

I have an AMD K6-2 system. Does that count as old enough?

The CPU is a 475MHz one, which I overclocked too 500Mhz, using jumpers on the board.

Yes, this was the method of overclocking those days.

mikey pizano · #41 Post by **mikey pizano** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 2:03 pm

Guess its good enough! I love AMD personally.

Mineya · #42 Post by **Mineya** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:08 pm

I still use (and prefer) the original Word Perfect. The one that came on 12 diskettes in the late 80's. Wow, twenty year old software that is still current!

I also still use my HP black & white laser printer I bought in 1990. It cost over a thousand originally.

Kyaresk · #43 Post by **Kyaresk** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:32 pm

I still use:

My old Tandy WP2 daily
My IBM PS Note at least once a week
Several Palm IIIs
Wordperfect 5.1, WordStar and Word 5.5 (all DOS programs)

We still have a 70s era stereo
An old Mickey Mouse alarm clock (wind up from the 60s)
A mid 60s Coffee pot (still like perc over drip)
A wood cook stove (from the 1920s)

Various hand tools - just because they require no electricity to work.
Oil lamps and candles (for the same reason as above)

Kat

Terrahawk · #44 Post by **Terrahawk** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:05 pm

I still have a few old technology items that I use intermittently, namely:
- BBC Master 128 micro (made by Acorn Computers of the UK in 1986. Has 2 MHz 6502 and 128 kB of RAM. Bought this new in 1986.)
- Acorn Risc PC 600 (Acorn made the only range of ARM based desktop microcomputers - bought new in 1996)
- Thinkpad X21 (I guess that's from 2000 or so)

I use the X21 almost daily as a field service machine, while I'm out at sites doing different jobs. It's amazing what you can do today with only 384 MB RAM and a 700 MHz processor. Then again, if my Risc PC had those specs it would absolutely fly!

mikey pizano · #45 Post by **mikey pizano** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:39 pm

You guys are starting to make me jealous! I had to take out my Clie T615 NOW!

Stan · #46 Post by **Stan** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:51 pm

I still use a functioning, somewhat "tooled up" Amiga A1200, though Amiga emulation is getting quite good in the Windows environment. Though sadly lacking under Linux.

My cell 'phone is an immaculate Motorola StarTac 85 (UK model) with its original leather case. I've had more modern units but the StarTac reminds me of Jim Kirk and Uhura, now she was a tasty looking bird.

Amiga and StarTrek, what more could an old geek need?

j-dawg · #47 Post by **j-dawg** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:03 pm

A 1985 Mercedes, built on a platform that debuted in 1971, with component designs dating back to 1968. 300,000+ miles and still kicking, though it's not kicking quite as strongly as it used to.

Paul Unger · #48 Post by **Paul Unger** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:58 pm

I have a ThinkPad 355Cs. I'm not sure it'll boot any more . . . but I can't bring myself to put it in the bin. Does that count?

ajkula66 · #49 Post by **ajkula66** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:20 pm

j-dawg wrote:

A 1985 Mercedes, built on a platform that debuted in 1971, with component designs dating back to 1968. 300,000+ miles and still kicking, though it's not kicking quite as strongly as it used to.

You brought back some fond memories with your post...

A long-gone but never forgotten '69 220 (115 series) that I've bought from the original owner with about 550,000 miles on it...was still running perfectly, burning a bit of oil but starting in -25C weather like clockwork...this was back in 1989.

A much more recent '85 380SE (126 series) that had finally blown its transmission at 440,000 miles just before we moved out of Brooklyn in 2004....had nowhere to store it, otherwise I would've kept it. Not a spec of rust on the darn thing...gorgeous and quiet car that one was.

My fully restored '62 220S (111 series) that had saved my life at the cost of its own existence in a head-on collision with a brand new Opel in 1987...

D-series Citroens are the love of my life when it comes to cars, but nothing compares to durability of a Benz in my experience, so enjoy it while it's there...

#50 Post by **KristianJ** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:39 am

ajkula66 wrote: D-series Citroens are the love of my life when it comes to cars, but nothing compares to durability of a Benz in my experience, so enjoy it while it's there...

There's a auto spare parts shop in the industrial area of my home town that often has those older Citroens parked outside it - whether they're actually driven or not I don't know, because they seem to be in the same spots every time I drive past. Such very distinctive cars they are indeed!

As for me and old tech, I have a working (but not used for a little while) Dell Latitude CPi with a PII 400MHz driving it, and a 64kb Sharp personal organiser that I got for Christmas at least 10 years ago. It still works almost flawlessly...battery could do with a change, but otherwise, I could make use of it if I had the need to do so.

mikey pizano · #51 Post by **mikey pizano** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:22 am

My car is a 2003 Ford Focus.

Its a shame. Looking at the METAL T615, its really sad that a Palm you can buy today is garbage!

Rick Aguinaldo · #52 Post by **Rick Aguinaldo** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:58 pm

Would my Hemmi bamboo slide rule qualify? Well it is only used for show to the kids now:). On a regular use is a Thinkpad 755c.

#53 Post by **jdhurst** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:42 pm

Rick Aguinaldo wrote:Would my Hemmi bamboo slide rule qualify? Well it is only used for show to the kids now:). On a regular use is a Thinkpad 755c.

Probably - I still have my Pickett and Eckel slide rules: The main one being my N4-ES dual base log-log speed rule. Still works, still in alignment, but not much used. ... JDH

t20user · #54 Post by **t20user** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 9:48 am

I have a 1991 Pioneer DEX-M88 car audio head unit. It was top of the line back then and IMO can stand up to some of the best today. I have not used it in a while and since it is getting delicate I might have to retire it to the museum (my closet). But I love that deck.

kosse · #55 Post by **kosse** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:46 pm

Stan wrote:I still use a functioning, somewhat "tooled up" Amiga A1200, though Amiga emulation is getting quite good in the Windows environment. Though sadly lacking under Linux.

I don't have much (old) stuff in my study residence but I do have my Amiga 500 stored in the closet. I should actually test and see if it still works.

I also have a very old FDF helmet that I am planning to use next summer in some sword fighting games (laugh away

).

Miller88 · #56 Post by **Miller88** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:12 am

I use a IBM Model M keyboard from 1992 as my preferred keyboard. Thanks to a USB converter, I can use it on my laptops.

thuur · #57 Post by **thuur** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:52 am

Old stuff? I'd prefer the term 'still good stuff'

Let's see:
A 1984 Volvo 240 Turbo (360.000 kms, always goes).
The IBM PC XT, full spec (i.e. 640 kb ram, 5 MB harddrive, 180k floppy: yes the smaller 5.25"). I boot it up sometimes just to get back to reality.
MSX2, the big one from Philips. Built a SCSI card for it and attached a harddrive

In fact, I still have all my old pc's...
A Compaq Contura 420 (my win98/dos portable).
A TP570E for reading error codes from my newer car.
A TP570 in the garage to have all documentation handy when working on my cars.
A Pentium Pro with 64Mb as a firewall.
An old B&O Beomaster for some music.
And lots of old small things like a desktop calculator (one of the first LCDs) , multimeter from the 80's, powersupply from the 70's, ... too much frankly

R,
A

SafeHarbor · #58 Post by **SafeHarbor** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:06 pm

1979 Airstream travel trailer with working 8-track/AM/FM and newfangled LED fluid level indicators, original ammonia-cycle fridge

1975 Chevy "Heavy Half" 454-V8 monster

1980's Bell touch-tone phone with lead weight in the base

1990's AT&T touch-tone phone with lead weight AND asterisk and pound keys (first one I've ever had - still have it on the desk)

1960's Hammerlund HQ-180 ham receiver - has a little hum now, needs new capacitors.

1990's RCA "Home theater" Hi-Q VCR, used to view Lord of the Rings/The Two Towers a couple of nights ago

1990's RCA 32-inch Color Track II picture-in-picture dual tuner TV

And we've used the same Carrier central air/heat pump since 1982

Forgot to mention 2000 Olympus D-360L 1.3 megapixel shoot-n-go camera used today.

z142 · #59 Post by **z142** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:16 am

My 10 lovely things, order according to year of production;)

Violoncello 1910 ???
Typewriter Underwood 1922
Motorbike Jawa 500ccm 1953
Sphygmomanometer 1950???
Sphygmophone (stethoscope) 1965???
Minolta camera 1969
Sharp radio 1972
My girlfriend 197?
Waterman fontain pen 1979
hifi aparature Sony 1991

and last but not least me 19xx ))

mikey pizano · #60 Post by **mikey pizano** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 10:16 am

I found my USB floppy drive the other day.

What old technology do you have and still use?

Argh.....the pain

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