Re: uses for old computers
Derek Smithies wrote: Hi, So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? They are old so the hardware is borderline for reliability, so there is not much point in putting lots of time in them to making them do big important jobs. An old computer as a fileserver - will work, but when it fails the blood pressure goes up (the kids want their videos to watch) and it is not good. The WAF is poor - they don't seem to appreciate when their videos are not available fileserver yes, maybe. Bit limited on ram, so is a bit slow. firewall - yes, the throughtput is low cause ADSL is quite slow. But I only need 1 firewall and I have lots of the old computers. On the old computers, the harddrive is often thefirst thing to go, so maybe a liveCD running some application is the way to go. Yes - but what? As a book end - well, it is a bit big for this.. Hmm, - two computers + some planks of wood and we have a respectable shelf.. Just a bit big. What about a really exotic use? Some custom software, custom hardware, use the computer power supply and we could have a really high speed battery charger.. ---Does anyone know of such a project ?--- Ahh. A teaching tool. Yes, - show kids how they work - pull it apart. Remove cover on the hard drive, and scratch the platter as it it attempts to start up. Makes a horrible sound, but the kids see that when the disk surface is scratched, the computer cannot even begin the boot process.. Install win98 on it, and run all the old games which are still available. Yes, but it is of questionable legality to install pirated win98 isos. Comment?? Derek. P.S. In fact, the most common use for old computers is to take up space in the garage. -- Derek Smithies Ph.D. IndraNet Technologies Ltd. ph +64 3 365 6485 Web: http://www.indranet-technologies.com/ The only thing IE should be used for is to download Fire Fox Increase your popularity amongst your peers, by overemphasising an uncharacteristic surge of generosity, and donating said old computers to those less disturbed by the legality of installing a clearly illegal Dos 6.22/Windows 3.11 and playing all the old classic games, which are likely just as illegal as the OS itself
Re: uses for old computers
- Original Message - From: Andy George war...@paradise.net.nz To: linux-users@it.canterbury.ac.nz Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 7:43 AM Subject: Re: uses for old computers Hi, So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? What I have done in the past is to install an older Linux on the machine and given it to somebody who doesn't own a computer. Several years later, these same people have returned to help me solve my Linux problems. These people got started with Ubuntu 4.10 on 32 Mb of ram and have never looked back. Jerome B Regd Linux User 386075
Re: uses for old computers
On Tue, 12 May 2009 15:35:48 +1200 (NZST) Derek Smithies de...@indranet.co.nz wrote: Hi, So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? Counterstrike server! -- Steve Holdoway st...@greengecko.co.nz http://www.greengecko.co.nz
Re: uses for old computers
On Tue, 12 May 2009 15:35:48 +1200 (NZST) Derek Smithies de...@indranet.co.nz wrote: Hi, So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? Counterstrike server! People still play Counterstrike? Kerry
Re: uses for old computers
On Wed, May 13, 2009 at 2:48 PM, ke...@katipo.net.nz wrote: So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? Counterstrike server! People still play Counterstrike? No, which is why an old computer makes a good Counterstrike server ... (*cough*)
uses for old computers
Hi, So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? They are old so the hardware is borderline for reliability, so there is not much point in putting lots of time in them to making them do big important jobs. An old computer as a fileserver - will work, but when it fails the blood pressure goes up (the kids want their videos to watch) and it is not good. The WAF is poor - they don't seem to appreciate when their videos are not available fileserver yes, maybe. Bit limited on ram, so is a bit slow. firewall - yes, the throughtput is low cause ADSL is quite slow. But I only need 1 firewall and I have lots of the old computers. On the old computers, the harddrive is often thefirst thing to go, so maybe a liveCD running some application is the way to go. Yes - but what? As a book end - well, it is a bit big for this.. Hmm, - two computers + some planks of wood and we have a respectable shelf.. Just a bit big. What about a really exotic use? Some custom software, custom hardware, use the computer power supply and we could have a really high speed battery charger.. ---Does anyone know of such a project ?--- Ahh. A teaching tool. Yes, - show kids how they work - pull it apart. Remove cover on the hard drive, and scratch the platter as it it attempts to start up. Makes a horrible sound, but the kids see that when the disk surface is scratched, the computer cannot even begin the boot process.. Install win98 on it, and run all the old games which are still available. Yes, but it is of questionable legality to install pirated win98 isos. Comment?? Derek. P.S. In fact, the most common use for old computers is to take up space in the garage. -- Derek Smithies Ph.D. IndraNet Technologies Ltd. ph +64 3 365 6485 Web: http://www.indranet-technologies.com/ The only thing IE should be used for is to download Fire Fox
RE: uses for old computers
The fans are useful in greenhouses etc for moving the air around if you attach a solar panel. Door stops? -Original Message- From: Derek Smithies [mailto:de...@indranet.co.nz] Sent: Tuesday, 12 May 2009 3:36 pm To: linux-users@it.canterbury.ac.nz Subject: uses for old computers Hi, So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? They are old so the hardware is borderline for reliability, so there is not much point in putting lots of time in them to making them do big important jobs. An old computer as a fileserver - will work, but when it fails the blood pressure goes up (the kids want their videos to watch) and it is not good. The WAF is poor - they don't seem to appreciate when their videos are not available fileserver yes, maybe. Bit limited on ram, so is a bit slow. firewall - yes, the throughtput is low cause ADSL is quite slow. But I only need 1 firewall and I have lots of the old computers. On the old computers, the harddrive is often thefirst thing to go, so maybe a liveCD running some application is the way to go. Yes - but what? As a book end - well, it is a bit big for this.. Hmm, - two computers + some planks of wood and we have a respectable shelf.. Just a bit big. What about a really exotic use? Some custom software, custom hardware, use the computer power supply and we could have a really high speed battery charger.. ---Does anyone know of such a project ?--- Ahh. A teaching tool. Yes, - show kids how they work - pull it apart. Remove cover on the hard drive, and scratch the platter as it it attempts to start up. Makes a horrible sound, but the kids see that when the disk surface is scratched, the computer cannot even begin the boot process.. Install win98 on it, and run all the old games which are still available. Yes, but it is of questionable legality to install pirated win98 isos. Comment?? Derek. P.S. In fact, the most common use for old computers is to take up space in the garage. -- Derek Smithies Ph.D. IndraNet Technologies Ltd. ph +64 3 365 6485 Web: http://www.indranet-technologies.com/ The only thing IE should be used for is to download Fire Fox ** This electronic email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. The views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Christchurch City Council. If you are not the correct recipient of this email please advise the sender and delete. Christchurch City Council http://www.ccc.govt.nz **
Re: uses for old computers
Derek Smithies wrote, On 12/05/09 15:36: So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? They are old so the hardware is borderline for reliability, so there is not much point in putting lots of time in them to making them do big important jobs. Gut them for useful spares, dump them at molten media if they're too useless or faulty. An old computer as a fileserver - will work, but when it fails the blood pressure goes up (the kids want their videos to watch) and it is not good. The WAF is poor - they don't seem to appreciate when their videos are not available fileserver yes, maybe. Bit limited on ram, so is a bit slow. firewall - yes, the throughtput is low cause ADSL is quite slow. But I only need 1 firewall and I have lots of the old computers. Do two firewalls with carp failover and heartbeat... there's another one used. Hmm, - two computers + some planks of wood and we have a respectable shelf.. Just a bit big. And surprisingly not that strong. What about a really exotic use? Some custom software, custom hardware, use the computer power supply and we could have a really high speed battery charger.. ---Does anyone know of such a project ?--- ATX PSU as a bench power supply. Dead hard drives as weights for gluing things in the garage. Fans and decent heatsinks can be used on all sorts of things. I once cut down an ATX case because the box needed no drives (firewall). Comment?? Power - old stuff can do the job, but two old PCs will use roughly double the power of one new one, and handle less load. P.S. In fact, the most common use for old computers is to take up space in the garage. Be ruthless. -- Craig Falconer
Re: uses for old computers
Derek Smithies wrote: Hi, So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? They are old so the hardware is borderline for reliability, so there is not much point in putting lots of time in them to making them do big important jobs. An old computer as a fileserver - will work, but when it fails the blood pressure goes up (the kids want their videos to watch) and it is not good. The WAF is poor - they don't seem to appreciate when their videos are not available fileserver yes, maybe. Bit limited on ram, so is a bit slow. firewall - yes, the throughtput is low cause ADSL is quite slow. But I only need 1 firewall and I have lots of the old computers. On the old computers, the harddrive is often thefirst thing to go, so maybe a liveCD running some application is the way to go. Yes - but what? As a book end - well, it is a bit big for this.. Hmm, - two computers + some planks of wood and we have a respectable shelf.. Just a bit big. What about a really exotic use? Some custom software, custom hardware, use the computer power supply and we could have a really high speed battery charger.. ---Does anyone know of such a project ?--- Ahh. A teaching tool. Yes, - show kids how they work - pull it apart. Remove cover on the hard drive, and scratch the platter as it it attempts to start up. Makes a horrible sound, but the kids see that when the disk surface is scratched, the computer cannot even begin the boot process.. Install win98 on it, and run all the old games which are still available. Yes, but it is of questionable legality to install pirated win98 isos. Comment?? Derek. P.S. In fact, the most common use for old computers is to take up space in the garage. Most old computers make excellent heaters. The older the better in this regard! :-)
Re: uses for old computers
Hi, apparently, one can take four (or so) cpus out, glue them to the base of an alumunim plate. (pins away from the plate). connect the pins in series. So the pins on the left side of the chip are soldered together, and then to an electrical bus. Similarily for the right side. Apply power to the electrical bus. This will provide a hot plate. I suppose in the spit of this email, one should use an old power supply. Derek. Derek Smithies Ph.D. IndraNet Technologies Ltd. ph +64 3 365 6485 Web: http://www.indranet-technologies.com/ The only thing IE should be used for is to download Fire Fox
Re: uses for old computers
Derek Smithies wrote: Hi, So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? When we had borders I found that they (the old computers) were godd to use as thin clients with LTSP. Little cost and next to no extra admin. Rob
Re: uses for old computers
Derek Smithies wrote: Hi, So what do you do with the old computers that one tends to acquire? Which also reminds me that I have an old PII which has 2 NIC's and a CDRom drive - it has IPCop installed - free to a good home.
