[ubuntu-za] Very old computers

[Nic Roets]

Hello Bill,

If they are really "pre-pentium", they are useless, because they are just to
slow and have too little memory for firefox. Anybody intelligent enough to
install and use a computer should not be subjected to the hassle. The only
fun you can have is  playing Doom I in 100px by 100px until you realize your
GPS can do a better job.

Until about a year or so ago, I had a Pentium I that work well as a simple
php web server (made in 1992), but the only desktop application I would
consider on it will be (perhaps) Point of Sales.

Right now I'm setting up an old computer with Ubuntu server for the
neighbourhood guards. Instead of a screen it will just have 2 LEDs wired to
the parallel port indicating permission granted or denied. Instead of a full
keyboard it will have a wireless keypad on which the guards will be able to
enter destination addresses and authorization codes. Then it will have a
GPRS/3G modem for contacting a bulk SMS website. So any reliable computer
with USB will suffice. A lovely little project based on inexpensive off the
shelf components being much more versatile than the professional security
systems.

Fortunately, the computer donanted for my project is fast enough to record
CCTV video.

Regards,
Nic

On Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 2:19 PM, Bill Cairns <cairnsww at gmail.com> wrote:

> Our computer club (here in Kokanje - far in the bushveld) has been
> given, over time, a lot of very old computers. We have eight which may
> still work, but which are so old that it is difficult to know what to
> do with them. They are all "pre-pentium", most do not have CD drives
> of any sort while some (two I think)  have ancient CD readers.  Don't
> ask about USB ports. None of the disk drives seem to work, but we do
> have some spare disks that might be compatible.
>
> Can I make a bootable Xubuntu stiffy? Or is a stiffy just too small?
>
> Any other ideas?
>
> There is an insatiable demand for cheap computers up here. But of
> course, they must work!
>
> Bill
>
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> ubuntu-za at lists.ubuntu.com
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