9 Mar
2023
9 Mar
'23
7:34 p.m.
On Thu, 9 Mar 2023, Steve Lewis via cctalk wrote:
A third criteria is that it was built as a consumer
product - meaning not
just a hand full exist. The rationale here is that it is a "repeatable
product" and the process of how the thing was made isn't so esoteric or
obscure (or enough "production line" effort was made to make it repeatable,
if only for a time), This helps draw the line between one-off custom
builds -- which those are the ultimate personal computer ("I made it") but
(to me) are just a different category (I didn't make my toothbrush, but
the process for making it is so well understood its become a consumer
product).
Tony Cole had a hobby/business of parting out decommissioned Crays.
He also had a business ("VIPC"), assembling generic 5160 clones.
At one time, he decided to build "the ultimate personal computer".
He used a tower server case, which he had gold plated ("for RF shielding"
:-)
Top of the line AT motherboard, drives, video, etc.
He and his "ultimate personal computer" made it onto the cover of many of
the computer magazines. Which was incredibly great advertising for his
generic clone business, and his Cray spare parts and souvenir business.
Price and size of a personal computer depend on what you can afford, and
how much room you have.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com