22 Feb
2003
22 Feb
'03
2:30 a.m.
Rumor has it that Philip Pemberton may have mentioned these words:
Patrick Finnegan wrote:
I agree with
you here - my PCs all have crap cases. Even the top-end
Coolermaster or whatever cases are still (allegedly) cheaply made. Even the
ones that cost $150!
Let's look at 3 test-cases:
1) My dual Athlon 1600+ - Aluminium server case, 460W bulletproof PS,
built-in SCSI, LAN, yaddayadda... I'd call it a real computer, but most
here wouldn't.... My cost: $85 shipped sans PS. Light, not built like a
tank, but how many tanks have you seen, built out of aluminium? ;-P
2) My CoCo3 - Cheezy plastic case, miniscule PS, minimal expandability -
crap. ;-)
3) My wife's main machine: Compaq Prolaint 800 dual Pentium 2 350 server.
Case built like a tank (almost 2x heavier than my Dual Athlon) - won't even
boot if it can't find it's fans, IIRC a 700W PS, etc. Generally
bulletproof. -- it's well on it's way for being almost ontopic, methinks...
it's quite old already, for a PC...
1) Is it
well-engineered from the ground up?
PCs: no, a lot of the stuff in even the best PCs is of very poor
OK, I agree
with this first point. All three of my examples of 'real
computers' were "well-engineered from the ground up". >> 2) Can it be expected to have a long
operating life?
1) Yes. I built it; I can fix it.
2) Yes. I have one going on 17 years old. (Even tho it's crap!) I still
play Rogue on it -- I Love that game! (The PC version sucks.)
3) Not just yes, hell yes!
>> 3) Is it documented?
1) Dunno, don't care. damn thing runs, don't it? Why do I need to solder
Athlons, anyway???
2) Not just no, hell no! The GIME chip is a mystery... and it's the chip
that makes everything tick.
3) Better than most PCs out there, and it's available free...
---
Out of those three machines, which is a "Real Computer?" In your opinion,
prolly "None." That's fine -- it's your opinion. I can live with that.
My
opinion - All 3. All for different reasons why. And everyone here's going
to have a different -- ragging on someone who uses a K6-2 (which I don't
personally care for) because their definition of "Real Computer" is
different... well...
... almost makes me wanna go back & read more "War for Oil" BS. Just as
subjective, but at least mildly entertaining at times. :-/
That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
--
Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- sysadmin, Iceberg Computers
zmerch(a)30below.com
What do you do when Life gives you lemons,
and you don't *like* lemonade?????????????