From: Alexandru Lovin <thypope at gmail.com> Subject: Making vintage computers To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 5:24 PM Hello everyone, I figured this list is big enough to ask and get your opinions. My big question is, would you buy remanufactured vintage computers ? I have all sorts of details regarding the line of systems I'd manufacture (most of them from the x86 world). I spent time on the internet looking at what is the best video card for ISA, for PCI, for AGP 2x, for AGP 4x or 8x (you know, for the different voltages), what would be the best processor for what system, who would buy it aside from some vintage enthusiasts, etc. There is a follow up question, of course. If you agree with remanufacturing the Harris 286 at 25 MHz in a system with 16 CPUs and 16 MB of RAM per CPU, all connected in a cluster acting as a multi-CPU computer, would you be able to find some kind of investor who's willing to finance this ? I'm not a spammer, just asking. I don't know the "other" architectures so well (except the famous 68000 CPUs that powered Amigas and maybe PowerPC powering Macs until recently) so I would only make computers with old x86 and pre-x86 processors. Ok, I forgot one: the Zilog Z80. 32 of those in an 8-bit system with the S-100 bus. The "new" Altair 8800, if you will. Maybe a new Commodore PET 2001 as well (still with a gazillion CPUs and other such stuff). The other computers would be (warning, boring list ahead): one with 16 386 CPUs, a lot of RAM (as far as I know, the 386 DX actually CAN address 4 GB of RAM) one with 16 of the best Socket 3 486 CPUs...which are the Pentium Overdrive 83 MHz :) one with 16 of the best Socket 8 CPUs (Pentium II Overdrive 333 MHz, 66 MHz FSB, etc.) one with 8 Super Socket 7 K6-III+ CPUs at 600 MHz or more (depends on the overclocking abilities) one with 8 FC-PGA2 Pentium III-S at 1400 MHz and 4 GB RDRAM one with 6 Pentium IV for Socket 478, at 3400 MHz one with 6 Pentium IV for LGA775, at 3730 MHz I'm not over deciding on dual cores and quad cores and tri cores yet. Have to wait and see if Intel comes up with an even better Core 2 Duo Extreme Edition, or AMD with a better Athlon 64 X2 Black Edition. The dual cores would have a maximum of 4 CPUs, tri-cores and quad cores would get two. The computers would be completely "integrated." Onboard everything, except the optical drive, hard drive, ram modules, power supply and mouse. Some modules would be optional, like the Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or infrared module. All of them would get optional 3dfx hardware (up to the K6-III+, the computers would only get Voodoo II accelerators, after that it's Voodoo 5 6000 and then Rampage). The idea is to buy the rights to remanufacture all the needed chips (and ask for modifications before that, in most cases) from the original copyright owners. Sound nice to you ? Oh, and if you can see cracks in the idea, please share them but remember, I'm stress-testing the idea, I don't want to start flame wars. Thank you very much -- Alex Lovin - www.erasereality.3x.ro