cctalk Digest, Vol 116, Issue 42 - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

15 Apr 2013

On 14 Apr 2013, at 23:59, "Tom Sparks" <tom_a_sparks at yahoo.com.au>
wrote:
...

   I refuse
to follow planned obsolescence. 
 I also hate planned obsolescence  my X86's I buy newand keep retooling the
software until they die 
Understandable.

  my classic / remake systems (amiga, riscOS), I
well upgrade/update them to a point
 (I will not convert my desktop amigas to a tower) 
I bet you they'll outlive the x86s. ;)
thats debatable, the Operating system needs to abandon its ties to the older
hardware
and become open source (RiscOS open / AROS )

if older software is need to be run emulation in the form of rosetta or wine can be used

apple inc has made thetransition through a group of cpus then there is hope
(6502 -> 68k -> PPC -> intel)

...
   I am sickof
products that use the Freebie marketing / razor and blades business model

 thats why I am buying older printers because I can buy the Consumables (stil-inbox) on
ebay 
They'll outlive a new printer!
its looking that way....... 

...

  tom

On Apr 15, 2013, at 12:01 AM, Zane H. Healy wrote:

  Also interesting is that it's the SF/Bay Area
Craigslist, but the area code is Washington DC.? Photo's would have been nice. 
I live in Philadelphia and have a Baltimore area code.? Blame
cell phones?

- Dave

On 14/04/13 11:24 PM, Cory Smelosky wrote:

 On 14 Apr 2013, at 22:54, "Toby Thain"<toby at telegraphics.com.au>?
wrote:
 ...
  The dominant culture thinks nothing of discarding
working, useful things. When it comes to electronics, it is fairly certain we junk far
more stuff in perfect working order, than faulty stuff. 
 That leaves us more to dumpster-dive for. ;) 
That's how I know it's true. But only a tiny part is meaningfully 
reused, recycled, or repaired.

--T

 Our only consolation is that one day, we will have to stop doing this. It's a very
finite rope. And boy, will we feel dumb then.

 --Toby

  or do without."? I just recently (three days
ago) explained to someone
 that taking a computer I was offering was actually doing me a favour,
 because it lets me get rid of a machine without tripping my "aak!
 throwing away working hardware!" issues.

 /~\ The ASCII??? ??? ??? ??? ? Mouse
 \ / Ribbon Campaign
?  X? Against HTML??? ??? mouse at rodents-montreal.org
 / \ Email!??? ? ?  7D C8 61 52 5D E7 2D 39? 4E F1 31 3E E8 B3 27 4B

   There is
more to vintage computing than just software!!  I agree!!? Can you describe what is
included in "more"? 
I don't have anything like a PDP-11.? The oldest machine I have is probably
a BBC Micro and the biggest, noisiest machine I have is an Alphaserver 2100.

  (a)? Extra noise 
I've been known to mess about with trying (not very successfully) to get a
sound card to produce a 400Hz background whirr that comes and goes as I move
around the room.? The sound of fans and disks does help create the right mood
as long as it is not loud enough to be irritating.

  (b)? Extra heat 
Not a problem in winter (except for the effect on system reliability).? More
of a difficulty in summer.

  (c)? Total cost is more 
Not necessarily.? I've paid at most nominal amounts for most if not all of my
older equipment although I have sometimes had to invest a little more for the
parts and peripherals I occasionally need.? I am not part of the crowd that
collects old equipment hoping for it to increase in value.

There would be an incremental cost to the world and the environment if I was to
purchase hardware and software from companies producing the latest equipment
and running the latest bugware.

  (d)? Slower CPU 
If it's fast enough, I am not bothered by how much faster it could be.

  (e)? Slower disk I/O 
Same.

  (f)? Slower ethernet 
Same.

  (g)? Less disk space 
I am fairly disorganised.? Less disk space gives me an incentive to keep
things tidy and get rid of clutter.

I am slightly more worried about reliability of old disk hardware. However,
I've managed to keep ahead of the disks that have died on me so far.

  (h)? Smell, touch and feel of original hardware

I like the touch and feel of the original software as well as the hardware.
If the hardware I want is not available and a good emulator is, I'll use
the emulator to experience the software.? I'll still use something pretty old
to run the emulator on though.

Regards,
Peter Coghlan.