How old is old?

[darkrose0510]

I was just moving about some old boxen and it got me thinking...

Especially when talking about threads like Which distro for older/weaker hardware, just how old is old?

Looking at my 'old' hardware one of the systems has a P4 3.2Ghz and a gig of RAM, while another has a Pentium MMX 133Mhz and 16MB or RAM. Hard drive size varies from 2GB to 100GB. So just what is 'old'?

To me I generally think of no more than about 64MB RAM, and maybe 200/300Mhz as a processor as 'old'. But what do others think?

[Hal343]

I have 2 IBM ps2 dx-66 MCA machines running debian potato 2.2 console only. For some reason the network cards don't work, but I haven't found the time to get into that. They each have 64 megs ram.

[rokytnji]

I just sold my Compaq 1540 DM to a co worker of my wifes for $75.00. It has a Pentium 144 MHZ, 64mb ram, 2gig hardrive with CDROM drive, Floppy, No USB, 2 PCMCIA Slots, Dial up Modem plug. I had it dualbooting with Puppy 2.15 CE and Damn Small Linux 4.0 (ran wirelessly with a Netgear MA 401). To make it sellable to the coworker I had to wipe it and install Windows 2000 Pro. I'm the only Full time Linux user in my small town. I kept the wireless card. He would have got it if He woulda let me leave Linux on it. He got it though with a good working Battery (1 1/2 hour charge) and a Docking Station also so he can't *****. Laptop was Cherry.

Now my oldest Laptop is a IBM 390E 233 (or is it 266, can't remember) MHZ, 256mb ram (I upgraded it from 128mb), 3 gig Hardrive, CDROM,FLOPPY, 1 USB, Dial up modem plug, (The Netgear Wireless is going into one of its 2 PCMCIA Slots) and it has a broken Left Moniter Hinge, (you gotta smack the side of the monitor to get a clear legible screen after you turn it on). I am either gonna put Puppy,Antix,Fluxbox Mint, Or maybe even the 9mb Ubuntu distro and build up from it. Haven't decided yet. Gotta fix that broken hinge first and there is no plastic left to mount it to. (Pack Rat ) I wonder if this laptop might be a good candidate for me to learn ARCH. HMMM

[jayd512]

I wonder if this laptop might be a good candidate for me to learn ARCH. HMMM

<cough> CRUX <cough>

[Roxoff]

To me, 'old' means the carpet of dust on the processor fan is so thick that the fan wont turn any more.

Age is just a measure of time, and time is relative.

That old pentium 166 I have as a firewall is supposedly old, but it's much newer than the pentium 90 it replaced...

[reed9]

Considering KDE or GNOME distros pretty much all list 512 MB ram as the minimum recommended amount, and how inexpensive RAM is these days, I consider 256 MB and less to be "underpowered".

@rokytnji Does that machine of your have an i686 processor? Arch won't run on it otherwise.

[oz]

Sinclair ZX80 computer

[jayd512]

Sinclair ZX80 computer

dude......
whoa.....

[rokytnji]

Considering KDE or GNOME distros pretty much all list 512 MB ram as the minimum recommended amount, and how inexpensive RAM is these days, I consider 256 MB and less to be "underpowered".

@rokytnji Does that machine of your have an i686 processor? Arch won't run on it otherwise.

Naw it doesn't and I thought of that after I posted. Will investigate if Crux comes in I386 but I bet it doesn't either. Kinda fun tinkering around with what some folks consider junk though. I enjoy bringing old abandoned motorcycles back to life so I guess it carries over to Computers also.

[oz]

dude......
whoa.....

Wonder if anyone here ever had one of those?

I'll bet it was really something at the time.