• Favorite 90s 486 machine?

    From Marcham@VERT/CAVEBBS to All on Thursday, October 01, 2020 19:20:00
    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s might
    have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the 80s, everything
    from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net
  • From poindexter FORTRAN@VERT/REALITY to Marcham on Friday, October 02, 2020 07:44:00
    Marcham wrote to All <=-

    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s
    might have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the 80s, everything from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    I loved the design of the PS/2 series, but the MicroChannel
    architecture makes finding parts tough. I think they made some models
    with PCI bus later on, but that might have been pentium-era.

    Back then, I didn't run anythig name-brand. Everything was
    custom-built, you'd buy a motherboard, power supply, case, and move
    your hard drive from machine to machine.

    Old thinkpads do rock - some of the best keyboards out there.




    ... Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
    --- MultiMail/XT v0.52
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  • From Ed Vance@VERT/CAPCITY2 to Marcham on Friday, October 02, 2020 21:39:00
    10-01-20 19:20 Marcham wrote to All about Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    Howdy! Marcham,

    @VIA: VERT/CAVEBBS
    @MSGID: <5F766420.67670.dove-gen@cavebbs.homeip.net>
    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s
    might have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the 80s, everything from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    In the early 1990's Someone at the Church I attend heard I was wanting to
    get a Clone PC and told Me of a CoWorker who built Computers.
    (I had been using a Commodore 64 for about 8 or 9 years and wanted a Clone)

    I had a Subscription to Computer Shopper Magazine and had an idea of some of the Components I wanted in it:
    486DX33 CPU, MS-DOS 5.0, 16MB DDR RAM, VL-Bus Motherboard, Maxtor Video Card, 330 MB HDD, a 5.25" and a 3.5" FDD in a 10 Bay Tower Cabinet.

    I called and asked how much the person would charge to build it and the price was acceptable to Me from what I knew of prices from the Computer Shopper Magazine advertisements.

    During the couple of Years I was reading and learning what components I
    would want in a 486 there was a Fire in Japan at a Factory that made the Plastic for RAM Chips, and the price for RAM INCREASED, the then current
    price for 4 MB DDR RAM Chips was $135.00 USD which meant I paid $540.00 just for the RAM.

    I didn't get the 10 Bay Tower, the Tower the 486 came in had 6 Bays.

    [The Tower still has 2 empty Bays.]

    The builder chose to use a HOT-409 Motherboard.

    All of the other things I wanted were put in the Tower Cabinet.

    It was delivered in February 1994 and it wasn't long before I had to get the 5.25" DOS 5.0 Floppy and copy CONFIG.SYS from the Floppy to the C:\ Directory after I (Accidently) deleted it.

    The cost for the 486 System was a little over $2000.00.

    73 de Ed W9ODR . .


    ... !daeha seil erutuf ruo fo tsoM
    --- MultiMail/MS-DOS v0.49
    þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * capcity2.synchro.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/Rlogin/HTTP
  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to MARCHAM on Saturday, October 03, 2020 08:45:00
    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s
    might have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the
    80s, everything from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    I actually skipped over 486s. I had a 386DX40 which, because I didn't run Windows on it, seemed to me to be more responsive than the 486 at work.

    While at a client's office, I did have chance to briefly use a 486DX2-66
    that seemed pretty snappy. I was early in my career and a little cash
    strapped so, buy the time I went looking for a new (to me) computer, I
    wound up with a used Pentium.


    * SLMR 2.1a * MANIAC - An early computer built by nuts.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * capcity2.synchro.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/Rlogin/HTTP
  • From Dennisk@VERT/EOTLBBS to Dumas Walker on Sunday, October 04, 2020 12:04:00
    Dumas Walker wrote to MARCHAM <=-

    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s
    might have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the 80s, everything from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    I actually skipped over 486s. I had a 386DX40 which, because I didn't
    run Windows on it, seemed to me to be more responsive than the 486 at work.

    While at a client's office, I did have chance to briefly use a
    486DX2-66 that seemed pretty snappy. I was early in my career and a little cash strapped so, buy the time I went looking for a new (to me) computer, I wound up with a used Pentium.

    I didn't have one either back them, went from XT to 386 to Pentium. I never upgraded computers that frequently. Now I have two 486's that I've collected, and a two more 486 CPU's.

    I have one machine, with a lever locked socket, so you can easily switch between a 33MHz, 66MHz and 100MHz processor. Kind of intersting to see how things run inbetween the different CPU's. The difference is only really noticable on demanding games.


    ... MultiMail, the new multi-platform, multi-format offline reader!
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
  • From Marcham@VERT/CAVEBBS to Ed Vance on Saturday, October 03, 2020 22:14:00
    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Ed Vance to Marcham on Fri Oct 02 2020 09:39 pm

    10-01-20 19:20 Marcham wrote to All about Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    Howdy! Marcham,

    @VIA: VERT/CAVEBBS
    @MSGID: <5F766420.67670.dove-gen@cavebbs.homeip.net>
    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s might have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the 80s, everything from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    In the early 1990's Someone at the Church I attend heard I was wanting to get a Clone PC and told Me of a CoWorker who built Computers.
    (I had been using a Commodore 64 for about 8 or 9 years and wanted a Clone)

    I had a Subscription to Computer Shopper Magazine and had an idea of some of the Components I wanted in it:
    486DX33 CPU, MS-DOS 5.0, 16MB DDR RAM, VL-Bus Motherboard, Maxtor Video Card 330 MB HDD, a 5.25" and a 3.5" FDD in a 10 Bay Tower Cabinet.

    I called and asked how much the person would charge to build it and the pric was acceptable to Me from what I knew of prices from the Computer Shopper Magazine advertisements.

    During the couple of Years I was reading and learning what components I would want in a 486 there was a Fire in Japan at a Factory that made the Plastic for RAM Chips, and the price for RAM INCREASED, the then current price for 4 MB DDR RAM Chips was $135.00 USD which meant I paid $540.00 just for the RAM.

    I didn't get the 10 Bay Tower, the Tower the 486 came in had 6 Bays.

    [The Tower still has 2 empty Bays.]

    The builder chose to use a HOT-409 Motherboard.

    All of the other things I wanted were put in the Tower Cabinet.

    It was delivered in February 1994 and it wasn't long before I had to get the 5.25" DOS 5.0 Floppy and copy CONFIG.SYS from the Floppy to the C:\ Director after I (Accidently) deleted it.

    The cost for the 486 System was a little over $2000.00.

    73 de Ed W9ODR . .


    ... !daeha seil erutuf ruo fo tsoM
    Mentioning the price of RAM back then is always a fun bit of insight. Amazing how 4MB today is absolutely laughable. And yes, this further makes me think about building my own 486 machine. I'll have to seek out parts on ebay.
    - Sent from an IBM ThinkPad

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net
  • From Dennisk@VERT/FREEWAY to Marcham on Sunday, October 04, 2020 21:40:00
    Marcham wrote to Ed Vance <=-

    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Ed Vance to Marcham on Fri Oct 02 2020 09:39 pm

    10-01-20 19:20 Marcham wrote to All about Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    Howdy! Marcham,

    @VIA: VERT/CAVEBBS
    @MSGID: <5F766420.67670.dove-gen@cavebbs.homeip.net>
    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s might have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the 80s, everything from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    In the early 1990's Someone at the Church I attend heard I was wanting to get a Clone PC and told Me of a CoWorker who built Computers.
    (I had been using a Commodore 64 for about 8 or 9 years and wanted a Clone)

    I had a Subscription to Computer Shopper Magazine and had an idea of some of the Components I wanted in it:
    486DX33 CPU, MS-DOS 5.0, 16MB DDR RAM, VL-Bus Motherboard, Maxtor Video Card 330 MB HDD, a 5.25" and a 3.5" FDD in a 10 Bay Tower Cabinet.

    I called and asked how much the person would charge to build it and the pric was acceptable to Me from what I knew of prices from the Computer Shopper Magazine advertisements.

    During the couple of Years I was reading and learning what components I would want in a 486 there was a Fire in Japan at a Factory that made the Plastic for RAM Chips, and the price for RAM INCREASED, the then current price for 4 MB DDR RAM Chips was $135.00 USD which meant I paid $540.00 just for the RAM.

    I didn't get the 10 Bay Tower, the Tower the 486 came in had 6 Bays.

    [The Tower still has 2 empty Bays.]

    The builder chose to use a HOT-409 Motherboard.

    All of the other things I wanted were put in the Tower Cabinet.

    It was delivered in February 1994 and it wasn't long before I had to get the 5.25" DOS 5.0 Floppy and copy CONFIG.SYS from the Floppy to the C:\ Director after I (Accidently) deleted it.

    The cost for the 486 System was a little over $2000.00.

    73 de Ed W9ODR . .


    ... !daeha seil erutuf ruo fo tsoM
    Mentioning the price of RAM back then is always a fun bit of insight. Amazing how 4MB today is absolutely laughable. And yes, this further
    makes me think about building my own 486 machine. I'll have to seek out parts on ebay. - Sent from an IBM ThinkPad

    ---
    = Synchronet = The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net

    4M seems laughable, until you start writing low level code (C, assembler), then you realise how much it actually is.

    I've got parts, perhaps I should put them up on e-bay. I'll never use them except maybe as replacement if a part dies. IO cards, RAM, 2 x Sound Blaster 16's, network cards, video cards, hard disk or two.

    ... MultiMail, the new multi-platform, multi-format offline reader!
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au
  • From Ogg@VERT/EOTLBBS to All on Sunday, October 04, 2020 10:06:00
    Hello Dennisk!

    ** On Sunday 04.10.20 - 06:40, dennisk wrote to Marcham:

    Amazing how 4MB today is absolutely laughable. And yes,
    this further makes me think about building my own 486
    machine. I'll have to seek out parts on ebay. - Sent from
    an IBM ThinkPad

    I've got parts, perhaps I should put them up on e-bay. I'll
    never use them except maybe as replacement if a part dies.
    IO cards, RAM, 2 x Sound Blaster 16's, network cards, video
    cards, hard disk or two.

    Me too. I have a handful of 128K or 256K modules that I am
    willing to free-cycle. I still have many ribbon connectors.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
  • From Moondog@VERT/CAVEBBS to Dennisk on Sunday, October 04, 2020 23:52:00
    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Dennisk to Marcham on Sun Oct 04 2020 09:40 pm


    The cost for the 486 System was a little over $2000.00.

    73 de Ed W9ODR . .


    ... !daeha seil erutuf ruo fo tsoM
    Mentioning the price of RAM back then is always a fun bit of insight. Amazing how 4MB today is absolutely laughable. And yes, this further makes me think about building my own 486 machine. I'll have to seek out parts on ebay. - Sent from an IBM ThinkPad

    ---
    = Synchronet = The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net

    4M seems laughable, until you start writing low level code (C, assembler), t you realise how much it actually is.

    I've got parts, perhaps I should put them up on e-bay. I'll never use them except maybe as replacement if a part dies. IO cards, RAM, 2 x Sound Blaste 16's, network cards, video cards, hard disk or two.

    ... MultiMail, the new multi-platform, multi-format offline reader!

    My first PC compatible was a 486 a co-worker built, then sold it cheap in
    order to get quick money. It was only a couple of months old, and he needed $2000. It was in 1991, and it was a 486 DX33 with 8mb of ram, a 256k Video 7 card, a 5.25" floppy, a 3.5 " floppy, and a426mb Seagate hard drive. The
    drive itself cost $1000. First upgrade was a 2400 baud internal modem I
    picked up for $65 at Electronics Boutique, which later became EB Games. I pic ked up a Disney Sound Source on clearance at Kaybee Hobby, then replaced it with a Sound Blaster CD combo. At a later time I picked up a 486dx/2 66,
    then after that I moved up a to Pentium 166.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net
  • From Dennisk@VERT/EOTLBBS to Moondog on Monday, October 05, 2020 21:15:00
    Moondog wrote to Dennisk <=-

    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Dennisk to Marcham on Sun Oct 04 2020 09:40 pm


    The cost for the 486 System was a little over $2000.00.

    73 de Ed W9ODR . .


    ... !daeha seil erutuf ruo fo tsoM
    Mentioning the price of RAM back then is always a fun bit of insight. Amazing how 4MB today is absolutely laughable. And yes, this further makes me think about building my own 486 machine. I'll have to seek out parts on ebay. - Sent from an IBM ThinkPad

    ---
    = Synchronet = The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net

    4M seems laughable, until you start writing low level code (C, assembler), t you realise how much it actually is.

    I've got parts, perhaps I should put them up on e-bay. I'll never use them except maybe as replacement if a part dies. IO cards, RAM, 2 x Sound Blaste 16's, network cards, video cards, hard disk or two.

    ... MultiMail, the new multi-platform, multi-format offline reader!

    My first PC compatible was a 486 a co-worker built, then sold it cheap
    in order to get quick money. It was only a couple of months old, and
    he needed $2000. It was in 1991, and it was a 486 DX33 with 8mb of
    ram, a 256k Video 7 card, a 5.25" floppy, a 3.5 " floppy, and a426mb Seagate hard drive. The drive itself cost $1000. First upgrade was a 2400 baud internal modem I picked up for $65 at Electronics Boutique, which later became EB Games. I pic ked up a Disney Sound Source on clearance at Kaybee Hobby, then replaced it with a Sound Blaster CD combo. At a later time I picked up a 486dx/2 66, then after that I
    moved up a to Pentium 166.

    My Grandmother game me an XT in 1992 or 1993 that she bought for $30 form a garage sale. The idea was to get my grandfather into computers, but I ended up with it. A little later, after telling my mum I was willing to take up a job to by a 386, my uncle lent me an Amstrad PC2386, with a modem and desk and Adlib. Awesome machine. Next was the "family" AMD K5, which is still in their garage.

    Later on, I collected more machines, bought one, was given two (one of which was found on the side of the road).

    ... MultiMail, the new multi-platform, multi-format offline reader!
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Moondog on Monday, October 05, 2020 10:10:15
    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Moondog to Dennisk on Sun Oct 04 2020 11:52 pm

    My first PC compatible was a 486 a co-worker built, then sold it cheap in order to get quick money. It was only a couple of months old, and he needed $2000. It was in 1991, and it was a 486 DX33 with 8mb of ram, a 256k Video 7 card, a 5.25" floppy, a 3.5 " floppy, and a426mb Seagate hard drive. The drive itself cost $1000. First upgrade was a 2400 baud internal modem I picked up for $65 at Electronics Boutique, which later became EB Games. I pic ked up a Disney Sound Source on clearance at Kaybee Hobby, then replaced it with a Sound Blaster CD combo. At a later time I picked up a 486dx/2 66, then after that I moved up a to Pentium 166.

    I enjoyed computing in the 90s (except the fact that computers & computer parts were generally much more expensive back then). Computer upgrades seemed a lot more significant back then because you could easily tell the difference between a faster processor, faster modem, more RAM, etc..

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From HusTler@VERT/HAVENS to Nightfox on Monday, October 05, 2020 15:46:17
    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Nightfox to Moondog on Mon Oct 05 2020 10:10 am

    I enjoyed computing in the 90s (except the fact that computers & computer pa were generally much more expensive back then). Computer upgrades seemed a lo more significant back then because you could easily tell the difference betw a faster processor, faster modem, more RAM, etc..

    If you put a bigger motor in your car it's going to go faster right? ;-)

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Havens BBS havens.synchro.net
  • From Tracker1@VERT/TRN to Dumas Walker on Monday, October 05, 2020 15:56:27
    On 10/3/2020 5:45 AM, Dumas Walker wrote:
    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s
    might have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great
    machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the
    80s, everything from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any
    favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    I actually skipped over 486s. I had a 386DX40 which, because I didn't run Windows on it, seemed to me to be more responsive than the 486 at work.

    While at a client's office, I did have chance to briefly use a 486DX2-66
    that seemed pretty snappy. I was early in my career and a little cash strapped so, buy the time I went looking for a new (to me) computer, I
    wound up with a used Pentium.

    A 386DX40 is probably faster than many of the slower 486's... First time
    I was really impressed at a jump was my oc'd 1ghz AMD Duron from a
    5x86@133, next was i7-860 with an SSD... next that I really noticed was
    my current system r9-3950X coming from my i7-4790K.

    I've also had a tendency to get the fastest storage option (until
    current gen, still using pci3 nvme) and maxing out ram, again, not quite
    on this one 64gb vs 128 for my mobo/cpu.

    Usually buy top of mid-range every 3-5 years or so with a mid-cycle
    upgrade. The hand-me-down is usually faster than whoever I give it to
    was already using.

    --
    Michael J. Ryan
    tracker1 +o Roughneck BBS

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Roughneck BBS - coming back 2/2/20
  • From Marcham@VERT/CAVEBBS to Dennisk on Monday, October 05, 2020 22:34:00
    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Dennisk to Dumas Walker on Sun Oct 04 2020 12:04 pm

    Dumas Walker wrote to MARCHAM <=-

    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s might have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the 80s, everything from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    I actually skipped over 486s. I had a 386DX40 which, because I didn't run Windows on it, seemed to me to be more responsive than the 486 at work.

    While at a client's office, I did have chance to briefly use a 486DX2-66 that seemed pretty snappy. I was early in my career and a little cash strapped so, buy the time I went looking for a new (to me) computer, I wound up with a used Pentium.

    I didn't have one either back them, went from XT to 386 to Pentium. I never upgraded computers that frequently. Now I have two 486's that I've collecte and a two more 486 CPU's.

    I have one machine, with a lever locked socket, so you can easily switch between a 33MHz, 66MHz and 100MHz processor. Kind of intersting to see how things run inbetween the different CPU's. The difference is only really noticable on demanding games.


    ... MultiMail, the new multi-platform, multi-format offline reader!

    Which games do you enjoy? What is the most taxing for your system?
    - Sent from an IBM ThinkPad

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The Cave BBS - Since 1992 - cavebbs.homeip.net
  • From Vk3jed@VERT/FREEWAY to Nightfox on Tuesday, October 06, 2020 20:42:00
    On 10-05-20 10:10, Nightfox wrote to Moondog <=-

    I enjoyed computing in the 90s (except the fact that computers &
    computer parts were generally much more expensive back then). Computer upgrades seemed a lot more significant back then because you could
    easily tell the difference between a faster processor, faster modem,
    more RAM, etc..

    It was also fun making it all work - setting I/O addresses and IRQs, and making sure there's no conflicts. And the results were generally satisfying. :)


    ... Black holes are outa sight!
    --- MultiMail/Win v0.51
    þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au
  • From Dennisk@VERT/FREEWAY to Marcham on Tuesday, October 06, 2020 22:38:00
    Marcham wrote to Dennisk <=-

    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Dennisk to Dumas Walker on Sun Oct 04 2020 12:04 pm

    Dumas Walker wrote to MARCHAM <=-

    Hey all, looking to see what some favorite 486 machines from the 90s might have been. Running a Thinkpad 770X right now and it's a great machine, but would like a desktop that's a bit interesting. Unlike the 80s, everything from the 90s feels beige and boring. Anyone have any favorites with a bit of something special going on? Cheers.

    I actually skipped over 486s. I had a 386DX40 which, because I didn't run Windows on it, seemed to me to be more responsive than the 486 at work.

    While at a client's office, I did have chance to briefly use a 486DX2-66 that seemed pretty snappy. I was early in my career and a little cash strapped so, buy the time I went looking for a new (to me) computer, I wound up with a used Pentium.

    I didn't have one either back them, went from XT to 386 to Pentium. I never upgraded computers that frequently. Now I have two 486's that I've collecte and a two more 486 CPU's.

    I have one machine, with a lever locked socket, so you can easily switch between a 33MHz, 66MHz and 100MHz processor. Kind of intersting to see how things run inbetween the different CPU's. The difference is only really noticable on demanding games.


    ... MultiMail, the new multi-platform, multi-format offline reader!

    Which games do you enjoy? What is the most taxing for your system?
    - Sent from an IBM ThinkPad

    On my current system or the old one?

    For the current one, I don't really play many games anymore. The last game I purchased I think might have been Bulletstorm or Rage (neither was that taxing). I would like to try Doom Eternal and Doom 2016, but my system can't play it (note, these are pretty much the only games I would like to play that I cant). I am making some Doom levels, and occasionally enjoy Sim City 4.

    For the older machines, my kids play games. Warcraft is a favourite, though being young, they just like the multiplayer because they get to build things and move people around. They also like 4D Stunts and Fuzzys Minature Golf.

    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au
  • From Vk3jed@VERT/FREEWAY to Nightfox on Wednesday, October 07, 2020 18:09:00
    On 10-06-20 08:38, Nightfox wrote to Vk3jed <=-

    Yes, it was satisfying when it all worked. Though, much of the time I
    do appreciate that computers tend to just work more easily these days
    when you build them, not having to worry about setting jumpers or worry about IRQ conflicts and such. In the 90s, a few times I ran into a

    True, though resolving those was half the fun. ;)

    potential issue where one of my expansion cards didn't have enough IRQ settings available through jumpers, so I'd have to figure out how to change the IRQs on my other cards so there would be no IRQ conflicts.

    I have resorted to a sharp knife, hookup wire and soldering iron to resolve this issue in extreme cases! :D


    ... Error reading FAT Table...Try Skinny one ? (Y/N)
    --- MultiMail/Win v0.51
    þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au
  • From Vk3jed@VERT/FREEWAY to poindexter FORTRAN on Wednesday, October 07, 2020 19:20:00
    On 10-03-20 10:42, poindexter FORTRAN wrote to Ed Vance <=-

    It wasn't until I'd been running PCs for 10+ years that I bought my
    first whole one. My first PC, an XT clone got a bigger hard drive,
    then an AT motherboard, then a 3.5" floppy drive, then a memory/IO
    card, then a 16550 UART chip, then an IDE drive and controller, then a travan drive, then a new power supply, new case, VGA card and monitor,
    and so on - so eventually I'd replaced the whole system, but not
    quite.

    I actually did replace my whole XT incrementally, possibly even twice, by which time it was at least a 483DX4-100. I can't remember if I actually pushed it to a low end Pentium or not. But yes, every component got replaced, including the power supply. The case was the last thing to be changed. :)


    ... I use windows...on my car, on my house, but not on my...
    --- MultiMail/Win v0.51
    þ Synchronet þ Freeway BBS, Bendigo Australia. freeway.apana.org.au
  • From Moondog@VERT/CAVEBBS to HusTler on Wednesday, October 07, 2020 09:59:00
    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: HusTler to Nightfox on Mon Oct 05 2020 03:46 pm

    Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Nightfox to Moondog on Mon Oct 05 2020 10:10 am

    I enjoyed computing in the 90s (except the fact that computers & computer were generally much more expensive back then). Computer upgrades seemed a more significant back then because you could easily tell the difference b a faster processor, faster modem, more RAM, etc..

    If you put a bigger motor in your car it's going to go faster right? ;-)


    To an extent, however I'm guessing where the OP is getting at is any advance
    or upgrade made a huge difference opposed to noticing a graph was rendered a half second faster. Nowadays you don't really see the performance increase until you have several programs open which would've choked a system from a
    few years earlier.

    ---
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  • From Warpslide@VERT/NRBBS to Vk3jed on Wednesday, October 07, 2020 17:42:26
    Re: Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Vk3jed to poindexter FORTRAN on Wed Oct 07 2020 07:20 pm


    ... I use windows...on my car, on my house, but not on my...
    --- MultiMail/Win v0.51
    ^^^
    Phone? ;)

    Jay

    ... How much money does a pirate pay for corn? A buccaneer

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Northern Realms
  • From Vk3jed@VERT/FREEWAY to Warpslide on Thursday, October 08, 2020 15:35:00
    On 10-07-20 17:42, Warpslide wrote to Vk3jed <=-

    @VIA: VERT/NRBBS
    Re: Re: Favorite 90s 486 machine?
    By: Vk3jed to poindexter FORTRAN on Wed Oct 07 2020 07:20 pm


    ... I use windows...on my car, on my house, but not on my...
    --- MultiMail/Win v0.51
    ^^^
    Phone? ;)

    That's true. :D


    ... Accuracy is our watchword -- we NEVER make misteaks!
    --- MultiMail/Win v0.51
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