Considering when I started using computers and how much things have changed(1980), I say If It works for You, Then It isn't obsolete, It's just a bit older and possibly still useful. :D

I started before that, back in high school. We had a PDP/8 (about the size of a fridge) that you inputted a bootstrap loader via the front toggle switches, and then read in your program via paper tape.

Then we moved up to a Wang office computer of some type (don't remember the model) that had a cassete tape storage unit built in next to the monitor screen, and a box about the size of a microwave oven that sat on the floor for the actual computer hardware. Woo Hoo! Progress!

I still have an original IBM PC with a 10 meg HD (huge back then) sitting in storage someplace. One of these days I should see if it still boots :p

You think it would be able to complete a seti wu in under a year?

My high school had a PDP-11-40 (2 full sized refrigerators side by side).

The original IBM-PC did not start with a HD at all - the second floppy was an upgrade...

---

BOINC WIKI

My Mom (87 years old, running her own e-business) has a 550 MHz Via C3 that works flawlessly. It doesn't crunch, and it also draws very little power. It's perfect for her.

At work (a graphic-art trade shop) I’m using a 733-MHz G4 Mac (“Clockwork” / PowerMac 3,4)—which has been crunching 24/365 since about 2004—and it’s still perfectly capable of doing everything I need, at a reasonable speed, except opening proprietary-format documents requiring a more recent application version than its OS supports. Most of our other systems (server, RIP, &c.) are ten-year-old 400-MHz machines.

---

Considering when I started using computers and how much things have changed(1980), I say If It works for You, Then It isn't obsolete, It's just a bit older and possibly still useful. :D

I started before that, back in high school. We had a PDP/8 (about the size of a fridge) that you inputted a bootstrap loader via the front toggle switches, and then read in your program via paper tape.

Then we moved up to a Wang office computer of some type (don't remember the model) that had a cassete tape storage unit built in next to the monitor screen, and a box about the size of a microwave oven that sat on the floor for the actual computer hardware. Woo Hoo! Progress!

I still have an original IBM PC with a 10 meg HD (huge back then) sitting in storage someplace. One of these days I should see if it still boots :p

You think it would be able to complete a seti wu in under a year?

My high school had a PDP-11-40 (2 full sized refrigerators side by side).

The original IBM-PC did not start with a HD at all - the second floppy was an upgrade...

Yours was lucky, Mine just barely had a few Atari 800 computers for a class, the school administration was still using ink pens, paper, mimeograph machines and such, today would be different I'd think.

---

The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

My first computer that I used was a BBC model B one, it had 32k memory and had to use a casette tape machine to upload programs. then I got an external drive that you could pit the old 5.25 inch floppys in. Then got an Acorn Archimedes, forgot what it had, this was in the UK think it was 1982 when I started using one, well it got my younger brother interested now he is a software engineer who has just been made redundant again due to the recesssion over here

---

Well lets face it.

Most of us hanging around the forums are oldskool geeks and me included too.
Judging of the comments just in this thread :)
Purely love it.

Kind regards Vyper

---

_________________________________________________________________________
Addicted to SETI crunching!
Founder of GPU Users Group

As far as I am concerned, P3 and C2 are just fine hardware. I blame M$ for bloating Windows with each release.

---

you are right:) Sometimes I feel like that picking up the latest tech gadget is obslete before I get to the front of the store for checkout.
Anyway your Q6600 overclocked is still quite a good performer. If you want to bubble upe to the higher ranks, just replace your video cards with a couple of fast CUDA cards. Your Q6600 should be able to feed them quite nicely as well as doing their own thing.

Cheers

Pilot

---

When we finally figure it all out, all the rules will change and we can start all over again.

The first machine I used was vintage 1960's technology: it ran at a thundering 500 KHz.

Later, I worked for Burroughs, and was on the design team for the Burroughs A3.

There was a tremendous amount of pressure to get the machine launched, even to the point where we used some pretty expensive technologies to build the initial boards.

Why?

Because a year after release, the price had to go down 20%, and another 20% the year after. Each day of delay lowered the price when the machine was introduced.

... and that has pretty much been true for the entire history of computing: today's killer machine is tomorrows mid-range, and next years' recyclable.

---

Heck I worked on a PC recently, First I shoehorned a used Corsair 850w psu into this AMD/s939 2.2GHz(4200+ cpu) HP Media Center m7470n PC that had a 300w psu(19A@12v, 150mm) in It and that psu is 10mm shorter than the Corsair 850w psu(70A@12v, 160mm) that I put in It. Anything over 160mm will never fit, As 160mm is the max for this case.



I also wanted to see If a modern video card would fit, So I put a BFG GTX295 that I had into the PC to see If It would fit, Needless to say It does and I might put It back in there as the 850w will run It no problem.



Then I discovered one of the cables had a potential short in one of the cables and so I fixed It with what I have on hand(It seems the former owner had the cable too near a fan, No wonder I got It so cheap and yes It does run).



Do I plan any upgrades? Sure a 100mm fan to replace the rear 92mm fan(the 100mm fan has 92mm & 100mm screw holes and an AMD s939 4800+ cpu, I'd go for an FX-60, But It's not supported under the 3.47 HP Bios I've read and 3.47 is the last Bios update for this PC(The HP motherboard is an MS-7184, Which except for the color of the motherboard, 2 missing video outputs and 2 missing sata ports, Is really just a stripped down Ms-7093 motherboard, As MSI made both), I'd have to flash an E-machines MS-7093 motherboard Bios to get FX-60 support.

---

The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's