even lamer computer question than usual

[Kali]

Have a luddite friend who REALLY needs to get online, emails etc. Somebody dumped an OLD computer on me - is it worth passing on to the friend?

When I compare it to mine and see how "small" it is and knowing mine is probably out of date and virtually obsolete already I hesitate to pass this thing on to another person.

Here is what the sticker on it says (I havent even tried to hook it up) 2.1 (yes 2 POINT 1) GB hard drive, 133 MHz Intel Pentium processor, 33,600 bps Modem, 32 MB RAM upgradable to 128 (whoo hoo- don't know maybe that's already been done) Windows 95 and 8x cd-rom drive.

Is this thing even usable? I have a hunch if he kept the periferals (keyboard, mouse, speakers, monitor) he could pick up a new tower with XP and all sorts of memory for a couple hundred bucks - probably cheaper than trying to upgrade this machine. What does anybody think? (the guy is pretty cash poor, would this work for even a little while?)

[Worst Username Ever]

1. Yes, it is still useable

if all he wants is email and some slow internet. IT will also work perfectly fine for word processing, spreadsheets, etc. If he wants advanced graphics, sound, high speed internet, etc, then it is garbage.

[Systematic Chaos]

2. If you could put Windows 98 on it instead it would work for the net.

I wouldn't keep 95 because it's not even supported anymore.

I should also say that a lot of internet applications would probably have a hard time running on it. It would be good for e-mail and text-based sites like this one, and little else.

The computer as it is would never be able to cope with XP even if you knew of a *cough* free copy lying around somewhere so don't even try it. :P

[cheezus]

3. slap win95 on it

it'll do dailup internet, but SLOW. don't spend any money upgrading it, you can get a modern pc for under 200 these days.

those things are still good machines for linux as mail/web/ftp/dns/firewall etc servers

[mooky]

4. Fine for Internet

It will be fine for Internet. If DSL or Cable is available, get a cheap network card.

[helnwhls]

5. tell the friend to get a new computer

unless you are willing to hold the friend's hand every time the POS system acts up. I never give old equipment to non-techs. My experience is that the Luddite receiving the the crap system assumes your are moving in to take care of it for them.

[aden_nak]

6. It is just barely an email station.

And you could maybe use the internet. As long as it's just text/news based stuff. No graphics or flash or anything.

And you'll be limited to just the one internet. There are no chance of using any of the alternate Internets with that kind of machine, so forget about reading about draft rumors.

[Kali]

9. Thanks all

I think all he wants is access to news sites and for email, though of course I got mine to do music projects and have NEVER got around to trying anything yet. These internets are addictive.

So what will happen when he tries to surf? Just lots of little boxes with red X's or pages that say cannot find server?

[aden_nak]

11. Out of memory errors, and programs will crash before they open.

There's just not enough memory or enough CPU power to run any real programs before the machine "times out" and assumes the thing will never run.

[miss_kitty]

7. I was given a computer before i had this one

i think it was no number pentium and win95. I tried dialup-slower than shit. plus-well it was fd up and I ended up using it to play Free Cell. Only. It was a huge deck of cards. I threw it away after trying desperately for months to find a recycler who would not charge me to take it off my hands.

[Kali]

10. heh

My first thought when hubby brought the thing in the house - take it to the dump now - even though it was clean and shiny compared to ours, when I read that tag....I thought uh oh now this will sit around here forever like the stack of broken turntables and old vcrs...arrggg

[helnwhls]

12. my ex had the same problem

I lived with three car wheels in my living room because he got such a deal. He just knew he was gonna find a fourth. I finally decided I could not longer live in a house stacked to the ceiling with maybes.

[Kali]

13. we are both bad about this sort of thing

but of course the stuff I want to keep IS worth keeping!

:P

[helnwhls]

14. LOL

[On the Road]

8. The Biggest Bottleneck is Probably the RAM

but RAM is cheap nowadays. You can upgrade to 128MB without any problem. But it's worth trying it out to see how well it functions now.

[TrogL]

15. It's useless for a new user

The power supply isn't even salvagable. It may have the wrong keyboard connector and probably a 9-pin serial mouse.

A new user isn't going to be willing to put up with the delays inherent in trying to run today's apps on last week's hardware, never mind last Millennia's.

[Kali]

16. I think the keyboard and mouse were upgraded

mouse is optical and keyboard is "ergonomic" bent configuration (hey maybe I should trade it for this one...)