Using my Powerbook 1400 as my only computer for a month

[beta_train]

Yep! Thats right. I am typing this on my Powerbook 1400cs 117 with a 40( Yes, 40!)GB hard drive and 32 mb of ram surfing the internet on a Orinoco Silver. I am only going to use this as my computer for a month to see how things go. I am going to check email, browse the web, write my novel, and chat on IRC. I am running Mac OS 9.1 and I really like it

[System7]

Cough, No Cache Passive Matrix, Cough....

I loved my 1400/117 too, but the screen cracked

[LCGuy]

Best of luck. The 1400s are a great machine...but if you can, and if you are going to use the machine for a month, try and get your hands on a 1400c/166, or preferably any 1400c with a G3 upgrade. And also think about either upping the RAM or going back to OS 8.1 or 8.6...OS 9.1 really wants more than 32MB of RAM.

[alk]

Is trying to upgrade your retro machine to the absolute best specs possible against the spirit of the retrochallenge?

Peace,
Drew

[Unknown_K]

Good luck with the 1400. So much for online video of any kind for a month then

I don't see a problem upgrading old machines for reteo challenge, its not like he is gutting it and putting a 4 core i7 in there.

[Temetka]

The beauty of a machine like that as a main box removes many of the distractions from the modern internet.

Must be a zen like experience.

Re-dicsovering what the computer can go without having the distractions.

Although I do second the suggestion of atleast a CPU with some cache.

[Unknown_K]

I used to IRC on my 386DX/40 until people kept posting links to ebay auctions and other web stuff that the 386 choked on. It is nice using a machine with little noise to IRC with at night with the window open listening to crickets.

As long as the machine can do ebay and paypal I am set.

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Is trying to upgrade your retro machine to the absolute best specs possible against the spirit of the retrochallenge?

Using "Beater" as my ONLY online machine was MORE than a retro challenge!

It was/is a 1400c maxed to the hilt w/Crescendo 466 G-3/cache and a full load of RAM. It was the ONLY machine I posted with here (or ANYWHERE on the web for that matter) on free WiFi from late '04 until I resurfaced here again, still on free WiFi ONLY, just recently as 'HP_Mini.

jt

p.s. One day I just might recell one of those accursed batteries and give Beater a whirl again!

[Hrududu]

Good luck with that. I use my Powerbook 233MHz sometimes and doing internet it pretty rough on it. All these modern websites really don't play well with Mozilla and Netscape 7. At least you got plenty of HD space. I only have the 2gb drive in my Powerbook and 384mb of RAM. Its a great 9.2.2 machine though.

[arfink]

And to think I'm using Lynx on a IIGS all the time. Modern websites really puke on that. Links works somewhat better, as it has decent frames support, but still somewhat icky. But then I do have a modern computer for when I need to do banking, for example.

[benjgvps]

Using my PowerBook 150 and the "Wannabe" browser, I was able to read engadget and many other modern sites in text mode. IRC was great too, when the hard drive powered off I was able to chat in complete silence.

[ianj]

Yep! Thats right. I am typing this on my Powerbook 1400cs 117 with a 40( Yes, 40!)GB hard drive and 32 mb of ram surfing the internet on a Orinoco Silver. I am only going to use this as my computer for a month to see how things go. I am going to check email, browse the web, write my novel, and chat on IRC. I am running Mac OS 9.1 and I really like it

I have a similar setup to yours. Mine is a 1400cs/133 that I stuck an active-matrix display on... 1.3 GB hard drive, 48 MB RAM, Orinoco Silver, OS 8.6. It's a solid machine for AIM, IRC, and limited web browsing. I keep it on an end table in my living room so I can just pop it open if I want to talk to people without going to my room.