£16 ($25) Computer

[Garry Russell]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16316439

[DaveB]

Hmm.. very interesting.. and right in my price band too Sadly, I've no desire to program!

ATB
DaveB

[ianhind]

Oh dear, I might have to get one or two of these

These can be great fun as a means of seeing just what low power computing is capable of.

I used to have a couple of Linksys NSLU2 which ran at 133MhZ but moved on to a couple of Seagate Dockstars (see: http://hackaday.com/2010/07/17/openwrt- ... -dockstar/) which were originally intended by Seagate as just an internet connection for the Freeagent 2.5" hard disks (also check out Pogoplugs).

But based on instructions on a forum, both of the Dockstars are now running full versions of Debian (a Linux variant). Yes they are not the fastest computers on the planet but still capable of serving music from files on a hard disk. Serving photos was a bit slow. Part of the attraction is seeing just what is possible and I tried a few months ago to get USB over ethernet running on one to solve a problem. It didn't quite work but so very close and probably sorted now.

Ian

PS did I mention I once worked through a listing of Z80 assembler code for a chess program to get it working on another Z80 machine with a different screen mapping. 99% successful.

[Airspeed]

Hi Guys,
Prior to my current computer, mine came from the tip, at $2 each, and the best bits from each combined to make a satisfactory platform for FS9. OK, the 2 screens were $5 each, mint in boxes - not flat screens, so "un-sellable"
Many years back, I bought a book and sample PIC, thinking that I could programme it to use in a sim cockpit. I can understand mechanical things, but that instruction book may as well have been written in Venusian. I take my hat off to you, Ian (and if you need a bolt tightened on your mower, I'll pop round with spanner in hand.)

[ianhind]

and if you need a bolt tightened on your mower, I'll pop round with spanner in hand

I can do that as well Like many of us on here, one of the generation that got their hands (very) dirty when it used to be possible to fix your own car without need for "diagnostic tools" beyond a set of AF spanners and socket set, feeler gauges, circlip pliers, large screwdrivers as levers (!), etc. Anyone getting nostalgic?

Perhaps the hobbyist computer involvement started as the mechanical faded? Software is ok and assembling a PC is a bit like the modern equivalent of Meccano but the hardware electronics bit is beyond me.

Ian

[Garry Russell]

Hi Ian

Remember...set the plug gap with your thumb nail and the points with a piece of fag paper

Electronic diagnostic consisted of seeing which valve was not lit and replacing it form one that said near enough the same found in a box under the bed

The computer is a low price and I see it as a fun machine and perhaps a serious learning tool.

No different to learning some of the codes needed to make some FS stuff work correctly.

Less than a decent Airfix kit