|
|
My PC ...
(or "Windows? We don't need no stinking Windows!")
I am a proud owner of a Wintel-free PC --meaning my PC uses neither Microsoft nor Intel products.
Why is owning a Wintel-free PC such a big deal? I thought you'd never ask. Check out my Microsoft and the Internet Community page, which documents the nefarious manner in which Microsoft carries out it's business practices. I think I make a good case for encouraging support of alternative products to Microsoft & Co.
Now I realize that the easiest way to have a Wintel-free PC is to go out and buy an Apple MacIntosh. But I wanted to try a different route. So I researched and built my own PC with the help of several invaluably useful websites:
So on an extremely tight budget, I purchased a motherboard and hard drive, scrounged around for the rest, and put together the following PC in April, 1997.
| Motherboard | FIC PA-2005 |
| Chipset | VIA Technologies Apollo 580VP |
| Processor | Advanced Micro Designs (AMD) K5-100 |
| Hard Drive | 250MB Quantum Bigfoot |
| Memory (RAM) | 32 MB SIMM |
| Graphics Adaptor | Cirrus Logic GD5422 VGA |
| CD-ROM | Mitsumi FX-001D (thanks Denn) |
| Mouse | Logitech Trackball |
Keyboard &
3.5" Diskette Drive | generic |
| Monitor | NEC MultiSync 2A |
| Operating Systems | OS/2 Warp 4.0 and
RedHat Linux 4.0 |
I've used my PC for about a year now, and am quite happy with its performance for my personal use. (I think it helped me build a pretty good website, no?) One problem I had is setting up a sound card, but I haven't given it much time. Anyway, now that the Pentium II stuff is out, I think it's time for an upgrade. Hmmm...
|
