In actuality, I use that old XP machine that I know you love so much.
I could take a Raspberry Pi and retrofit into that Atari, and build that forum-viewing machine you suggested.
I guess since this topic has been bumped, I may as well post the specs of the Captain’s Command Console.
“The Dominator” 2015 Custom Built Desktop:
AMD Athlon 2XII (2.9GHz Dual Core)
4GB DDR3 1066mHz RAM
500GB Seagate Barracuda HDD (SATA, 7200RPM)
1TB WD Black HDD (SATA, 7200RPM)
MSI 970 Motherboard (AMD AM3/AM3+, ATX, USB 3.0 and 2.0, SATA 6.0Gbps)
Thermaltake TR-700 (700watt power supply, ATX, non-modular, 80Plus Bronze)
Nvidia GeForce GT610 GPU (2GB DDR3 RAM, VGA DVI-I HDMI)
Emermax ETS-T40 CPU Cooler
Kingwin FPX-002 Fan Controller
Displays
(Primary) Dell IN1920 Monitor: VGA, 1366X768
(Secondary) Dell E177FP Monitor: VGA, 1280X1024
I do have a few upgrades planned for this machine this summer, such as a GTX960, AMD FX-9370, and 16GB of RAM.
If you want to view the full specs, I have them on my website http://miniman0404.weebly.com/technology.html
Bumping this topic because I feel like now would be a good time to post specs on my computers. Ever since August 2014, I got a new Windows laptop as a “permanent substitute” to my now incredibly outdated aluminum MacBook (2008). Due to time constraints at the time of posting, I won’t post specs to said MacBook in this post. I will post pics of these at a later time (also due to time constraints).
Desktop
- Custom built in late 2011
- OS: Windows 7 Professional, 64-bit
- 700GB Hard Drive (not sure what it is exactly as that I have a second hard drive installed but not in use – don’t ask why)
- Intel Core i5 Processor – 8GB RAM
- Monitor: Samsung SyncMaster B2430H series [It lists it as “SyncMaster B2430H/B2430 (Digital)”]
- Mouse: Logitech wireless mouse (from the Wireless Desktop MK320 bundle) – I’m planning on replacing this mouse because of an annoying feature where the LED under the 3 buttons would turn on due to inactivity for an extended period of time; also due to the fact that the scroll button having issues when using it to click.
- Keyboard: Microsoft Wired Keyboard 600 (That’s actually the keyboard I was using to write this, lol) – formerly the keyboard from the Logitech Wireless Desktop MK320 bundle as that it gave me problems when its batteries got low.
Laptop (PC)
- Acer Aspire E1-771-6496
- OS: Windows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit
- Intel Core i5-3230M 2.6GHz with Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz – 6GB (5.84 GB usable) RAM (DDR3)
- Disk drive: Originally a Seagate Momentus Thin 500GB SATA HDD, 5400RPM (died due to a head crash around mid-April 2015); Now it has a Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500G (as of June 21, 2015)
- 17.3" HD+ LED LCD
- 6-cell Lithium-Ion battery
- 802.11b/g/n + BT
- DVD-Super Multi DL drive
- 2 USB 3.0 Ports + 1 USB 2.0 Ports
- VGA port
- HDMI port
- Ethernet port
- Numeric keypad
- HD Webcam
My new gaming laptop: Alienware 13
Intel® Core™ i5-5200U Processor (Dual-Core, 3MB Cache, up to 2.7GHz w/ Intel® Turbo Boost)
Windows 8.1 (64Bit) English (Free Upgrade for Windows 10! 
)
13 inch HD (1366 x 768) TN-Panel Anti-Glare 200-nits Display
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 960M with 2GB GDDR5
Alienware Graphics Amplifier (Coming Soon Will be fitted with a GTX 980 from Nvidia)
8GB Dual Channel DDR3L at 1600MHz (2x 4GB)
512GB M.2 SSD
I got it straight from Alienware, and because where my dad works he gets a discount.
A $1,499.98 laptop is only $600 :3
I figure this is a meaningful bump, considering I’ve had this machine for a couple of months but haven’t made a post about it, but here you go.
This PC has since replaced my Lenovo laptop, which has become my secondary PC.
HP Envy 17t 17" touch-screen Laptop
Intel Core i7-5500U, dual-core @ 2.4 GhZ Microprocessor
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M 4GB Discrete Graphics Microprocessor
16GB DDR3 - 2 DIMM Memory
1TB SSD-HDD Hybrid Drive
Windows 10 Home
Generic no-name 17" USB-powered desk cooling pad
Logitech M-100 Basic Mouse
Unicomp Ultra Classic keyboard
Here’s a picture of my current setup. Two monitors again, and the excessive (but very nice) external keyboard.
I LOVE Unicomp keyboards. Unicomp keyboards for the win! I love it when people look strangely at my Unicomp, then I tell them to pick it up, and they always react as if its a brick. Lol. They might be expensive keyboards, but they are WELL WORTH the money, I hope mine gives me 10+ years of service.
Here is my Unicomp Keyboard (as well as my very cluttered desk):
Here is the back label of the keyboard:
Also, some kid decided to spend 15min arguing with me about how my keyboard couldn’t possibly made in the U.S.A., and that the label was a lie. :roll:
Holy crap! Another Unicomp-er!
I didn’t know those terminal keyboards worked on modern PCs. What port does it end in? Mine ends in USB, but the Ultra Classic also comes in a PS/2 version. I thought those old terminal keyboards ended in an RJ-11 jack.
And what was that guy’s argument that the Unicomp keyboards weren’t made in the US? :lol:
A good mechanical switch keyboard will last a long, long time. I still use a Northgate Omnikey made many years ago. It is so old it has a switch to select XT or AT interface and terminates in a 5 pin DIN plug. To use it on my modern computer I have a DIN to PS2 adapter that plugs into a PS2 to USB converter. It is built on a steel base plate and weighs about 5 pounds.
Northgate went out of business a long time ago. The keyboards were so well liked another company bought the manufacturing rights and the tooling. That was Creative Vision Technologies. CVT made the same keyboards under their name. They were bought out by another company that was not interested in the keyboard business. There are places that still repair these keyboards.
It is so good to see someone else who loves Unicomp keyboards! Especially someone with a fire alarm interest as well!
My terminal keyboard ends in PS/2. I think you can also get them with a USB termination as well.
As for the argument with the guy:
He claimed that the United States is incapable of manufacturing high-tech products. He said that “we can’t make anything having to do with computers it seems” as well as “I have never ever seen a made in the U.S.A. computer accessory before!”. I told him, “well technically, we can make anything as long as we have the factories/equipment to do so.” He then replied, “Well it might be assembled here, by people putting all of the pieces together, but there is no way that any of the electronics/switches can be made here.” After that, I told him that he was wrong, and kind of let him have his way, however the argument continued saying that the label should be marked “Assembled in the U.S.A.” instead of “Made in U.S.A.” we continued back and forth about what the requirements are for labeling, etc. and finally he gave up after about 15mins of arguing. 
My Unicomp has a steel plate, and weighs about 5-6 pounds. I expect it to last me at least 10 years. When I use cheap keyboards, they break in less then a year. I got sick of cheap keyboards about 3 years ago, and bought a razer blackwidow. Its a decent keyboard, and still works to this day, but it is NOTHING compared to my Unicomp keyboard. People these days just don’t know what it is like to type on a high quality keyboard. When I have to use my laptop, I always make so many mistakes, and just hate the typing experience, even though it is one of the better laptop keyboards out there. Just my 2 cents.
I know your post was 2 months ago but I just thought of this: “Can it run Crysis?”
Crysis 1 System Requirements:
Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz/Athlon X2 4400+ or better
2 GB RAM
Windows XP/Vista/7
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS with 640MB RAM or similar.
DirectX 9.0c
12GB storage.
Yes, I’d say I’d be able to run Crysis.
I was not aware of this, but my IBM Wheelwriter actually has a buckling spring keyboard. Now I know what all the Unicomp hubbub is all about; it’s a pretty nice keyboard!
[attachment=0]IMG_7781.JPG[/attachment]
This is a tad off-topic, but I’ll soon get back on-topic.
My grandfather used to make a living selling, reselling, and repairing typewriters, so he always had spare typewriter parts and various models scattered in his garage-turned shop. In one of the cabinets he has about thirty or so IBM Wheelwriter keyboard assemblies waiting to be refitted into another Wheelwriter. When I visited last I commented how similar the keyboard felt to my keyboard, and how little the technology has changed over the years. Nothing beats a good buckling spring.
Anyway, a friend of mine recently got himself a new MSI Titan GT80 laptop (with SLI graphics) and boy, am I jealous! It sports a very unusual choice for a keyboard, which uses Cherry MX Brown mechanical key switches (yes, a laptop with a mechanical keyboard!) I’m amazed that MSI managed to cram physical switches into a laptop, but I guess it comes with a price. Not only is the thing thick, but in order to make room for the machine’s guts, they moved the keyboard to the edge of the assembly. Even though I don’t own this computer, I feel like I’d have an issue with that, since I like to rest my wrists on the spaces on either side of the touchpad when I’m typing. It also seems that the numeric keypad doubles as the touchpad, since it doesn’t consist of physical keys like the rest of the keyboard, but rather a flat, smooth, touchpad-like surface. I’m assuming MSI has an option where you can switch between keypad mode and mouse mode, probably with one of the three buttons over it. This whole setup reminds me of an old “portable computer” from the late 1980s, especially because of the keyboard placement.
In other news, my mother finally got herself a new computer so she no longer has to borrow my dad’s laptop. It’s an ASUS PT-2002 portable all-in-one computer. The reason she got this particular model is so she can collapse the stand and fit it into her secretary desk at home, where she sometimes works. Resembling a large Windows tablet (complete with the capacitive Start pad on the bottom of the display), the ports are on the sides rather than on the back so that it can be easily folded without much fuss. At the heart of it is an Intel i3 4010U, so it isn’t the best, but it gets the job done for what she needs it for. I suppose that could “replace” the old Dell Dimension 8250 we had for desktop duty, but they’re not even in the same room anymore, plus my dad is not allowed to touch her new computer. I fear I may have to remove some malware when I get back to San Antonio, though. :roll:
Sorry about the long post, but I haven’t posted in awhile, and I’m trying to keep the board alive; no one posts all that much anymore!
Laptop: MacBook Pro, 13" Early 2015 w/ Retina Display:
- Processor: 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5
- Memory: 8 GB 1867 MHz DDR3
- Graphics: Intel Iris 6100 1536 MB
- Display: Built-In Retina Display (2560 x 1600)
- Storage: 128 GB Flash Storage
- OS: OS X El Capitan Version 10.11.3
PC: Custom Built Machine by Myself (Built 2014)
- Asus P8Z77 Motherboard
- MSI Radeon R7 260X Graphics Card
- Intel Core i5-3350P Quad Core 3.1 Ghz Processor
- 8GB DDR3 1600 RAM
- 256 GB SSD (for OS/Softwares)
- 1TB HDD (for general storage)
Here’s a video about my latest build. I did it in a similar vein to one of Andrew’s older videos about his old P4 machine.
Operating System
Windows 10 Enterprise 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i3 6100 @ 3.70GHz 33 °C
Skylake 14nm Technology
RAM
16.0GB Dual-Channel Unknown @ 1199MHz (16-16-16-39)
Motherboard
Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd. Z170-HD3P-CF (U3E1) 36 °C
Graphics
T22B350 (1920x1080@60Hz)
8192MB ATI Radeon RX 480 Graphics (XFX Pine Group) 56 °C
Storage
232GB Samsung SSD 750 EVO 250GB (SSD) 27 °C
Optical Drives
ATAPI iHAS324 F
Audio
AMD High Definition Audio Device
Laptop: MacBook Pro, 13" Early 2015 w/ Retina Display:
- Processor: 2.9 GHz Intel Core i5
- Memory: 8 GB 1867 MHz DDR3
- Graphics: Intel Iris 6100 1536 MB
- Display: Built-In Retina Display (2560 x 1600)
- Storage: 512GB Flash Storage
- OS: MacOS Sierra Version 10.12.2
Desktop: iMac 5k, 27" Late 2015:
- Processor: 4 GHz Intel Core i7
- Memory: 8 GB 1867 MHz DDR3
- Graphics: AMD Radeon R9 M395X 4096 MB
- Display: Built-In Retina Display (5120 x 2880)
- Storage: 3TB Fusion Drive (128GB SSD)
- OS: OS X El Capitan Version 10.11.6
I was gonna say that I posted here and its gone, then I remembered the forum crashed. I’ll just post mine in attachments.
For some reason attachments didn’t work so I had to go to TinyPic. As for the double-post? Oh well. A forum should not disable the ability to edit a post after a few minutes.
