The Mini-ITX Topic Project

[joecommodore]

Ok, I am getting SICK and TIRED of seeing projects of people gutting some cool classic computer to shove the same mini ITX borard into it (which doesn't seem hard at all except for figuring where to have the wires stick out.) Yep, all you need is the board, a protable HD and DVD drive, cut some holes, a few squirts from a glue gun and you have über geek material.

I now consider them the 'beanie babies of 2003'. (think about it, beanie babies.. in 2003...)

If is still supports the original monitors, drives, peripherals, AND cartridges then I'll be impressed again.

That's my rant (for today.)

[carlsson]

Yes, it is sad if the old machine used to work and/or is less common, but reusing the case of a dead friend (huh, that sounds scary) might be like giving it a second life. Often the keyboard is reused with some well-though wiring. External peripherals probably are less interesting, in particular if the homebrewer lacks working ones.

Actually, two of the computer projects I liked the most was the cigar box (ITX) and the waste bin (old Celeron), neither being a reused computer case.

Who is the first to put a C64 motherboard inside an Apple II case, or maybe a ZX Spectrum ditto into a NES console with external keyboard?

[joecommodore]

Who is the first to put a C64 motherboard inside an Apple II case, or maybe a ZX Spectrum ditto into a NES console with external keyboard?

I can remember similar... I recall a couple of pranksters pulled a fast one on a Commodore gorup and the local media by "demoing" the still to be released "Amiga 3000" (of course the guts wern't an Amiga but actually a Macintosh II displaying a slideshow. Given the color pallate and higher res display I am sure it raised some eyebrows.

oh! In the Book "Hackers" by Steve Levy they talk about Sierra On-Line demoing the Apple II frogger at their booth with a well concealed Atari 800.

[CP/M User]

"joecommodore"wrote:

> Who is the first to put a C64 motherboard
> inside an Apple II case, or maybe a ZX
> Spectrum ditto into a NES console with
> external keyboard?

> I can remember similar... I recall a couple
> of pranksters pulled a fast one on a
> Commodore gorup and the local media by
> "demoing" the still to be released "Amiga
> 3000" (of course the guts wern't an Amiga
> but actually a Macintosh II displaying a
> slideshow. Given the color pallate and
> higher res display I am sure it raised some
> eyebrows.

Personally, I think it's a waste of time. Unless
you want to put play a prank with someones
computer. But then it's just easier to throw
a bucket of water over it, if you don't like it!
:-)

Cheers,
CP/M User.

[carlsson]

But then it's just easier to throw a bucket of water over it, if you don't like it!
Argh! I have a terrible memory of how some stupid guy at college thought it would be cool to fill a large plastic bag of water and throw it at the computer club, as there was a generic (outdoor) water fight going on. Our Commodore 128 became the target, and it never operated again. The f*cking idiot of course got away and could not be identified. :x

No, as I said before, if the inside is dead or awfully common, I find it cool to reuse the outside. Maybe the inside can even be removed without being destroyed, and thus used for something else.

[CP/M User]

"carlsson" wrote:

>> But then it's just easier to throw a bucket of
>> water over it, if you don't like it!

> Argh! I have a terrible memory of how some
> stupid guy at college thought it would be cool
> to fill a large plastic bag of water and throw it
> at the computer club, as there was a generic
> (outdoor) water fight going on. Our
> Commodore 128 became the target, and it
> never operated again. The f*cking idiot of
> course got away and could not be identified.
> :x

Oh well, that being the case, I don't condone
throwing water over peoples computers. Even
though there are systems which I don't like,
I don't think that throwing buckets of water
onto them is the answer.

A simular thing happened to us, when one day
may years ago we had a wild storm. Back them
we had the Amstrad CPC 464 which used to be
near the door & although I'm not totally sure if
any water got into it, some of the water droplets
got onto the top of the monitor & pretty much
near the air vent. Fortunately the computer was
fully powered off, so we just waited a couple of
days & when powered it on, which seemed fine.

> No, as I said before, if the inside is dead or
> awfully common, I find it cool to reuse the
> outside. Maybe the inside can even be removed
> without being destroyed, and thus used for
> something else.

Okay, but it's a awful lot to go to just for a
prank! ;-)

Cheers,
CP/M User.

[carlsson]

I tend to simply ignore computers (and people!) I don't like or find use for. Maybe demolishing could be included in extreme testing of (new or old) equipment to see what it can withstand - gallons of water, buck shots, high electromagnetism etc.

There once was a web page where a guy had tested the durability of a worn out Yamaha CD-R, a XTerm and a Sun 3 by firing at it. The CD-R imploded directly, the XTerm stopped the bullets at the mainboard and the Sun 3 just bounced the bird shot from the case. He placed the machine near to a wall, and it probably took more damage from the riccochet hitting the wall than the bullet firing. Not until he brought the bigger buck shots, he managed to place a bullet into the machine.

The most amazing thing was, the Sun 3 still seemed to boot after being fired at with buck shoot. In theory, it was still valid for Sun's trade in program, but I wonder what they would say if you trade in a computer with bullet holes. He threw all three in his trash when the day was over, and when he wake up next morning, the CD-R and XTerm still were in the trash can, but the Sun 3 had been rescued - probably by someone who was going to get some armor.

[CP/M User]

"carlsson" wrote:

> The most amazing thing was, the Sun 3
> still seemed to boot after being fired at
> with buck shoot. In theory, it was still
> valid for Sun's trade in program, but I
> wonder what they would say if you trade
> in a computer with bullet holes. He threw
> all three in his trash when the day was
> over, and when he wake up next morning,
> the CD-R and XTerm still were in the trash
> can, but the Sun 3 had been rescued -
> probably by someone who was going to
> get some armor.

Oh dear, sounds like that's a call for the ol'
44 Magnum, but of course it needs the right
bullet! :-)

Then of course they've got to ask themselves
one question, "Do I feel lucky?'! ;-)

Cheers.

[carlsson]

Oh dear, sounds like that's a call for the ol'
44 Magnum, but of course it needs the right bullet! :-)
Hmm, does a revolver inflict more damage than a hunting rifle? Exploding bullets probably wouldn't make sense as long as you can't penetrate what you are shooting at. Oh well, it is a rather pointless speculation.

(I just changed my avatar, since I don't have a cold anymore)

[CP/M User]

"carlsson" wrote:

>> Oh dear, sounds like that's a call for the ol'
>> 44 Magnum, but of course it needs the right
>> bullet! :-)

> Hmm, does a revolver inflict more damage
> than a hunting rifle? Exploding bullets probably
> wouldn't make sense as long as you can't
> penetrate what you are shooting at. Oh well,
> it is a rather pointless speculation.

Well as Clint Eastwood used to say, it's the most
powerful handgun in the world, one should
think though, it would do more damage depending
on the bullet. Or have I been watching too many
Dirty Harry movies?

It's a bit difficult to explain if you haven't seen
those kinds of movies. Though I would think that
the size of the Magnums would determine the
power of it & since .44 is one of the larger ones
(if not the largest), it'd have quite a bit of power
about it (I should imagine).

Cheers.

[Unknown_K]

"carlsson" wrote:

>> Oh dear, sounds like that's a call for the ol'
>> 44 Magnum, but of course it needs the right
>> bullet! :-)

> Hmm, does a revolver inflict more damage
> than a hunting rifle? Exploding bullets probably
> wouldn't make sense as long as you can't
> penetrate what you are shooting at. Oh well,
> it is a rather pointless speculation.

Well as Clint Eastwood used to say, it's the most
powerful handgun in the world, one should
think though, it would do more damage depending
on the bullet. Or have I been watching too many
Dirty Harry movies?

It's a bit difficult to explain if you haven't seen
those kinds of movies. Though I would think that
the size of the Magnums would determine the
power of it & since .44 is one of the larger ones
(if not the largest), it'd have quite a bit of power
about it (I should imagine).

Cheers.

I am pretty sure somebody came out with a .50 caliber handgun since eastwood gave up on dirty harry movies.

As far as damage goes a large caliber slow moving bullet at close range makes a big hole and crushes bones while a high power smaller caliber faster bullet makes a smaller hole (unless its a hollow point then look out) and splinters bones. Either way you really dont want to get hit with either one. I hear stories about koreans in the korean war getting hit with small caliber bullets at some distance that just nocked them down with no damage (except to their uniform), also a few people got shot point blank in the head with a .25 pistol and the bullet just bounced off their skull (greatly pissing them off in the process).