[Cialug] computers in unusual conditions

[Dave J. Hala Jr.]

I think is it definitely better. Commodity pc's come in really handy
now, even if they are cheaply built.  I never cease to be amazed at what
you can do with a $299 pc running Redhat.


On Tue, 2004-12-21 at 15:50, Nathan C. Smith wrote:
> Ahhh, steel in the chassis, aren't they tin foil and plastic now?
> 
> I think the power supplies were definitely better, or perhaps just
> overbuilt.  The motherboards didn't flex when you pushed a card in.
> 
> But would you trade it for the lower prices, faster speeds and better
> availability we have today?  Remember when you couldn't buy blank CDs in
> Walgreens or Target in a pinch?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dave J. Hala Jr. [mailto:dave@58ghz.net] 
> Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 3:38 PM
> To: Cialug
> Subject: RE: [Cialug] computers in unusual conditions
> 
> 
> 
> I hate to sound like an "old guy" but it didn't it seem like back in those
> days (pre-pentium era) they were better built? Higher quality fans, heavier
> steel in the chassis, etc...
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, 2004-12-21 at 15:20, Lee wrote:
> > Some years back I worked on an older PC deployed in the foundry at 
> > Eagle Iron Works (downtown Des Moines). Believe me, after seeing it 
> > first hand. The conditions for a PC were less than ideal. I believe it 
> > was a 486, which would have required a fan. It had run quite well for 
> > years, hooked up to a odd little device that they poured molten metal 
> > into. The software then recorded measurements from the device. In all 
> > its time in service the only real problem was the serial port failed.
> > 
> > Point being this was a stock off-the-shelf PC. And it's only downfall 
> > was old age.
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: cialug-admin@cialug.org [mailto:cialug-admin@cialug.org]On 
> > Behalf Of Jeff Davis
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 2:23 PM
> > To: cialug@cialug.org
> > Subject: [Cialug] computers in unusual conditions
> > 
> > 
> > I'm curious if anyone on the list has deployed computers into abnormal 
> > situations. e.g. A PC for data collection in an unheated/non-cooled 
> > building in Iowa where the year round
> >       ambient temp range is dramatic.
> > 
> > I know you can buy 'rugged' equipment that will handle such extremes, 
> > but in this case I'm already looking at using a hand-me-down PII 500 
> > which is more than sufficient for the task.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --
> > 
> > Jeff Davis
> > 
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> > 
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-- 

Open Source Information Systems (OSIS)
Dave J. Hala Jr. <dave@osis.us>
641.485.1606