I have this 8Mhz 8088-based pc, CGA graphics...
        I'm trying to sell it, but if I cant, hwat can I do with it?
        I currently use a 25Mhz 80386.

        Grr.
        Suggestions such as "use it as a doorstop" aren't too helpful, but
hey, you'll say them anyway. Just be aware that I've thought of all of them,
and will be publishing a book in March, entitled "1001 uses for an obselete
PC"

193 responses total.

I thought about using pctools 7 to link it to the 386 from the bedroom or
something, but that seemed like a waste of time. I could use it as a telecomm
machine, but it's not like I have anything better to do with this one while 
I'm on-line. 

Boat anchor.

Printer spooler.

Tax write-off?

Yeah, I was looking into tax write-off, but I'm not sure how much I can
claim on the 1040 if I only end up paying a few hundred in federal taxes.
Printer spooler...now there's a thought...if only I ever printed anything.

  How are the case and power supply?  They might be worth something even
if the rest of it isn't..

Donate it to some charity.  Donate it to some favorite group or club
so that they can use it to keep track of membership, write newsletters,
etc. (Tax write-off)   Set up a one line bbs.  Plug COM1 into COM2 and
let it talk to itself.

Mail furs.  She put an item somewhere around here that she's looking
for a computer to use with children at the local shelter.  Your computer
might be exactly what they need.  

use it for voice mail answering machine.

Hmmn...
"ring....ring....cuclick....SqueeeEEEeeeeEEeeeeeeee"
Cut down on those phone solicitations.

no, you have to buy a card (Watson?) that creates voice messages and
directions for touchtone use (voice menu), simplest use is to leave
different messages for different access levels (parents, friends, others)

optionaly they may leave a message.

Donate it to Affirmations!!

Assuming it has a hard disk, I may be a likely customer.
 
If it doesn't have a hard disk (did we have this discussion before)
it won't do me any good.
 
The lack of really useful applications for this fine machine are likely
to be a drag on the selling price...  

Oh, dear, I was afraid of this; Brian and I already had a go-around on 
this machine.  XT implies hard disk, at least where I work, and I see
this machine doesn't seem to have one.  And the price is way, way, way
too high.  JDR Micro Devices will sell me a kit containing all the 
boards for an XT, including a hard drive, for $500.  A new PC dealer
in East Lansing will sell a 286 machine, 40M hard drive, 1M memory, 
mono VGA, for $700.
 
I agree, your best hope is to pursue the tax angle, or to find a 
friend who needs a modem-only machine.
 
I'm still eagerly in the market for an XT-class machine with hard drive
for $200 or less.+0  I'll pay a bit more for one with a 3.5" 

for $200 or less.  I'll pay a bit more for one with a 3.5" floppy.

Ah, you work among fools.
(just kidding)
Work is funny that way.
Where I work, a machine with a hard disk is referred to as "the hard disk".
Which makes me sick, but is not unique.

I've seen working used XT's with 20 HD, mono monitor, etc go for {zV
for $175 at a swap in Findly.  Guy had about 30 of em.

<bad sighs>

$175 is the sort of price I'm looking for...

Sorry Brian.  I put this XT together for about $60 Ken.  Went to a lot of
swaps, and took several risks.  (4 MHz IBM mother brd., 20Mb HD, 360 K
floppy, 720 K 3.5" floppy, Herc. mono. and 2400 baud internal modem.  Some
one also gave me a printer.)  All you have to do is be willing to learn
about PC's and take your time.  My knowledge of electronics was also helpful.

Anyone wanna swap my a printer for it?

Er, swap a printer to me?

Getting a bit prematurely possesive, are we?

Nah, just missing the 'e' the first time, then realizing it didn't make
sense anyway.

you mean, Give you a printer for the whatsamajigger?  I've got about 4
printers, Take you pick.  I could stand some working playful compujunk to
further  clutter my deskio.

What are your four printers?
Any of 'em decent?
I've already got one crappy nine-pin...

Probably not more decent than your Nine-Pin methinks.  Okidata microline 84,
Royal TA Lettermaster daisywheel, GE TXP-100 thermal transfer (actually, that
one comes out quite nice, don't know why I don't use it more than the Oki),
and a printer/plotter that works with basically nothing.

Ah well...

I seek information about the Panasonic "Senior Partner" RL-H7000W
computer. I need to know if it has a serial port for a modem, or a slot
for a modem board. I seek this information to set a person up for
connection to Merit/grex, but they don't know much about the machine. I
will not see the computer until I go to their house in Royal Oak to set it
up. 

I have a 386/25 with 2 megs RAM, 3.5 and 5.25 disk drives, and an 80 meg hard
drive, and a really crappy 14' XTRON monochrome monitor, good condition!
best offer

It's strange seeong #0 again, someone complaining (before I
even joined Grex) about their computer being obsolete, and
it was *still* more modern than my current computer.

I know what you mean, Rob.  <sigh>

Hello you can use old XT 8088/CGA for Web surfing/e-mail/FAX / VT220
emulator. Download Nettamer from ftp.simtel.net or Garbo.
Regards (NOVI)

Surf the WEB on a XT?  Perhaps.  I've done it on a Mac Plus.

Why not?  I've done it on an Apple II...

I am still running a free-lance translation business on my original Zenith
148 8088 machine, to which I have had to add two expansion slots and a
monochrome graphics card.  I also use it to dial in to grex, which lets me
access the Internet (in text, with none of those annoying flashing colored
lights).  We have been settting up similar machines for friends and neighbors
to use for e-mail and typeing.  The next-door neighbor even paid us $25 for
a fully programmed machine, complete with about 15 minutes a week of
maintenance calls when something goes wrong.  (Try turning it off and on again
usually works, or 'Make sure it is plugged in').  She is writing ghost stories
on it, and her second-grade daughter is learning to type.  For another $25
we are about to supply her with a modem and software and a color (!) monitor
for playing games (CGA or composite).  Another neighbor wants to write to her
son in Australia.  These machines may be obsolete, but they are still pretty
useful.  Mine has never had any more serious repair programs than an
occasional key that needs cleaning.  But in order to stay in business it looks
like I will have to upgrade to something with more RAM.

I have it on my list (and the parts) to upgrade my Zenith 151 to 2 MB
extended (or is that expanded?) RAM. Currently, though, it is mostly
maintaining a mailing list and my home control X-10 system. 

As far as I know (says my technical advisor), there is no way to use this
extended memory for loading software, just for manipulating larger data files.
Please let us know if we are wrong!

        We are currently attempting to run WP5.1 with the spellchecker
dictionary from Letterperfect, which is about half the size (194K instead of
355K), which should save quite a bit of the available 640 RAM.  The spell.exe
file only takes up 55K, and WP.exe 224K.  These add to 473, leaving 167K for
two files in RAM.  Or perhaps the dictionary could be loaded in extended
memory?  Next challenge is to pare down Procomm so it can be used with WP5.1
and two files in RAM.  (I am getting a bit lost here, but never mind.)

Keesan, would you be interested in being on Grex's nearly-defunct Computer
Rehab Committee?  The idea is to fix up donated old computers and donate them
to worthy causes.

Probably my roommate (deigert, who does not type), would, but only after he
gets me onto the promised 386 with WP5.1 and Zmodem.  He is *very* easily
distracted.  We have several extra 9-pin printers and quite a few computers
and know where to get more, but where can you donate an XT?  We also have
spare modems (1200 baud) and lots more stuff I can't identify, in what looks
to me like random piles all over the floor and wall-to-wall workbenches.  I
would love to have some worthy cause to donate it to.

Computer equipment becomes obsolete so fast, and there is such a glut of
it, that one of the best things you can do is take it apart and recycle
the bits.

I'm interrested in finding a working color CGA monitor.  I have a
leading edge XT that I use to check email and stuff from in front of the
TV.  Color would make that a bit easier.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss