On Tue, 17 Mar 2009, Eric Lease Morgan wrote:

> How do y'all suggest I put to good use the increasing number of extra
> computers I have lying around my house?
>
> You would think I was starting a computer museum with the number of
> decommissioned computers I have at home. A few Macintoshes and a couple of
> Intel-based machines. (Not to mention the TI-99A, or whatever.) I don't
> really need backup. I don't really need a Web server. Maybe I could use
> these computers as some sort of CPU Farm to do some sort of interesting
> computing.

If your collection is anything like the number of machines that I have 
collecting in my basement, they might be okay for people learning how to 
set up networks and the like, but they're a waste of money as a comute
farm.

The problem is, they're older processors which offer less performance per 
watt compared to today's machines.  You're often better off buying new, 
low-end hardware if you're going to be running folding@home 24x7 than 
running it on machines more than a few years old.

Other than 'learning to connect lots of machines' aspect (for which most 
of my machines are just too old to even make that worthwhile), the only 
other use for old hardware is to convert it into appliance-type machines 
where you don't quite need top-of-the line specs.  Eg, the emulator in an
arcade cabinet isn't going to come near pegging a modern CPU; a small BSD 
box to act as a file/music server or a small HTTP server for testing.

Now, it's possible that your machines aren't quite as old as mine ... and 
I have a few PPC macintoshes, but also some 68030 and 68040 machines, some 
old AMD and Intel boxes, and even a few pre-sparc suns and a Vic 20.

-Joe