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Just wondered how many recycled machines are out in the local compunity.

I used to have a lot, but have since recycled the recycled machines to a permanent recycling in the sky!

If you include machines like my GameCube and Wii, which in theory can run GNU/Linux, and once the Wii's security systems are broken down (The Germans are working on it) will be able to, I have 17 computers.

Total, Depends on how you count "recycled".

1. Main Work Computer -- recycled from relative, with parts from other relatives that were just getting rid of them.

2. Main File Serve -- Has new hard drives otherwise all recycled parts from other people and the main tower itself was being tossed.

3. Spare Laptop -- Given to me, I installed NetBSD and use it at LUG meetings.

4. Extra Work Computer -- recycled from relative who got new machine. I'm using it to test Wolvix and DSL right now.

5. GeeXBoX -- Hooked up to my tv to watch shows and Google Videos that I have stored on file server (I bought this computer, now memory and hard drive are recycled from parts I received, and it used to run Win98SE.)

6. Pentium 166 with 128megs of ram sitting in storage, because I have not figured out a use for it yet, it will have BSD or Linux on it I'm sure, maybe my machine for the garage.

I bought a close out WalMart computer two years ago, which is my main Linux machine at home. It came with WinXP, still has in dual boot, but it has been 1 1/2 years since it booted XP so I have no idea if the dual boot would even still work, I haven't tested it after distro upgrades.

I still have one WinXP machine that is a laptop that I use for work, and everyonce in a while I boot a LiveCD in it. Does that count?

To me recylcled computer is any platform that you did not get brand new. If you did not pay for it or horsetraded for it, you get extra brownie points. I would even include a sega dreamcast that runs a nix from a cd or even an old thin client. If it has a cpu, it qualifies.

I chucked most of my old shitboxen a long time ago. It's been my experience that old hardware tends to draw a lot more powAr than modern, and, in general, you can replace 5 old shitty boxes you found on a corner somewhere with a single last-gen box that is much "greener." Even moreso if you start running virtual servers, etc, on it.

davijordan wrote:To me recylcled computer is any platform that you did not get brand new. If you did not pay for it or horsetraded for it, you get extra brownie points. I would even include a sega dreamcast that runs a nix from a cd or even an old thin client. If it has a cpu, it qualifies.

I've NEVER bought a computer brand new.

The closest I come is my Mom's HP that was 2 years old when she left it to me. I swapped the MB out and used is as a server for a while, then moved that server into a bigger Gateway case where it still lives. It's an AMD K6-III at 400 Mhz that has been in service for almost 8 years.

My main systems are built by me, mostly from new parts, and continuously upgraded as needed.

I've got a Toshiba laptop that was given to me, a 200 Mhz Pentium system with 32 megs of RAM that still works, and a few others in partially working condition.

Snarkout wrote:I chucked most of my old shitboxen a long time ago. It's been my experience that old hardware tends to draw a lot more powAr than modern, and, in general, you can replace 5 old shitty boxes you found on a corner somewhere with a single last-gen box that is much "greener." Even moreso if you start running virtual servers, etc, on it.

It took extra energy to make the new machine that saves energy. But I really do agree with you. yes virtual machines and new more efficient systems are the way to go.

still have a AMD k6 laptop, a P1 and a P2 lying arround. and a ibm mod 70 386.

tasks ranged from torrent downloading to fileserver to asterisk box.

they are not being used anymore as the goal now is the run these systems energy efficient..

im a virtual machine kinda guy now...

davijordan wrote: It took extra energy to make the new machine that saves energy. But I really do agree with you. yes virtual machines and new more efficient systems are the way to go.

I'm not convinced that an Intel Core 2 Duo system uses less power than my 400 Mhz K6. The thermal design power of a recent Athlon is greater than the power draw of my entire server.

Newer processors are more efficient, but still use more power. I don't need any more than 400Mhz for my server, so in my case this machine is the greenest choice.

My point was that a single new machine can usually do well what 5-10 old crappy machines could do, and that, in general, box hoarding is waste of money.

A good it admin has a certain amount of redundancy.
I run a duron 800 as a server for k12ltsp and it has 3-4 low power thin clients connected to it.. I also have an old dell 600 mhz gx1 that I run as a intranet server. It does web (accounting, erp, crm, moodle, wordpress, email and etc), file, print, and music server. Those old machines can not do much at all. (tongue in cheek) Thank god for the developers of light distros!!!