So. I have a G3 iBook laptop that’s been dropped. The computer still works, kind of, except that:
– The hinge for the screen, and the bezel around the screen, are broken. The screen itself still works, though.
– The power supply can’t be disconnected; the jack for the power supply cord is damaged and the cord can’t be removed.
– The CD-ROM drive is cracked and appears to be damaged.
The computer itself, however, still works and the hard drive is fine. The computer has built-in wireless networking, and the wired Ethernet jack still works as well. As the result of a complicated story involving a client who has many Xserve systems which I have had to administer from the laptop, the laptop is running OS X Server, not regular OS X. There is an external monitor jack, which appears to work as well.
So, the million-dollar question is, what should I do with it? I hate the idea of throwing away a perfectly good (well, still-working) computer, but the repair estimate is greater than the machine is worth. Things I’ve thought about include:
– Taking off the screen, sticking it in a corner, and running it as a network file server/Web server/MOO server/whatever, administering it remotely by SSH.
– Taking off the screen, sticking it in the corner, and using it as a router.
– Disassembling the computer, putting the parts into a picture frame, and hanging it on the wall as a digital picture frame.
– Disassembling the computer, putting the parts into a picture frame, ripping Blade Runner or some cheesy 70s porn onto the hard drive, hanging it on the wall, and letting it play the movie silently on a continuous loop all the time.
– Disassembling the computer, building a cabinet for it (HA! Like I have time to do that!), running MacMAME on it, loading the hard drive with MAME ROM emulators, and using it as a vintage arcade game. With a 12-inch screen.
– Something else? What are your thoughts, O liveJournal community?
I’d opt for #1 or #2, with another option for “Teach yourself how to fix laptops”.
Fixing the laptop is easy. Getting the replacement parts to fix the laptop, especially the hinge and bezel–not so easy.
I’d opt for #1 or #2, with another option for “Teach yourself how to fix laptops”.
wall porn! wall porn!
wall porn! wall porn!
I totally vote geeky picture frame.
I totally vote geeky picture frame.
I’m all for Picture Frame. Blade Runner would be sweet! But I like the aesthetic so maybe it’s just me. 😉
I’ve wanted to make a mini-itx Linux box for some time so here’s a link that might give you some ideas.
Mini-itx Projects
I’m partial to the Falcon-itx myself. 😉 There’s also a picture frame setup in there which might be helpful.
I’m all for Picture Frame. Blade Runner would be sweet! But I like the aesthetic so maybe it’s just me. 😉
I’ve wanted to make a mini-itx Linux box for some time so here’s a link that might give you some ideas.
Mini-itx Projects
I’m partial to the Falcon-itx myself. 😉 There’s also a picture frame setup in there which might be helpful.
The opening scene of Blade Runner, from the dissolve of the crawl to the cut to the interior of the Tyrell Building, is sheer magnificence. Just watching it fills me with joy. We’ve looped it on a DVD player before, and after a while I almost wanted to cry with the beauty of it.
However, that is not what I think you should use the machine for.
It should either be used as the core of a “MAME console”. Forget the LCD display- output to your TV. Plug in a couple of cheap USB game pads (I have a couple of ThrustMaster Firestorm controllers that work nicely, and cost me less than 5 bucks each), load it up with ROMS (I can provide if you don’t have ’em already), and laugh at any game console that “only” has “hundreds” of games!
If you have a soft spot for other retro systems, I’ve got a very nice Atari 2600 emulator along with, I believe, a complete set of ROMs. I’ve also got what is probably the best Commodore 64 emulator on the planet (Power64) along with a scary number of disk images. Let me know if you’re interested.
If you’re interested in still taking advantage of its usability as a full-fledged computer without giving up the couch potato aspect, a powered USB hub would allow you to connect an external keyboard and mouse as well, and ensure that everything reaches the sofa.
Oh, and all of the emulator software would take up no more than 5 GB, so you’d probably have enough space left to serve pr0n from it as well.
The opening scene of Blade Runner, from the dissolve of the crawl to the cut to the interior of the Tyrell Building, is sheer magnificence. Just watching it fills me with joy. We’ve looped it on a DVD player before, and after a while I almost wanted to cry with the beauty of it.
However, that is not what I think you should use the machine for.
It should either be used as the core of a “MAME console”. Forget the LCD display- output to your TV. Plug in a couple of cheap USB game pads (I have a couple of ThrustMaster Firestorm controllers that work nicely, and cost me less than 5 bucks each), load it up with ROMS (I can provide if you don’t have ’em already), and laugh at any game console that “only” has “hundreds” of games!
If you have a soft spot for other retro systems, I’ve got a very nice Atari 2600 emulator along with, I believe, a complete set of ROMs. I’ve also got what is probably the best Commodore 64 emulator on the planet (Power64) along with a scary number of disk images. Let me know if you’re interested.
If you’re interested in still taking advantage of its usability as a full-fledged computer without giving up the couch potato aspect, a powered USB hub would allow you to connect an external keyboard and mouse as well, and ensure that everything reaches the sofa.
Oh, and all of the emulator software would take up no more than 5 GB, so you’d probably have enough space left to serve pr0n from it as well.
I’m all for the wall porn, however you have to hook it up to surround sound. Porn on surround sound rocks 😛
I’m all for the wall porn, however you have to hook it up to surround sound. Porn on surround sound rocks 😛
QTSS
I would vote for QTSS. If it has got X-Server on it then you got QTSS in there. Find an old USB cam (firewire if it’s got that) and you got yourself the perfect contribution to the media scape. Then you can “feed” it anything that you want. Either keeping the broadcast local or more “far reaching” if desired.
My $0.02
Re: QTSS
I actually do have an iSight, and have set up QTSS on a different machine with an eye toward streaming the iSight on my Web site, though I haven’t actually done so yet…in part because of objections from my girlfriend. 🙂
QTSS
I would vote for QTSS. If it has got X-Server on it then you got QTSS in there. Find an old USB cam (firewire if it’s got that) and you got yourself the perfect contribution to the media scape. Then you can “feed” it anything that you want. Either keeping the broadcast local or more “far reaching” if desired.
My $0.02
Fixing the laptop is easy. Getting the replacement parts to fix the laptop, especially the hinge and bezel–not so easy.
Re: QTSS
I actually do have an iSight, and have set up QTSS on a different machine with an eye toward streaming the iSight on my Web site, though I haven’t actually done so yet…in part because of objections from my girlfriend. 🙂
I love the idea of putting it on the wall and looping a movie. Blade Runner would be nice because of the really sweeping landscape shots. I’m also thinking it would be cool using something with a little more regularity like a “warp drive” effect or a Matrix feed or the Sliders portal.
Or you could splice together the opening sequences of all the different Doctor Who’s and loop that. That would be nifty, too.
I love the idea of putting it on the wall and looping a movie. Blade Runner would be nice because of the really sweeping landscape shots. I’m also thinking it would be cool using something with a little more regularity like a “warp drive” effect or a Matrix feed or the Sliders portal.
Or you could splice together the opening sequences of all the different Doctor Who’s and loop that. That would be nifty, too.