twoears

Model

• Toshiba Satellite Pro 460CDT
  

Introduced

• 1996

CPU

• Intel Pentium MMX, 166MHz

RAM

• 32 MB

Video

• C&T F65554
• 12.1" 800 x 600 TFT LCD display

Disk

• 2 GB harddrive
• CD-ROM

Network

• 100BASE-TX (Xircom RE-100 Cardbus NIC)
  

Operating Systems

• Windows 2000 Professional

Features

• Accupoint mouse
• IrDA infrared port
  
• 33.6 /14.4 Kbps Data/Fax/Voice modem
  
• Lexmark 3200 Color inkjet printer
• HP Scanjet 5400C scanner

When iorek became the kids' computer I couldn't get the printer and scanner to work as Lexmark didn't offer Macintosh drivers and HP insisted on charging for them (only available on CD). So, I set up twoears to be a print server and scanning station via remote control using VNC. The printer and documents folder are shared so my other computers can print to and scan from it.

Even after optimizing Windows to work in 32MB of memory, though, it still doesn't work very well. I'm going to have to dig up some more RAM for it or find drivers and install Windows 98 instead.

ridley

Model

• HP Vectra VL800 MT

Introduced

• 2001

CPU

• Intel Pentium 4, 1700MHz

RAM

• 1280 MB

Video

• ATI Radeon 9800 PRO

Disk

• 250 GB harddrive
• DVD-ROM
• DVD-RAM

Network

• 100BASE-TX

Operating Systems

• Windows 2000 Professional

Features

• 32" Westinghouse LCD Digital Widescreen TV
  
• Lexmark 3200 Color inkjet printer
• HP Scanjet 5400C scanner
• Logitech QuickCam Pro webcam (mostly used for Skype)
• Logitech WingMan Precision gamepad
• Belkin Nostromo n40 gamepad
• Logitech Attack 3 joystick
• Nexxtech Mini Racing Wheel

Originally ridley was the kids' computer, but when we got the digital TV I hooked it up and transfered the kids' documents, email, bookmarks, etc. to iorek. This computer has a fast graphics card and a bunch of game controllers (including a racing wheel with separate gas and brake pedals) for playing games, a webcam for Skype, and runs GB-PVR for watching movies and listening to music.

getneckid

Model

• NEC Versa VX
  

Introduced

• 2000

CPU

• Intel Pentium III (Coppermine), 450MHz

RAM

• 192 MB

Video

• ATI Rage Mobility-M
• 14.1" XGA (1024 x 768) TFT LCD display
  

Disk

• 18 GB harddrive
  
• CD-ROM

Network

• Wireless (CardBus NIC)
  

Operating Systems

• Microsoft Windows 2000
  

Features

• TouchPad
• TV Out
• Infrared
  

Formerly called balthasar and running Ubuntu Linux, getneckid was too slow and awkward to use as we had to sync my wife's phone via a second laptop running Windows, sync that laptop to ScheduleWorld, and finally sync ScheduleWorld to stinky. Also, for some reason, her web browser kept freezing up on her (I tried both Firefox and Opera). It looked like a memory problem but I wasn't able to resolve it or even prove definitively that this was the issue. I'm going to test it with the latest Ubuntu, but I never had the problems we when we used that laptop before. It seems to be some particular way she uses it, like maybe having both Evolution and Firefox or Opera open at the same time.

getneckid is still slow, of course, but documents load particularly slowly due to the virus scanner (Avast), a component not required for Linux. Opera was working well for her as a web browser, so I installed the Windows version. Overall it seems to be working well so far.