Tuesday: 29.November.2005

Sidney looking to build himself a new PC computer

Sidney called today. He's looking to build himself a new computer. So I sent him a link to the 2006 Beast, which I recently finished researching.

Sidney's last computer was based on the CUSL2 motherboard, with a P3-700, overclocked to 933-MHz, which earned him a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the World's Oldest Over-clocker.

Long-time Rad readers might recall those early days. Ah, the good ol' days (momentary pine of nostalgia).

••• continued •••

Anyway, his ancient beast is on its last leg, generating one error after another, and he's fixin' to put it out of its misery.

Most importantly, he wants a case with all the connections up front (USB, Firewire, sound, etc.). "I'm tired," he says, "of having to crawl under the desk to hook things up."

Sidney got involved with computers back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. "Let me tell you," he says, "about the days when hard drives were big as Volkswagens."

I asked Sidney for the secret to his longevity. "Two strips of bacon every morning," he replied, "with a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice, made with oranges from our tree in the backyard .. and a glass of scotch in the evening." (He prefers Glenmorangie, a tasty single-malt beverage. I've bought him a few birthday-bottles myself over the years.) You won't see *that* diet specified in many manuals on health.

The best times were when he'd take everybody sailing to Catalina island for the week of the Fourth on his 45-foot schooner: the Escape. Water is so clear over there. Can see the bottom. Primo snorkeling.

The Escape is all-wood, made with teak, built way back in 1933, during the heart of the Great Depression. They don't make 'em like that anymore. Today's boats are made of plastic (fiberglass).

When we were anchored at Catalina (with hundreds of other ships), people would paddle up in their kayaks and say things like, "This is the nicest boat in the harbor." It was. Nicer than brand-new yachts many times its size. It slept 9; we'd have 13 people sleeping wherever they could find a spot (under the stars).

At 6AM, Sidney (an early-riser) would start the diesel (*LOUD*) to charge the battery while he made his bacon, banging-n-clanging pots-n-pans in the process. When you're the captain, you can do whatever you like, whenever you like. =) The only time I ever eat bacon is on the Escape. For some reason, bacon tastes better at sea.

Then there was the time shore patrol brought the kids home at midnight, for lighting off fireworks on-shore, after Sidney specifically warned them not to (dry grass). They got in big trouble for that. "It's too bad I don't have a brig," he growled, after the lights went out. He was gonna make 'em walk the plank.

Then there was the time he told me to tie up the boat as we pulled into dock (Long Beach harbor), after returning from a week at Catalina, and dang-near crashed the thing into the dock, cuz I didn't know what I was doing.

"I thought you said you were in the Navy," he yelled at me. "I ran a reactor plant on a submarine," I said, "I never tied up a boat before." So he showed me how .. with much enthusiasm I might add. =)

Then there was the time...

Sadly, he's looking to sell the boat, after being its captain for more than 30 years. Getting too old to handle the constant upkeep. Had lots of good times on that boat. Video here (12.6-MB, if you have a broadband connection). It will open with RealPlayer.

Looking forward to seeing the new system the Captain assembles. He wants to dual-boot WXP Pro & Windows Media Center. He hates the fact that store-bought computers no longer come with a Windows CD, only a "Restore CD".

For more info along these lines, here's a Google search pre-configured for the query: build new pc computer





Posted by Rad at November 29, 2005 09:11 AM

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