Possible uses for a 286? Are there any?

[KouklatheCat]

Jim,

My first computer used 10, yes TEN inch floppy disks, TWO of them to boot. It cost my dads company $10,000 bucks. It was cool running DOS (I think it was DOS) probably version 2.0 HA HA

 

[KouklatheCat]

This has got to be one of the funniest posts ive seen in a while.

Noriaki I never paid attention and it doesnt really matter but where does it say how many posts you need for what member status?

 

[Biggs]

A 286 would be perfect for the bathroom pc!

 

[xyyz]

don't know if anyone has put this idea forward... i haven't scanned all the messages... so I applogize if this message is redundant...

but there is a stripped version of linux that has all the functions of a router... the size is something like 1-8mb depending on features (if i'm wrong, and anyone has the size information, please correct me)... which is in the range of cisco IOS files.

i think this will work fine on a 286.

 

[Priit]

I have 286 running Minix (free little unix clone, check my sys. rigs). 286 is enough for router, I wouldn't trash it just for fun.

 

[Asha'man]

There is a program called Share The Net, which does just that, and uses a small Linux version as OS. Just configure it on your PC, (requires a floppy), put the disk in the 286 and voila it works.

At my parents house I set up a 486 (cyrix) to do this and it works really great.
On their webpage they just say that it only needs an old comp. such as 386 or 486 but I would think an 486 is enough..

Share the Net homepage

Asha'man

 

[Matt]

Do as I did with a Mac:

Put it under the monitor elevate it to a comfortable height.



/Matt

 

[Xzaver]

Print Server ?

~X~

 

[NFS4]

RC5?

 

[KouklatheCat]

Priit

That is kinda cool. I am using an 8088s guts a 386 a couple 486 cpus and some old P1 cpus to decorate my walls

 

[UnixFreak]

You wont be able to run win 3.1 on it, but dos runs fine. I wouldnt scrap it myself, I would set it up as a novelty item, find all the software you can for it, load some old commander keen games on it or something. I think they are pretty cool, I also like whitedog's Idea of taking it to some shops...friggin hilarious...

 

[dman]

What I would do: Donate it to the local charity and deduct it's original value from your taxes? (Check w/ Accountant on just how much you can deduct, probably have to do some depreciation.)

Run OS/2 1.3 on it (I have a copy, if you have a HDD it's 4 floppies). No idea if it would work, but, 286 is the minimum rqmt. Brag how you can multitask on a 286. Mumble when people ask what you are multitasking.

Start calling local PC Shops and ask if they fix computers. When they ask you what it is act real stupid giving vague descriptions, mentioning 286 somewhere in the sentance. See who tells you it's not worth the cost of labor to do anything on it. Keep them in mind the next time you have to get a real PC Fixed.


On a less serious note:

Run Norton SysInfo (old ver) on it and be amazed at home much faster than an 8086 it is!

Go back in time 15years and have one bitchen machine to play kings quest on!

Give it to some guy who's got a Will work for Food sign, tell him the PC is trained in the same line of work.

Call up AOL and tell them you can't connect. Try and keep a straight face as they go through their diagnostics with you.

Melt it down and search for traces of gold. (Warning: The cost to melt it down is much more than the value of any gold you'd be lucky to get out of it, but, at least you can say you turned a 286 into gold).

 

[UnixFreak]

<< What's that operating system that fits on a floppy? I bet that wouldn't run *too* horribly on a 286. could be fun to experiment with >>




You are thinking of QNX it should work, you can download the floppy os HERE

 

[Zenmervolt]

There are decent DOS text editors that you could use for HTML coding, maybe a way to learn Linux, other than that, not much currently. Maybe you could install an old version of OS/2 and experiment with that.

Zenmervolt

 

[sandorski]

My old 286 and 8088 work as air filtration systems. I haven't cleaned them in awhile, but they seems to collect millions of particulates from the air annually. That's millions of particulates less that I will breath in! YES! there is a use for them!

 

[Playitagainsam]

All jokes aside, I found some time ago this operating system and office suite, which is supposed to work on anything, starting with 286.

read about it here

If you can control destructive impulses (target practice? melting?), maybe you could try and use this opportunity to try out something new - and possibly really useful. Try these operating systems we've told you about. Tell us how they work. Everyone will be better off than if you pollute the athmosphere a bit by frying metal in a microwave.

 

[JackMDS]

WordPerfect 5.1 for dos runs perfect. Add to it Lotus 123, and Avery Lable pro(both for DOS), and you have the ultimate office computer,circa 1994.

 

[shawnmos]

So what did you ever do with that 486?