Thought I would power my 10 year old laptop (last time I did so was last February; lol). Lots of OS updates of course (took nearly an hour) and then opened up Firefox and it was 10.1x; updated and now 16.x. lol

Typing this now in Firefox. Just passing the time before I shut the laptop off for a few more months. Thought I would keep it running a little longer to charge up the battery. Now you folks know how bored I am. lololol



edit:

Well, I hybernated my laptop but going to keep it on overnight charge before putting it in it's bag. Back in my XP VM now. lol

That reminded me, when I retired and sold the house I had a workshop in the basement of all sorts of old computers and parts. I wanted to keep it all, but was talked out of it. I wish I could go grab an old computer or put together one from old parts and see if it will do the job. Some of the old HP scientific calculators, from the old days, are still relevant today.

I auctioned my 30-year old HP-41C on Ebay earlier this year and it sold for over $200 (it included an HP Advantage module. which are apparently still valuable).

Collectors love the old HP calculators. I also had old HP testing equipment, shortwave, oscilloscopes, old analog sound gear as well as the computers. Pretty much an electronics lab of equipment from the 50's on, in the basement. I loved that stuff, unfortunately when you downsize everything has to go.

My HP28s (believe that was the model) was the cadillac when I was going to college and I was a guru at using it. Actually wrote neural net programs, perpetual calendar (worked to the year 3000 if my memory serves me correctly; it's how I calculated leap year that limited it) and even a 3D graphics plotter (yes, I actuallye coded using this calculator; loved the RPN (Reverse Polish Notation is what I remembered it stood for) language; very intuitive for me for whatever reason). Yes, I was a geek then. lol

I did get the HP 48 after I graduated (but rarely used it (computers did whatever I needed it to by then); wish I could find it though but it's buried is a pile of boxes somewhere) when my 28s finally broke apart. lol

My first laptop was an old NEC, 80 column, horrible display, windows 3 and a battery big enough to break your toe if you dropped it. I think it had a 15 meg hd and a floppy drive. Ah, the good old days, I SO miss them..... Not for a second.

Hmm. I still have an old HP41 somewhere. I wonder how much it's worth since it has the PPC ROM and some accessories (optical wand, printer)

I also have two top-notch slide rules. There where the tools of the trade for anyone in engineering in the 70s.

But old calculators are no longer relevant IMHO. Modern-day calculators have graphics and can solve equations, and for most uses the old calculators are replaced by calculator applications in our smartphones (I have one that work in RPN...)(my son is in college, and that's their excuse for playing with their phone in class... "Just checking your figures, sir!")

I've got a 41CX with the math/stat module in my drawer at work. That calculator got me through university.

Maybe I should put it up on ebay...

-RobA>