Old Computer Challenge is back

	Old Computer Challenge is back

	This year's challenge[1] is a bit more up in the air
	than prior years' challenges. Of the suggestions,
	three stand out:

	- use your oldest device
	- do not use graphical interface
	- forbid big software

	My plan is to do a combination of all three,
	but given other life requirements
	this will only be a part-time undertaking.

	After getting rid of my 2001-era Gateway Solo 1200
	with its 320MB of RAM and 800MHz processor[2]
	(a sad day when it went to the scrapyard in the sky),
	this is now either

	- a 2005-era iBook G4 with 1.5GB of RAM[3]
	- a 2009-era Dell Mini10 netbook with 2GB of RAM[4]

	Both have pretty generous CPU clock-speeds around 1.3GHz,
	have modest 30-60GB drives, and run OpenBSD.

	Normally I'd go with the iBook for this challenge,
	but the cable running through the hinge is flaky,
	so the screen's backlight doesn't always turn on
	making it nigh impossible to use unless the screen
	is at JUST the right angle.

	Maybe in a future year, I'll limit myself to using
	the iBook via Voice Over without the screen.
	But last I checked, VO in OSX 10.4 didn't allow
	me to access terminal window contents,
	and the list of known Certificate Authorities
	was horribly out-of-date meaning I couldn't
	browse HTTPS sites.
	I'll have to try it again at some point to see
	if it's a viable option.

	So the Mini10 it is.

	While it can run X for a GUI, the Poulsbo chipset
	isn't supported, so the VESA rendering is SLOW.
	Thus, I run it primarily in the console.
	However, I do have my console running in 80x50[5]
	which gives me a bit more screen real-estate.

	If I felt more ambitious, this hardware runs HaikuOS[6]
	incredibly well, but I find it doesn't suit me well
	(mostly the keyboard configuration).

	Fortunately, most of what I do happens in a command-line
	so only my web-browsing requires a GUI.

	(part 1)
	(part 2)
	(part 3)
	(part 4)
	(part 5)
	(part 6)
	(part 7)

	----------------------------------------

	References

	1 Old Computer Challenge
	2 Gateway Solo 1200
	3 iBook G4 "Snow"
	4 Dell Inspiron Mini10
	5 OpenBSD console in 80x50
	6 HaikuOS