This system is running the Linux operating system (kernel level 1.2.8). The Slackware distribution was loaded from the "Mother's Day Release" (1995) of the Red Hat Commercial Linux CD-ROM which was made available to Linux users' groups by Specialized Systems Consultants, Inc. (the folks who publish the Linux Journal).
The hardware consists of a Hewlett-Packard Vectra RS/20C (circa 1992) PC which includes a 20MHz Intel 80386 with 4MB of RAM, 1.2MB floppy, 1.44MB floppy, and a 148MB ESDI hard disk. An additional 12 MB of RAM, an Adaptec 1542B SCSI controller, one 500MB Seagate ST3600N SCSI hard disk, one 4GB Micropolis 3243-19 SCSI hard disk, a Toshiba XM-2100A external SCSI CD-ROM drive, an internal Exabyte EXB-8200 8mm tape drive, an internal Hewlett-Packard 35470A DAT/DDS 4mm tape drive, an SMC/Western Digital 8013 Ethernet card, and an external Zoom/Hayes Optima 56K Flex modem were added to the base Vectra. The entire system is protected by an Exide Electronics Powerware Personal 1000 (1 kVA) UPS. The UPS batteries (5 x YUASA NP10-6) were replaced 2001-02-05 for US$73 (from The Battery Station).
The original system was built "on the cheap" as an experiment in how little one could spend and still have a useful system. The Vectra was sitting in a closet waiting to be disposed of, the UPS was diverted from a trip to the dumpster, while the remaining components were purchased at local "hamfests" or scavenged (the most expensive component is the Exabyte drive which cost US$250 to repair). The CD drive was only US$50, and the Linux CD-ROM cost a mere US$6.
This system has seen a few upgrades (still with an eye toward minimal cost) as time has passed. An additional 12MB RAM was added when some PCs were upgraded. The original US$55 Zoom/Hayes/Cardinal Technologies/P.C. Logic v.32bis modem was upgraded to the current external Zoom/Hayes Optima 56K (can't wait for that free upgrade from K56Flex to v.90) during a promotion for US$89. The Micropolis drive, which replaced a 500MB Seagate ST3600N SCSI hard disk, was obtained from the OnSale online auction for the minimum bid of US$150. Peripherals are now housed in a Hewlett-Packard seven bay external SCSI peripheral tower which was also obtained from OnSale for the minimum bid of US$150. Even though the Vectra BIOS is not Y2K compliant, the use of a simple script and cron carried things through without a problem.
This system is currently:
This system is up "'round the clock" even though it is, currently, only connected to the Internet a few hours per day. Its uptime is measured in many weeks and would be more if it wasn't for the fact that it undergoes periodic hardware changes and other "experiments". We have been so pleased by the stability and functionality that Linux will get to run on a "real" PC real soon now (RSN).
