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Author Topic: Uses for a computer  (Read 7931 times)

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Offline AngelFish

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Uses for a computer
« on: October 17, 2010, 09:01:10 pm »
I recently came into possession of an old computer that I'll be using to run a system I'm building as a project for a class. But, I could code thing on my calculator and computer has almost ten times the speed (never mind the memory). I need something that's simultaneously useless and fascinating to waste CPU time with. I'd prefer something simple and powerful like WFRNG. It's too bad my professor wouldn't fully comprehend WFRNG. Any [other] suggestions would be helpful.
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Offline jnesselr

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2010, 09:21:39 pm »
your computer? You could turn it into a server and have it do something useful like the boinc project.

As for useful stuff, I would use some resource hogging thing like java a binary file directory that starts with 0s and goes for 64 bits.  For example, with 3 bits. "/0" first, then "/0/0" directory, then "/0/0/0"  Then, create another folder at "/0/0/1".  Another at "0/1", and then a "/1" folder.  Sounds like fun, right?

EDIT: Forgot that you would have to have a 0 and a 1 folder for each one too.  So, then go through and with every one, add a 0 and a 1 folder.  It is a basic recursive algorithm, too.  To make it pretty, you could store two pics to each folder.  They should describe something mathematically.  Like a 8x8 image representing the number in some cool way.

Or just draw pretty pictures.  That could work too.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2010, 09:25:28 pm by graphmastur »
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SirCmpwn

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2010, 09:24:41 pm »
I have a program that outputs every single file on the system to the command line, you want it?
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Offline AngelFish

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2010, 09:35:13 pm »
Uh, command line will be kind of out of the question by the time I'm done with it. There's no working screen with the processor, so I'm going to be working with the hardware directly and probably just delete the present OS (Windows '95).

Plus, I was kind of thinking something useless.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2010, 09:36:17 pm by Qwerty.55 »
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SirCmpwn

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2010, 09:35:44 pm »
Does it have a speaker?  Somewhere I can beep?
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Offline AngelFish

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2010, 09:37:41 pm »
Yep, there's a speaker in the Keyboard. I could *probably* wire it up. If that fails, I can always wire an LED to an output line and simply flash the signal.
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SirCmpwn

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2010, 09:38:48 pm »
If there's a speaker, and it can handle multithreading, I have a program that will play the Zelda theme over and over again.
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_player1537

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2010, 09:39:45 pm »
Oooh, I have the same thing!  Except, it's two computers, one might be used, and the other is a POS system from ten years ago (puppy linux!).  Planning on turning the desktop (the former) into a server, and the laptop (latter) into ... who knows what!  Probably something mindless and entertaining.  Both have screens, and both have WinXP as well (though I'd rather stick with linux because Windows is freaking slow on them!)  Any ideas?
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Offline AngelFish

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2010, 09:43:53 pm »
Oh, I forgot about my desktop. It's in storage and I believe it's fully functional. I'm not sure if it has an OS in it, though. But, I could easily set up a speaker on it as it has a dedicated line.
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SirCmpwn

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2010, 09:44:50 pm »
Awesome.  It was pretty hard to write my program, though, as I had to use multithreading, and it is hard to sync up threads.
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Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2010, 12:12:44 am »
Quote from: Qwerty.55 on October 17, 2010, 09:01:10 pm
I recently came into possession of an old computer that I'll be using to run a system I'm building as a project for a class. But, I could code thing on my calculator and computer has almost ten times the speed (never mind the memory). I need something that's simultaneously useless and fascinating to waste CPU time with. I'd prefer something simple and powerful like WFRNG. It's too bad my professor wouldn't fully comprehend WFRNG. Any [other] suggestions would be helpful.
I don't think an old computer will be able to run WFRNG. I can't even play Starcraft 2 at 1920x1080 maxed out on this i7 computer (have to select 1280x720) so WFRNG would be even worse.

On a serious note it could maybe be used as a web server or something, if your ISP allows such thing and if your parents allow you to let the computer running overnight. You could store some files there and make them publicly available. Not illegal stuff, of course.
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Offline AngelFish

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2010, 01:00:07 am »
Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on October 18, 2010, 12:12:44 am
On a serious note it could maybe be used as a web server or something, if your ISP allows such thing and if your parents allow you to let the computer running overnight. You could store some files there and make them publicly available. Not illegal stuff, of course.

Slightly older than the age at which I have to listen to parents.

As for the files, I generally use the school servers for that. I have more space there than on the whole computer. Plus, the system it will be running won't be connected to the internet, so a web server is impractical.
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Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #12 on: October 18, 2010, 01:05:10 am »
Ah ok :D. I'm not sure then. X.x
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Offline fb39ca4

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #13 on: October 18, 2010, 03:38:53 pm »
Exactly what are the specs?

I have a laptop made just after win XP came out, and a 1998 "high end gaming PC". Both of these run win XP and lightweight linux well enough for simple web browsing (no flash).
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Offline AngelFish

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Re: Uses for a computer
« Reply #14 on: October 18, 2010, 03:43:27 pm »
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