Oliver StuekerJul 12
stux⚑
Back then
Jul 12 at 12:24amWeb
Show threadNazoJul 12
@stux Wow, this kid has quite the setup. Even a UPS by the look of it. I didn't know anyone who had a UPS outside of business stuff back then.
Show threadgroffJul 12
@nazokiyoubinbou UPS and extending the battery life with an energyStar compliant rig.
Show threadNazoJul 12

@geoffl Well, energy star didn't mean as much as it might seem to mean, lol.

Mostly just meant it had stuff like suspend mode.

Show threadgroffJul 12
@nazokiyoubinbou energyStar was better than not energyStar. So better than nothing.
Show threadNazoJul 12

@geoffl Depends. If you didn't use its features, it didn't make a difference. If the computer wasn't suspended, it used the same power.

Really the biggest stuff didn't come until much later when laptop features like underclocking the CPU when the load has dropped started making their way over to desktops. Not sure about timelines on this stuff, but that may be closer to today than to the time this sort of looks like it may correspond to.

Show threadRejZoRJul 12
@nazokiyoubinbou @geoffl Leading Wintech Rain tool was the shit back then. Software that invoked low power states of CPU without suspending entire system, dramatically lowering CPU temperature and power consumption without affecting performance. Now Windows does this by default with CPUs, but back then in Windows 98, this tool forced the power saving feature.
Show threadNazoJul 12
@rejzor @geoffl I didn't know there was a specific software to get this in Windows 9x. I never got to see this until the BIOS itself could automate it (like AMD's "Cool 'n Quiet.")
Show threadRejZoRJul 13
@nazokiyoubinbou @geoffl Cool n Quiet came much much later. I believe AMD introduced CnQ much later. My Athlon XP 2400+ didn't have it back then. I think it was with Athlon X2 that first had that.
Show threadNazoJul 13

@rejzor @geoffl Right. I'm saying I didn't really get to get the benefits until stuff like that.

I'm wondering how reliable this software was though. Cool 'n Quiet and other such methods included basic profiles and such from the manufacturers that knew what voltages and speeds were stable. Software in such a time before such things seems like it might have had to do a bit of guesswork and might not be 100% perfect. Surprisingly enough, even just underclocking (not even undervolting) can result in instability if you go too low, but undervolting absolutely takes chances.

Show threadRejZoRJul 13
@nazokiyoubinbou @geoffl Rain software just triggered the HLT instruction that was present on CPU's but not being used by Win9x.
Show threadNazoJul 13
@rejzor @geoffl Ohhh. I see.
Show threadtemporalthoughtJul 12
@nazokiyoubinbou @stux it's an AVR. UPSes not really affordable in that part of the world
Show threadNazoJul 12

@temporalthought @stux They weren't so affordable over here either! Like I said, I only saw it in business systems personally. That's why I was so surprised to see what I thought was one on a personal computer given to a kid.

AVR would make sense though. I thought it was awfully small. That would be a lot more affordable and make a lot more sense.

Show threadfopsJul 12
@nazokiyoubinbou @stux that might be supposed to be some sort of power filter thingy some people had them
Show threadNazoJul 12
@chfour @stux Someone suggested that it might be an AVR, which would indeed be a form of power filter. This makes sense and I'm willing to believe it's a whole lot more likely than a UPS on a computer given to a kid back then.
Show threadArturJul 12
@nazokiyoubinbou @stux i think its a voltage regulator. We had those here until we figured that where destroying our power supply one relay click at a time instead of protecting them.
Show threadNazoJul 12

@h0m3 @stux Yeah, I saw other suggestions of that and it seems very likely to make a lot of sense.

I'm very curious how an AVR was destroying your power supply though. It should provide cleaner voltage, not worse...

Show threadArtur6d ago

@nazokiyoubinbou @stux Ours uses relays, they are slower than the transitor regulation of the PSU, creating a small brown out before switching and then arcing creating a small surge. Also, once the relay finished switching the PSU already regulated the power so the PSU had to do double duty, on top of the other issues

I think transistor based AVRs may work, but relay based ones are just too slow.

There where local studies that the delayed brown out then surge caused a huge stress on the caps.

Show threadNazo5d ago

@h0m3 @stux There are fast relays. I know my actual UPS uses a relay. A lot. Whenever I turn it on it self tests it even clicking it one way, then another. (I think there may actually be two in fact, but not 100% sure.) Any hint of a power loss and CLICK.

I think modern PSU systems use relays too. Possibly related to the fact they're using insane amounts of power. I was pretty convinced my last PSU specifically did it on purpose. I assume the idea is to draw a bit less power first, then click over to the large capacitors so they don't instantly hit the power system at the max while everything else is still coming up at the same time. I think my current one does too, but it's a lot less extreme about it than the last one if so.

Show threadtoothpaste_sandwichJul 13
@nazokiyoubinbou @stux What's a UPS in this context?
Show threadCeceliaJul 13
@toothpaste_sandwich @nazokiyoubinbou @stux Uninterruptible Power Supply. A battery-backed power strip/surge protector, essentially.
Show threadjbzJul 12
@stux Energy Star logo past 10pm in the 90s was the sign of a glorious night
Show thread(e)milioJul 12
@jbz @stux so true!
Show threadMatthew CullisJul 12
@stux toe in the power button takes me back.
Show threadgrob πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦Jul 12
@stux the energy star really got me
Show threadKlaus Zimmermann Jul 12
@stux back when the Internet was a physical place you had to go in your house in order to experience it.
Show threadChao-c'Jul 12
@kzimmermann no, you actually had to be in university computer lab to experience it. When Internet was home, it was the next phase... @stux
Show threadπŸ…±οΈeisbolCardsJul 12

@xChaos @kzimmermann @stux

Noisily loading the Yahoo! Directory at 27 bytes per second - it was very slow the first few days.

Good times.

Show threadCarlos SolΓ­sJul 12
Only thing missing was the plastic cover that you put on the computer and monitor after use, so they didn't get dusty.
Show threadeswillwalkerJul 12
@stux The only difference from my current set-up is the monitor. Mine is a flat screen.
Show threadloptaJul 12
@stux Wait, an Optiplex with AMI BIOS? ;-)
Show threadVictor ZambranoJul 12

@stux @Viss

computers those days really would go β€œto eleven” (fingers and toes)

Show threadcafeinuxJul 12
@argonaut
What do you mean?
@stux @Viss
Show threadamdJul 12
@stux turning it on with his toe ftw
Show threadGraham CJul 12
@stux dah dah dut. Dah dah dut. BEEP.
Show threadTuffyPuffJul 12
@stux RIP energy star program
Show threadDoug GrinbergsJul 12
@stux tech memes for GenJones and Baby Boomers appreciated πŸ˜‰πŸ‘
Show threadοΏ½Jul 12
@stux i loved playing with the ball that was inside the mouse. so soft but so heavy.
Show threadKarna SamariumJul 12
@stux i love how those speaker use to make noise just before we got a phone call lol
Show threadAndrea Clayton VailJul 12
@stux you just know the fabric edges were curling up on that blue mouse mat.
Show threadMartin UedingJul 12
@stux
I think my setup had a drawer for the keyboard and mouse. But yeah, that's what these things looked like 😁
Show threadDaniel DetlafJul 12

@stux

❀️

Show threadpanda β™₯️ πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ΊJul 12
@stux i felt like a criminal for turning my computer on like this lmao
Show threadLanceJul 12

@stux I'm pretty sure I've done that maneuver with a beige tower in the distant past.

These days, my tower sits on a small file cabinet, and the power button is on top. Hitting it with a toe would requires levels of physical dexterity I no longer possess. πŸ˜† #GenX

Show threadJoel TakvorianJul 12
@stux nice setup, but I see a flaw: position of the right foot toes 😨
Show threadFabien DupontJul 12
@stux Yeah, well...now my feet touch the ground...
Show threadklnlrchrJul 12
@stux @techtelmechtel
Show threadBenediktJul 12
@stux I've never had it this comfortable. The keyboard and mouse tray was separate - somehow in the worst of all heights. And it was wobbly
Show threadFauveJul 12
@stux where did you get my photo?
Show threadstratacastJul 12
@stux for many years my family computer was basically in a wardrobe. 3 bottom drawers, a place to hang shirts, and a panel to pull down where the shirts would hang. We put the computer in the hanger part and would put the keyboard/mouse on the leaf that folded down
Show threadHelen FernandaJul 12
@stux Bons tempos!
Show thread✍️ Eljo #MorpurgoMediaJul 13
@stux i had the same desk πŸ™Œ