How cheap is cheap

Check it out: HERE

I bought an used desktop computer. Nothing fancy...just something I could install XP on. The reason: I'm using Win7 on my main desktop and it doesn't supports Visual Studio .Net 2003. I've been using a dual booting HD to go either into XP or Win7, but decided to just use a separate computer with XP on it for HPC usage and software development.

The point is the stupid cost of the thing. The total cost, including shipping all the way from Colorado to my house...$28.99

I already have unused Pent 4 chips in my junk drawer with DIMM memory sticks, 3.5" memory card readers, etc.. so it will be easy (free) to upgrade it when it arrives.

Computers are like TVs...they get cheaper and cheaper over time...

Who uses desktop computers any more? My last one is dead and buried.

I saw a fully-working Viliv X70ex 7" tablet running Windows 7 on a 128 GB SSD for 60 USD on eBay recently. Still kicking myself for not snapping it up.

.Of course one needs desktop computers. Or at least large screens.
If I walk into any room in my house (except one...) there is a PC ready with a large screen.
I feel that is as it should be.
Who wants to carry a computer anywhere? OK, a handheld or smartphone, any pocketable device is OK.
But a PC? Laptops are for people with extremely sharp eysight anyway or for those with not enough space. .
I think nobody really wants a portable PC - just a portable environment.

Even in my office they've gotten rid of all the desktop PCs. Some of us (like me) have Windows 7 convertible notebook-to-tablet PCs with docking stations, but most have XP Embedded thin clients, in either case hooked up to 19" flat panel LCD screens at each desk. (I'd been suggesting for a few years that they migrate to thin clients since all our data have been on the server end for at least a decade.)

Nothing wrong with a thin client if you are using the power of a server to do your work for you. My wife gave up here desktop years ago and is strictly a laptop person these days.

Not me...I'm old fashioned.

Rich,

Why use a second PC at all, why not stick Windows XP in a Virtual Machine and save the power bill? VirtualBox for example can pass through USB and Serial comms to the VM.

So what will you be programming?

Because Visual Studio 2003 doesn't like virtual XP on Win 7 for some reason...

Pish posh! It's not hypervisor aware. Remote me in and I'll have a look at it with you if you like. What virtual solution do you use?

I still have the .net 2003 boxset but I haven't been into programming for almost a decade, and XP is long gone for me at this point.

I got one of those all in HP slate 21 pros android all in ones from groupon for $200 let me upgrade a older monitor to ips touch screen and have built in android with a tegra 4 & 2gb of ram... plus i have my windows desktop at a tap of a button with usb pass thru.

Chris...thanks, but it is a moot point now. Besides I kind of like having a second desktop sitting at my desk. My computer desk is a homebuilt one, shaped like an L with each part of the L 8 feet long...so I have lots of room for it.

Well, don't keep the public waiting! Lets see some photo's.

Do you know what the CPU in it is LGA478? LGA755?

Hmmm....I'll let you know...

$5 it's a 755

If the board can support hyper threading, you'll be right!

I'll take a guess that it can and has an 800 fsb, in which case losing the Celeron and getting a moderately decent CPU wouldn't hurt
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l131...

Shame you're so far away or I'd send you 4gig RAM for it.