My website, blog and portfolio…

Sorry it’s been so long since I last posted, but I’ve been having way too much fun poking around with my 486. I’ve been writing a bit of assembler and I found the coolest asm book called Assembly Language Step-by-Step Programming with DOS and Linux that I’ve been reading. This book is hillarious if you’re interested in asm I reccomend this book.

Here’s something entertaining to check out. Hannah Montanna Linux, it seems someone has created their own themed Hanna Montanna linux, but don’t let it fool you, its really just kbuntu themed. For a good laugh http://hannahmontana.sourceforge.net/Site/Home.html here’s  a review of it (I like the comments at the bottom the best): http://desktoplinuxreviews.com/2009/07/27/hannah-montana-linux/

So today I was in much need of an ftp program for linux. Up until now I’ve been just using the commandline ftp client for transferring files. If I needed to transfer more then a few files I’d just tar them up before sending them. Well this process works until you need to transfer files to a windows machine. So I googled a bit and found out that my favoriate ftp client for windows is also avaliable for linux! Filezilla! You can download it from their website or if you have ubuntu/debian apt-get install filezilla. It adds itself to the internet folder under the applications drop downmenu.

So I’ve decided to bring back some old memories and poke around with freedos on an old 486. The problem was I didn’t have a 486 to poke around with and I do hate emulators. For several weeks I’ve been watching ebay for sales on old computers when I found this one:

The ebay user had it listed for a price of over $300 with a buy it now of $375. Wickedly-Fast 486 at the price of a new netbook. I laughed for about 5 minutes over that one.

The specs for this michine were quite a read though, but I was still not convenced it was worth over $150. It had a new AT case, 515mb harddrive, a 5 & 1/4 floppy, 3.1/2 floppy, cdrom as well as 32mb of ram. None if this really impressed me . What impressed me was the sound blaster awe 32 (confirmed to work in dos) sound card and the motherboard which had three pci slots! With one free pci slot I could put this 486 on the network with a little effort.

Taking advice from a business class I took in college I decided to contact the seller even though he didn’t have the “Make an offer” button on the listing.

Dear socaleer,
Hello,
I’d like to purchase this system, however I feel that your asking too much. Can you make the price negotiable?
Thanks
-fefe_l33t

At first I decided to see if he’s willing to haggle for the computer. I realized that at the price he’s asking for this system he’s not likely to get any buyers for the first listing, so I had a little more wiggle room as far as negotiations.

Dear fefe_l33t,
I may have some flexibility in price at the low-end, but not too much. This is the ultimtate fast 486 system in a brand new case, with new power supply, and a combo floppy drive so it has real value. What are you willing to offer?
-socaleer

This guy is ridiculous, he thinks he’s got hot shit listed on ebay. But I know better then that. My offer was intentionally low and I did not want to hint to him what I was really after (the soundcard and motherboard). I don’t care much for an old keyboard, mouse or crappy old software like windows 3.1, so I took off the items I care less about.

Dear socaleer,
Since most netbooks are around $275, I’ll offer 150$ for the lot without keyboard, mouse or software.
-fefe_l33t

I thought netbooks as a basis for the purchase price was a good idea, especially since everyone wants a netbook these days and they are extreamly cheap.

Dear fefe_l33t,
Tell you what, $160.00 and you have a deal. My PCs are very well-packed (see my feeback) and ship via FedEx, fully insured, with tracking info sent to you. If you agree on $160.00, let me know and I will edit the auction ASAP to a $160.00 BIN auction for the PC only. Regards…
-socaleer

$160, I can handle that. So I accepted his offer, he changed the price listed and now I have a 486 on the way.

In case your curious, that advice I spoke about from the business class (see above) was, “All prices are negotiable”