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Ask HN: What are some interesting projects to reuse your old devices?

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Re: Ask HN: What are some interesting projects to reuse your old devices?

#71

Post by le-dvd »

cutety wrote: post #38
2fast4you wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My 2012 MacBook Pro is in great condition and probably would’ve stayed that way for awhile, but sluggishness was just becoming too common. Especially when I’m off mains, running an IDE, a browser, and occasionally compiling

I’m still runnin a 2012 (non retina) without any issues, and I plan on keeping it until it literally won’t boot. What’s funny is I was initially annoyed as I got it a few weeks before they announced they were releasing the first Retina display models (discontinuing the non retinas), however getting the last non-retina generation was a blessing because that’s was that was when they also began making upgrading MacBooks…

I'm exactly in the same boat as you, I love my 2012 non retina Macbook Pro. Upgraded the RAM a few years ago, changed the HDD for an SSD, and it still works fine. I didn't like the newer MBP keyboard or touchbar, maybe now they're getting better. But the price is what will push me away. I'll probably try to find a nice model on which I can make sure Linux run fine.

Re: Ask HN: What are some interesting projects to reuse your old devices?

#72

Post by napolux »

sdan wrote: post #17

Using an old desktop my dad gave me to spin up some websites getting 1,000,000+ unique visitors monthly. It has some basic specs: 12gb RAM and 8 cores from a decade or so ago. Was using Raspberry Pis before, but given that many Docker containers don't support ARMv7, I'm just utilizing the luxury of AMD64 (and using Docker Compose, Traefik, and Wireguard to do scaling and networking).

> to spin up some websites getting 1,000,000+ unique visitors monthly

What kind of websites?

Re: Ask HN: What are some interesting projects to reuse your old devices?

#73

Post by generalpass »

DarkCrusader2 wrote: post #6

https://postmarketos.org/ They are attempting to build a os for smartphones based on Alpine linux with the stated goal of supporting a 10 year life cycle. They have a limited list of devices they support but I have heard good things about them.

For an old device project of the sort the OP is asking about, there must be an OS that supports the old device, otherwise the device become a members the dreaded IoT botnets.

I really hope postmarketOS grows.

Re: Ask HN: What are some interesting projects to reuse your old devices?

#74

Post by keldaris »

MrGilbert wrote: post #7
swiley wrote: post #5

I don’t know why everyone acts like old laptops aren’t usable, my 2011 MacBook Pro has no HD (the cable died again and I’m not replacing it this time) and it runs from ram just fine (with Linux of course, not OSX) If you’re not silly you really don’t need much computing power, even then newer laptops aren’t big improvements so if your old one still works I don’t see why you would replace it.

I bought a x230 last year as my non-gaming computer, and I really like it. I bought it for 117€, it was pretty beaten up. The display is the cheap TN panel, has a light spot in the center, and the keyboard doesn't match my locale. However, it has the top-level i5. (i5-3380M, I think). I also bought a docking station at a bargain. This year, I bought a new IPS display, a matching keyboard and a new screen bezel for it…

I use a couple of X220s as my work laptops, as I find the keyboard far superior to the X230 and all later models (it's the last classic ThinkPad keyboard prior to the chiclet designs). The hardware is still mostly sufficient for my needs (just don't run Electron apps...) and the case and the keyboard are much better than anything I could buy new these days. Apart from the displays, it feels like laptops have mostly regressed over the last decade and continue to do so at an alarming pace (just compare the T490 series to the T480, for instance).

Re: Ask HN: What are some interesting projects to reuse your old devices?

#76

Post by [deleted] »

MrGilbert wrote: post #11
pkorzeniewski wrote: post #10

I'm in the process of turning my Toshiba Libretto 110CT (a subnotebook from 1998) into a simple remote terminal (over ssh) with custom server software to handle emails, rss feeds, chats and so on. It runs under FreeDOS and connects to WiFi by a combination of PCMCIA ethernet adapter + mobile router with built-in battery. I love the form factor and the "oldschool" keyboard, I have regenerated the battery and it's quit…

That looks sweet - I did a small search on EBay, and - dang - they are expensive. The only two I could find where around 150€ each.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: What are some interesting projects to reuse your old devices?

#78

Post by lammalamma25 »

Great platforms for CTF or pen-testing practice if that is something you enjoy. I have a few raspberry pis and old phones that I test out new tools and methods on. If something breaks or something I install looks questionable I can factory reset them (the phones) and its no big deal.

Re: Ask HN: What are some interesting projects to reuse your old devices?

#79

Post by connorfoxley »

benboughton1 wrote: post #67
forgotmypw15 wrote: post #62

I'm working on web forum/community software which should be compatible with just about any Web-capable device, regardless of browser. I've dedicated a lot of time to compatibility, and now it is usable and fully feature-accessible in IE4, IE5.5, IE8, Netscape 3, 4, Opera 3-12, Lynx, w3m, Chrome 1.0, old Safari versions, etc. I'm still working on a few IE3 issues, will be fixed soon.

Who is this intended for? IE3, who would still be using this? Don't get me wrong. Great achievement, just curious.

Time travelers of course.

Re: Ask HN: What are some interesting projects to reuse your old devices?

#80

Post by rypskar »

speedgoose wrote: post #48
rypskar wrote: post #34

I run boinc ( https://boinc.berkeley.edu/ ) on my old computers, mostly https://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/ to help with climate and health research

Depending on how the electricity is produced in your area and whether you use the heat for home heating, it may be better for the climate to simply turn these computer off.

My country have close to 100% green electricity and I need the heat a big part of the year. According to the scientists it is better for the climate to run the projects distributed this way than to use mainframes.
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