Personal: My Computer Systems (through history)

Here are the computers I've worked on through the years. This is here just as much as my own records/memory. It ought to be pretty entertaining to look back at in another 5 years! :-)

In 2003, I started naming my computers after bad guys (for networking purposes, of course!). So far, I've gone through a few Star Wars baddies. Not sure what I'll use next, since SW has a plenty of them. Of course, Jar Jar Binks is the most loathsome, evil character in the Star Wars universe (or any universe, for that matter), but I don't really like stupid villains. I'll probably move on to Harvey Birdman characters, instead. :-)

Current Laptop - IBM ThinkPad r51 (1836-H7U/1836-XXH)

System use: April 8, 2005 - present
Name: DarthVader
CPU: Pentium M 715 (1.5 GHz, 2MB L2 Cache)
RAM: 256 + 512 MB PC2700
Motherboard: []
Chipset: Intel i855-PM
HDD: 40 GB Hitachi, then 100 GB Hitachi
Optical: CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo V
Video: ATI Mobility RADEON 7500 (32 MB memory)
Sound: SoundMAX
Connectivity: Intel Pro/Wireless 2200BG (802.11b/g)
Monitor: 15" 1024 x 768 LCD
OS: WinXP Pro (SP2) and Linux Gentoo
Major Uses: Recreational coding, grading, writing papers, research, scientific visualization
Major Software: LaTeX, Matlab, Intel C++ compiler, Open Office
Notes: Used primarily to guarantee personal workspace at school with preferred software, as well as to enable trips home

First Laptop - Used Winbook Si (ebay)

System use: May 2004 - April 2005
Name: BobaFett
CPU: Pentium 3 850 MHz
RAM: 256MB PC100, then 2 x 256MB PC100
Motherboard: []
Chipset: []
HDD: 20 GB Hitachi
Optical: CD-ROM of unknown speed
Video: built-in Rage3D (?)
Sound: Some sort of Solo sound
Connectivity: D-Link DWL-650+ wireless (802.11b+)
Monitor: 14.1" 1024 x 768 LCD
OS: Win2K Pro and Linux Gentoo
Major Uses: Recreational coding, grading, writing papers, research, scientific visualization
Major Software: LaTeX, Matlab, Intel C++ compiler, Open Office
Notes: First laptop, used primarily to guarantee personal workspace at school with preferred software, as well as to enable trips home

My Current Research / Post-Processing / Fun Computer

System use: Feb. 25, 2004 - present
Name: Palpatine
CPU: Pentium 4 3.0C @ 3.5 GHz (512 KB L2 cache)
RAM: 4 x 512MB Kingmax PC3500 DDR RAM (dual channel)
Motherboard: Abit AI7
Chipset: Intel i865pe
HDD: 200 GB Samsung SpinPoint P Series SP2004C SATA, 7200 RPM, 8MB cache
Optical: Samsung SM-352B DVD-CDRW Combo Drive, 8MB buffer
Optical: Samsung SH-S182M Dual-Layer DVD±RW Drive with Lightscribe
Video: Abit Siluro GeForce4 Ti4200 AGP card (128MB RAM)
Sound: Creative SBLive! 5.1, Gainward 5.1 headphones
Connectivity: built-in Realtek 10/100 Ethernet
Monitor: Samsung 15" LCD
OS: WinXP Pro SP2 and Linux Gentoo
Major Uses: Computational biophysics, gaming, fun programming, LaTeX math/science text editing, and gentle overclocking while maintaining a quiet work environment.
Major Software: LaTeX, Matlab, Intel C++ and Fortran Compilers, games, MS Office 97
Notes: Quiet computer with Thermalright SP94 heatsink and Panaflo 92mm Med fan at 7V. Designed to consolidate the XP 2200+ and PIII-S computers for long-term use.

My Past Research / Post-Processing / Fun Computer

System use: Aug. 2001 - Feb. 25, 2004
Name: []
CPU: Pentium III 933, then Pentium III 1200, then Pentium III-S 1266 @ 1425 MHz (512 KB L2 cache)
RAM: 2 x 256MB PC133, then 2 x 256MB PC150 SDRAM
Motherboard: Shuttle AE25
Chipset: Intel i815ep (B0 stepping)
HDD: 80GB 7200 RPM Western Digital Special Edition, 8MB cache
Optical: Samsung DVD-CDRW Combo Drive, 8MB buffer
Video: PNY Geforce 2 MX-400 (AGP), then Abit Siluro GeForce4 Ti4200 AGP card (128MB RAM)
Sound: Creative SBLive! 5.1
Connectivity: 3Com
Monitor: Samsung 15" LCD
OS: Win98 SE, then WinXP Pro SP1a and Linux Gentoo
Major Software: LaTeX, Matlab, Intel C++ Compiler, games, MS Office 97
Major Uses: Computational biophysics, gaming, fun programming, LaTeX math/science text editing, and gentle overclocking while maintaining a quiet work environment.
Notes: Quiet computer with Thermalright SK7 heatsink and Panaflo 80mm Hi fan at 7V. Home-designed, home-built fanbus for quieter computer operation. First home-built computer.

My Previous Research Computer

System use: Spring 2003 - Feb. 2004
Name: Silver
CPU: Duron 800, then Athlon XP 2200+
RAM: 2 x 256MB PC2100, then 2 x 512MB PC2700 DDR RAM
Motherboard: Asus A7N266-VM/AA
Chipset: nVidia nForce 220D
HDD: 40GB 7200 RPM Maxtor, 2MB cache
Optical: external USB CDRW
Video: built-in GeForce2 graphics
Sound: built-in Realtek 5.1
Connectivity: D-Link DWL-520+ 802.11b wireless, v.92 56K PCI modem
Monitor: Samsung 15" LCD
OS: WinXP Home SP1a
Major Software: LaTeX, Matlab, GCC (MingW)
Major Uses: Computational biophysics for M.S. thesis, and LaTeX math/science text editing.
Notes: Built computer into aluminum briefcase for test of concept of portable, powerful computers. Successfully used for visiting M.S. advisor from Minnesota to California

Original Gateway System

System use: Jan. 1997 - Aug. 2001
Name: []
CPU: Pentium Pro 200 MHz
RAM: 32MB EDO, then 96 MB EDO
Motherboard: []
Chipset: []
Video: Matrox Mystique, then 3dfx Voodoo3 2000 PCI (16MB RAM)
Sound: ensoniq
Connectivity: v.90 56K PCI modem
Monitor: 17" Sony/Gateway Vivitron
OS: Win95, then Win98, then Win98 SE
Major Software: Games, MS Office 97, LaTeX, Maple, Matlab.
Major Uses: Gaming, TV / stereo in a PC, and undergraduate student work (including undergraduate honors thesis primarily in Maple).
Notes: I took out my first loan as a 19-year-old to buy this system. My, how times have changed!