# What can I do with my old computer? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 30, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-my-old-computer/424604 "2007-10-30T18:10:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-my-old-computer/424604/1 "2007-10-30T18:10:20Z")
Now that I’ve gone back to Mac, I’ve got an old 800 MHZ Windows XP box that is just taking up space in my office. Surely there is something cool and useful I can do with it to make my life in the 21st century a little more futuristic without having to spend too much money. So what should I do with it? Email server? Roll-your-own DVR? Home security system? Something even more bizzare and awesome that I haven’t even thought of yet? You get super double bonus points if there’s a way to run it from my G5 or Macbook without having to have a monitor up and running. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-my-old-computer/424604/2 "2007-10-30T18:16:23Z")
[QUOTE=vibrotronica] You get super double bonus points if there’s a way to run it from my G5 or Macbook without having to have a monitor up and running. [/QUOTE] VNC. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-my-old-computer/424604/3 "2007-10-30T18:27:13Z")
**eningeer\_comp\_geek** , you have been awarded 100 super double bonus points. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-my-old-computer/424604/4 "2007-10-30T20:38:41Z")
DVR is quite easy, if it has TV capture capabilities and a big hard drive - install Ubuntu, Install MythTV, - bish, bosh, bang - you’ve got yourself a DVR. Well, OK, it’s not _quite_ that simple, but nearly so. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-my-old-computer/424604/5 "2007-10-30T21:26:05Z")
Search for aliens? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-my-old-computer/424604/6 "2007-10-30T22:13:58Z")
[Fold @ Home](http://folding.stanford.edu/English/Download). At the same time this computer could be monitoring/recording the goings-on of your pad. X10 makes some pretty good stuff (for cheap on eBay) that allows you to exploit this older hardware. For example, across our 10 acres I have several monitoring/control modules made out of shitty old computers. The one of critical importance is the 1999 600Mhz box that’s the nerve center for my house. With it and about $50 in controls, I can be out in my workshop (or anywhere, really) and be alerted about a visitor, smoke alarm or naked lady streaker. At the same time this PC might be used as: • a proxy server for fun and profit • an experimental machine – overclock + learn Linux or OS/2 in your free time • a data server – put a big-ass cheap drive in it for quick network backups • an active picture server – turn your HDTV into a work of art • a sprinkler controller • an environmental control unit (lights, vents and heating/cooling) • a dog/cat entertainment server • paperweight • pornucopia ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-my-old-computer/424604/7 "2007-10-30T23:13:06Z")
I installed FreeNAS on an old Compaq my dad gave me. One of the best things I ever did. Backups are a cinch now.