OpenBSD 7.3 on a twenty year old IBM ThinkPad R31
      =================================================

As a preparation for this years Old Computer Challenge, I have
revived my old R31.

Around 2002 ~ 2003 I have bought this ThinkPad, at the time it
has been my daily driver for several years.

I bought it with 128 Mb RAM and worked like that for most of
the time. Only later I extended it to 256 Mb RAM.

Specs
-----

* CPU: Intel Celeron 1133MHz (GenuineIntel 686-class)
* RAM: 256 Mb
* Display: 14.1 inch, 1024x768 resolution
* RJ45 and RJ11 connectors
* 2 USB ports
* DVD drive

The machine can not boot from USB, so you have to install an
operating system from a CD or DVD, or over PXE.

Weight and size
----------------

The ThinkPad is quite heavy, in daily use it feels much
heavier than my X201. The specs indicate a weight of 2.4 kg.
It also feels much larger.

White display on X
------------------

When X starts, the screen blanks to white.

It turned out I had to disable the intel drm driver:

   config -ef /bsd
   UKC> disable inteldrm
   UKC> quit

No TrackPoint
-------------

Unfortunately, OpenBSD doesn't recognize the TrackPoint.

An external USB mouse works, but I intend to use the laptop
actually on my lap. Also, given the capabilities of the
machine I won't use a mouse, so probably will run it without
an USB mouse attached.

Dead battery
------------

The ThinkPad only boots when the charger is attached and
powering it. As soon as I disconnect the charger, the machine
dies.

Also, after the loss of power, the clock is reset. Which means
that at the first boot after reconnecting the charger, the
date and time has to be set.


Display
-------

The display has lost its brightness.

Just after booting it can be quite dim, it takes some time to
become readable.

Keyboard
--------

The machine is equipped with a Dutch keyboard layout.

Which is terrible.

On the plus-side, it doesn't have a key with a logo on it.

Like all ThinkPads, the most left bottom key is Fn, and the
Control is just next to it. On my other ThinkPads, the funtion
of the Fn and the Control key can be switched through a
setting in the BIOS.

I haven't found an option for that on this machine, so I am
constantly hitting Fn when I want to hit Ctrl.

Fortunately, it is quite easy to set the CapsLock key as
Control key. I try to use that as much a possible.

The text on many keys is worn out.

The space bar needs a convincing hit, to register it being
used.

In Emacs, to start marking text, one normally hits Ctrl-Space.
Fortunately, Ctrl-@ works too. On the Dutch layout the @-key
is the key left of the number 1 key, without the need to press
Shift. So I try to get used to using CapsLock-@ for marking
text.

Setup
-----

The ThinkPad runs 32-bits OpenBSD 7.3.

It runs the ratpoison window manager, with ratmen as menu
option, and Xterm as virtual term, with the default Xterm
font.

Functionality
-------------

My plan is to use the following software during the challenge:

Emacs
.....

* Editor
* Mail-client
* RSS-reader (through Gwene.org)
* Usenet client
* IRC client (through an IRC-bouncer, because of FOMO)
* Gemini- en Gopher client (with elpher)
* Web browser (with eww)

Lynx
....

* Web browser
* Gopher client

Lynx is a great TUI web browser, it used to be part of the
standard install of almost every Linux distribution in the
nineties.

Other
.....

* ImageMagick (for displaying screenshots and other stuff)

Some great applications that come with the standard
OpenBSD installation:

* ed
* tmux 

I am not sure yet what to use as Pleroma client (Pleroma is an
ActivityPub server, just like Mastodon). Toot is a great TUI
mastodon-client, but there is also mastodon-mode in
Emacs ...


Last edited: $Date: 2023/06/29 20:47:02 $