Subj : Re: recent projects
To   : ALEXANDER GROTEWOHL
From : Mike Powell
Date : Sat Aug 13 2022 09:26 am

> i was just yesterday looking at single-board-computers with authentic intel
> 386 cpus, dos in firmware, network interface and compact flash. it would be 
po
> ible to go old school with a little novell network or something and not 
totall
> eat it in electric costs. there are even hardware serial to telnet devices 
tha
> pretend to be a modem..

> unfortunately they're around $300/ea and the novelty wears off pretty quick 
if
> ou wanted more than maybe two nodes..

Indeed.  Something else I have run into is that there are some retro things
that work so long as you don't upgrade your underlying OS.  In my case, I
had a dial up modem working with a DOS-based BBS  that was running in
dosemu on a linux box.  It was using one of the USB to 9-pin adapters.

As the SBC it was all running on is public facing, I didn't want the
version of linux running under it all to get too long in the tooth.  Once I
upgraded it, I could never get it all working again.

The dial-up DOS BBS node is still running, but on its own box now that runs
an older version of linux, a built in real serial port, and heats the room
up real good on a summer day.  :)  The ultimate solution may be to move
that box into the basement where the heat won't matter so much.

Mike


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