# OCC July 2023 - Preparation

The last time I did this challenge I did it with practically no
preparation. I just made sure the machine I had intended to use
actually switched on the previous day.

On that occasion[1] I quickly realized that this lack of preparation
had been a huge mistake and so was keen to avoid the same suffering I
had during the last challenge.


## My champion

I intend to do this challenge using a somewhat revised configuration
of 'Grouch'[2]. This is a 1996 dual pentium pro 200Mhz system with
256Mb of RAM and an 8Gb CF card as the HDD; I will likely add a
soundblaster ISA card. The operating system is currently a fairly
bare install of NetBSD. This will change throughout the challenge as
I try to construct a workable environment for my computing needs
around the limitations of the hardware.


## What's the point?

The point of my participation is two fold:

1) Proving actual old hardware can still provide the majority of
every day needs.

2) Maybe the hardware limitations will force me to some software
choices and solutions that I hadn't before considered.


[1](gopher://gopher.icu/0/phlog/Computing/OCC-conclusion.md)
[2](gopher://gopher.icu:70/0/phlog/Computing/Unnamed-4U-computer.md)