What are you using machines for

Paul asks “What are you using machines for” on his blog.

Being a geek I have a relatively large number of computers (compared with the average person), but probably not as many or as varied as other geeks. I’d be interested to see how my setup compares to some others.

Here’s the current setup at popey towers:-

• wopr: Core2Duo Dual Screen Mesh (monster) PC running Ubuntu Feisty used by myself for work.
• bob: Old Dell Optiplex G1 with two net cards, running IPCOP as my main firewall.
• hactar: Pentium M Dell Inspiron running Ubuntu Feisty shared by myself and my wife for general computing around the house
• multivac: Celeron HP laptop running Ubuntu Feisty soon to become Sophies computer (when I take it apart and spray paint the case pink. I previously used this for mobile computing when I commuted to work on the train.
• mother: Clares desktop (running Ubuntu Edgy) which recently went pop (hence her using hactar).
• colossus: Compaq proliant 1600 now decommissioned – used to run my website which is now hosted on bishop
• bishop: Virtual Server running Debian Sarge hosted by Bitfolk. Hosts my mail, websites and irssi in a screen
• tigger: Old Dell latitude used for developing Obuntu Server.
• box: Old Dell Optiplex G1 used for testing Obuntu Server.

Hmm, that’s quite a few machines – it used to be worse. I try to make use of old hardware where I can, but the power consumption of the old Proliant made that a bit impractical, so that had to go. I have an EPIA low power board which I may use to replace the IPCOP box, but right now that’s low priority.