Just upgraded my random access memory and trying this new fangled Linux operation system

[-]

RebTexas@reddit

You're running it off a powerbank? Is the onboard battery dead?

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

Funny thing that 32 year old batteries don't tend to age well. I do have one that is rebuilt, but it was just easier to run off a bank.

[-]

EmmaRoidz@reddit

I wonder how long a modern lithium battery could power something this ancient for if you were to mod one in somehow.

[-]

I know modders who rebuild batteries, but I don't think the 755C ever had a lithium ion battery which complicates things. On paper though assuming you could get the voltage right, you would probably get a sizable boost in battery life depending on the cells chosen. A friend did a 770 battery for me and he used considerably larger capacity cells than the OG manufacturers would have ever used and it does yield like another hour or so depending on usage.

[-]

EmmaRoidz@reddit

That's sick. Yeah it would be a solid undertaking though...

[-]

RebTexas@reddit

I assumed so, my oldest ThinkPad is a 600E and the battery lasts 10 seconds on the clock. Didn't know USB to barrel jack cables existed though.

[-]

ouyawei@reddit

You can get USB C adapters for all the old laptop power jacks that use 19-20V

https://aliexpress.com/item/1005011653911415.html

[-]

The_Pirate_of_Oz@reddit

ORLY? I have a bunch of old Dell machines that could use these.

That's awesome.

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

Yeah, the USB to barrel is the easiest way to power retro machines since a 15 or 20v capable powerbank can easily power them. You can buy 15 or 20v specific cables at Adafruit. Then you just sometimes need an adapter like in the case of the 755C, other thinkpads like the 770 or 600 should just go straight in from cable.

[-]

lkangaroo@reddit

Permacomputing ftw

[-]

Niwrats@reddit

so where's the desktop and all the GUI stuff? i assume with high-end specs like that you are running one?

..sigh, all the modern bloat is so depressing.

[-]

SharktasticA@reddit

Author here - I know this is a joke, but I'm working on it! 😉 Slowly (terminal is my priority at the moment) but surely.

[-]

adamkex@reddit

I see that you seem to be lacking a word processor. joe and jupp are fairly lightweight/cli and I think you can use a spellcheck with them with aspell.

[-]

Fr0gm4n@reddit

Thanks for giving in to the pet project bug. This gives me a reason to dig out some of my old gear and give it a spin.

[-]

Niwrats@reddit

it is also a reference to old windows versions offering a GUI with rather competitive system requirements. i believe i had something like this (https://www.threads.com/@captain2phones/post/DAr9nShxVsB) with roughly those specs.

even slightly older windows GUIs were almost completely useless though. still, the competition from that side was definitely tougher than it is these days.

[-]

street_racer221@reddit

I fkn love thinkpads.

[-]

sob727@reddit

Wow. Just wow.

Which model was that?

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

IBM Thinkpad 755C

[-]

sob727@reddit

How does a 7.0 kernel even fit in RAM?

Did you find (orncompile yourself) a super lightweight config?

[-]

SharktasticA@reddit

Author here - It will soon fit a 7.1 kernel! For the most part, I started with a very minimal configuration and enabled things as needed. For RAM usage specifically, a big help was reducing CONFIG_PHYSICAL_START from 0x1000000 (16MiB) to 0x100000 (1MiB). At least with my limited testing at the start, the original value could cause crashing when given less than 24MiB RAM; now a minimal build can run on as little as 7. That is a very extreme case; I recommend 8-10 for a minimal build and 12-16 for the default/standard build.

[-]

sob727@reddit

Can one expect to run anything on top of that kernel? Would compiling a hello word with a somewhat modern gcc even work?

[-]

SharktasticA@reddit

So far with what's bundled, yes. Those RAM brackets include enough for typical use of the programs bundled at their respective build levels. There is an option to include GCC 11 (from 2021) with musl as well - it compiles basic C programs fine with 16MiB RAM and no swap; G++ tends to want a little bit more than 16, but equal amounts of swap should suffice. I'm obviously not expecting this to be used for serious development, but fun programs appropriate for SHORK itself should be no problem. Admittedly, the GCC option is in need of more extensive testing to see how far it can be pushed and look for any shortcomings, but it's be alright so far.

[-]

sob727@reddit

I imagine you'd cross compile everything anyway, whatever you intend to run on such hardware.

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

No idea the black magic involved, but I'm guessing it is compiled to run on very very limited memory in particular. https://github.com/SharktasticA/SHORK-486

[-]

octahexxer@reddit

Neeeeeerd

[-]

SilverAwoo@reddit

It's a cool hobby, but I bet it won't be big and professional like gnu

[-]

redundant78@reddit

yeah this torvalds kid should probably just stick to minix, no way this "linux" thing catches on

[-]

kcat__@reddit

Why use RAM's full government name?

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

With this upgrade, I don't have to use acronyms, plenty of space for the whole words.

[-]

Stressedhumbucker@reddit

*Slaps laptop* This baby can fit a whole novel!

[-]

PM_ME_ROMAN_NUDES@reddit

*tips fedora

[-]

capinredbeard22@reddit

Why use many words when few letters good??

[-]

smilaise@reddit

it's got that dual data rate!

[-]

Leliana403@reddit

Linux operation system

[-]

Living_Shirt8550@reddit

Actually, Linux means Linus Torvalds unix

[-]

mannki1@reddit

7.0.4 kernel??? I’m very confused every time when seeing modern Linux on pc/lapot from 1990-2000

[-]

SharktasticA@reddit

Soon 7.1! 😉

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

7.0.9 don't want to fall victim to those nasty new exploits on my 32 year old non-networked machine.

[-]

mannki1@reddit

Linux very very vulnerable but Linux market share \~3-4% on desktop this a reason why Linux attacks rare

[-]

DanKonly@reddit

What a chunky keyboard. Very cool. I have a T480 that I'm very happy with.

[-]

techsuppr0t@reddit

What a fuckin G

[-]

hkarargi@reddit

Wise sir, Linux is, indeed, the best of operation systems. I have not seen a better one since Windows 95. Ever since Windows 98 its been downhill on a slippery slope.

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

Not sure if it is going to make it when OS/2 is really getting exciting with WARP.

On a more serious note, using ShorkLinux managed to get my old 755C running Linux. Which really is just freaking incredible when you think about it.

[-]

oshunluvr@reddit

OS/2 Warp... those were the good ole' days.

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

It was a novel OS with some interesting ideas. I will say that installing it one time, it becomes extremely clear why it was never going to unseat Windows. I have a few machines with OS/2 Warp 3 and it is kind of amusing running DOS applications or Windows 3 within the OS pretty seamlessly.

[-]

oshunluvr@reddit

OS/2 was my home PC OS until I discovered Linux - in the form of Mandrake with KDE 1.0. Installed it from 13x3.5" floppies IIRC... LOL

[-]

tadfisher@reddit

I had Arch on a 760XL when it still supported i586. PCMCIA wifi card worked, somehow. Used it for Emacs and NetHack.

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

That is awesome. Arch had deprecated 586 before I could try it. Wifi support, you were really living in the future!

[-]

Eric_12345678@reddit

Thanks for the infos! I just read https://github.com/SharktasticA/SHORK-486 and it seems very impressive and usable indeed.

[-]

ButterflyMundane7187@reddit

Could people stop with the Fetch images it just so f old show something else please then post your spec with text

[-]

ipsirc@reddit

That's so XX century.

[-]

ButterflyMundane7187@reddit

You can still show something cool on the screen, like multiple 3D cubes the way people did in the ’90s, or use btop or Hollywood or any other system monitor. It looks better than fetch.

[-]

ipsirc@reddit

https://aa-project.sourceforge.net/bb/

[-]

tabrizzi@reddit

If you can find a way to install it on a toaster, Linux will run on it just fine.

[-]

ipsirc@reddit

Just find a 32bit toaster.

[-]

ipsirc@reddit

OK, but can it run Doom?

[-]

un_related@reddit

Hello, shork enthusiast!

[-]

-whats-that-meow-@reddit

The nub is the best.

[-]

12stringPlayer@reddit

Preach!

[-]

LumenAstralis@reddit

Saying "Random Access Memory" like it's 1989.

[-]

wokeNeoliberal@reddit

Man, brings me back. I remember playing Doom on my dad's 760c and listening to 93' til infinity while playing on my Sony Walkman.

[-]

op374t0r@reddit

DREAM RIGGGG

[-]

husky_whisperer@reddit

But will it run Doom?

[-]

ender89@reddit

Love an old Thinkpad with a mechanical keyboard! Best laptops ever made.

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

Technically buckling sleeve, but I feel you. My favorite keyboard on any laptop, has a sort of topre like feel.

[-]

gigantipad@reddit (OP)

Can confirm it works great. Just shorkres it to XGA and you should be off to the races. You can even use GUI on that kind of super powered MMX hardware.

[-]

BubsyFanboy@reddit

Was about to say the i486DX4 can run Tiny Core Linux, but then I saw the RAM count...

[-]

King_Ferdinand1@reddit

beautiful laptop