[rescue] Good deal or not?

[James Lockwood]

On Wed, 15 May 2002, Michael A. Turner wrote:

> 	http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2024593616
>
> 	I can pick up locally from this guy and he has already agreed to
> allow me to do so outside of the auction. Is $20 a good deal on this config?
> Should I pick up two so I can take the ram from one to boost the other? I
> have seen people mention multiple CPU's for these, how does one do that?
> Would I be able to use the cpu from one to put in the other to get a dual
> cpu machine or am I talking crazy here?

If you will use it, $20 is a good deal.  However, remember that the chief
advantage of the SS10 is expandability, and most of the money that could
be spent on expansion would buy a much faster box.

They have 2 CPU slots.  Each can take a card with either one or two CPUs.
You can mix and match to some degree but it is easiest to stick with
identical modules.  8 DIMM slots total for up to 512MB RAM.  Not bad for
1992.

The 501-2218 is an SM20, single 33MHz SuperSparc CPU with no e-cache.
It's the slowest CPU available for the SS10 but still beats the
SS2/IPX/Classic/LX handily.  It is _not_ MP-capable.  The SM20, SM30 and
most SM40 modules cannot be used in MP configurations.

I used one as my main home desktop from '97-'98.  Sold it after a year for
nearly $400 more than I had paid for the parts.  Those were the days.

> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2024593516
>
>  	Are they good for anything else beside running the listed printer?

They also have a bpp parallel port onboard.  Getting a cable that will
actually plug into the connector is an exercise in frustration, however
(and no, it's not the same as the SS10/SS20 parallel cable).

-James