[rescue] Trade?

[ed at the7thbeer.com]

> > everywhere.
> > Regardless of how hard he tries.
>
>    Fear!
>
> > I recently rescued a Norand/Intermec 6620.  It's a little pen-based,
> > Win95
> > running thing with an AMD at 133Mhz and 48MB of RAM.
>
>    Hey, neat!  I wonder if it can run a real OS.  Have you tried
> anything else on it?

Some folks have hacked around and gotten Linux to run on it.  That's the
only real OS anyone's put together a driver for the pen-interface.
Problem is, it lacks a || port, so getting media into the thing sucks.
Selling (or know anyone selling) a cheap PCMCIA hard drive?

> > When I first got it, I decided to test the durability and ran it over
> > with
> > my truck while the unit was on.  It still works just fine.  Didn't even
> > scratch anything up.
>
>    Holy Cow.

If you eBay for Norand or Intermec you'll see some of their other models
(color screens, etc.; this one is greyscale).  This particular batch was
used by UP Rail Road for maintenance people.  They were designed to take a
serious beating and keep going like nobody's business.  It's pretty
amazing to take it and throw it halfway across the  yard while it's
running, downloading files in IE and note that it's *still* downloading
after the toss.

>
> > Also makes a good, portable, shop-proof OBD-II tool.
>
>    OBD-II?  Whazzat?

On-Board Diagnostics, version II.  For automobile drivetrain/emissions
computer stuff.  :)  I can turn check engine lights off (or on) with it,
for example.  Handy if you live in a place with a visual-only emissions
check (which I don't. :( ).

That's really the only reason I keep it on Win95 right now - the software
is Win-based and the Linux version of the software does blow
elephant-sized chunks.  With a 2nd spare drive though I'd be willing to
pop Linux on there and get Doom installed.

This thing also has sme Ericsson M2100 "Mobitex" (that's a
service/protocol) CDMA modems.  How I'll get those working, I'll never
know.  Fun Fun!

-ed