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What they can do

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A Computer for You

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Owner, Operator,
Dean and Instructor


100% Klean, Inc.
P. O. Box 49, Matawan, N. J. 07747-0049
R. Burke Mawby, President & CEO
mawby@allklean.com
1-800-392-6905
732-566-7445


Agape Computer Ministries

Needs List

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The computer is yours until it doesn’t work: do not throw it out!

Give it back! I will gladly swap it for another working computer.

I will ...
1.) fix it if possible,
2.) use it in a network without a hard drive, or
3.) use it for parts.

The most common reason computers stop working is a hard drive problem. Usually, the cost of repairs is more than the computer is worth - except to me!
Concept:

What they can do ...
Appropriate Uses and a Little History

You can do all the things that could be done when these computers were new and cost $4000.

Keep in mind that people who can type 50 words a minute cannot out type the very oldest computers that operated from floppy disks only. So, someone who needs to learn to type can do so on the oldest computer!

Appropriate use for these computers is word processing and financial recording with shareware or older versions of software for which you have legitimate licenses to use the software and the corresponding Disk Operating Ssystem (DOS).

NOTE: The computers are loaned out since most people who get them cannot afford to have them repaired if they break. Also, you should know that many older computers cannot be repaired by newly trained technicians as they do not learn how to work on older computers: PC, XT, AT (286), 386 and 486. The idea is that you use it until it breaks (usually the hard drive fails) or you out-grow it and need something better ... let me know your new needs.

Also, the oldest computers can do text based internet activities - some websites have text only modes although their number is decreasing. Also, they will do email but you have to tell people that you can only receice text based email.

LINUX is available as a free for download with remarkable application software but only for newer Pentium based computers. I am learning LINUX and will be working on using LINUX as the Operating System (OS) on the computers because it is free. Some thought is being given to running sessions for nominal cost at the Computer WORKSHOP (The link to the details will be here at my website).

Not the WWW

In general, the computers available are not suitable for the internet. Specifically, they do not run software (browers) needed to surf many websites on the World Wide Web because the graphics exceed the hardware capabilities of the computers. Usually, you need a Pentium (or equal) computer if you want to surf the WWW.

With some exceptions, you would have to have a source of the older software for your chosen ISP and then know how to make it work without help from your ISPs technical support.

The computers that run Windows v3.1 (286, 386, 486) will only run older versions of software that most internet service providers (ISP) no longer support. The 486 computers with enough memory (16MB RAM) will run software currently distributed to run with Windows 95.

Specifications

This section will give you an idea of both when the computers were new and how they were used at the time they were new...

Anyone with accurate dates and information should send email since what you see is from my memory. EMAIL

If you want more technical information about each class of computer please see the "Needs" section.

The typical operating system is given so you will know some of the limitations* - hard drive capacities were limited on the earliest IBM Personal Computers (PC), PC "compatibles" and PC "clones" by the Disk Operating System (DOS). Later computers can usually run the software of earlier computers so I have not repeated, rather I have shown what software types were added with each succeeding generation of computer (processor).

* Limitations of Storage:

Information for a comparison reference ... a single-spaced-typed page with a text font (8.5" x 11") is considered to be an average of 2000 characters.

A 3.5" 1440K floppy disk would hold 720 such pages or on a hard drive 1 MB would hold about 500 such pages. The earliest (1978-1980) hard drives were 5 megabytes(MB) (2500 pages).

Historical Curiosity: I have both the drive and a copy of an add offering the first 5MB Syquest removable drive for $4000.

10GB to 30GB drives were common until 1985.

? More than You Want to Know ?

Hard drive information is kept in a low power chip usually "Complementary Metal Oxide Semi-conductor" (CMOS) that is battery powered. This information goes to the "Basic Input Output System" and allows the computer to get the hard drive parameters

Hard drive sizes were limited to 512MB unless tha "Disk Manager" type of work around was used with DOS v 6.xx to take the "BIOS" limitation to 2048MB. Windows 95 provided support for 2048MB hard drives without a workaround if the BIOS itself would

Historical Curiosity: In 1987 I tried to find a Quantum Q540 40MD hard drive and I was quoted $700 (they obviously thought it was hard to find). Two years later I was given one.
A Computer for You:

Your computer project includes these needs:

Time to Wait

Preparation of a computer for use is not a problem in itself. I repair computers in my spare time. I can fix about one machine a week if no other pressures delay the task. I am self employed and I repair computers between client jobs. My time is sometimes more limited as a result of the work I do to provide for my family. Clearly, the need to keep the roof over the heads of my family and food on our table take precedence. Unfortunately, there is no pattern to the work I do and there is likewise no pattern to the length of time from when I receive a request for a computer until it is fulfilled.

Note: The first "Need" below reflects this situation.

A Use List

Before I can fulfill a request for a computer, you need to clearly understand the use to which the computer will be put. You need to learn more about what you want to do with the computer and what software you want to use to accomplish that purpose. Once this is known you will need to make arrangements to buy any software you want to use. If you want to use a program, you have to learn the "minimum system requirements" and pass that information along.*

Software

In most cases, there is very limited software available because of copyright issues. You will need to make arrangements to buy any software you want to use commercial software. If you want to use a program you have to learn the "minimum system requirements" and pass that information along.*

* Statement is repeated intentionally for emphasis!

Many times this is the determining factor in the decision as to the configuration of the computer. It is important to make sure the software is available - in many cases the older software can be much less than current software and it will do the job just as well.

So, patience is needed until I have the time to do the work and persistence is needed to make sure the computer will meet the need for which it is intended. You have to be willing to work with me on the use list, the software and the system requirements.

There are ways to get software including donations from the publishers of the software.

Training

A large part of the training is the use list, the software and the system requirements.

Beyond that there is a need for regular maintenance and the information is ...

Transportation

Many who could use these computers have no way to get them and help is needed to transport the computer to those who want them. As part of this activity people receiving a computer the first time need to be shown how to hook it up and this verifies that is is working properly as delivered.

Maintenance

If a group wants several computers, it is most helpful if there is a knowledgeable person at your end who can clone one machine many times. Then, only one computer has to be set up to provide for the entire group. Typically, group requests are met by supplying one more computer than needed to provide a way to check out parts that are suspect with a good spare from the extra computer.

Needs:

Technicians to Repair Computers:

IBM PC and PC Clones in these configurations:

PC - Computer with 8088 processor with or without the math Coprocessor (8087)

This processor has an 8 bit data path and a 16 bit processor.

This is the original IBM PC with one or two full height floppy disk drives.
RAM on the motherboard was limited to 64K, 128K and 256K.
640K RAM was achieved by add in boards.
Serial, Parallel, Game Ports with a Clock were also on add in boards.

PC-XT - This is the PC with a BIOS upgrade ($75.00) that recognized a hard drive.

This is a very rare configuration.

AT - Computer with 80286 processor with or without the math Coprocessor (80287)

Ram was usually 1024K on the motherboard using 4 sets of 9 each dual in line pin (DIP) RAM chips of 256K by 1 bit in the earliest designs. Later designs used up to as many as 16 each 1MB, 2MB or 4MB 30 pin single in line pin package (SIPP).

Clock function was put on the motherboard. Generic AT computers used expansion cards for Serial, Parallel and Game Ports "Multi I/O cards" with floppy and hard drive controllers added near the end of the clone design cycle.

Classroom

Any organization in the vicinity of Matawan NJ in need of a computer classroom should be in contact. We are able to provide vintage computers able to run Windows v3.1 and all prior versions of DOS and Windows software. There are 20 each 386 processor computers (10 are Compaq and 10 are PS/2) set aside to be at one or two sites. The desire is to exchange the use of the computers all week 24x7 less Monday's between 1 and 10 P.M. so that we will be able to teach our own computer database courses during those hours.

Repair Area

A repair area (other than my dining room table and garage) is needed near my home in Aberdeen with the following: room for two fold-out tables, light, electricity, heating and cooling in season. A dry basement would be ideal for this activity.

Inventory

Computer Museum

There are computers already in storage that go back to the very beginning of the "Personal Computer Era."

This is a partial list of the more interesting computers:

Please call if you know someone wanting to draw traffic to their business where they can offer dry space and electricity.

Antique Computers

Communication Capabilities

Computer Equipment able to make out-going telephone calls to deliver a message and record touch-tone-telephone numeric-key-press and voice responses. It possible to solicit:

Classes: