Since splitting up from the soon to be ex-wife, I wanted something to do, so I spent a couple of weeks thinking, and then bought a Intel Core i5 Desktop PC with 8Gb RAM, 1Tb HDD and a Nvidia GTX-650 GPU, and installed Ubuntu 12.04.3LTS along with IDJC, QJack Control and Ardour 3 for Audio as I present on a Internet Radio Station. I run Ardour for Noise Gate and Equalizer for the Microphone and then feed it into IDJC which works like a dream.
I’m also using this beast for playing games through Steam, and I’m very impressed, especially as the Nvidia GTX-650 works without a problem, which I thought I’d have issues with.
My next bargain, thanks to my Dad spotting it first, was the HP Elitebook 8440p for £175. It’s a Intel Core i5, 4Gb RAM and 250Gb HDD, and of course it came with *Cough* Windows 7 installed, but within 15 minutes of getting the Laptop home, I installed Ubuntu 12.04LTS 64bit and it runs great. Besides STEAM games like The Bards Tale, I’m yet to think what else I can use the machine for, so if you guys can shoot some idea’s towards me?
I’m also in the process of building a server, out of my Dads old Dell Desktop, which is a Pentium 4 HT 3.2GHz, 4Gb RAM and 2x250Gb HDD’s at the moment, and I’m looking at installing Ubuntu onto it for the OS, along with LAMP & SAMBA. I’m only using Ubuntu as this is the OS I’m comfortable running. The Server will be used for storing files, personal cloud and streaming to all the devices around the house.
My last bargain, if you can call it that, is a Stone LM13W Laptop which has a Pentium M 1.83GHz CPU, 1Gb RAM and 80Gb HDD, and I got it for £30, and it’s going to be a Xmas present for my Dad, as he’s been after a laptop for just watching video’s and general internet browsing, and of course it’s running Ubuntu 12.04LTS, sorry to those who hate the OS.
My fourth and final Desktop is my old Sony Vaio VGC-V2M which has 2Gb RAM, 200Gb HDD and has the Nvidia Geforce FX5700 and runs Ubuntu 10.04LTS currently and I’ve got it connected to my Ham Radio gear, for CAT control and Datamodes using FLDigi and CQRLog amongst other programs.
My next project is finding something to use my Raspberry Pi for, currently it has Raspian installed, but nothing else, so I’m looking to you guys of SLUG to put some idea’s my way, besides using it as a Media Centre PC
SLUG 
Hi Dave. I just read your post and I had no idea that such a group existed in Telford. I have a Raspberry Pi project I am looking at and wondered if it is the kind of thing you or the group might like to be involved in. I am looking to control some industrial IO and a variable speed drive (over modbus serial coms). I currently have a system working on a linux based ITX pc and would like to port it over to the new V2 Pi board. If you or the group are interested let me know. Regards Tim
Hi Tim – please join the group – we are a varied bunch from none-tech through to contract programmers and all ports on the compass! We have a meeting at the end of the month (last Thursday) at the Cock Hotel in Wellington – see https://shropshirelug.wordpress.com/meetings/ We’ve been going since y2000 Hope to hear from you! Dave Harris
Yeah Tim come on down, last Thursday in the month @ The Cock Hotel Wellington 7pm .. Just drop in !!