Only a couple of years ago (or so it seems) if you had a PC powered by a 133mHz Pentium you were a hot dog. While time marches on, computer tech is strapped to a rocket going at full blast, and now your 133 system is just a dog! Not that the Pentium 133 is a bad processor, just a very backward one! I wouldn't be surprised to hear systems that run at 3 times the clock speed of a 133 referred to as "bargain basement starter systems" by the close of this year!

My 133 system had other limitations as well. The AP53 motherboard that I got with the chip apparently can't handle MMX (none of the chips listed in the manual had MMX written there!). I had a pittance of video power available to me. I could get 1024x768 resolution @ 256 colors, but only 800x600 @ 16 bit color, and a measly 640X480 @ 24 bit. Plus I could click & drag windows and leave trails many times. It was not very pretty!

While I had very good reasons to update my computer, the motivation to actually do it came about by necessity. After deleting some files using Cybermedia Uninstaller, I found myself unable to navigate the web or get my e-mail! My Quake II Demo wouldn't even work! I got a message about a wrong winsock (Yes, the Quake demo gave me a winsock message too!), and IE4 said I had deleted some shortcuts which left me stranded here. I know getting a new system to fix my Internet problem is akin to swatting a housefly with a Howitzer, but it works!

And what did you get?

After my Brother in law got a K6II system from Ovation Computers in Cookeville, I went to them for mine. I was tempted to go the AMD route, but for some reason (I think it was Video Card business), I got a Pentium II @ 350 MHz. The "P-Deuce" as I call it, sits on a Soltek Mainboard with the 440BX Chipset (ATX, naturally).

Okay here's the rest of the deal:

Granted, it's a good basic type system that gets the job done. Netscape fires up very quickly, and browsing images in a directory in Paint Shop Pro 5 is a whole lot faster! Installing applications from CD is obviously a lot quicker now as well. And compared to 33.6, the 56K modem is just too stankin' sweeeeet!

Other goodies include a Microsoft Intellimouse with wheel button, and a wavy Microsoft Natural Keyboard. Speaking of Microsoft, my Operating System is Windows 98. I did not get any additional software from Ovation.

As far as themes go, I have changed them around some. I have used the Musica Sounds Collection that came with my computer (which is really neat!), but I have also used themes from Redneck Rampage and one from Duke Nukem 3D.

I must say Redneck Rampage has the absolute best sound for Open Program I've heard so far: chickens clucking with wings flapping. It's real short and not very obtrusive, which is the sound type you would want for Open Program. I learned this the hard way! I downloaded a Pinky & the Brain theme and thought the .wav of the Brain saying "There's no cause for alarm! But there probably will be!" would be a cute way to launch a program. The problem is that Windows runs the sound when any program starts; even if Windows starts it automatically! Believe me, you only have to start your computer ONCE to know if you've got the wrong sound!

I have since loaded Norton System Works for utility/virus protection. I had version 2.0 of NU and recently bought NAV 4.0, but my computer warned me about loading these guys on my Win98 system.

Covetousness does still prevail, though, as I covet a 17" monitor, some storage device like a Zip drive, and a scanner. Since my mousie is PS2, that leaves my serial port free for say… a graphics tablet? That would rule!

That's what's up here, happy computing!