Don Forsman wrote:

A note aside from aviation and rotary engines:

PS  I don't own a computer that has a floppy!

You must have a Mac :-)

I have had a preview of the next surplus auction at the local
university and saw two Silicon Graphics Iris computers, sans monitors
and keyboards.  They didn't appear to have floppy drives.  I think
they are unix machines.  Do you think they might be of any use?
Things like this commonly go for next to nothing at these auctions.

Don.

They are probably network computers.

Paul Lamar

I have used these workstations for years.  They are fine but
will be MUCH more expensive to use than a PC and are old
enough to not be significantly better performers that a good
new PC.  Essentially all software for Unix falls into two
groups - VERY (did I mention, VERY?) expensive commercial
software which is often extremely useful, and freeby stuff
from GNU and others that love to work for free.

Bottom line, unless you have some sort of access to Unix
applications for free, or really like GNU's apps, steer clear.
For example the plastic tray that converts a std PC disk drive
to fit a last gen SGI costs $600 and you can't use the drive
without it, - remember this is a piece of fancy plastic and
a couple connectors to hold a $150 disk drive.  Yikes!

Even identical apps cost much less on the PC.

Bill
Long EZ builder & pilot
mechanical engineer

You can probably get Linux for them by now. Worth looking into.

Paul Lamar
 
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