what do you think of 286 based machines? :D?

Fun but at times challenging machines to workg with. The first PC my family owned was a IBM PS/1 286 based machine so I have fond memories of it. I also have not so fond memories of some of its limitations, namely the memory
management which is definitely more fiddly and more machine/chipset dependent than later 386 machines.

I find the limitations of these machines fun to work with/work around & its a bit of shame the humble 286 tends to be overlooked but I guess thats understandable given that 386SX machines have similar performance without the 286's more limited & fiddly memory management.


I like my 286 and use every other day or so for either retro gaming
or BBS browsing posting.

... Wisdom is knowing thyself--and not telling anyone.

RE: what do u think of 28
BY: kirkspragg to Mary4 on Fri Apr 19 2024 17:40:00

what do you think of 286 based machines? :D?

Fun but at times challenging machines to workg with. The first PC my family owned was a IBM PS/1 286 based machine so I have fond memories of it. I also have not so fond memories of some of its limitations, namely the memory management which is definitely more fiddly and more machine/chipset dependen than later 386 machines.

I find the limitations of these machines fun to work with/work around & its bit of shame the humble 286 tends to be overlooked but I guess thats understandable given that 386SX machines have similar performance without th 286's more limited & fiddly memory management.

I like my 286 and use every other day or so for either retro gaming
or BBS browsing posting.

... Wisdom is knowing thyself--and not telling anyone.

thats an amazing story! <3 <3 <3 <3
i glad you like the 286 like i do. it is an underrated system. i love it;s limitations and my 286 is pimped out. with EMS and XMS 25mHz and 16 mb of ram. it is really cool! <3

i love how limited it is! <3
i prefer 286 over 386
386 is to me too modern

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Re: what do u think of 28
By: Mary4 to kirkspragg on Sat Apr 20 2024 09:43 pm

i glad you like the 286 like i do. it is an underrated system. i love it;s limitations and my 286 is pimped out. with EMS and XMS 25mHz and 16 mb of ram. it is really cool! <3

That brings back memories -- I had a couple of jobs that threw out lots of working hardware that I was more than happy to take off their hands.

I got 2 AST AboveBoards - memory boards with 2 serial ports, a parallel port and 8 mb of socketed RAM, if memory serves. I loaded up the 8mb in a memory manager, created a RAM disk, and loaded DOS into it.

I was amazed at the difference in memory speed. I could tell when the system booted up, the ticking sound as the memory tested slowed WAY down when it hit the memory on the board. If I recall, it only had an 8 bit ISA interface. Maybe 16?
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RE: what do u think of 28
BY: poindexter FORTRAN to Mary4 on Sun Apr 21 2024 16:56:00

That brings back memories -- I had a couple of jobs that threw out lots of working hardware that I was more than happy to take off their hands.

I got 2 AST AboveBoards - memory boards with 2 serial ports, a parallel port and 8 mb of socketed RAM, if memory serves. I loaded up the 8mb in a memory manager, created a RAM disk, and loaded DOS into it.

I was amazed at the difference in memory speed. I could tell when the system booted up, the ticking sound as the memory tested slowed WAY down when it hi the memory on the board. If I recall, it only had an 8 bit ISA interface. Ma 16?

dang i wish i had those parts@!
XD
i only got 1mb on this mobo. i got a mobo with 16 mb of ram (yes on a 286!)
but thjey are all not functioning correctly or needing upgrades

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Re: Re: what do u think of 28
By: kirkspragg to Mary4 on Fri Apr 19 2024 06:40 pm

I like my 286 and use every other day or so for either retro gaming
or BBS browsing posting.

What 286 games are you all playing?

I would be playing Starflight. Maybe some King's Quest.

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What 286 games are you all playing?
I would be playing Starflight. Maybe some King's Quest.

If I hadn't had just been sucked back for a second playthrough into the wonderful modern gaming experience that's Baldurs Gate 3 I'd probably be playing the India Jones and the Last Crusade adventure game.

The Duke Nukem platformers are good as well. Also like monster bash - has some excellent EGA graphics and will use a sound blaster for sound effects on a 286 if you have some EMS memory free!

A some point once i've gotted on BG3 I'm intending to give one of the might and magic games a go, looks like World of Xeen is fairly approachable.

... OLD LIBRARIANS never die, they just lose their references

i love how limited it is! <3
i prefer 286 over 386
386 is to me too modern

Yes! Totally agree! I've got both 386SX and 486 class machines but don't really have as much of an attachment to them.

I guess because the first PC we had at home while I was growing up was a 286 (and we used that baby until it was well and truly worn out, i.e. we got our moneys worth) has influenced my feelings/options on this quite a bit.

... I'm currently experiencing synaptic core breach.

Re: Re: what do u think of 28
By: kirkspragg to Nopants on Mon Apr 22 2024 11:02 pm

If I hadn't had just been sucked back for a second playthrough into the wonderful modern gaming experience that's Baldurs Gate 3 I'd probably
be playing the India Jones and the Last Crusade adventure game.

Oh man. I never played that and Maniac Mansion is one of my favorite SCUMM games! I need to check out Last Crusade. Thanks.

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Oh man. I never played that and Maniac Mansion is one of my favorite SCUMM games! I need to check out Last Crusade. Thanks.

Fate of Atlantis should also work & maybe day of the tenticle will go on a 286?

Some advice RE Last Crusade which you can take or leave as you see fit. Use the EGA versions, the VGA version was one of thier earlier EGA->VGA conversion attempts and it looks a bit naff in places, IMHO the EGA graphics are better in this one.

Also beware of cracking the manual based copy protection via one of many DOS game cracking softwares (nevelock, crock ect) - I have tried several & they all broke the game in a way that made it impossible to progress past the puzzle towards the start of the game when you are in Venice. A certain book in you inventory is supposed to help you out by providing a clue when you look at it, but it will not work if you crack the game.

Just get the game manual (archive.org will have it) or find a cheet-sheet.

... OS/2 Virus Scanner: WIN Virus found [R]emove or [R]emove?

RE: what do u think of 28
BY: kirkspragg to Mary4 on Mon Apr 22 2024 22:08:00

Yes! Totally agree! I've got both 386SX and 486 class machines but don't really have as much of an attachment to them.

I guess because the first PC we had at home while I was growing up was a 286 (and we used that baby until it was well and truly worn out, i.e. we got our moneys worth) has influenced my feelings/options on this quite a bit.

... I'm currently experiencing synaptic core breach.

:DDDDDDDDD yes! 286 love! <3 286 is amazing~! <3








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Re: what do u think of 28
By: Mary4 to kirkspragg on Sat May 11 2024 05:55 pm

... I'm currently experiencing synaptic core breach.

:DDDDDDDDD yes! 286 love! <3 286 is amazing~! <3

I'm a sucker for getting hardware to do things you wouldn't expect of it. Running a telnettable BBS, web site, news server, email server and IRC off of a cast-off triple-digit celeron box with 256 mb of RAM was what got me into BBSing.

Running a web site on MINIX with a 286, and being able to use it as a mail server and caching DNS server gave me a soft-spot for 286-class systems (when you could run it in protected mode, that is...)
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