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Comment by madaxe_again | Hacker News Reader

It depends.

If you are doing something that doesn't require a fast machine (I.e. server side web development), then a late 90's/early 2000's laptop will do. I currently cart around a '95 Toshiba satellite pro 440cdt to use in low security areas, with the HDD swapped for a 2gb CF card. Linux, vim, nginx, several backend stacks. I wouldn't care if it broke or was stolen (like anyone would) - I can get another for £20.

If you need a machine for client side dev, then something from '05-'10 would probably cut the mustard.

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What? You lug around a laptop from 95 and you're a web developer? And you don't care if it gets stolen? You have to do a Reddit IAMA. Please.

It's not that weird or even interesting. I could work on that machine, as well.

Put briefly, I work in a terminal all day. Sometimes locally, but oftentimes I ssh to a machine in the cloud.

Virtually any machine would work well for me. I do like nice machines still, but I would give up a lot just to have a nice keyboard.

Ditto. Without the HDD or optical drive it's fairly light, and the battery lasts hours. Use a USB wifi dongle as needed. The keyboard and pointer nubbin work great.

To be clear I also have an MBP, but I usually use the junker. The MBP gets used for potatoshop and client side testing.

I also drive a '95 golf. Cost next to nothing to buy, parts laughably cheap. £500 for a convertible that goes like stink? Yes please. I could buy any car I wanted - but I prefer something cheap that I don't care too much about, that I can readily service myself.

Also, it's far more environmentally friendly to use old stuff 'til it dies than to buy new stuff.

Old doesn't mean bad - just old.

I have a '96 Jeep with an inline 6. Also I didn't mention it, but at my (non-tech) business, I still have a Toshiba Satellite running. I bought it used for $50 like 7 years ago and we keep our books on it.

Guess we're soul-mates now.

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Re: theft, encrypted CF card, selinux, good passwords etc., and I rsync home dir over ssh nightly when I'm using it.

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