This Does Not Compute | EasyNow PC: The 90s Cheap and Cheerful Internet Computer @ThisDoesNotCompute | Uploaded July 2022 | Updated October 2024, 14 hours ago.
Towards the end of the 1990s, computers dropped in price rapidly as more and more people wanted to jump on the Information Superhighway. But with their low cost came low specifications, and Biostar's EasyNow PC is a perfect example.
Sources:
Maximum PC, November 2002.
"Comdex: Net PCs, appliances take center stage," CNN: cnn.com/TECH/computing/9911/15/comdex.netapp.idg/index.html
"AMD intros EasyNow PC platform," The Register: theregister.com/1999/11/17/amd_intros_easynow_pc_platform
Advent E-Go 2 PC specs: uktsupport.co.uk/advent/pc/ego2.htm
Biostar EasyNow photos: akiba-pc.watch.impress.co.jp/hotline/991120/custompcworld.html
More photos: imgur.com/a/fgEOH8e
Comdex Fall 1999 photos: pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/991119/comdex22.htm
Japanese coverage of the EasyNow with LCD monitor: pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/991116/amd.htm and pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/991119/gentry.htm
Fujitsu Celvin photos: es.wallapop.com/item/pc-retro-fujitsu-siemens-celvin-1998-730500037
Fujitsu specs and useful info: web.archive.org/web/20021222083734/fujitsu-siemens.co.uk/rl/servicesupport/techsupport/Boards/Motherboards/BioStar/M5SAF/M5SAF.htm
SiS driver download page: w3.sis.com/download
00:00 - Introduction
00:39 - This thing looks like a...um...
00:58 - Specifications
02:50 - Power supply problems
03:58 - Take apart
09:09 - Probing for polarity
11:47 - Power supply hacking
15:29 - It didn't work
17:35 - Setting it up and power on
19:57 - Exploring the BIOS
21:54 - Windows Me is fine. Fight me
23:07 - Installing drivers
25:08 - BIOS WTF
27:37 - This computer sucks for a reason
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Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp
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Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).
Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
Towards the end of the 1990s, computers dropped in price rapidly as more and more people wanted to jump on the Information Superhighway. But with their low cost came low specifications, and Biostar's EasyNow PC is a perfect example.
Sources:
Maximum PC, November 2002.
"Comdex: Net PCs, appliances take center stage," CNN: cnn.com/TECH/computing/9911/15/comdex.netapp.idg/index.html
"AMD intros EasyNow PC platform," The Register: theregister.com/1999/11/17/amd_intros_easynow_pc_platform
Advent E-Go 2 PC specs: uktsupport.co.uk/advent/pc/ego2.htm
Biostar EasyNow photos: akiba-pc.watch.impress.co.jp/hotline/991120/custompcworld.html
More photos: imgur.com/a/fgEOH8e
Comdex Fall 1999 photos: pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/991119/comdex22.htm
Japanese coverage of the EasyNow with LCD monitor: pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/991116/amd.htm and pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/991119/gentry.htm
Fujitsu Celvin photos: es.wallapop.com/item/pc-retro-fujitsu-siemens-celvin-1998-730500037
Fujitsu specs and useful info: web.archive.org/web/20021222083734/fujitsu-siemens.co.uk/rl/servicesupport/techsupport/Boards/Motherboards/BioStar/M5SAF/M5SAF.htm
SiS driver download page: w3.sis.com/download
00:00 - Introduction
00:39 - This thing looks like a...um...
00:58 - Specifications
02:50 - Power supply problems
03:58 - Take apart
09:09 - Probing for polarity
11:47 - Power supply hacking
15:29 - It didn't work
17:35 - Setting it up and power on
19:57 - Exploring the BIOS
21:54 - Windows Me is fine. Fight me
23:07 - Installing drivers
25:08 - BIOS WTF
27:37 - This computer sucks for a reason
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please consider supporting my work on Patreon: patreon.com/thisdoesnotcompute
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @thisdoesnotcomp
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music by Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com).
Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchive.org/music/BoxCat_Games).
