Quote:
Originally Posted by TrailerParkJawa
Assuming characters find functional computers I also wonder as does
"raketenjagdpanzer" what are they good for? Lets say we find 10 boxed
486's running Windows 95. They all have modest sized hard drives and memory. They even have 10Mb Ethernet cards.
Setting up a small LAN doesnt really help anyone. There are no networks to connect to in the outside world. The industrial economy no longer exists so who needs inventory software, excel, or anything like that.
I think the really usefull computers in T2K are the little ones that are designed for specific purposes. ie) comptuers controlling industrial proccesses. Hydroplants, refineries, milling machines, etc.
But from a gaming perpective those 10 PCs could easily be useful to someone. maybe a warlord who has gotten a power plant online and needs computers to help repair the plant.
Or mabye someone needs a computer to talk to industrial machine via RS-232 port.
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I well remember reading WIRED magazine in 1991 talking about RS-232 controlled home-milling machines (this 20 years before the advent of home 3d-printing!)
I personally think for a large municipality a group of 10 machines networked together would be an invaluable resource if you're trying to keep track of managing food, people, etc.; I just don't think Joe Everyman would give a fig about having a working PC any more. Time spent playing DOOM, DOOM2, or Quake (all 3 released prior to the TDM) is less time spent chopping organic matter for the still for the generator that keeps other more important electrical devices running (lights, refrigerator).
But a local government would still make good use of them, I'd wager. Hospitals would find them invaluable, not just for patient records but for research purposes...