The Generations of early vintage PC computers can be divided based on the family type of CPU processor used in the computer.

Here are the basic family lineages of these CPUs

1) The Original the Granddaddy – “8088″

The 8088 is slow slow slow. At the time (1981) it seemed like a very hot item.

The Intel 8088 is an Intel microprocessor based on the 8086, with 16-bit registers and an 8-bit external data bus.

The most influential microcomputer to use the 8088 was, by far, the IBM PC. The original PC processor ran at a clock frequency of 4.77 MHz. A popular clone using an 8088 was the Leading Edge Model D, with a switch to select running at 4.77 MHz or 7.16 MHz.

2) 802286

The 286 was the next generation of vintage computers in the mid 1980’s era. A 286 family computer is about three to four times faster than an 8088 based PC.

The biggest problem with a 286 chip is that it does not handle memory well as a 386 (next step in the line) computer. It has a different instruction set (the programming telling a chip what to do), which is just slightly incompatible with the 386.

These differences, plus the slow speed, that made the 286 almost incompatible with the newer software sealed the 286’s doom.

3) 80386SX and DX

In its day the 386 chip was a revolutionary change in computing which paved the way for later major upgrades in computing.

We owe much in our days of Pentium 4s to the early days of the 386 computers.

Compared to a 286, the 386 had a huge amount of addressable memory. The 386 came in two basic flavors – SX and DX – and in a whole range of speeds. The 386 SX was a bridge between the 16-bit and the 32 bit chips.

Higher clock speeds certainly boosted performance, but the most noticeable change was the move from 16 bit to 32 bit computing. When that occurred, performance was doubled immediately, since twice as much data could be moved and used. It is like grabbing twice as big a handful. The bigger the handful grabbed the more that can be moved at a time. Today this seems commonplace however at the time it was more than a major step leading to our current 32 bit and now 64 bit computers ( one more step we should be grateful for the 386 for leading us to ).

80486

The 486 was a more affiancing design than the lowly 386. It incorporated a built in 8 kb cache and cache controller (kb as opposed to megabyte which is 1000 kb). As well a Math Coprocessor, better architecture and memory management for 32 bit operations were part of the package. The cache gave a boost to overall performance while still using the relatively inexpensive dynamic random access memory (DRAM), DRAM was a volatile type of main memory,

Cache serves a simple way to speed up the 486 computer. The cache anticipated the next instructions based on what was being done and stored it in a hiding place in memory. Then when the instructions or data was needed it was retrieved fairly rapidly from the hiding place in memory.

A 486 could process 32-bit instructions much faster than any 386. However DOS based software as it was written primarily for 8 and 16-bit systems could not take advantage of these advances.

OS/2 a multitasking operating system developed by Microsoft and Windows 3.0 and later 3.1 are able to take full advantage of the 486’s features.

80486DX2

The 486DX2 was a peculiar chip that ran internally twice as fast the external system. In other words, if a machine was designed to run a 25 MHZ 486, you could put in the 50 MHZ 486DX2 and it would work fine without any major changes to the rest of the computer. It would not run as fast as a 50 MHZ 486DX though. Only the innards of the CPU are running as fast on a DX2 chip – the rest of the computer is running at the speed designated around the 25 MHZ chip. This is a little confusing, but suffice to say that a 50 MHZ 486DX had more performance than a 50 MHZ 486DX2. Perhaps this however was little more than an Intel marketing gimmick.

804486SX

The 486SX was a slowed down 486.

It ran at 16, 20 and 25 MHZ.

Basically in a 486SX the math coprocessor chip was disabled.

The 486SX was a budget entry level chip meant to upgrade users from their 386 at less cost. Or it may have been seen as the 2 door car to get you into the car showroom or steer you away from competitors.

Lastly the 80486DX3

These were IBM licensed chips that were clock tripled 486 chips running at 75 MHZ and 99 MHZ (called conveniently 100 MHZ speed)

The Intel versions were called the DX4

It needs not be said that these chips were far than overshadowed by later Pentium processors of the same or greater speeds.

Generally the speed of the computer CPU goes more than family than speed. That is a 75 MHZ (later model) Pentium will almost certainly beat out a 100 MHZ 486 CPU.

The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co are renowned for their range of antique decorative lighting.  Table lamps for interior lighting have been used for the past 120 years; in fact, the first light bulb was produced in the 1870’s.

Antique lamps have several distinct advantages to offer as each lamp is an original, produced as a “one off” with no element of mass production.  The company’s lamps share, with antiques in general, the advantage of improving in value over time.  

The use of antique lighting adds an element of uniqueness to an interior and can be used as bed side lamps, desk lamps, reading lamps, or, simply placed as a decorative lighting element in illuminating a room.

The company’s range of lamps includes a number of 19th century Chinese export lamps.  Here indeed is “a rose by many names”.  These export porcelains are also known as Famille Rose, Rose Medallion, Canton export and Mandarin to name just a few! 

These Famille Rose lamps were made at the great kilns of Jingdezhen and sent to the South of China, to the export port of Canton; here they were decorated in the bright palette of coloured enamels, which today is generally known as Chinese Export.  These brightly enamelled porcelains are full of colour and decorated with vigorous scenes of figures in tea houses, the Imperial court and domestic every day life.

 

Remember also, The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co is celebrated for its exquisite, handmade silk lampshades in all styles, knife or box pleated, gathered, ruffled or plain.  Sconce shades can also be ordered.

 

PLEASE VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT     www.antiquelampshop.com

The creatively coined term “hippie” comes from the word “hip” and is jazz slang for the word “hipster”, which was coined during the 1940’s. As years passed, “hippie” was used to refer to many different people or groups of people. However, the term had a long history, and was only accepted as a common and usual word in 1967.

No matter who it refers to, however, the term “hippie” remains true to its original meaning. It refers to a person or a group who belongs to a certain social environment that sprang in the United States during the 1960’s. As the term continued to increase its popularity, the number of people who fit the description also grew considerably larger. Along with other movements, the “hippies” of the past became a counterculture, an entirely complete lifestyle that ruled the lives of its members in every aspect.

What the hippies lived for was to counter the dominant culture in the society with another culture that was somewhat more liberal. Their main purpose was to go against the realms of the society that is in place by rejecting it. Hippies were mostly on the opposing side of what had already established. They opposed nearly everything that is accepted by the society. Their oppositions were not negative. They were against nuclear weapons and wars. Their main doctrine revolved around love, peace, and freedom of self-expression, Hippies believed that there was more to life than what the norms state. This is why they opposed restrictions above all else. And in the spirit of opposition, they, in turn, promoted what the society is opposed to and what was dominant in the world. Examples of what they advocated were the liberal use of what they called “psychedelic drugs” and freedom of sexual expressions as well.

They also rallied for the environment, and most hippies were vegetarian. As an entire culture, they also had their own ways of expressing themselves through music and art. They maximized the use of these cultural tools in expressing what they believed in. Since they are also pro-peace, they do not engage in violence in demonstrating their views. Instead, they used other ways to be radical and to make their mark and be heard.

Two of the well-known forms of expressions that the hippies used are music and their clothing style. The hippie music, which revolved mostly around what was called “psychedelic rock” was one of the most popular ways of how these hippies lured people into their radical society. Their music also became popular.

Their clothing styles and the way they carried themselves, however, were more radical than their music. The hippies kept their hair long, regardless of gender. In breaking societal norms, they also chose to forego some of what people usually regard as necessities. Some hippies go braless and some go barefoot. They liked to use bright, bold colors to express freedom. They showed their independence through the unhindered use of colors and unusual clothes.

The hippies were the advocates of the bell-bottom pants, long flowing skirts, and peasant blouses. Another clothing trend that claimed popularity, not only during their time, but up to the present as well, are the tie-dyed t-shirts they used. To avoid supporting the corporate society, hippies liked designing and making their own clothes. The same is true with the tie-dyed theme. Tie-dyed shirts can easily be made at home, and they always come out differently every time. The colors would mix differently, and the patterns would be unique for each shirt.

As the society embraced the other hippie trends such as bell-bottom pants, long skirts, and peasant blouses, the tie-dyed shirts still stand out as truly hippie. It is still, up until now, closely associated to being a hippie. Tie-dyes shirts still remain a distinct symbol of being part of the hippie counterculture.