The cloudless computer Time Machine
A 15-Year-Old Laptop Experiment
May 1, 2023 - Willem L. Middelkoop
As part of a greater plan to optimise my entire workflow, I am doing a little experiment this month: using a 15-year old ThinkPad X200 laptop as main computer. It’s from an era before “the cloud”, popular among free/libre software enthusiasts. What can we learn from this antithesis of modernity?
Continue reading![Plenty of hardware ports, including a PC-card slot, integrated gigabit ethernet, USB-A and a hardware switch to disable WiFi](/blog/2023-05-01_working-offline-first/images/i_05_Plenty-of-hardware-ports-including-a-PC-card-slot-integrated-gigabit-ethernet-USB-A-and-a-hardware-s_500px.jpg)
![IBM ThinkPad 700C from 1992 was instantly acknowledged as a big deal for the industry](/blog/2023-05-01_working-offline-first/images/i_01_IBM-ThinkPad-700C-from-1992-was-instantly-acknowledged-as-a-big-deal-for-the-industry_500px.jpg)
![The ThinkPad’s keyboard is a dream to type on and features a “hate or love it” TrackPoint (I’m in the “love” department!)](/blog/2023-05-01_working-offline-first/images/i_04_The-ThinkPad-s-keyboard-is-a-dream-to-type-on-and-features-a-hate-or-love-it-TrackPoint-I-m-in-the-l_500px.jpg)
![Work in progress - my X200 experiment](/blog/2023-05-01_working-offline-first/images/i_09_Work-in-progress-my-X200-experiment_500px.jpg)
![The ThinkPad X200 from 2008](/blog/2023-05-01_working-offline-first/images/i_00_The-ThinkPad-X200-from-2008_500px.jpg)
![This laptop lid hinge, made from metal, is designed to last - note the keyboard has keys a modern MacBook can only dream off (PageUP/PageDown, Home, End, Delete).](/blog/2023-05-01_working-offline-first/images/i_03_This-laptop-lid-hinge-made-from-metal-is-designed-to-last-note-the-keyboard-has-keys-a-modern-MacBoo_500px.jpg)