HN Explorer

Ask HN: How many computers you got?

65 points by bryanrasmussen ↗ HN
Just wondering how many (working) computers do you have at home, if you're on HN you are probably technical and maybe even a developer. How many computers do you have? Not counting computers that I could set up to do something but haven't because I would need to do stuff to make it all work I have 4 computers, counting stuff I need to do to make work probably 7 or 8.

Also one Android Tablet. An old Ipad that would need to do stuff to make work. And a reMarkable tablet.

148 comments

[ 3.5 ms ] story [ 174 ms ] thread
N0RJ4K
I count 16. that's my overall figure
rantallion
13. One for each month of the year. Although my Mercedonius computer doesn't get used every year, for obvious reasons.
thorin
Personally 0. Well, I have one old Sony Vaio which I haven't used for several years. I have 2 work computers (one specific to a client I'm working with). I have 2 android tablets, which belong to my kids and one android tablet for work testing purposes.

I have several old phones which may not be working and 2 android phones a main one and a spare I bought in lockdown 1.

I'm a software developer/architect.

[edit] I forgot I have an Amiga 500 in my mums attic. I wonder if it still works!

the_only_law
Right now probably 2-3 working modern PC’s not including my work laptop and a number of retrocomputers including and SGI Indy, HP A600+, a very good condition and complete HP-86, an Alpha and probably a few others I’m forgetting. I also have maybe 2-3 other modern machines that are either gutted or dead atm.

I also have a number of terminals including an HP X-terminal, a Tektronix graphics terminal and a Videotex terminal.

I also have a number of “not general purpose computers” including a variety of retro telecom/network line analyzers, an android tablet, and various small hobbyist embedded systems. Some of these are basically PC’s like my Agilent J2300E which is just a Win95 machine with specialized hardware you wouldn’t normally see on a PC like V.35 and RS-449.

Still have quite a few machines I want in all categories above, but I’ll probably be needing a storage unit soon.

kstenerud
* 1 headless NAS running NixOS + a few containerized services

* 1 headless NUC running NixOS + a bunch of containerized virtual desktops and services. I also launch VMs from here when needed (mostly for Windows dev).

* 1 desktop PC running windows

* 1 laptop running macos

* 2 laptops running linux

* 1 chromebook (mainly for using the virtual desktops)

corobo
In terms of live, installed, ready to go:

2. A main daily driver (Ubuntu 20) and my old desktop machine running Proxmox so I can spin up any test network I want/need for dev work.

4 if you're including laptops (HP Elitebook w/ Ubuntu 20, Macbook air) but they're mostly gathering dust as I've not commuted anywhere in a few years

Also got an old Android tablet which is mostly dedicated to Todoist (mounted above my monitor on an arm) and an iPad for background entertainment/distraction while working. They dual-function as test devices as needed for webdev :)

I used to have the could-probably-get-it-working guts of 4 or 5 laptops and an older desktop following me around but I guess they finally got sold off for parts during my last move

I'd probably have more but I'm renting a relatively small single room compared to my last place. The two desktops alone have meant I've not needed the heating on whenever they're both going.

E: Oh aye there's also a 9-disk NAS knocking about somewhere too (Synology DS918 plus an expander bay). I use that more than my desktop I guess technically. Everything mounts off it somehow or other so I'm counting it :)

Tell you what, Tailscale is the one app that's got me back into home network nerdery. I love hosting internal things on my Proxmox server or NAS that just.. work, even when I'm not at home. No matter where I am in the world, I can mount nas.coio.uk and, aside from a bit of lag in some places, it works just as well as it would locally connected. That's so cool!

thedanbob
6, including 3 servers and not including mobile devices. Probably +3 or +4 if you count raspberry pi and similar.
codevark
Four windows laptops (two from our employers), old windows Phenom X4 file server, new(er) windows Ryzen 7 PRO desktop, Rocky Linux Athlon X3 webserver, (2) Amiga 3000s, Amiga 500, mini HTPC (needs repair), Mac Mini w/ MorphOS, Pegasos 2 w/ MorphOS, several spare A3000s for parts/repair, RPi Zero W, Android tablet.

17? 18? Maybe more. ha

hutattedonmyarm
* 1 Desktop (Windows)

* 1 Laptop (macOS)

* 1 headless NUC working as NAS (debian)

* 3 Raspberry Pis

So 6 in total, plus a tablet and a VPS (which I don't own and is not at home so I'm not counting it)

rejor121
Eight, if we count my phone and tablet and my wife’s phone as a computer xD
[deleted]
(comment deleted)
badcarbine
6 laptops, all working, one desktop also working. I like to experiment with different hardware and OS's. One is a Chromebook from 2014 with 2GB of ram running linux mint. Still use it to browse the web.

Ask me how many computers I have had in my life and the answer is well over 100.

V__ 

  - 2 Windows 10 machines
  - 1 MacBook Air
  - 1 iMac
  - 3 Raspberry Pi's

  - 1 iPad
  - 2 Android Tablets
  - 4 Android phones
  - 2 iPhones
  - 3 Alexa Speakers
draxil
1 desktop, 1 server, 3 laptops (one belongs to my employer, one is old), 3 raspberry pis, 4 games consoles, 1 chromecast.
Thristle
Desktop used for gaming or work stuff that doesn't have to go through the VPN (zoom,calendar,slack and so on)

Living room desktop running plex for stream to the google TV

my uni laptop is still being used by my SO when she needs to look at some 3D imaging which is painfully slow on her uni laptop

so i/we use 2 desktops my SO uses 2 laptops and an fire tablet when shes on the train

spyremeown
Work Laptop, Desktop that I'm getting rid of and my phone.

Pretty simple.

Havoc
4 proper ones...and perhaps another 6 or so raspberry pi type things.

Only 3 get daily use though

senectus1
4 desktops one not in use (yet)

3 laptops (plus a work laptop)

2 tablets

4 phones

1 4 port NAS (Synology)

2 rPi's

Too many... and yet not enough :-)

its worth noting this is in a household of 4, two adults one teenager and a sub teen.

My son is teaching himself to code my daughter is teaching herself digital art I work in IT and my wife is no slouch in the area either.

monkin
Only iPad Pro 12.9, 2020 model.
kiwih
1 daily driver - windows/Ubuntu dual boot.

1 Ubuntu only laptop. 10 years old. Used as print server for 3d printer.

1 wife work laptop.

1 wife gaming laptop.

1 wife gaming laptop, aged/retired but still works. We host game servers on this sometimes.

1 windows netbook. Unused but functional. Too old to sell.

1 windows 8 tablet. Unused but functional. Too old to sell.

1 Android tablet, frequently used.

3 x raspberry pi. 1 in use permanently as media server.

2 x smartphones.

It's easy to collect computers!

behohippy
3 desktop class machines, one acting as a server. 3 laptops, one is a chromebook. 8 RPi's doing PiHole, OctoPrint and part of my temp/humidity sensor network. It gets fuzzy with the Pi's because I tend to load them up with multiple duties depending on location. With spare hardware I could probably do a few TV PCs.
spacemanmatt
Too many.

My Android phone. My last Android phone. My laptop. My work laptop. My work desktop. My stack of old Raspberry Pis. My stack of ESP32 variants. A buncha Chromecasts. I stopped keeping broken stuff years ago.

globular-toast
I cut down on the number of computers I have so now only have 8.

I'm counting computer as anything I can SSH in to. That number includes Raspis and the like scattered around the house.

If you mean something I sit down at and type, then only two: work and home.

Bouncingsoul1
work: 1 laptop 1 mac mini 4 rpi 2 iphones 8 android phone + various devices running embedded linux private: 1 desktop 1 laptop 3 android phones 2 rpi 1 android tablet 1 ps4

I develop/test a lot of BLE stuff , for Android automation I use rpi+ phones. To build/automate iOs. iPhone+mac+rpi.

paulcole
I have a Raspberry Pi and iPad Pro at home.

I leave my work computer at my office.

My partner has a MacBook Pro on the very rare occasions when I absolutely need to use a computer at home, but those times are getting rarer and rarer — think it was maybe 6 months ago now.