Just a factual correction on the title: it's an invoice for a "1994 IBM PC-compatible", not a "1994 IBM PC". Not to be overly pedantic but this is a pretty key distinction to people interested in vintage computers. If it was actually an IBM PC made in 1994 it would likely be a later PS/2 model, some of which could occasionally be historically interesting. IBM did some unusual or even weird things (PS/2, micro-channel, AIX, etc) as they slowly came to realize what everyone else already knew - they'd lost the desktop PC business.
But this appears to be a run of the mill 486 clone assembled from globally generic parts by a typical PC integrator located in Belgium. Although I appreciate that this particular machine may hold treasured childhood memories for the owner (and it's nice they've kept it in working condition), it looks to be a bog standard beige box PC clone - the single most generically common type of computer ever made. It's even largely ISA compatible with the most common type of computer still available everywhere today.
Am I being harsh? Maybe, but I'd argue it's not unjustified. The 90s were the decade when the rich and fascinating diversity of uniquely different, completely incompatible computer platforms were swept away by a tidal wave of virtually identical beige box PC clones. From a historical perspective, PC clones were the planet-killing asteroid which destroyed a vibrant tapestry of divergent life, probably including home-grown computer platforms that were uniquely Belgian, each with its own ecosystem of software and opinionated vision for what a computer could be - and replaced them all with a monotonous beige sameness. So... yeah, having just attended the Amiga 040th anniversary events was a fresh reminder how much was lost in The Great Beige Wave - how computers got overall less interesting even as they grew much more powerful and common.
I post the article title as it is presented by the author. I do take poetic license when the title exceeds the 80 characters allowed by 2sb and create a site friendly title.
Sorry BMonkey, I should have made clear I understood you were following TSB's posting guidelines in mirroring the OP's title (and that you're not the original post's author). My response was only quibbling with the original post's title choice.
Separately, I agree that the title guideline is generally good and, on a site like Hacker News, absolutely necessary due to the large audience creating some incentive for 'editorializing' post headlines. However, on a smaller, much more focused and (hopefully) more benign community like TSB, I'd personally be okay with a slightly more relaxed policy permitting minimal headline adjustments if it significantly increases clarity or accuracy and is needed. But I certainly understand that might increase the chore of curation, making it a non-starter.
But this appears to be a run of the mill 486 clone assembled from globally generic parts by a typical PC integrator located in Belgium. Although I appreciate that this particular machine may hold treasured childhood memories for the owner (and it's nice they've kept it in working condition), it looks to be a bog standard beige box PC clone - the single most generically common type of computer ever made. It's even largely ISA compatible with the most common type of computer still available everywhere today.
Am I being harsh? Maybe, but I'd argue it's not unjustified. The 90s were the decade when the rich and fascinating diversity of uniquely different, completely incompatible computer platforms were swept away by a tidal wave of virtually identical beige box PC clones. From a historical perspective, PC clones were the planet-killing asteroid which destroyed a vibrant tapestry of divergent life, probably including home-grown computer platforms that were uniquely Belgian, each with its own ecosystem of software and opinionated vision for what a computer could be - and replaced them all with a monotonous beige sameness. So... yeah, having just attended the Amiga 040th anniversary events was a fresh reminder how much was lost in The Great Beige Wave - how computers got overall less interesting even as they grew much more powerful and common.
Separately, I agree that the title guideline is generally good and, on a site like Hacker News, absolutely necessary due to the large audience creating some incentive for 'editorializing' post headlines. However, on a smaller, much more focused and (hopefully) more benign community like TSB, I'd personally be okay with a slightly more relaxed policy permitting minimal headline adjustments if it significantly increases clarity or accuracy and is needed. But I certainly understand that might increase the chore of curation, making it a non-starter.
As always, I greatly appreciate all you do!