What do you do with a spare computer?

[Recursion]

They used mineral oil, not water

I've got Ubuntu server running on my old one, getting away from a GUI and into a lovely command line.

[lolwut]

Linux it, I dare you

Or just use it as a home media server.

[Wootzeh]

I think your friend meant oil not water dam tawm already said

[Source]

Co location isn't really an option as people(datacenters) don't like co-locating anything that doesn't rack fit.

The idea of running some sort of linux distribution sounds reasonable, such as ubuntu server 8.04 (hardy), newer version has less support for good repos etc.. I have 8.04 server edition on my old pc and home rackmount and I use it to develop sites as having a 1gbps connection to a server (local network) is of course alot faster when making a video site (as you have to test the uploading, converting etc...).

Boxee.tv could be another option if you were looking into sharing media around the house, its a social media network server/client and can stream video's / audio / images from internet sites (such as rev3 for the fans) and local networks.

[Jin]

Linux on a computer isnt as much fun for me as it is for others, i deal with it every day and well after a while it is just linux.

I think media center aquarium cooling system would be cool, it will solve both the issue of the avalanche of DVDs falling from our cupboard thanks to my girlfriends constant need to purchase physical disks and keep the guests marvelled.

[N!ck]

A vid of the mineral oil thing. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PtufuXLvOok

[janeFamous]

my friend made an, um, admirable video of him throwing his old computer into a rocky creek. and it smashing into pieces.

[scottish]

Liquid Nitrogen cooled system

[N!ck]

Liquid Nitrogen cooled system

Nah, liquid helium's better. Superconductivity FTW!

[scottish]

That would be pretty immense though, "At 100% load i'm getting 74° temps" Other guys like "Yeh 100% load i'm getting about -103° temp"