There is something odd about the computer Jonathan Hefter keeps at his desk in theADogpatch Labs tech incubator just off of Union Square. The space is filled with employees from some of New York’s most promising startups, most of whom are coding away on top-of-the-line-machines or fiddling with their cherished iPads. But Hefter sits me down at his workstation in front of a Dell GX150, considered state of the art in 2000, now available for $70 from a second-hand dealer online.

Hefter boots up the computer and in a flash I’m logged into Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows 7. I open up a document and type a few paragraphs, then pop into MS Paint and create a quick image. I log on to the internet, check my email and stream a video. Microsoft recommends a machine with at least 1 gigahertz processor and 1 gigabyte of RAM in order to work in Windows 7, but this computer seems to handle it just fine.

"Most people are surprised when I show them how well an old machine can handle a new operating system," says Hefter, cracking a grin. "Especially when I tell them I also took out the hard drive."

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