Online retailing can be a rough sport. The competition is rabid, customer loyalty is fickle, and IT expenses can go through the roof.

That's why The Register can appreciate an e-tailer with a unique business model.

A hawk-eyed El Reg reader points out that UK online retailer Ebuyer.com appears to be cutting costs by running its site on servers dating back to the late Cretaceous period - roughly speaking. According to internet monitoring company Netcraft, the e-tailer has bypassed run-of-the-mill legacy servers for some serious heirlooms.

Take a gander at the Netcraft site report for Ebuyer.com:

Ebuyer server report

For starters, there's a Toshiba HX-10, built in 1983. The HX-10 features 64KB of RAM, a 3.6MHz CPU, and a stunning 256x192, 16-color hi-res mode.

Next, you'll find not one but two Commodore 64s. The Commodore debuted in 1982 with 64KB RAM, a 1.02MHz MOS Technology 6510 processor, and a 16-color, 320x200 resolution monitor. Not to mention a creamy BASIC 2.0 operating system.

Then comes the Dragon32, a machine that arrived in 1982 featuring partial compatibility with the Tandy TRS 80 color series. Its Motorola 6809E processor clocks in at 0.89 MHz and runs Microsoft Extended BASIC.

But clearly the real workhorses of the operation are the three ZX Spectrums. These babies were also made in 1982, used a Z80 processor running at 3.5 MHz, and offered up 128KB of memory - a great way to run that Sinclair BASIC operating system.

The Commodore 64c

Ebuyer says they "never stop improving our world class operation by putting our customers - and their needs - first." But holy crap, guys - there's selfless and then there's selfless. We'll pitch in a five spot so you can get that Amiga 1000 you've been eyeballing.
Slow news day? What slow news day? ®

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• Apple blocks cheaper UK iPod sales (25 April 2008)
• When Commodore ruled the world (12 December 2007)
• Cyber Monday® destruction tests Yahoo! (26 November 2007)
• Tulip tries to buy back Commodore brand (27 September 2007)
• Amazon.com sells empty Vista boxes for $200? (10 July 2007)
• Ebuyer in hard-drive warranty debacle (21 June 2007)
• Google Checkout downchecked by UK users (5 June 2007)
• Ebuyer caught pinching content again (12 April 2007)
• Ebuyer caught pinching content from rival site (23 February 2007)
• Ebuyer.com slashes coding teams (28 September 2006)
• Updated Ebuyer in laptop search result outrage (16 February 2006)
• eBuyer 'fesses up to problems (13 September 2005)
• Ebuyer promises to be better (21 July 2005)