I only have the original Model B -- not even the B+.

It's a bit slow for running Raspbian, which is why I stopped using it. Once I heard about the Pi 2, it would be hard to deal with a slow machine knowing it could be much faster.

Now that there's a Pi 3, I want to use that old "original Model B" even less. I don't know what I'm going to do with it, actually. Maybe I'll find a use.

I only have the original Model B -- not even the B+.  It's a bit slow for running Raspbian, which is why I stopped using it.

So, you can't endure Raspian on a 700 MegaHz. ARM (11?), equipped with the 256 Megabytes RAM of what I've seen identified as the "Raspberry Pi 1" "model B rev 1"

• ?  Or do you have the copious capacity of the "Raspberry Pi 1" "model B rev 2"
• (which appears not to be the same as the "Raspberry Pi 1" "B+"), with 512 Megabytes RAM?
  
  Then it must be miraculous that anyone could've ever accomplished any useful computing at all with 4.2 BSD Unix, on a 6 MegaHz. MC68000 microcomputer, for which 1 Megabyte RAM seemed princely as a daily development platform more than 30 years ago.  The very few fully stuffed to 2 Megabytes RAM would've seemed regal, thus such a configuration was likely enjoyed only by a few top execs, altho' a very few likely trickled down to the Quality Assurance Dept.
  
  -------
  Note *: Which are jolly well overdue to be shortened to something like "RP1-B1" and "RP1-B2".  Or better yet, via Unicode: "RΠ1-B1" and "RΠ1-B2")
  

The original RPi model A had 256 RAM and fewer ports.
The original model B had 512 RAM, which is truly a minimum for trying to run a GUI like Raspbian.

Yes, I realize we used to get by with much less (the first PC my family owned -- when I was old enough to drive -- was a 386 16 MHz with 2 MB RAM. I used DOS though, I didn't even bother with Windows 3.1 since the machine couldn't handle it.)

But this is 2016, you know?  

I do like the portability and the price. I'll probably get a Rpi 3 eventually.

Another problem -- though it's portable and you can have your computer with you everywhere, you DO need a modern monitor for it. That is to say, HDMI. You'd be surprised how many people have only VGA (3 rows) for monitors, the white DVI plug if you're lucky. And how many people still use composite or RCA plugs for their TV set -- no HDMI yet.

My mother-in-law watches a lot of TV, but she's still using a hand-me-down big screen TV that someone gave her. No HDMI port. She'd probably save money (on electricity) by purchasing a flat screen for $300, plus it would have state of the art ports like HDMI.

Also, the last time I stayed at someone's house, they didn't have a modern monitor to plug into. No HDMI, in fact they didn't even have a white "DVI" monitor plug. (I do own a single HDMI to DVI adapter). But of course HDMI gives you more than video -- it carries the audio signal as well which is SO convenient.

But forget about my mother in law, how about my own household! We don't have any HDMI TVs/monitors except the one I bought pretty recently. So if I wanted to bring that little PC into another room (for a Trad themed conference, some kind of viewing, a docuмentary, something educational for the kids, etc.) I'd be out of luck.

And although this PC is $35, monitors are still at least $100 to $200 for a flat screen with HDMI.

I noticed that all modern electronics want that HDMI port -- Raspberry Pi, OUYA game console, my Intel NUC (a small, ashtray sized computer), even my current PC. I believe game consoles all use it as well. It's where PCs and TVs have truly converged.

As a matter of fact, my latest monitor is a 32" flat screen TV with an HDMI port. I don't even get any reception (no antenna, and I live in the country) but it seems to be the way things are going.

My first utilization of the Raspberry Pi was for convenience.  A co-worker (subject to the whims of corporate mandates) asked for my assistance.  He was required to check-in by email every day at the start of his shift.  I wrote him a script to wait a random number of seconds between zero and six hundred before sending his shift start email every work day; required ssmtp and mailutils...

apt-get update
apt-get install ssmtp
apt-get install mailutils

vi /etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf
  root=<my email address>
  mailhub=<work email server :port>
  rewriteDomain=<work url>
  hostname=<work name>
  UseTLS=Yes
  AuthUser=<my email>
  AuthPass=<my password>

mkdir /var/tmp/script
cd /var/tmp/script

vi checkin

#!/bin/bash
sleep $((RANDOM % 600))s
date "+%A, %B %e %Y" | mail -s "Shift Start Check-in" my.manager@work.com

chmod 755 checkin

crontab -e
45 7 * * 1,2,3,4,5 /var/tmp/script/checkin
crontab -l