On Wednesday 04 September 2002 02:55, William A. Gatliff wrote: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > Hi > > William laudible, but foolish. > > Thanks for the vote of confidence. :^) > > > Many people have built their own 'embedded' solutions. > > Technology is changing so fast that even big companies can't keep up > > eg Blue Chip Technology > > I'm not so concerned about that. An LTSP system has, shall we say, less > than ambitious processing requirements (which is a good thing!). I don't > see the need, or the sense, in staying up on the leading edge. > > > How soon before the ram you choose is unavailable/costs more than a > > motherboard? > > When that day arrives, I change to a different RAM. A pretty common > problem in embedded systems. And it would have to be a *serious* problem > before a RAM chip costs more than a motherboard! > > Remember, I'll *own* the design, which I intend to share with the LTSP > community but maintain responsibility for keeping up-to-date. Switching > chips will require just a phone call to the fab department. Ditto for a > schematic change. > > > IMHO there are two or three solutions: > > > > 1) Bog-standard motherboards eg micro atx etc that fit in a small > > fanless case and run slower than spec eg VIA EDEN > > > > 2) One of the many industrial SBCs, take your choice, pay the extra $$ > > and have a convenient and easy solution. > > > > 3) The complete linux-ram-flash on a ram simm header. > > Right, except that, interestingly, none of these solutions really address > the problems you anticipate I'll have to deal with. At all. > > "Bog-standard" motherboards are a constant supply issue. It doesn't make > sense to constantly design-in a system that's always on the way out. > > Industrial SBCs are easy, but expensive. LTSP is an extremely > cost-sensitive application, why throw hardware in that isn't needed and > simply costs more money? > > Complete Linux+RAM+Flash SIMM headers like you allude to are at the same > risk of obsolete component selection as any other system. Adopting them > doesn't avoid that problem at all, it just moves it to someone else. > > > Despite the resources of a biggish UK company the Blue Chip boards were > > a lot of cr**. They failed, had bios problems, had non-standard hardware > > idio-synchrasies. > > See Circuit Cellar http://www.circuitcellar.com who once-upon-a-time > > made their own solution as you are planning. > > Hell, I've *written* for Circuit Cellar and I *still* can't find useful > articles on their website! But that's an entirely different rant... > > > IMHO do the project for fun, but don't spend munnie on it that you don't > > want to lose. > > Nothing ventured, nothing lost (or gained). I stand to lose, but all of > LTSP's potential users who are locked out because of expensive hardware > stand to gain. I don't have a problem with taking that risk--- look at the > reward!
All of LTSP's potential users who are locked out because of expensive hardware?? I just assembled a VIA Eden Thin Client (takes 15 minutes), here is the bill of material: => MINI ITX ALL IN MET VIA C3 533 MHZ FANLESS: EUR 99 => Slim-line case black incl power supply: EUR 63 => SDRAM 64 MB: EUR 14 (?) Total price: EUR 176 for single piece; all materials on stock. For 100+ count with 10-12% off, which brings you at EUR 160 (roughly US$ 160). It is a beautiful design, compact, elegant, and absolutely NO fans needed. As a matter of fact, I just put my hand on the cover and found that it was a little luke; then found out that is because it is on top an of an old Digital 266 MHZ desktop PC (the LTSP-server) which is producing so much heath that its actually being conveyed to the poor VIA Eden housing! Wiliam, me too, I admire your "laudible" intentions, but thought to share this info with you before you move ahead. Good luck, Z. ------------------------------------------------------- This sf.net email is sponsored by: OSDN - Tired of that same old cell phone? Get a new here for FREE! https://www.inphonic.com/r.asp?r=sourceforge1&refcode1=vs3390 _____________________________________________________________________ Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto: https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.openprojects.net
