Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Sat, 13 Apr 2002 22:35:40 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Sat, 13 Apr 2002 22:35:39 -0400 Received: from vladimir.pegasys.ws ([64.220.160.58]:6928 "HELO vladimir.pegasys.ws") by vger.kernel.org with SMTP id ; Sat, 13 Apr 2002 22:35:38 -0400 Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2002 19:35:30 -0700 From: jw schultz To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: ux as a minicomputer ? Message-ID: <20020413193530.D1735@pegasys.ws> Mail-Followup-To: jw schultz , linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org In-Reply-To: <3CB88713.4070209@zytor.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.12i Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org On Sat, Apr 13, 2002 at 12:29:23PM -0700, H. Peter Anvin wrote: > Alan Cox wrote: > > > >>This is fundamentally the problem with these kinds of schemes -- they > >>get outcompeted on price and availability by the massmarket items. > >>This is part of the very attraction of Linux -- it's running Unix on > >>stock, cheap, hardware. > > > > The hardware is now massmarket - otherwise I'd agree wholeheartedly. Video > > cards are cheap, USB2.0 cards have 4 root bridges per card. > > > > Oh yes, but the *expensive* part of the machine -- the multiprocessor > box -- isn't. > > Also, when using massmarket systems of more than 2 or 3 monitors you > start having cabling problems. VGA connectors aren't impedance matched > and cause nasty reflections at high resolutions, so they don't extend > well. I guess digital video is coming, but is not yet mass market. > > -hpa > A single 1000Mhz+ CPU is overkill for most desktop users. Most medium to large workplaces are vast cubicle farms. Put one box at the intersection of 4 cubes...bingo 2meter VGA cables reach fine and you get 1/4th the maintenance, 1/4 the network drops, etc. This would even be advantagious for two desks side-by-side or back-to-back. -- ________________________________________________________________ J.W. Schultz Pegasystems Technologies email address: jw@pegasys.ws Remember Cernan and Schmitt - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/