On Fri, Nov 10, 2006 at 12:53:57AM -0500, Kevin Mark wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 09, 2006 at 04:09:19PM -0600, Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote:
> > >Probably cheaper yet (and certainly simpler) is one "heavy duty" box and a
> > >cheap (perhaps diskless) box as an X terminal.
> >
> > Actually I was after cheap *and* portable, commuting between two places
> > with a laptop, both places having an extra monitor/keybd/mouse, since
> > there would always be two of us.
If the issue is portability and use when you get there, not mobile use
on the road, then all you need is:
Smallest case you can get
micro MB
processor
memory
USB for keyboard, mouse, external drives
Lan (unless use a USB NIC)
perhaps onboard video
One or two SATA ports for hard drives
port for a CDROM if you need this and don't want to use
external USB CDROM
Small power supply, AC or 12V if you want mobile.
You could probably do this for around 300.
Or you could get an off-lease desktop unit like an IBM NetVista (here in
Kingston, ON, Can) for under $300.
Put the 3.5" hard drives in a shock-absorbing 5.5" bay enclosure.
The advantage of this is not much more weight than a laptop and replacement
parts readily available. With a laptop, if something breaks (other than
a hard drive) you're looking at a new laptop.
If you don't need the mobile nature of a laptop, go with a small desktop
type case. If you want to ruggedize it, carry it in a foam-lined
aluminum catalog case on wheels.
Doug.
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