-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AlphaByte [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2000 6:57 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: Terminals, like in the 'good old days''. ;-)
>
>
> Corel had a Linux terminal setup called Sidewinder. Each
> terminal has a box
> connected over a LAN to a minicomputer running Linux. The
> company was spun off
> and called Corel Computer.
>
> They are now called Rebel.com at http://www.rebel.com and the
> product is now
> called Netwinder.
>
> Alan
Only problem I run into with the Netwinder's are the cost 999.00 up to
1,995.00( I didnt locate a Sidewinder ). For what you are paying for one
could buy/build a very nice PC and set it up to do the very same things
this machine does. And these machines are not really X-Terminals.(
http://shop.rebel.com/netwinder/pricing.cfm )
IBM has a product called the NetStation. They are including software to
run Linux on these machines now (
http://service.boulder.ibm.com/nc/linux/linux.shtml ) which is nice but
still the models reported to run Linux the 2200 or the 2800 series are
IMHO overpriced 2800 starts at 899.00 while the 2200 starts at 679.00 (
2800 =
http://commerce.www.ibm.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce/CategoryDisplay?cgmenbr=1&;
c
gnbr=Network+Station+Series+2800&cntry=840&lang=en_US ) ( 2200 =
http://commerce.www.ibm.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce/CategoryDisplay?cgmenbr=1&;
c
gnbr=Network+Station+Series+2200&cntry=840&lang=en_US ).
The I-opener from Netpliance ( http://www.netpliance.com ) is a very
attractive hardware setup. Many resources on the net can be found on
hacking this to get Linux to run on it. They have the kind of hardware
and price I think an X-Terminal or thin client should have, well maybe a
larger screen size would be better, at 99.00. Problem is they have the
machines setup to connect only to their ISP and don't really offer
alternatives such as a Lan connection or ability to use your own ISP. I
and many other would pay more to get the features we want. But for now
ya gotta hack em.
Perhaps the best idea I have found so far, which I have not pursued just
yet is a bootable network card. I can slap it into any old small
footprint box, set up a server and have a solution for a diskless
X-terminal. Check out http://www.disklessworkstations.com/ where you can
purchase very inexpensive bootable network cards. They also have premade
diskless stations as well as servers. However, I still find thier
preconfigured machines too expensive for what you get. Their prices on
the Linksys bootable card IS very attractive though (
http://www.disklessworkstations.com/cgi-bin/cat/100003?NTf5MxIh;;25 ).
In conjuction with the Linux Terminal Server Project this could be a
nice solution ( http://www.ltsp.org ).
I think with the proliferation of broadband internet access like xDSL
and cable, along with a lot of families who would like multiple machines
for family members, the "thin client" or "X-Terminal" can finally become
more prominant outside of business uses. I even think business would
benefit more from this too. For example, @Home offers ( in my area
anyway ) up to three IP addresses. They also explain you can connect
your cable to a hub or switch and do your own networking on their one
cable connection at your home ( provided you don't run servers over
their connection, check the terms of service to be sure ). Telocity
offers DSL in my area ( as well as Covad and a couple others ) and I can
see where either of these can make a family like mine happy by having
the small lan in the house utilizing a "gateway/server" and a "Thin
Client/X-Terminals" for the kids etc.
But for me the magic number for cost is about $300.00 bucks per station.
I would pay this for a setup similar to the I-opener. Ideally it would
have: Small footprint, 10/100 Lan connectivity and ability to use ppp
with included display ( like the I-openers display ), Linux for the OS.
Scott Kindley
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP Personal Privacy 6.0.2
iQA/AwUBOO3k+nPDicvPquiCEQJDCACg4Cr1s+XzgclSrYh3EOTVvf5CDjQAoLvj
fcpWsmlbIdLAB0PrLnJTHKUI
=ZymL
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
--
To unsubscribe: mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] with "unsubscribe"
as the Subject.
