[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       suse-linux-uk-schools
Subject:    Linux Internet Appliances using 486 PCs
From:       kevin.taylor () powerconv ! alstom ! com
Date:       2000-09-22 8:52:02
[Download RAW message or body]



> Please (Pretty Please!) change the 'subject'
> when changing, well, the subject.

Thousand appologies - I am always winging about this
on my own lists - and here I am, doing the same !

> The technical idea is sound, the support, development
> and maintenance model have to keep with the OSS approach.

That is the key.  The problem with this whole area, is that
I don't see how it can work from a central body, commercially.
If you have people that can do the work (ie a technician/IT
person) in school - then you could create a whole internet
lab from them.

> An estimate stated that there were around 250,000
> unwanted 486s in warehouses in the UK, that's half a
> landfill site.

This is exactly the sort of thing that got me into this
area in the first place.  I have 10 of those in my spare room !

I would really like to do this with some of my 10 at my
daughters school, but there are a number of fundamental
problems that stand in my way :
1. I cannot support it full time (I have another job :-)
2. They would need to buy a single top-spec machine as
a server (and all their money/machines are tied up)
3. They would be doing things on their own, as all
their central IT support is Windows based.

I am not sure how the OSS model, of sending stuff
around the world electronically could relate to hardware
though :-)

We could perhaps take the view that a series of
single distributions could be developed to do a single
thing - and that thing only.  This could be used to turn
a single machine into an internet 'appliance' with
minimal fuss.

I have seen reviews of 'network-area-storage' devices,
'internet ready' cameras, 'web-server-in-a-box' devices,
all based on Linux, with admin via the web.

I would be interested in adding to the smoothwall idea.

Kevin.



[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]