Jack PC

[james.bottomtooth]

http://www.chippc.com/thin-clients/jack-pc/



not exactly a competitor, but seems fun.

anyone knows anything about this? is it good and/or usable? can you put linux on it?

[Apoc112]

We have a pair of thin clients here at the office, used for server diagnostics.

AFAIK, it can only be used as a client for a Terminal or Citrix server.

[Karel Jansens]

I think you'd be better off with a Linutop (http://www.linutop.com/). A bit bigger, but it's a full-on pc.

[james.bottomtooth]

cool. Linutop looks hella awesome.

i just randomly came across Jack PC and was surprised by that thing.

i guess nowadays, the possibilities are limitless.

[djashjones]

I think you'd be better off with a Linutop (http://www.linutop.com/). A bit bigger, but it's a full-on pc.


Thats very expensive. your better off with a mini-itx.

http://www.mini-itx.com/

[james.bottomtooth]

Thats very expensive. your better off with a mini-itx.http://www.mini-itx.com/
mini-itx is also around $400 without memory and HDD. and out of stock.

thanks for the ideas, is there any other similar products?

[sJv]

I think you'd be better off with a Linutop (http://www.linutop.com/). A bit bigger, but it's a full-on pc.

Nice. There's also the Fit-PC (http://www.fit-pc.com/). It uses a similar AMD Geode, costs less (for US folks), and includes a 40GB hard disk, but is a little bigger.

But if cost is important, check out the DecTOP (http://www.dataevolution.com/dectop%20info%202.htm). $99USD. Less capable than the Fit-PC, but still an x86 Linux machine.

-steve

[james.bottomtooth]

thanks for the ideas. i'm really itching to get something like this now, but most of them are kinda hard to get.

i've been googling these things non stop for 2 days. anyone has any direct experience?

so far dectop (with weird negative comment from this month about no delivery of the product) and Norhtec (seems hard to get) look affordable enough to play around with...

[james.bottomtooth]

Nice. There's also the Fit-PC (http://www.fit-pc.com/). It uses a similar AMD Geode, costs less (for US folks), and includes a 40GB hard disk, but is a little bigger.

arg. all of them are so hard to get... "print it, and fax it" - i don't have a fax to fax CC info around, also at $350+

seems like most of those tiny PCs are geared (appropriately) toward large orders for companies looking for computing solutions...

[drizek]

http://www.chippc.com/thin-clients/jack-pc/



not exactly a competitor, but seems fun.

anyone knows anything about this? is it good and/or usable? can you put linux on it?

lol, it has more ports than a Macbook Air.

[Karel Jansens]

arg. all of them are so hard to get... "print it, and fax it" - i don't have a fax to fax CC info around, also at $350+

seems like most of those tiny PCs are geared (appropriately) toward large orders for companies looking for computing solutions...

I can't speak for any of the others, but I simply ordered my Linutop from their shop and paid with PayPal. It took quite a while to arrive, but that was because I pre-ordered. These days it takes less than a forthnight.

About the experience: I haven't had any (yet), beyond turning it on and see if it boots (which it does; boot is very slow, but the Linutop is meant to be left on). The Linutop was meant to serve as a secondary pc, attached to a flatscreen tv with VGA input, in our new home in Thailand. Due to all sorts of legalities, we're not in our new home (yet), so the Linutop sits on a shelf, collecting dust. I did buy a wireless keyboard-with-trackball (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Accuratus-Toughball-Wireless-Keyboard-Trackball/dp/B000IZU51G) that works fine with the Linutop.

The company does follow up on its product and has released several software updates already (see here (http://www.linutop.com/blog/)for more info). I especially like the fact that everything, including the OS, runs off a USB stick; the plan is to give every member of the houshold their own stick, so there's no messing with other people's files (and pr0n!)

[james.bottomtooth]

is Linutop's OS open source? and/or available to download? or is it just 'standard' Xubuntu?

[Karel Jansens]

is Linutop's OS open source? and/or available to download? or is it just 'standard' Xubuntu?

http://www.linutop.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

[theflew]

Get a Zonbu - that's what I did:

http://www.zonbu.com

Even if you buy it outright it is only $249.

[gino800]

lol, it has more ports than a Macbook Air.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA that made my afternoon, thanks buddy

[james.bottomtooth]

http://www.linutop.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

the answer is maybe :)

[james.bottomtooth]

Get a Zonbu - that's what I did:http://www.zonbu.com
Even if you buy it outright it is only $249.
i don't know... starting at $279 + hassle free plan of 14.95/mo?

i don't get zonbu plans and what happens if you refuse them? is hardware still usable? they just charge you more?

[Drewvt]

i don't know... starting at $279 + hassle free plan of 14.95/mo?

i don't get zonbu plans and what happens if you refuse them? is hardware still usable? they just charge you more?

Interesting concept, certainly in terms of reusability and sustainability, but you do become very dependent on one company, IMO. It's such a close relationship that it brings to mind privacy issues and how far they'll actually go with their replacement policies.

[Karel Jansens]

the answer is maybe :)

It appears the only "problem" with different distros or OSs is that you have to get them on a bootable USB stick. See here: Debian Etch on Linutop.
(http://www.linutop.com/wiki/index.php/Debian_etch_install_on_Linutop)
So all you need to boot different OSs from a Linutop, is a Linutop boot key, but since you get one with every Linutop, it's more a part of the hardware than the software.

[james.bottomtooth]

So all you need to boot different OSs from a Linutop, is a Linutop boot key, but since you get one with every Linutop, it's more a part of the hardware than the software.
i was curious if Linutop OS can be downloaded to try out, but it seems like it is downloaded once you have Linutop or possible from another linux machine.

[Karel Jansens]

i was curious if Linutop OS can be downloaded to try out, but it seems like it is downloaded once you have Linutop or possible from another linux machine.

In fact, the Linutop pc comes with a 1GB USB stick with the OS preloaded. For upgrades, you need another stick of minimally that size. And really, if you want to try it out, get a Ubuntu live CD; there's no difference AFAICS.

(Linutop upgrades the OS over the 'Net, but it cannot upgrade a running OS, so that's why you need the second stick)

[james.bottomtooth]

well, i just ordered VIA ARTiGO Pico-ITX Builder Kit (http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/embedded/artigo/) = $279.00

will see what will happen.

there is a feller on ebay that sells linutop for $199 + shipping. i'm still on the fence thinking of buying it, weird that nobody else pulled a trigger.


btw, if anyone wants, here are some links i've been gathering in the last few days of non-stop googling. thanks for some of your suggestions... i have such ADD that i can't get through a page before i have to google something else....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Linux_mini_computers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Rural-computer
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2007/09/19/portable-qemu-persistent-pendrivelinux/
http://www.logicsupply.com/products
http://www.imedialinux.com/
http://www.mini-box.com/s.nl/sc.8/category.12/.f
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/embedded/artigo/index.jsp#a9
http://www.norhtec.com/products/index.html
http://compactpc.com.tw/ebox-4854.htm
http://www.mini-itx.com/
http://www.fit-pc.com/new/fit-pc/about-fit-pc.html
http://www.dataevolution.com/dectop%20info%202.htm
http://damnsmalllinux.org/store/Mini_ITX_Systems
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7754614