Selling Linux ??

[Howard Gibson]

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 19:24:56 -0500
William Park <opengeometry-FFYn/CNdgSA at public.gmane.org> wrote:

> 1.  Does anyone know who is currently selling (Linux based) X-terminals?
> 
>     X-terminal is the "canonical" solution for many situations.  And, recent
>     development in PXE network booting makes 
> 	Etherboot, Netboot, Rom-a-matic, LTSP (Linux Terminal Server
> 	Project), Mknbi-linux, Imggen, ...
>     all obsolete.  If you have 3c905 (what I have), then you can boot
>     over network without above packages.  I'm told you can also do that
>     with Intel's ethernet card, as expected since PXE is Intel spec.
> 
> 2.  Do you think there is much demand for 2, 3, or 4 users logging onto
>     single computer?  ie. "Linux mainframe".
> 
>     That is, multiple sets of monitors, keyboards, and mouses hooked up
>     to single computer; much like serial terminals, but with XDM.  This
>     would be primarily aimed at home market, where you want to have one
>     computer serving 2, 3, or 4 users, but don't want to buy 2, 3, or 4
>     separate computers.
> 
> Any comments or insights would be appreciated.

William,

   An X Terminal is nothing more than a machine with a monitor, keyboard and mouse that puts up an X11 display.  You do not care what the OS is.  

   What Linux gets you is a use for all those old Pentiums that everybody wants to get rid of, that otherwise, are running perfectly.  If the hardware is okay, Linux provides an X display.  My experince from quite a few years ago is that X Terminals are rather expensive for something that is little more than a dumb terminal.  

   As far as a central computer is concerned, there is no free lunch.  If your users require 256MB each, your four-user machine requires 1GB of memory.  Multiple processors sound to me like a good idea.

-- 
Howard Gibson 
hgibson-MwcKTmeKVNQ at public.gmane.org
howard-42qnO8ePF9cV+D8aMU/kSg at public.gmane.org 
http://home.eol.ca/~hgibson
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