Re: linux as a minicomputer ?

From: H. Peter Anvin (hpa@zytor.com)
Date: Sat Apr 13 2002 - 14:36:22 EST


Alan Cox wrote:
>>Oh yes, but the *expensive* part of the machine -- the multiprocessor
>>box -- isn't.
>
> If you need SMP (frequently doubtful) its a price, but dual celeron and
> dual duron are cheap if you buy them from sensible vendors.
>
>>Also, when using massmarket systems of more than 2 or 3 monitors you
>>start having cabling problems. VGA connectors aren't impedance matched
>>and cause nasty reflections at high resolutions, so they don't extend
>>well. I guess digital video is coming, but is not yet mass market.
>
> Indeed and most of it is not specced for long distances. It will also no
> doubt be held up even more now the encryption on the wire wants to be augmented
> by the newer watermarking stuff so the monitor won't show movies without
> authorization
>

If you're talking about things like setting up multiheaded UP and
dual-processor machines for, say, an undergraduate lab in a university,
then I think you're probably on the right track -- *especially* if the
alternative would be using X-terminals (gack!!!) to leech the CPU power
anyway.

Otherwise, I think that's probably the main "minicomputeresque" form of
Linux usage -- remote X display.

        -hpa

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