Future Linux machines?

[gaf at blu.org (Jerry Feldman)]

Mike,
I think there could be a market for this. I'm not sure if the BLU can make 
it a project at this time. I think old 486 systems could be employed as 
firewalls on home networks where 10Mbps is still faster than the cable 
modem or DSL connection.
Michael Bilow wrote:
> I am trying to liquidate computers from a private school which is having
> to close after 150 years.  While the computers are considerably newer than
> that, the bulk of them have 486 CPUs, usually 66MHz although some are a
> bit faster or a bit slower, 8MB RAM, and usually IDE hard drives of a few
> hundred megabytes capacity.  Nearly all of the computers have Ethernet
> cards, either 10Base-T/AUI or 10Base-T/10Base-2/AUI.
> 
> There are about 40 machines which we could boot and test, about 10 more
> machines with problems which are probably fixable but not as part of our
> testing procedure, plus about 10 or so machines which were not tested for
> other reasons, such as finding that they had 386 instead of 486 CPUs or
> that they had what sounds like loose parts or screws floating in the case.
> 
> These machines, mainly because of the RAM limitation, are not really
> suitable for running Windows 95/98/ME, so they cannot be realistically
> sold to the general public.  To be frank, we are looking at scrap value.  
> Expanding the memory probably is not an option, as many of these machines
> probably have 8MB because they use 30-pin SIMM and all eight slots are
> filled with 1MBx9 SIMMs.
> 
> We have been thinking that these machines might make quite nice Linux
> desktops, however.  A lot of people seem to want to try Linux, but they
> either are afraid to install it or afraid to mess up their main computer.  
> These boxes, which were deliberately set up to be fairly straightforward
> networked workstations in the first place, might make ideal second
> computers for such people, especialy if -- and this is the key part of the
> idea -- these machines were to be sold with Linux preinstalled.  After
> all, people commonly go to the store and buy a shrink-wrapped box of
> Linux for $30-80, so why not throw in a computer for the same price?  It
> would be a kind of "Super-Installfest."
> 
> A number of goals could be achieved: the school could get a little money
> to pay off some of its final debts, many people would be exposed to Linux
> in a fairly easy and friendly way, and the school would be able to vacate
> its premises as required by the end of this month.
> 
> There are some downsides.  These computers come with no monitors.  (The
> school does have monitors, but they are being paired with the better
> computers first.)  There are few if any mice, although there are probably
> close to a sufficient number of keyboards.  The computers are not heavy,
> but it would probably be uneconomical to ship them anywhere, at least in
> single lot quantities.  There are no CD-ROM drives.
> 
> Offsetting these downsides is the probability that the computers could go
> very, very cheaply.  I would be happy to get $50 each for machines like
> this, with Linux preinstalled and configured.
> 
> What do people think about this?  Are these machine worth anything?  
> Would people pay enough to make it worthwhile to invest the time to
> install Linux on them?  Does the BLU have any interest in making a project
> out of these machines?  Or are 486 computers really just scrap now?
> 
> -- Mike
> 
> 
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-- 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Boston Linux and Unix user group
http://www.blu.org


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