Re: tlug: NetWinder ?

[Jim Tittsler <jwt-tlug@example.com>]

On Fri, Sep 25, 1998 at 01:27:52PM +0900, Joe Marchak wrote:
> 
> Hey Jim, I see from your latest .sig that you've got the
> NetWinder going.  How is it?

I've been using one for a bit more than a month now.  Unfortunately the
software still isn't ready for prime time (just as I posted back on
August 22nd).  Many of the glitches come from ARM-Linux still being
relatively young.  The kernel is *still* not self-hosted and the firmware
that handles booting is quite bare bones.  The lack of a "package" based
software distribution is complicating updates. Corel have been promising to
release new firmware/software in "a few days" for the past 3 weeks.  I think
Corel was forced to ship the machine before it was really ready, and have
been scrambling to keep up with the demand.  (A situation I recognize only
too well from the release of the Atari ST... so I can't really criticize
them too harshly. :-)

The box is quite cute.  It is impressive to have a 275MHz StrongARM machine
with two Ethernet ports (one of which is 100Mbit), video in/out, 3.2 GB HDD,
etc. in a box about the size of an MN128 ISDN router.  One of these and a
router would make a great small office setup for OCN Economy.  (Even better
for the folks in the real world that have cheap ADSL.)  That it is small
and consumes less than 30W should make it palatable to folks that are just
getting to the point of wanting to have a server on 24Hr/day.  The only real
negative is that the box has a VERY noisy small fan to keep it cool.  It is
not suited for living room use in its present form, which is unfortunate
given its amusing video/audio I/O possibilities.

The portability is also fun.  I've used mine as a "portable NFS server,"
loading up a bunch of stuff and then hauling it off to a disconnected
network for doing software installation.

People have been using them for real work.  I run WindowMaker without
problems, although the current X server is something of a slug.
Others have ported KDE and browser. The lack of hardware floating point
makes some of the compression schemes used for streaming audio/video tougher
than we've come to expect in the modern world.  For now it is a workable
microserver.  Work progresses to make it an interesting small desktop.

http://www.corelcomputer.com/
http://www.netwinder.org/
http://starship.skyport.net/crew/jtittsler/netwinder/faq.cgi

[If I can make it to the next TLUG meeting, I'll bring it along for
show-and-tell time.]

-- 
Jim Tittsler, Tokyo   ICQ: 5981586


---------------------------------------------------------------
Next Meeting: 10 October, 12:30 Tokyo Station Yaesu central gate
Next Nomikai: 20 November, 19:30  Tengu TokyoEkiMae 03-3275-3691
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sponsor: PHT, makers of TurboLinux http://www.pht.co.jp