[plug] LTSP + Multiple XF86 users

[Chris Caston]

On Thu, 2003-12-04 at 06:41, Leon Brooks wrote:
> On Wed, 3 Dec 2003 23:38, Chris Caston wrote:
> > This may sound crazy but do you think it would be possible for a LTSP
> > client to have multiple video cards, input devices and XF86 users?
> 
> Yes.
> 
> The only problem is that Linux runs *all* of its keyboard interface 
> stuff through a single console driver. This is supposed to have been 
> fixed for 2.6 but I haven't checked up on it recently.
> 

Yes I noticed there in the article that with the kernel version he used
it was a bit of a hack. I found up there were changes to 2.6 to keyboard
and mouse input when my mouse didn't work ;-)

So hopefully these are the changes that would make it easier.

> In fanless land... there are very few fanless video cards around these 
> days, and the VIA fanless CPUs are limited to one or two PCI slots on a  
> motherboard.
> 
Your right, those $&@#*@#&@# (pardon my french) gamers have molded a
market where you *can't* buy a basic video card anymore instead it's all
the fancy gamers stuff. It may be possible to source pci video from Ch,
or Tw or buy them in bulk from a local wholesaler.
 
  
> Since motherboards with integrated video are now relatively cheap (about 
> $200 including CPU) 

Don't forget RAM but your figures are close. Check out this:

MSI P4MAM-L P4 and DirectPC 256Mb
PC2700 DDR
                              $99.00
DPC (By KME) Midi Tower ATX Case
with 300W ( 350W Max)Power Supply,
with Dual USB Ports & Blue Front LED
Lights (Can be disabled)
                              $39.00
Intel Celeron 2.0GHz in Socket
478pins, 128KL2 Cache 0.18micron
Technology
                              $95.00
GST
                              $23.30
total
                             $256.30


AsRock K7VM4 and DirectPC 256Mb
PC2700 DDR - $109ex
                             $109.00
DPC (By KME) Midi Tower ATX Case
with 300W ( 350W Max)Power Supply,
with Dual USB Ports & Blue Front LED
Lights (Can be disabled)
                              $39.00
AMD Athlon XP 2000+for Socket A
Retail with Heat Sink Fan & 3 years
Warranty
                              $97.00
GST
                              $24.50
total
                             $269.50

> and fast PCI video cards (even with fans) are not, 
> it no longer makes so much sense to cram multiple video cards into one 
> motherboard or even one box.

I was thinking about what kind of heat this would generate. It needs
more R&D.

>  A flat screen, mouse and keyboard is going 
> to set you back $500 anyway. The remaining major potential per-user 
> cost is software licences.

Depends what software is running but, aside from user opensource
software or cheaper software you can't get out of this anyway.

There is also support. Less dead motherboards and burnt out CPU's. 

Also an upfront saving of even $100 hw costs when multipled by deployed
machines (say 100)

100 * 100 = 10000

Now try submitting a tender for a major project that is $10g cheaper and
see what happens (:

> Cheers; Leon
> 
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