[ILUG] Hardware solutions

[David Neary]

Hi,

Not sure if this'll be any help, but for this kind of think, I always
found the Hardware purchasing guide by ESR pretty good. There's an
essay-type version online at Linux Journal
(http://www2.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/issue36/box.html), and a nicely
split-up reference version at 
http://www.ccil.org/~esr/clone-hw-guide/contents.html. 

It goes into reasons why cheaper processors don't really hurt a system,
while less RAM does, and why you should spend more on a monitor than other
stuff. He reccommends SCSI, particularly for multidisk systems. It's
somewhat outdated (I quote, "Don't bother with the latest Pentium Pro
whizbang 300mHz super-scorcher with a cooling fan bigger than it is"), but
it's got solid advice.

Cheers,
Dave Neary.

On Mon, 17 Jan 2000, Paul Linehan wrote:

> 
> > http://www.linux.ie/hardwarevendors.html
> 
> 
> Hmmmm... a ten minute response time - you really 
> will have to do better in future!   8-)
> 
> 
> 
> Seriously though, I should perhaps have stressed this 
> bit more.
> 
> 
> > Also, any URLs/references about the pros and cons 
> > of purchasing a machine that is Linux compatible?
> > Winmodems to be avoided of course - what other issues
> > are there?
> > What about USB? 
> 
> 
> I really am quite a newbie to the hardware scene - 
> I normally just get given a machine and am told to
> get on with it!
> 
> 
> If I do go for building a machine myself, what are the 
> issues that I shall have to think about? I'll probably
> whack NT onto the first 2GB - work &c.   8-(
> 
> My first question would be about SCSI.
> 
> Is this worth going for? If so, are there any special
> hardware requirements? 
> 
> In a sense, does Linux "not care" about SCSI, this being a 
> hardware matter out of the hands, so to speak, of the 
> OS?
> 
> What about my choice of motherboard?
> 
> Would this be a good one? Pentium II/III BX chipset
> 
> 
> If I did purchase the above (the heart of the machine)
> would it restrict me in future? What about USB? Firewire?
> Adding peripherals?
> 
> 
> What about modems - some sort of internet connectivity is
> very important - if I have an external modem, will that use
> up a port, thereby stopping me using something else?
> 
> 
> What about the (hopefully near) future?
> 
> 
> When USB &c. does come in, will that mean that I can just
> "daisy chain" my modem, USB zip drive and my 43 other USB 
> peripherals?
> 
> 
> Final point. Is anyone really annoyed that it is now impossible
> for example to find a 4 GB HDD or a Pentium 200? The machine that
> I want will just be for a bit of internet access, some emails and
> maybe a wee bit of C++ programming. I don't *_need_* 8.4 GB and a 
> Pentium 500.
> 
> 
> Thanks for your input - I would welcome comments on any of
> these matters from anybody - and be particularly grateful 
> for anyone pointing out any errors or misunderstandings that
> I may have made.
> 
> 
> Paul Linehan.
> 
> 
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