subject:"\[Trisquel\-users\] Hardware\: cheap Intel config\?"

The northbridge is very very hot, bit I still had no problems. Be sure to  
clean NB and put quality thermal paste on the chip. Yes, this board is about  
30-50€ used. Don't forget to purchase Xeon x5460, the best CPU for that  
board you can buy.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

The PCIe GPU works fine as OpenGL render with DRI3, but it doesn't work as  
primary GPU.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

This gigabyte board runs much better with Xeon x5460, but needs a minimun  
quality cooler. And x5460 costs about 20€. Be careful if you want to flash  
that board by hardware. Also this board works fine with only one main spi  
chip (without backup one).

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

The problem of A20 computer card is GPU, other things are seems to be  
perfect.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

2017-04-03 Thread superbyelich

I too have not run into any Dell laptops yet that don't allow you to change  
the wifi adapter.  I have in fact run in to a few Hewlett-Packard laptops  
that have a restriction.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

2017-04-02 Thread gnula

Like many mobos, the G41M-ES2L has Realtek RTL8111, RTL8111C, to be precise.  
Some people complain about the chipset, have you experienced any problems?


Socket 775 motherboards aren’t dirt cheap on Ebay, they often are as  
expensive as some new 1150 socket mobos, but I rather like them, and socket  
775 CPU are totally dirt cheap.


Buying second-hand Ram can be a bit risky, though.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

2017-02-14 Thread svhaab

Is the G41M-ES2L the only option to get a libre software desktop? And  
libreboot has not supported all the mainboard's functions until recently or  
still does not? What about all the other atx mainboards that libreboot's  
website lists? Installing libreboot on them does not provide a libre software  
computer?

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

2017-02-13 Thread gnula

Yes, uboot, I’ve realized your G41M-ES2L motherboard is one in a million  
:-) Many thanks for the flashrom info :-)


I read the LibreBoot website pages. Very sad info about some FSF members :-(

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

uboot: they have a P4 socket 478, nothing like a P4 socket 775 which you  
mention. If they had P4 socket 775, I would add some Ram, and they would be  
good to go.


They don’t want a notebook, although of course they could attach their  
19"screen to the notebook.


I’ve heard of flashrom but it’s rather vague for me. I’m interested  
though for my own computer which is socket 775 and in good working order.  
Must add a more powerful CPU (E5800’s enough for me, I should think).  
Trisquel, Debian [libre] run fine on an E1240 but I feel that the next  
Trisquel will be a bit heavier, as will Stretch probably. Kernels apparently  
get heavier.


Okay, I’ll check if my motherboard is compatible with Libreboot.

I’m looking forward to Trisquel 8 :-)

Cheers

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?


Many thanks for all this information, onpon4.

I thought there was still some problem with the Allwinner A20 but that  
rhombus-tech had solved it on their own board (the people behind  
https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68/micro-desktop.


>the Allwinner A20 is one of the best SoCs for libre software today
That’s what I read on the Freedombox wiki, and I’d like to have a go but  
now you’ve made me aware of eoma68/rhombus-tech, well, I think I’d better  
wait for mass sale, if that happens.


Reading that page and the rhombus-tech pages, I was under the impression,  
this board was made up of smaller modules you could simply unswitch. I was  
wrong, then.


You buy the board, you can buy or make a little box for the board. That’s  
it. Or you can buy the board inside a laptop, and you keep the laptop case,  
keyboard and screen for ever and simply change the board, which is a good  
thing.


When you have a desktop computer, you usually keep your keyboard, mouse,  
case, and ethernet card (I have one that’s not an onboard one, because the  
onboard one is flaky), and sometimes, you can keep some other components or  
cards. I assembled our computers, so I try not to throw away components and  
re-use them.


Storage is a bit of a headache, with these boards. You need 2.5" hard drive  
disks which are expensive or 3.5" HDD in a case, which is also an expensive  
solution. I have 3.5" spare HDD but the problem is to connect them to the USB


So apart from the usb ethernet adapter,is it like the  
https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLinuXino/A20/A20-OLinuXIno-LIME2 whose price  
is before VAT, unfortunately — this becomes clear if you read the  
information about how to order.
Yet, I’m not sure about USB ethernet. The Raspberry Pi has an onboard one  
and I read it isn’t very good.


As for the computer for my friends, I’ll wait until they’ve bought their  
new camera, and then see what they really need to view their pictures on a  
light DE, like LXDE or even JWM. Perhaps oldish components will do.


Cheers,

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

> Reading that page and the rhombus-tech pages, I was under the impression,  
this board was made up of smaller modules you could simply unswitch. I was  
wrong, then.


It's inaccurate to think of a computer card as a "board". It's more like a  
cartridge. In fact, it's very similar to a PCMCIA card since PCMCIA card  
cases are being re-used. It's contained in protective casing and based on a  
strict standard. That makes it much easier for users to change and upgrade.


So there are two components: the computer card (which contains the SoC), and  
the housing (which contains all your interfaces). Different housings can have  
different sets of interfaces; the micro-desktop just has VGA and USB ports so  
you can hook it up to peripherals and use it like a desktop computer. The  
laptop has a screen, keyboard, "touchpad" (actually a small capacitive  
touchscreen), a battery, and USB ports. Different housings might have other  
sets of interfaces; there's a handheld game console someone is working on,  
for example.


But the point is, you separate the SoC from the interfaces. That way, you can  
use the same computer in multiple forms, and upgrading your computer is much  
cheaper and less wasteful.


This is less noticeable for desktop computers, but it does have an effect  
there, too. Desktop computers' motherboards are limited in terms of what they  
can accept. Eventually, you have to replace the motherboard to upgrade the  
CPU or RAM. However, any EOMA68 computer card will work in any EOMA68 housing  
it can fit into, so it won't have this problem with EOMA68. You can even  
flip-flop between architectures in your upgrades if you want to.


> So apart from the usb ethernet adapter,is it like the  
https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLinuXino/A20/A20-OLinuXIno-LIME2


No, not at all. What you linked to is just a single-board computer. The A20  
computer card can be used like that (it's an extra feature of that particular  
computer card), but the primary way you use it and other EOMA68 computer  
cards is by plugging it into EOMA68 housings.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

2017-02-07 Thread greatgnu


What you want to check is the GPU. Make it an Intel GPU but not the skylake.
There is I would say 95% of chance the wifi adapter/bluetooth won't work  
without proprietary firmware but external or internal ones are very cheap.  
You buy one, you plug it in and it works. Look at thinkpenguin below (the add  
on this website).

[Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?


Hello Trisquel happy users,

I’m looking for a new desktop computer for a couple of friends who don’t  
need much. They were happy with their old Pentium 4 but it’s time for a  
change.
They’re need to be able to view their pictures (new camera, so very heavy  
pictures) comfortably, and perhaps crop them with Gthumb, but nothing much.


They don’t want to spend much on their computer. So far, I’ve found a few  
ideas:


* ASRock D1800B-ITX Mini-ITX + Processor Intel Celeron J1800

* Gigabyte GA-H81M-S2H / Gigabyte GA-H81M-D2V + processor Celeron G1840 (2.8  
GHz) or Intel Pentium G3240 (3.1 GHz)


Do you know if those mobos work out of the box?
What’s you opinion/experience of this hardware.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?


If it has to be x86, I'd suggest finding something used on ebay or something.

If not, and their needs are low as you say, why not an EOMA68 computer card +  
micro-desktop? :) It only adds up to a total of $120, and it's upgradeable.  
It even consumes a whole lot less power, so they'll save money on electricity  
in the long-run (in addition to the long-term savings on upgrades).

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

Many thanks for your explanations, onpon4. I’m beginning to see the light  
;-) The Rombus-tech website isn’t very clear. First, I thought there were  
different mini-cards you could assemble on to the main card, then I thought  
"housing" was like a case, or a box, like they sell for the  
A20-OLinuXIno-LIME2, with the right openings.


So, to take an example,for the EOMA68 computer card, you need to buy the  
housing to have a VGA port. The VGA port is part of the housing, not part of  
the computer card.
If you buy the A20-OLinuXIno-LIME2, you have no VGA port (though you may have  
one perhaps, but no matter for the moment). If later they sell a single board  
with a VGA port, and you still want the VGA port, you need to buy a new  
single board.


On the contrary, if Rombus tech or someone else makes a housing with an  
ethernet port for the EOMA68 computer card, you can keep the card and buy the  
housing.


Still, I’d be totally bowled over if I was able to buy an ethernet port and  
attach it myself, one way or another, but of course that would mean that  
Rombus tech would make electronic circuits for various ports on their card.
At present, USB ports have been chosen since they are somewhat universal: you  
can "attach" ethernet, wifi, sata hard disk, USB flash drive, etc.


Am I still talking nonsense? (I love those single boards like  
A20-OLinuXIno-LIME2, Beagle Board, Novena, but perhaps, I’d better wait for  
the EOMA68 computer card)

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?


> The Rombus-tech website isn’t very clear.

Yeah, that's not really the best place to read about it. Better are the Crowd  
Supply page, and the specification, which is written here:


http://elinux.org/Embedded_Open_Modular_Architecture/EOMA68

> On the contrary, if Rombus tech or someone else makes a housing with an  
ethernet port for the EOMA68 computer card, you can keep the card and buy the  
housing.


Yes, exactly.

> At present, USB ports have been chosen since they are somewhat universal:  
you can "attach" ethernet, wifi, sata hard disk, USB flash drive, etc.


Exactly. There's actually a bigger housing which has been proposed called the  
mini-desktop which contains Ethernet and SATA ports, but the micro-desktop is  
simpler, so it made sense to start with that. :)

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?

> I’d miss a real ethernet port.

Think Penguin sells a USB adapter for that:

https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-usb-20-hi-speed-10100-fast-ethernet-network-adapter

> Allwinner not being totally free (guilty of some violation of the GPL)

The GPL violations related to the A20 were resolved years ago, so it's not
really relevant. As it stands, the Allwinner A20 is one of the best SoCs for
libre software today.

> onpon4, do you still use your computer? What can you do with it?

My computer is an x86 laptop from Think Penguin right now. The EOMA68
products haven't been sent out yet. ;) That should be in another month or
two.

If you meant to ask about the OpenPandora, no, I don't use it anymore, mainly
because the way you install software on it is terribly inconvenient and most
software compiled for it is linked directly to the userland blob required by
its PowerVR GPU for hardware acceleration. Also, the connection of the
battery contacts is somewhat unreliable and I'm not commonly in situations
where its portability would be useful anyway.

But back when I was using the OpenPandora, I was able to do everything I
wanted to do with it for the most part. Actually, other than the 256 MB of
RAM (which required limiting Firefox to a couple tabs at a time), I just
didn't have any difficulties with the performance of the hardware with the
exception of 3-D games and games written in Python.

> It is "upgradable", well, only by throwing away the single board and buying
another one, if I understand right. You can’t even add RAM. Of course,
it’s better than getting rid of a whole big desktop computer.

The computer card, you mean. Yes, that's how it works, though you could very
easily resell the computer card on ebay (and should do so). Also, the new
computer card is much cheaper than a whole new computer would be, except it
is a whole new computer. :)

Note that while the cost of pre-ordering an A20 card is $65, it has been
stated that the mass-market volume cost would be much lower - I want to say
$30, but I'm not entirely sure. Other computer cards are likely to be around
the $50 range as well.

Also don't forget the modularity of everything else: with the micro-desktop,
the computer card, wireless/ethernet, keyboard, mouse, screen, and storage
are all separate components which you don't need to replace every time you
want to upgrade the performance. ;)

Re: [Trisquel-users] Hardware: cheap Intel config?