(Was: Re: X Window Server for DOS)
On Thu, 26 Aug 1999 18:17:40 -0600, pippi5 wrote:
> Hal, that's my goal too. I'm still learning all the many and
> varied details for doing this, and slowly collecting at far
> too much expense, a collection of computers and parts.
> Unfortunately, the retail prices in the local second hand market
> are yet somewhat prohibitive and there isn't a lot of equipment
> in that market. Most of the old computers around this city appear
> to be kept in storage "just in case" and so are being wasted on
> dust. I hope for a goodly glut next spring.
Almost the same situation here in Indonesia, older PC and their
parts are hard to find; and the retail prices for second hand market
are still quite high compared to our (majority) average income rate.
Quite ironic IMHO, as labor costs are extremely low, and we're not
so strict about environment-hazardous materials. Newer PCs and the
internet are still viewed as rich people's goodies. ISPs usually
advocated it services as only useable with newer PC's, and even
worst -- we still have to paid our online time by minutes (we only
have one telco 'till the year 2010). Please correct me if I'm
wrong! ;-)
Back to the subject, this "thin client" approach might provide a
way out from this situation. By taking advantage of most people's
browsing habit (technically called "overbooking"): requesting pages
- read them (takes time) - requesting another pages - writing mail
(takes lots more time) - and so on. While on the same time the
online time flies so fast, and should be paid for by minutes, used
or not used.
Thus, how about setting up an low cost community cybercafe, which
consisting of a single powerful X-Window server, *sharing* (also)
a single internet account to a bunch of SurvPCs via LAN? Another
advantage, the server could also be loaded with newer offline apps,
which normally only usable on more powerful PC's than the actual
thin clients. Perhaps anyone here have real-world experience on
this setup?
You see, the only expensive component here is the server hardware.
The rest including older NICs (LAN cards) are SurvPC equipments,
which could be gathered for almost free from surplus outlets,
charity orgs, or donations. But I'm affraid this might only true
for the US and some part of Europe, which I keep heard have a huge
overstock of old 'puter stuff. Remember our "full-functional-
SurvPC-from-a-trashcan" story posted here some time ago? ;)
Overall, just an idea... ("my 2 cents" as you say? ;). The more
expensive cybercafe setup (using all P class machines, Win NT
server-client, star LAN with Hub, aircon cozy room, etc.) even
made a bunch of thriving small-medium sized businesess here <g>.
But that's another story...
PS- Please do reply to the list, a lot more people could benefit
more this way (we forming a public knowledgebase here) -- not
only the original poster.
--Eko
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