rmariger wrote: > I am considering buying a used notebook and dedicating it to running > slimserver and my buffalo linkstation nas. The notebook would be > running slimserver and a browser only.
Can I ask why a notebook? You can run SlimServer on a really cheap used desktop. Notebooks are many times more expensive. All you need is a P3-900 or so. 512 MB of Ram will work fine. > I’d like advice on the minimal specs the notebook should have with > respect to memory and CPU speed. I’m thinking the laptop would be two > to three years old. Is there a particular CPU I should be looking for > to save energy? If you are insisting on a notebook, look for a Centrino or other low power version. > Also, is setting up linux pretty straight-forward? Is linking linux > and windows machines on a network problematic? Simple. Easy. > My guess is the notebook I buy will have XP installed. In that case, > should I just go with XP or are my instincts correct that Linux offers > substantially greater efficiencies? How about boot-up time? Boot time is irrelevant if you plan to leave it running all the time. Linux can be more hardware efficient, but many of the popular distros have lots of eye candy that take a fair amount of computing. Linux gurus can configure it to be very efficient, a basic Linux can run in 32 MB of ram. But you aren't a guru, so I wouldn't go there. Wireless is substantially more challenging on Linux, I'm typing this now on an ancient Dell laptop wirelessly. The Knoppix live CDs are a great way to test things. But it is hard to test a used laptop. -- Pat Farrell http://www.pfarrell.com/ _______________________________________________ unix mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/unix
