Re: Cheap hardware X-terms?

[Ray Olszewski <ray@comarre.com>]

My new comments are at the end.

At 07:36 PM 9/21/99 -0400, Doug Loss wrote [in part]:
>Ray Olszewski wrote [in part]:

>> Unless you can assume a standard hardware configuration, this soon starts to
>> turn into an installation problem as complex as any standard Linux install
>> (less stuff to install, yes, but the installer needs a lot of flexibility).
>> The possibilities here are intriguing, though ... perhaps those others on
>> the list who have done large-scale deployments of Linux-based XTerminals can
>> comment?
>
>Well, I haven't done that, but I can think of a few ways to minimize
>the differences.  First, assume 640x480 resolution regardless of what
>the different systems are actually capable of.  Next, configure the
>entire hard disk as one partition.  Last, although there are many
>different NICs, there probably is are settings that will work on all
>of them (I'm thinking IRQ of 3 and I/O of 0x300).  You'd still have
>to probe for the video chipset, but the rest might be standardizable.

These are helpful simplifications, but they have some problems.

1. The real problem with X isn't selecting a resolution; if you select
1024*768 and it won't work, X is (in every version I've used) smart enough
to drop back to a working value. The real problems are matching the server
to the video card, getting the video RAM right, and getting the hsybc and
vsync of the monitor right. (I've been beta testing a couple of the new
"easy install" distributions that should be out soon, and both are tripping
up over X. It's just a hard process to automate.)

2. These computers will need swap if they only have 16 megs of RAM, so
making the hard disk a single partition isn't practical. The installer will
need some intelligence to figure out the best tradeoff, especially on small
(80 meg) drives.

3. You don't get to pick the IRQ and io base of an unknown NIC; you have to
find them. Since IRQ 3 conflicts with a standard serial port assignment,
I've always had to move NICs to a new IRQ. But since few of the modern NICs
use jumpers, and you'll be lucky if you get the DOS-based config disks with
donated machines, you pretty much have to live with what you get.

Don't get me wrong, Doug ... all of this stuff CAN be standardized. But when
you are working with a mix of donated old PCs, you won't start with it
standardized. That's the problem a good installer will have to deal with.
The packages I've seen, BTW, generally simplify their lives by limiting
themselves to one or two X servers (SVGA and maybe one other) and a couple
of the more common NICs (ne2000 and 3c509, say).

I know the silvervalley installation was based on purchased 486s that were
all bought at once in a standard configuration. I don't recall how Harry is
handling this at his site; perhaps he can tell us?

PS - I'm going to pass your Mac question on to someone I know who's focused
on Linux on Macs. I'll pass on any relpy she offers.


------------------------------------"Never tell me the odds!"---
Ray Olszewski                                        -- Han Solo
Palo Alto, CA           	 	         ray@comarre.com        
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