Lindows Webstation

dr.karl.b writes "Lindows.com has announced the WebStation, a hard-disk-less pc that boots from a CD, similar to the now dead ThinkNIC, for $169 (no monitor). Different versions are available from 2 vendors, TigerDirect and iDOTpc.com. The TigerDirect version has a 1.1GHz Duron, 256MB PC2100 DDR, 56X CD-ROM, 10/100Mbps NIC, floppy, modem, keyboard and mouse. The iDOTpc.com version has a 800MHz C3, 256MB PC133 SDRAM, 56X CD-ROM, 10/100Mbps NIC, but without a floppy, modem, keyboard or mouse. The TigerDirect looks like a better deal, at least now ($169 = $189 - $20 rebate). The 2 different versions seem to have confused the authors at C/Net and The Register, who only report the specs of the iDOTpc.com version."

Comments

Use without a hard disk.

[blanks]

How do you use it without a hard disk?

Simple, their workstations, they access a file server for storage and retrival of data/information.

A nice solution

[SixDimensionalArray]

First of all, it can store data in a RAM drive, which is basically what it uses to store the OS as well. The "RAM drive" acts like a very small (but fast) hard drive using the system's RAM.

It's a nice solution because a similarly equipped and more proprietary thin client (a Wyse terminal, for example) is much more expensive and most of the thin clients have Windows XP Embedded on them.

Kudos to the Linux world for lowering costs again!

Re:Add a hard disk?

[setzman]

If you look at the pictures on the Tiger Direct link, a hard drive is installed. As long as it has an IDE controller for the cd-rom, which it does, yes, you should be able to add a hard drive, as long as the BIOS in this thing supports one. Or, you could add a SCSI, SerialATA, or another IDE controller to the system via the PCI slot.

iDOTpc

[yardgnome]

I've ordered several things from iDOT and never been disappointed. In fact, when I first ordered from them, someone noticed that I lived only 15 miles away from their warehouse. So they offered to refund my shipping costs and hold the parts for me to personally pick up! Even more surprising, they noticed that I had separately ordered the parts for a more-than-barebones system, and offered to assemble the hardware at no extra charge.

So consider this customer satisfied. If you're going to order one of these diskless PCs, you certainly won't have any reseller problems if you order from iDOT.

Re:iDOTpc

[MikeFM]

I agree fully. I've ordered several things from iDOT and never been unhappy.

On the other hand I've worked for TigerDirect in the past and I can tell you that they will screw their customers at any chance they get. Even employees don't like to buy from them (and they get a discount). I'd suggest definately buying from iDOT instead of TigerDirect.

Re:Add a hard disk?

[yardgnome]

Both iDOT and TigerPC allow you to add a HD before purchase. The base model is HD-free, though.

Re:Huh??

[svara]

Lindows recommends to save the data either over a network or to a USB Memorykey. Actually this is not a bad idea, one can imagine a lot of possible uses for an extremely cost-effective PC ... with 64MB or so on a MemoryKey, that's nice, especially as you can carry those around.

Re:Should be easy to change the OS

[rkz]

Knoppix is debian.
Lindows is debian.
It would not be that hard to make a bastard child of the two. After all there is no sense in reinventing the wheel.

Re:Why a case?

[Anonymous Coward]

So why did they put this stuff in a big empty box?

Because they are using a full-size ATX motherboard to make this thing $170.

As a matter of fact...

[poptones]

Very early in lindows launch they made this quite clear. They offered the lindows "developer kit" for some ridiculously low price (I think it was $99) and, after signing a licensing agreement you could develop and market your own co-branded lindows distro.

Back then most people laughed. And described like that it still sounds laughable, doesn't it? Why would you pay money for an SDK and then sign a license for X$/install to sell a linux distro when you can put one together, based on debian (as lindows is) or redhat, for free?

Well, now look: lindows has a reasonable amount of brand recognition and press. You can put together a distro of redhat and try to get your compu-idiot clients to use it, or you can offer the same thing with a distro that is being sold at wal-mart and gets favorable press in all sorts of consumer press. Which do you think offers the better marketing opportunity when it comes to the technically challenged?

Re:This would be PERFECT...if...

[tedrlord]

ThinkNIC used flash ram in its cd-based PC, actually. It was quite handy.

Re:usage.

[gregfortune]

This would work well with a POS system as well.

Agreed, although the POS software must either be web based or you must be ready to roll your own CD based distribution (maybe using Knoppix as the base). The CD that ships with the machine isn't going to help at all if the POS software is not web based.

Re:Try Smoothwall

[Anonymous Coward]

www.smoothwall.org has a bullet-proof firewall that boots from CD. GPL.

Re:Add a NIC, mod the CD = Firewall

[Anonymous Coward]

http://www.bbiagent.net

Same thing as you describe but this one boots off a floppy disc..

Re:Huh??

[Viceice]

It's actualy an idea borrowed from Kinoppix. Basicly, all you need is a Kinoppix CD and a USB Memory Monkey(TM). You keep your home directory on the Monkey and there you have it. Your desktop anywhere. .. Oh, i ment Memory Key