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

usage.

[blanks]

I think people are confusing these machines with systems you would have at your house. The main benefit would be to companys that do not want workers using their machines for non work related issues.

A good example would be a telemarketing center, where only data is passed to the system, a little input from the end-user, and then stored on another system.

This would work well with a POS system as well.

Or, an MP3 player in your house where the system just pulls music off your file server.

Get the idea now?

Re:Add a hard disk?

[SeanTobin]

My bet is that you can, but there is a very good reason for being cd only. Its much more difficult to screw up a os on a cd than it is to screw up an os on a hdd. When a 12 year old skript kiddie hax0rz your library machine and inverts the mouse buttons, the techno-challenged librarians just need to know how to hit the reset button. No worries about fscks/scandisks, or actually having to undo the switch.

Yes, the above can all be accomplished with some weird write protection on the hdd, but compare costs here. A cheap cdrom can cost under $20. Try and find a hdd in the same price bracket. Then add the cost of all the magic necessary to make it kiddie-proof*.

[*] does not include said kiddies removing cdrom and coating with strawberry jam. But that's what backups are for.

Re:it seems silly not to include a hard drive

[EvilTwinSkippy]

Speaking as a network admin at a museum, you never want to let folks install thier own stuff. You've seen that lab computer that hasn't been locked down. It has 98 re-installed, 8 copies of DOOM, a keyboard sniffing program, and the desktop is so full of icons from crap that it needs a scrollbar.

Besides, you know that the machine is just going to get stuffed with pr0n. Better to limit them to what tmpfs will hold.

Re:it seems silly not to include a hard drive

[chill]

You seem to be forgetting the target audience DOES NOT ALREADY HAVE A COMPUTER, thus does not own 35 Gb of MP3s.

As for what happens if the business fails and it all gets auctioned off? Well, the only thing the end user would have lost would be some time. You DO own all the CDs you'd be ripping, right? Thus, you have backups.

USB Pen Drives (again . . .)

[Idou]

I tried the LindowsCD 0S with a USB pen drive, and it finds it automatically and mounts it in /disks/dos. It doesn't make an icon on the Desktop like Knoppix, but that is still very straight forward.

You can get 64mb USB Flash drive for about $10. That is good enough to save a moderate amount of personal files. Don't think "only web" here, though. It comes with Open Office (or just use a knoppix flavor for whatever software you are into), which will, say, let kids write a word document, save it on the USB drive, and print at school. Definitely has potential as an "offline" tool(think "lower income").

Re:it seems silly not to include a hard drive

[NanoGator]

"Why not stick a 2gb drive or something small in there just for the OS? That way the CD drive would be free for people to play music CDs, etc. "

Cost + the concept that something could go corrupt? At least with a Read-Only media for the OS, a virus is wiped out with a reboot.