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Compaq Announces Thin Client Running Linux

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the aint-that-interesting dept.

ansible writes " Saw this story on Techweb.com: Compaq has announced thin client hardware, including one that runs Linux. " The most interesting thing is the fact that the thin clients have a PCMCIA port and 2 USB ports. USB? Wouldn't it be swell if Compaq had some code for us? (he says eyeing the unusable USB port on his desktop and laptop)

12 of 88 comments (clear)

  1. Aha, but there *IS* USB support by Johannes · · Score: 5

    Take a visit to the somewhat out of date Linux USB homepage: www.linux-usb.org

    Both USB Host Controllers (UHCI and OHCI), Keyboards, Mice, Printers, some bulk devices (Hard Drive's, Floppies, etc) and some webcams have drivers off the top of my head.

    With many more to come and it's all in 2.3!

    1. Re:Aha, but there *IS* USB support by Johannes · · Score: 3

      Yes, USB modems are also supported. Forgot about that.

      They aren't a serial to USB device, nor a WinModem, but they do understand AT commands. They show up as serial devices.

      Printers, OTOH, are parallel to USB devices. But, I digress

  2. What's this about busted USB? by sterwill · · Score: 3

    I have a laptop, and I use a USB mouse just fine. It's even a PowerPC laptop, so I'm using a Linux kernel configuration Linus largely ignores... and it still works, with kernel 2.2.12.

    --

  3. Wouldn't it be great... by Wee · · Score: 3
    ...if Compaq decided to give back instead of cash in? It's plain that they (like many others) are looking at Linux as a fad they can make money from rather than a better way of doing things. In a way, I don't mind so much, because the more they cash in on Linux, the more Linux there is and I think that's a Good Thing.

    But the USB deal is just one of many things that is keeping Linux from taking greater hold in the desktop market. Once Linux gets things like more games, USB, cutting edge hardware/driver support, etc. then people will consider Linux as a viable alternative to Windows or Mac. I think this is an important step in the evolution of the OS. If Comapq could see their way clear to releasing some code for their USB implementation, then it would certainly help, and others might follow their lead.

    I'd really like to see a big name company like Compaq seriously embrace Linux and give back what it develops.

    -B

    -B

    --

    Ash and Hickory, straight-grained and true, make excellent bludgeons, dandy for the cudgeling of vegetarians.

    1. Re:Wouldn't it be great... by um...+Lucas · · Score: 3

      It's plain that they (like many others) are looking at Linux as a fad they can make money from rather than a better way of doing things.

      They're a business. Their job is to make money. If they make money by doing things better, that's great. Right now, they like everyone else that's hopping on to the Linux bandwagon (Oracle, Lotus, IBM, etc...) the interest is twofold.

      1 - it lessens their dependence on MSFT
      2 - it's because customers are asking/demanding it

      That's good enough for me. A company that decides that it's going to screw the notion of profitablility in order to only do things in a "better" manner is the one that won't be around next year.

      I'll again reiterate my argument that while Windows NT is extremely vulnerable to the threat of Linux, Windows 9x is less so, and the MacOS is even less threatened... Comparing NT Server to Linux showcases NT's bloat. Comparing Linux to Win9x shows how much further Linux must go. I really don't think that Linux/KDE/GNOME/etc will ever approach the current MacOS in terms of ease of use. We're not talking stability or anything else. That's not a fault of Linux, per se. Just it's heritage from Unix, plus its' development by programmers for programmers aren't exactly "user-friendly" in the way the Mac is for the computing neophyte.

    2. Re:Wouldn't it be great... by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 3
      and who wrote the MacOS.... elves?

      Internal documents outline the use of Elves at Apple in an unpublished commercial. They were going to dance around in shiny, colorfull suits. Then someone scuttled the idea with the "tanks and supercomputers" angle.

      Pitty.

  4. Re:Finally Catching Up.... by josecanuc · · Score: 3

    If I recall correctly, there was a discussion on the LinuxPPC mailing list about this. Apparently, Linus is ignoring the USB patches being sent to him by the PPC folks. Now, I'm not bashing Linus, apparently he doesn't want to add it to the tree until a stable version exists and there is another group working on it. Since Linus isn't too fond of non-Intel architectures, he will probably go with that other group (sorry, can't remember it now, but the link was posted earlier on this board)

  5. Wyse already has one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3

    Wyse has had a thin client running linux for a couple of months now. I have been testing it for about a month. It looks pretty good, but, and I swear this is true, I have had to reboot it when setting it up as many times as thin clients running WinCE. It also doesn't remember the time unless you point it to an internet time server.

  6. Thin Clients, WinCE, and Linux... by trims · · Score: 4

    I sincerely believe that Thin Clients are the way of the future, especially for businesses. That said, it seems that people are forgetting a couple of things when they impliment them these days...

    • You really should do rendering on the client. It used to make sense to do it on the server, since CPU was expensive, but now days, with really cheap high performance CPU and Video, it's stupid NOT to do it on the client.
    • Bandwidth. Alot of this is related to the above (drawing/rendering on the client cuts down seriously on rendering requirements), but please, Mr Thin Client maker, a dedicated 100Mbps to the desktop and a Gigbit ethernet for the server is ludicrous (hello, Sun???). Do some work, and at least have a protocol compressor on both ends (as there are for X).
    • Memory and swap. OK, I know you shouldn't need swap space for a thin client (everything runs on the server, right?) but it sure would be nice to have local caching for some stuff. Barring that, please have enough local memory to do proper caching? I see alot of Thin Clients with 8-12MB, which isn't anywhere enough to do decent caching. Again, bandwidth this the limiting factor here...

    WinCE, while in and of itself isn't a horrible thing for Thin Clients, depends on Window NT TS, which is one incredibly nasty hack. Personally, I would shoot anyone suggesting we use a NT TS solution.

    Linux is great for Thin Clients. Hopefully, the Compaq clients above are well-designed (basically, you should have a sophisticated X-Terminal). The thing here that Compaq and other thin-client makers need to pound on hard is: APPS, APPS, APPS. Being able to run StarOffice is a godsend, but they need to provide alot more to make a Thin Client truly useful.

    With the backing of Compaq, I see this as a good thing for thin-clients. Hopefully, we will see alot more software developers produce X-based apps for the community at large.

    -Erik

    --
    There are always four sides to every story: your side, their side, the truth, and what really happened.
  7. The USB developer for the 2.3.x kernels... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4

    he works where I work and he is more than willing to write USB drivers for any devices he is provided with. He has done a lot of work getting the USB code stable and in good maintainable shape. He has written drivers for USB printers, Zip drives, Web CAMs, Speakers and Modems. Look in the kernel source for 2.3.x for his e-mail and send suggestions.

  8. Exciting new USB peripheral for Linux unveiled. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4

    Compaq has now introduced an exciting new USB peripheral for the Linux version of their thin client computer.

    Known as "APOBET" (A Piece Of Black Electrical Tape) it will be applied to both USB ports on their new thin client system, to enhance the appearance of the machine and enhance usability (by preventing user confusion).

    The APOBET will also be available as an Upgrade Kit for Compaq customers moving to Linux from the Windows platform. A company spokesperson has been quoted as saying that the APOBET is also being tested for use as a retrofit for machines running Linux across the whole line of Comapq computers.

    A Linux spokesperson was quoted as responding that "This fulfills the need for a robust, timely USB solution on the Linux operating system. In addition, it yet again proves that with Linux stability always comes first."

  9. Re:Finally Catching Up.... by BJH · · Score: 3


    No, no, no, no. Linus didn't reject the USB patches because they came from a non-Intel platform. He stated quite clearly that he didn't like the way that those patches tried to do everything all at once for USB, and wanted to take a more gradual and simpler approach. That's why the USB support in the current kernels is the one that Alan Cox and others are working on.

    Since when is Linus "not too fond of non-Intel architectures"?